Watch: GEOFF TATE Pays Tribute To ACE FREHLEY 'With A Song Inspired A Lot By His Former Band'

Former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate has paid tribute to original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, who died on Thursday (October 16) at the age of 74. The news of his passing came just hours after TMZ reported that Ace was hospitalized on life support after he suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple of weeks ago.

Prior to launching into the QUEENSRŸCHE classic "Queen Of The Reich" during his October 16 solo concert at the Patchogue Theatre in Patchogue, New York, Geoff told the audience:  "I don't know if you've heard, Ace Frehley died today. Love that man. A native of the Bronx, not too far from here. [He] will go down in musical history. Ace Frehley of KISS has passed."

He added: "I'd like to pay a tribute with a song inspired a lot by his former band. Let's do one more for Ace."

In a 2011 interview with Legendary Rock Interviews, Geoff reflected on QUEENSRŸCHE's 1984 tour as the support act for KISS. He said: "I really enjoyed the KISS tour. That was a really interesting time, of course. It was [a tour in support of] our first full-length album. We toured with KISS, Ozzy [Osbourne], TWISTED SISTER, BON JOVI who were also just getting started. We had a great time out on that tour. We had fun and got along with all those bands, including KISS."

Geoff continued: "Really, it's always an interesting experience opening for other acts like that. In theory, they are not only sharing their stage but they're sharing their audience with you. Most bands that we have toured with have been very confident in their own show and their own abilities so they tend to be very generous. KISS gave us full lights and sound and that sort of thing. They were really great in that they gave us the full run of the entire stage, anything we wanted they gave to us. I think from the audience's point of view it went well. We were definitely different and throwing some curve balls at the audience but at least a large segment of them seemed to still appreciate what it is we do."

Frehley, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey.

TMZ reported earlier on Thursday that Frehley was on life support. He had to cancel his tour dates and his condition had not improved after suffering from a brain bleed from the fall.

Ace co-founded KISS with guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss in New York City in 1973. Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.