In 1964, Ace Frehley received a guitar as a Christmas gift and he immersed himself in learning the instrument. Frehley came from a musical family, as his father was a church organist and his brother Charles was a classical guitar player. He cites Buddy Guy, Albert Lee, B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones as some of his main influences. As a youth, Frehley also formed a street gang called The Duckies with future W.A.S.P. lead singer Blackie Lawless.
Ace Frehley's real name is Paul, but he earned his nickname in high school due to his inability to impress girls or get dates. His friends would often tease him, saying things like "You're a real ace" when it came to dating. Frehley's family didn't have a lot of money, so he showed up to his KISS audition in the early '70s wearing two different colored sneakers. The band was so impressed by Frehley's guitar playing that he was hired three weeks later.
In the early '70s, KISS wasn't making any money earning a name for themselves and playing in empty clubs, so guitarist Ace Frehley was forced to take a job as a part-time cab driver to pay the bills. When the band scored a management deal in 1973, Frehley was paid $75 per week to be in the band, allowing him to quit the job.
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