KISS frontman Gene Simmons shared a subtle tribute to his late bandmate Ace Frehley during his first show of 2026.
The rocker changed up his set list during his Friday, February 20, show at L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to include two KISS songs he had never performed life, according to Parade.
Gene Simmons Honors Ace Frehley On Stage
Simmons graced the Louisiana crowd with a solo performance of “Strange Ways” and “Rocket Ride,” both of which were written by Frehley. The show marked his first of the year, and only his second performance since Frehley’s passing in October.
Simmons’ song choice was a meaningful decision to honor his late friend.
“‘Strange Ways,’ originally sung by drummer Peter Criss on KISS’s 1974 album Hotter Than Hell, was Frehley’s composition. ‘Rocket Ride,’ co-written by Frehley and KISS associate Sean Delaney, appeared on Alive II in 1977,” Parade reported, adding that these two songs were “pivotal” to Frehley.
“That’s the first time I was satisfied with my vocal projection,” Frehley wrote in the 2003 biography “Kiss: Behind the Mask,” per Parade. “More than that, ‘Rocket Ride‘ was the song that really gave me confidence that I could sing and really project a song.”
Ace Frehley Passed Away at age 74
Frehley—who was a founding member of the iconic rock band—passed away on October 16, 2025, after suffering two devastating falls.
The second fall, which occurred 10 days before his passing, forced the band to cancel the remainder of their 2025 concert dates.
“In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this Earth,” his family said at the time.
Bandmates Simmons and Paul Stanley shared a joint statement after news of Frehley’s passing became public.
“I am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy,” they told The Hollywood Reporter. “My thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
The Morris County Medical Examiner’s office later determined that Frehley’s passing was an accident after suffering facial fractures near his eyes and bruising from his falls, according to The Guardian.
