ACE FREHLEY has announced he’s recorded a covers album entitled Origins Vol.1.
It’s set for release on April 15 and includes the former KISS guitarist’s take on tracks by artists including CREAM, the ROLLING STONES, JIMI HENDRIX, KINKS and LED ZEPPELIN.
He reported in 2014 that plans were in place for the album, later suggesting he’d toyed with the idea of inviting his old KISS bandmate Gene Simmons to contribute.
But he’s now confirmed it’s actually Paul Stanley who appears on the record, with the KISS mainman providing vocals on a cover of FREE’s Fire And Water.
FREHLEY tells Rolling Stone: “I thought Paul did a fabulous vocal on it. He jumped at the chance to do this because it’s something that’s outside of Kiss and his character in Kiss. It gave him a chance to sing.
“With Paul, you usually think of him singing in a slightly higher register and on Fire And Water, he’s singing deep from his diaphragm, and it’s a real cool vocal. Everyone’s who heard it was just thinks it’s the shit.”
Other artists to guest on Origins Vol.1 are Slash, John 5, Lita Ford and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, with Frehley reporting that the Guns N’ Roses guitarist suggested the pair played together live when they were recording their cover of Thin Lizzy’s Emerald – a process he and Slash repeated 15 times.
Frehley adds: “It took me three days to pick the best takes. I think it came out great.”
The axeman will support Origins Vol.1 with a US tour, which is scheduled to get underway later this month.