Just when it looked like Kiss might make up and reform for the seminal rock band’s final tour, former guitarist Ace Frehley wrote a Facebook post that quickly went viral, accusing bassist and band leader Gene Simmons of sexually assaulting Frehley’s wife.
Frehley said Simmons—who settled a lawsuit last June accusing him of sexual assault, though he denied the charge—groped his wife, Rachael Gordon, after propositioning her.
“Today’s comments have made me realize you’re just an asshole and a sex addict who’s being sued by multiple women, and you’re just trying to sweep it all under the carpet!” Frehley wrote in his Facebook post that’s been shared more than 6,000 times. “…The icing on the cake was when you groped my wife and propositioned her in Los Angeles at the Capitol Records building behind my back, when I was trying to help you out at one of your ‘Vault Experiences’ which I only found out about several weeks later…she was planning on pursuing a suit against you, but I told her to call it off!!!”
In November 2017, an unnamed radio personality said Simmons inappropriately touched her during an interview and that he “turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos.” Simmons denied those claims.
He also hasn’t publicly responded to the charges made by Frehley, who didn’t say when the alleged incident between his wife and Simmons occurred.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, via Blabbermouth, Simmons was critical of Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, who were part of the original lineup when Kiss debuted in 1973 and who have feuded off and on with Simmons and guitarist/singer Paul Stanley since they left the group in the early 1980s.
As the band gears up for what’s being billed as its last tour, questions have surfaced wondering if Frehley, who has had a successful solo career, and Criss would be involved.
“Ace and Peter have gotten three chances,” Simmons said. “They were in and out of the band—fired—three times. For drugs, alcohol, bad behavior, being unprofessional … they weren’t carrying their load. … So the short answer to your question is we’d love to have Ace and Peter join us here and there. And if they don’t, it’s not going to be because of us. But they’re never going to be in Kiss again.”
Simmons continued by saying, “Three times is the charm; ‘I promise I’ll pull out’ doesn’t work. It’s the boy who cried wolf: ‘Oh, I’ve been straight for a million years.’ Terrific. Have a good life. … Would we welcome Ace or Peter to jump up onstage for a song or two? Of course. Could we depend on either Ace or Peter to do a full set night after night? Not on your fucking life.”
Frehley responded in part by writing, “Your slanderous remarks about my bad habits over the years has cost me millions of dollars and now that I’m over 12 years sober you’re still saying I can’t be trusted to play a whole night’s show! Well that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 12-years with different configurations of ‘The Ace Frehley Band’ to you and Paul’s dismay!
“ …Well now the gloves are off after your terrible comments today and I’m thinking that this really may be “The End Of The Road Tour” for you guys!!! ….Without a complete and heartfelt apology, an offer to give me my old job back … THE SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN AND THEY’LL BE NO STOPPING IT-IT’S ON!!!”
Here’s Frehley’s entire Facebook post.
https://www.facebook.com/56216285377/posts/10155634798915378?sfns=cl