Popularity for Frehley's Comet waned fast. So much so, that when it was time to return to the studio for 1989's Trouble Walkin', Frehley would drop the band moniker and instead opt to release it as a solo album. Frehley also took a page out of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmon's book, informing co-lead singer / guitarist / keyboardist, Tod Howarth, that his vocals wouldn't be needed on the new album, essentially relegating him to a session musician. Both Howarth and Jamie Oldaker would ultimately drop out.
What would draw people's attention to the album would be the guest appearance of Peter Criss and Sabastian Bach, who provided backing vocal on several tracks. Additionally, Frehley would use the Paul Stanley, Holly Knight, and Desmond Child penned, Hide Your Heart, which would later appear on Kiss's Hot In The Shade, released that same year. A year earlier, the song was released as a single by Bonnie Tyler, who recorded it for her album of the same name.
Unfortunately, history would repeat, and Trouble Talkin' would underperform, peaking at 102 on the Billboard 200. The lone single, a cover of The Moves, Do Ya, penned by ELO's Jeff Lynne, failed to chart. Kiss would release Hot In The Shade four days after Frehley's, and with the massive success of the album, it made no sense to release Hide Your Heart as a single.
It's a very generic rock album, and at the same time, a very loud one. Those aspects alone make it difficult to enjoy.
Sadly, none of the Frehley penned tracks really resonate either. Do Ya, and Hide Your Heart, were the only standouts for me, and frankly, the original of Do Ya, and Kiss version of Heart, are far superior.
Mind you, the music as a whole wasn't bad. It was just...well, boring. Generic at best, and forgettable. Ironically, at the same time, it was simply nice to hear Frehley's voice and guitar work. Like an old friend just stopping by to say, "Hello."
While a tour would kick off in support of the album, it was unceremoniously ended after John Regan abruptly quit. The bassist simply couldn't take the ups and downs of Frehley and his substance abuse. Other opportunities existed for him, including working with John Waite, so at the end of the day, he simply didn't need the headache. Frehley himself wouldn't tour again for two years.
Ups and downs certainly persisted for Ace, including a surprise reunion with Kiss, including Peter Criss, during MTV's Unplugged, which aired on Halloween, 1995. This led to the four original members formally reuniting in 1996 for a series of sold out shows around the world. He'd leave Kiss again in 2001, and resume his solo career, releasing six albums between 2009 and 2024.
With the help of his daughter, Ace even cleaned himself up in 2006, and though he continued to struggle with substances, managed to stay relatively clean. Sadly, as he got older, he had a few falls, which severely injured him. One such fall on October 2, 2025, resulted in him severely injuring his head, and being rushed to the hospital. On the sixteenth of that same month, it was reported he was on life support with a ventilator, suffering from brain bleeding. With no signs of recovery, his family opted to turn off life support. He died just a few hours later. Peter Criss and his wife were among the few who were present with him during his final moments on October 16, 2025.
Frehley's legacy was so widespread that many celebrities openly mourned his death with his fans, telling stories, and participating in tribute events. Even Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons offered their own tributes through one-off events, and statements. Though some fans were split by the genuineness of these.
Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.
Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.
