The chapel fell silent as Peter Criss, the original drummer of KISS, stepped up to the podium to pay tribute to his longtime friend and bandmate Ace Frehley, who passed away last week at the age of 74.
Dressed in a black suit and dark sunglasses, Peter appeared visibly emotional as he addressed the mourners — a crowd filled with family members, friends, and fellow musicians who had gathered to say goodbye to the legendary “Spaceman” of KISS.
“Ace wasn’t just a guitarist,” Criss began, his voice trembling. “He was the heartbeat of our sound — unpredictable, brilliant, and real. We fought like brothers, laughed like brothers, and made music that changed our lives forever.”
Throughout the speech, Peter paused several times to hold back tears, recalling the wild tours, late-night jam sessions, and the bond that tied the original KISS members together even after decades apart.
“We didn’t always see eye to eye,” he continued softly, “but when we played together, it was magic. That kind of connection — it doesn’t die. Ace will always live in our songs, and in our hearts.”
As he finished, Criss placed a single white rose on the edge of Ace’s coffin before bowing his head in silence. Behind him, a large framed photo of Frehley with his iconic Les Paul guitar stood surrounded by flowers.
The room filled with quiet emotion as “New York Groove” — Ace’s signature anthem — played softly in the background. It was a fitting farewell from one original KISS legend to another — a final tribute that captured both the pain of loss and the eternal spirit of rock and roll.
