Ryan Spencer Cook, a member of Ace Frehley’s touring band, has spoken out as criticism surfaced over a new run of concerts celebrating the music of Ace Frehley. Cook is among a group of musicians Frehley selected for his 2018 Australian dates who are planning shows built around Frehley’s 1978 solo album played in full, plus KISS classics, a move that has drawn pushback from former Frehley drummer and vocalist Scot Coogan.
In a statement issued on April 1st, Coogan said he had stayed quiet “to give my crew, management, and most importantly Ace’s family the time and respect they deserve to grieve,” adding that he felt it was “far too soon” to perform Ace Frehley’s music and that he had “no interest in profiting from his name, likeness, or legacy.”
Ryan Spencer Cook defends Ace Frehley tribute shows
Cook responded on April 3 with his own message, framing the decision as personal rather than opportunistic.
He wrote: “Grief recognizes neither time nor space. One cannot place a time limit on grief… it’s different for everyone. While some are able to navigate through its murky waters quicker than others, some never recover from it at all. But… do you know what DOES in fact have an expiration date? The time that we have here on this Earth. And if you’d like to celebrate something or someone, you do what is right for you. Please… don’t let anyone tell you when it’s safe, too soon or too late to celebrate someone’s life, love and legacy. If your heart’s in the right place when doing so, it’s a beautiful thing.”
The dispute comes as more details around Frehley’s death continue to circulate. The original KISS guitarist died last October at 74, with an autopsy ruling the cause as blunt-trauma injuries from a fall and the manner of death an accident.
Reports also noted head contusions and fractures, internal bleeding consistent with a subdural hematoma, and additional bruising, along with a mention that Frehley had suffered a stroke.
Frehley co-founded KISS in 1973 and appeared on the band’s first nine albums before departing in 1982, later returning for the 1996 reunion era and 1998’s “Psycho Circus.” He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band’s original lineup in 2014, leaving behind a legacy that remains deeply personal for the musicians who worked alongside him.
