Eddie Trunk, radio show host and close friend of Ace Frehley, recently responded to the claims made in a YouTube video about Ace losing $15 million during the KISS reunion deal. Trunk shared his response on X (formerly Twitter).
Eddie Trunk opens up on KISS stealing from Ace Frehley
The video was shared by the YouTube channel Ace Frehley: The Untold Legacy. It alleged that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s lawyers made a contract that resulted in Ace receiving half of what the original members earned during the lucrative reunion tour. However, Trunk questioned the video’s credibility early on.
The video reported, “1996, in a backstage room at Madison Square Garden, 45-year-old Ace Frehley was staring at the contract in his hands. His signature, Ink Still Wet, had just formalized one of the biggest heists in rock history. That night, as he walked onto stage, 18,000 fans celebrated the return of Space Ace. But Ace had to accept a new reality. The Kiss reunion tour would become one of the most lucrative rock tours in history, but he would only receive half of what the original members were getting. Jean Simmons and Paul Stanley’s lawyers had stolen $15 million from Ace through a masterfully crafted contract trap, and that money would never be paid back.”
A KISS fan commented on the video and asked, “Can anyone confirm the information in this video? I thought Ace made a lot more money for the reunion tour than what’s mentioned here. If true, that’s terrible how that went down.”
Eddie Trunk responded to the claims, saying, “As we know, people can literally make up anything online and post it. And sadly a TON do.” He added, “I didn’t listen to this all through, but it lost me 2 minutes in when it says Kiss fired Ace. They didn’t. He left. So right there I’m out as far as legitimacy.”
When it comes to losing, Ace Frehley was also once asked in an interview if he had lost what he had in the years he wasn’t making albums.
He said, “I did lose it for a while. If I hadn’t made the decision to clean up my act, who knows what would have happened? I don’t even know if I’d be alive right now.
“In 2003, I had a really bad detox. I fell down a flight of stairs. I screwed up my shoulder and neck and couldn’t play guitar for a while. And I thought God had just taken it all away from me. All these crazy things ran through my head. I’ve always been great with computers, and after I fell I forgot how to use all of my programs. I had to learn how to do everything all over again.”
