Frehley's Comet

In 1978, all four members of Kiss released solo albums simultaneously. Consensus among fans held that guitarist Ace Frehley's album was the most impressive of the four. Solo ambitions were what prompted Frehley to leave Kiss in the early '80s, but a serious car crash and recurring problems with drugs and drink postponed the release of 1987's FREHLEY'S COMET for a number of years. Joining Frehley in his new band were session bassist John Regan, Cheap Trick touring sideman Tod Howarth (guitar/vocals/keyboards), and drummer Anton Fig (of David Letterman's house band). While FREHLEY'S COMET doesn't quite match up to Frehley's solo debut, it has proved to be his best post-Kiss solo outing. Like many other '70s rock artists who resurfaced in the '80s, Frehley tried to inject glossy pop into his metal instead of sticking with the straight-ahead raw rock of yore. Still, the album includes several highlights, such as the anthem "Rock Soldiers" (detailing Frehley's near-fatal car crash), "Into the Night," "Stranger in a Strange Land," and the album-closing instrumental "Fractured."