During a conversation with Rock Candy magazine, guitarist Ace Frehley opened up about his absence from Kiss’ final show, which took place in December last year at Madison Square Garden:
“Fans would constantly reach out to me and say. So the fans were and are my primary motivators, and I want them to know that I did try, but I couldn’t make it happen. They never asked me. […]
“I’m sober, and all my friends and associates will tell you as much. I got to the point in life where drugs and alcohol had taken me over, and I’m just so happy to be away from all that. […]
“I want people to know that I do love Paul and Gene. I wish things would have been different, but it wasn’t to be…”
Referring to guitarist Tommy Thayer, Frehley said:
“He’s a good guy and deserves a break. He’s not me, but he was never going to be me. In a lot of ways, his task was impossible.”