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Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is playing a few shows this summer following a series of autograph signing events this spring.

Ace has a few projects on the go these days, including work on a new album – the follow up to 2009’s “Anomaly” – as well as a sequel to 2011’s "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir," which debuted at #10 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list upon its release last fall.

“Writing that book opened the floodgates and put me in contact with a lot of people I haven’t spoken to in a while,” Frehley tells The Oakland Press. “A lot of stories came up I had forgotten about, and there were a lot of stories I came across too late. I’ve spoken with a couple of my old bodyguards, roadies and stuff; they helped me with the first book and they’re helping with stories for the second book, too.”

“I’m having more fun now than I was way back then because now, in a sober state, I remember what I do,” he adds. “That’s a nice feeling, to wake up the following day and remember what you did the day before. It wasn’t like that for a long time.”

After many years in the spotlight as lead guitarist for KISS, does Ace miss any of the experience?

“I like running my own life now,” Ace explains. “One of the things that made me crazy when I was in Kiss was being at the mercy of Paul (Stanley) and Gene (Simmons), who were like workaholic. They wanted to tour constantly and record constantly, over-merchandise the brand, and that made me crazy. I’m not a kid any more. Touring constantly can be very exhausting. I don’t want to put myself in that position, so I’m happier with what I’m doing now.”

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