Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is currently working on a solo album for a tentative spring release, he revealed during a guest appearance last night (Dec. 23) on the "Merry KISSmass Special" with Eddie Trunk on New York's Q104.3 FM. Around 15 songs are being recorded for the effort (with about 10 expected to make the final cut), which will be made available through Ace's soon-to-be-relaunched web site, AceFrehley.com, as well as via proper label channels (Frehley is "talking" to several different record companies at the moment). Although he offered no details, Frehley indicated that he would definitely be back on the road sometime in the spring, "either in a small club or Madison Square Garden — hopefully Madison Square Garden," Ace said. Frehley — who says he has been sober for two and a half years now — will be accompanied by a brand-new band once he hits the road, but he offered no specifics as to who will make up his backing group for any of the upcoming shows. Asked if there was a scenario under which he could envision himself ever returning to the stage as part of KISS (alongside Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley), Ace said, "I think it could be fun, if it was the right situation." During his appearance on the "Merry KISSmass Special", Frehley also premiered a recent rough-mix recording of a semi-acoustic version of the ROLLING STONES classic "2,000 Man", which originally appeared on KISS' "Dynasty" album (1979).

As previously reported, Frehley's former record label, Megaforce Records, will be issuing a compilation titled album, entitled "Greatest Hits Live", on January 24, 2006. According to a press release, this CD "represents some of the best work from legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley during the period after his highly publicized departure from one of the greatest rock bands of all time." As with the previous Megaforce Ace Frehley releases "12 Picks" (1996) and "Loaded Deck" (1997), Ace himself had nothing to do with putting this package together.