The weekend of Oct. 16–18, two major rock legends died: Ace Frehley, lead guitarist and founding member of the glam-rock band KISS, and Sam Rivers, bassist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit. Frehley and Rivers may not be household names and garner public attention like Eddie Van Halen or Ozzy Osbourne, but they were critical in creating and influencing others within their respective genres.
Ace Frehley, otherwise known as “Space-Ace” or “the Spaceman,” passed away Oct. 16 at the age of 74. Frehley’s death was caused by a fall in his music studio weeks prior, which then resulted in him being put on life support. When his family learned he would not make a full recovery, they made the decision to take him off.
Frehley’s contributions to the glam-rock genre, characterized by theatrical performances, can be traced back to 1973 when he helped found KISS in New York City. KISS’s extravagant makeup and stage personas including “the Starchild” (Paul Stanley, lead vocalist and co-lead guitarist), “the Demon” (Gene Simmons, co-lead vocalist and bassist), “the Spaceman” or “Space Ace” (Ace Frehley, lead guitarist) and “the Catman” (Peter Criss, drummer) make them a key group within the glam-rock genre.
Frehley was influenced by guitarists Eric Clapton of Cream and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, both of whom pioneered combining blues and rock in their own playing styles. Frehley’s unique playing style focused on expressiveness and personality rather than flashy technique and solos. His contribution to the glam-rock genre is through his stage persona, including makeup and costume inspired by sci-fi superheroes and comic books. Another crucial element to Frehley’s stage presence was his smoking guitar, which was specially rigged to emit smoke during his solos to add more theatrics to the performance.
Frehley’s footprint on rock ‘n’ roll will last indefinitely as he has influenced several other notable guitarists in their technique and stage presence. Famed guitarists Slash of Guns ‘n Roses and Eddie Halen of Van Halen have both spoken in interviews regarding Frehley as one of their inspirations for their own playing styles. In an Instagram post remembering Frehley, guitarist Steve Vai wrote, “Ace Frehley was the embodiment of a rock ‘n’ roll attitude – unapologetic, loud, and irresistibly catchy. His riffs had swagger, his tone had bite, and his presence lit up stages like a supernova […] During my teenage years, his playing inspired me not because it was polished, but because it was gloriously unfiltered and full of life.”
Sam Rivers, bassist of Limp Bizkit, passed away Oct. 18 at the age of 48 due to cardiac arrest. Limp Bizkit formed in Jacksonville, FL, in 1994 with vocalist Fred Durst, guitarist Wes Borland, bassist Sam Rivers and drummer John Otto. The band is described as nu-metal. The genre is a blend of heavy metal and hip-hop and has been known to take inspiration from Linkin Park, Korn and Slipknot, who also create music within the nu-metal genre.
Rivers’ music education started when he began learning tuba, before switching to guitar in high school, all before finally landing on bass. Rivers’ playing style prioritized creating a foundation for the rest of the band to follow, rather than flashy solos; corresponding perfectly to his stage presence. While lead singer Durst was high-energy and interacted with the crowd during shows, Rivers was calm and laid-back as he focused on maintaining the band’s rhythm through powerful basslines. This laid-back persona on stage eventually led to him being called the “backbone” of Limp Bizkit on multiple occasions. Rivers has undoubtedly influenced many musicians, the most notable being bassist Stephen Lee Bruner, known by his stage name “Thundercat,” who mainly plays hip-hop and jazz music. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Bruner emphasized how Rivers helped him understand how to play a genre that had not yet been defined. Bruner said, “Limp Bizkit was groundbreaking, and it needed no proof. You could see it in people’s reaction to it, and Sam was one of the mechanics of our childhood.”
Both Frehley and Rivers are influential in their own right, each paving the way for future musicians in their respective genres. Their legacies are indefinite, and they will be missed for their energy and contributions to rock ‘n’ roll.
Contact Mars Gallati at gallati@oxy.edu
