Ace Frehley closes 20-year gap with "Anomaly"

DETROIT (Billboard) - Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley intends "Anomaly," his first album of new material in 20 years, to "kind of pick up where I left off with my first solo album." That self-titled set was released in 1978, during Kiss' commercial zenith.

"Prior to going into the studio, I listened to that first album, which everybody cites as their favorite Ace record," Frehley tells Billboard.com. "I dissected it and tried to get into the same mind-set this time around. I think I recaptured some of the musical textures and attitude and vibe that I had on that first record."

Frehley recorded "Anomaly" -- due out September 15, on the third anniversary of his sobriety -- at Schoolhouse Studios in New York and at his home studio in Westchester, N.Y. He produced all but one of the album's 12 tracks. Marti Frederiksen, who mixed the album with Anthony Fox, helmed a cover of Sweet's "Fox on the Run" that features Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl Aday on backing vocals.

The album's first single, "Outer Space," is already out, and "Anomaly" also includes a track called "Fractured Quantum," which completes a "Fractured" trilogy that Frehley began with "Fractured Mirror" on "Ace Frehley" and continued with "Fractured Too" on 1987's "Frehley's Comet."

"Anomaly" also marks the first time Frehley has recorded using Pro Tools. He doesn't think the digital editing system changed his sound. "I really believe if you use the same process that you always do, if you have the right engineers working with you, you can get that analog sound with digital recording," he says.

Frehley intends to hit the road later this fall to support "Anomaly" and will have a new custom model Gibson Les Paul guitar issued before the end of the year. With four songs left over from the "Anomaly" sessions, he also intends to issue a follow-up in short order.

"It'll probably be in the next year and a half or so -- it's not gonna be another 20 years," he promises with a laugh. "I went away for a while. I went to outer space ... and came back. Now I'm stronger than ever, with a vengeance. I just hope everyone likes ('Anomaly'). I really put my heart and soul into it."

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)