ACE FREHLEY’S COMET – Milwaukee Summerfest Live 1987 (2015 Echoes radio broadcast)
In 1987, Ace Frehley had just begun his comeback. He recorded a well received debut as Frehley’s Comet, with a notable appearance by drummer par excellence Anton Fig. Anton had been working steadily for the Letterman show since 1986 and so was not on the tour this CD was captured from. This version of the Comet featured new drummer Billy Ward. They were recorded live in Milwaukee at Summerfest on June 29th of that year. It was taped for broadcast and somehow survived. Live radio broadcast CDs are so common now that you can even find them at Walmart. Some are worth the cash, others less so. A Frehley’s Comet broadcast from the first tour is automatically interesting to Kiss collectors.
Unfortunately what buyers will discover is that this CD is a harsh chore to listen to. Vocals are back in the mix, bass way up front, and there is a thin haze of staticky air over it. Ace’s perennial opener, “Rip It Out” (from his 1978 solo album) is but a shadow of the better produced version on the Live + 1 EP. This is through no fault of the band, featuring mainstay bassist John Regan, singer/guitarist Tod Howarth, and Ward.
Ace sings lead on most of the material, but Tod Howarth has a couple songs from the first Comet LP. “Something Moved” and “Breakout” (co-written by the late Eric Carr) are fast paced action, while “Calling to You” is anthemic pop rock. Howarth was in excellent voice that night, this much is certain. Ace sings a handful of Kiss tunes as well as solo and Comet material. Gene Simmons originally sang “Cold Gin”, but Ace took it back for himself by singing it live. At the same time, Kiss were also playing “Cold Gin” live (a song Ace wrote) and fans will have to decide who pulled it off best. Ace even tackles “Deuce”, a song Gene wrote. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander?
It really is a shame that the audio hampers the listening experience. It sounds like a legitimately great Ace performance. Having a guy like Howarth in the band enabled Ace to have multiple lead singers like Kiss did. On the Kiss covers, Howarth takes the Paul Stanley role. Billy Ward and John Regan make the songs a little more complex rhythmically than the Kiss originals, but Ace also adds in new and extended solos. The end results are enhanced, Ace-ified covers. No notable tracks are missing; it is a really solid set list of Ace Frehley classics.
There are some who will happily purchase anything with Ace’s name on it (guilty!) and there are others who can live without. Decide who you are and spend your money appropriately.
3/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
Sounds like a real fan’s only item.
No bell ends on this one?
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Nope. You’ll have to go elsewhere if you want to ding it with your donger.
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Dang!
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Didn’t Benny Hill used to have a musical number that went “Ding it with your donger…”?
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Not to my knowledge, he was a bit on the subtle side for me.
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LOL! My dad almost forced me to watch Benny Hill, he was into it so much.
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The set list is fantastic! The sound like you say not so much! Too bad though as you say these things are hit or miss…..
Kinda bizarre but after the debacle of Second Sighting I got off the Comet never to return….
Man I gotta review that album Second Sighting some day! Than again maybe not after u and Jompa got in the dust up with the Drummer! Hahahaha…
Troublemakers !
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Hey he was the only trouble maker on that one! I’m innocent. The one person I did slightly offend was Robert V Conte, which I still feel bad about. I talked to Dale Sherman about that afterwards (about Conte’s liner notes) and Dale said, “Yeah, Robert was probably pretty limited as to what he could write on those liner notes.”
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I know man…I just like to tag u as an Troublemaker! hahaha….
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I’ve been seeing an awfy lot of these Live Radio Broadcast releases lately… especially vinyl. Dare say it’s cause there’s money to be made and some licensing loopholes. Anyhoo, I’ve looked at a lot of those the same as I do with standard ‘boots’ in that they’re generally for real fans.
Shame about the quality. You think there might be another source out there?
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Yes I kind of consider these bootlegs after a fashion. Sound quality can often be better…and prices are way way cheaper.
I doubt there is another source but you NEVER know.
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A few months back Amazon had a couple of Cheap Trick radio Broadcasts from the 80s and I was going to buy them but the ratings were aweful so I steered clear….kinda bummed as I would to like have heard how they were sounding when no one cared about them….
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One of the good things about seeing them on Amazon as opposed to in store, eh?
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