10 Great Guitarists In Terrible Bands

From the time KISS started in the early '70s, it was clear that none of these guys were great musicians. While the band created some of the most iconic characters in rock and roll, they probably wouldn't have gotten past their first record if they had only relied on their musical prowess. Though Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley had pretty decent chops in the beginning, Ace Frehley was the breakout star who everyone was listening to.

Fashioned as the Spaceman, Frehley's guitar lines almost sounded like they were being projected from another planet. Compared to the by-the-numbers chord progressions behind him, the guitar solos on almost every classic KISS track showed Frehley letting loose, with every note in its right place. As opposed to just using the song as an excuse to show off his skills, the guitar breaks on "Love Gun" and "Strutter" felt like bite-sized songs, with a distinctive melody line and mountains of rock and roll bravado.

Along with being a fantastic soloist, Frehley's contributions to the songwriting gave the band some of their heaviest riffs on songs like "Parasite" and "Shock Me." Even though Frehley's behavior had gotten out of hand by the end of the decade, KISS was a much different animal once the Spaceman ventured to other planets.