Gene Simmons LAUGHED When Ace Frehley Showed Up for KISS Audition — Then Ace Plugged In His Guitar

January 1973. A cramped rehearsal space in Manhattan. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were auditioning guitarists for their new band KISS, and they were exhausted. They'd seen dozens of candidates, and none had felt right. Then Ace Frehley walked through the door wearing mismatched boots, looking like he'd slept in his clothes, carrying a beat-up guitar. Gene Simmons actually laughed. "This guy? Really?" he whispered to Paul, loud enough for Ace to hear. What happened in the next three minutes would change rock and roll history forever. This is the true story of the KISS audition that almost didn't happen. The moment Gene Simmons judged someone by their appearance and almost made the biggest mistake of his career. And the three minutes of guitar playing that proved you should never underestimate someone based on how they look.