51 years ago today, Ace Frehley was in a car accident in Hollywood that resulted in some cuts on his right eye and forehead. Ace walked from the scene of the accident to the Ramada Inn on Sunset Boulevard, where the band was staying during the recording of Hotter Than Hell. JR Smalling took Ace to the emergency room, where he received stitches. The doctor told Ace not to let anything get in the cuts to avoid risk of infection, so at the photo shoot the next day, he only put makeup on the left side of his face.
NOTE: Contrary to a claim made by Gene Simmons, this was not the photo session for the Hotter Than Hell album cover and there was no airbrushing done to Ace's face for that cover.
The photo below was taken by Norman Seeff on August 25, 1974.
Text by Clifford Brohuvud
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