Shock Me
Kiss, 1977. Solo by Ace Frehley.
Frehley's first lead vocal and a solo that inspired McCready and a generation.
Ace Frehley wrote and played this solo himself, switching to his Les Paul for the lead and plugging into a Marshall turned all the way up, without pedals. Part of his bite comes from holding the pick loosely so his thumb brushes the string, producing a near-pinched attack. The solo reuses ideas he had been playing live and is built from catchy, repeating phrases that could stand alone, a song within a song. That approach inspired many younger players, including Mike McCready, who has said Frehley shaped his own famous lead on 'Alive'. Listen for how each phrase is shaped like a hook; you can almost sing the whole solo after a single listen.
Shock Me by Kiss is ranked #65 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Ace Frehley and the song was released in 1977. It appears on 9 lists, placing as high as #24 (Chaospin).
The story of Shock Me
The song was born from a real accident. On 12 December 1976, during the Rock and Roll Over tour, Kiss played the Lakeland Civic Center in Florida. During the opening number Ace Frehley grabbed an ungrounded metal stair railing and was knocked to the floor by the shock. The show was halted for about half an hour, and Frehley then finished the concert despite losing feeling in his hand.
Frehley turned the scare into a song, using electrical language as a double entendre for sex. Asked about the meaning, he joked that every Kiss song is about sex. Unlike many Kiss tracks, it arrived fully written: Gene Simmons has said the rest of the band did not contribute to the arrangement. The lyric is packed with talk of power and voltage, each line doubling as innuendo.
'Shock Me' was also a milestone because it was the first time Frehley sang lead on a Kiss record. He was nervous about his voice, and producer Eddie Kramer let him record the vocal lying flat on his back on the studio floor to calm his stage fright. It was a big step for a guitarist who had co-written for the band before but had never before stepped up to sing lead on one of their records.
Casablanca released Love Gun on 30 June 1977. 'Shock Me' was not a single, but it immediately became Frehley's feature in concert during the Love Gun tour and appeared on Alive II later that year, securing its place as one of his signature Kiss songs. The song later appeared on many compilations, including The Box Set, Gold and Ikons. Its riff even resurfaced decades later in Buckcherry's 'Lit Up'.
The solo
Frehley wrote and played the solo himself. Guitar World says he used a Fender Stratocaster for rhythm and switched to his Les Paul for the lead, through a 100-watt Marshall turned all the way up; Premier Guitar identifies it as his black-and-cream three-pickup Les Paul on the bridge pickup. He avoided pedals, relying on guitar and amp. Part of his bite comes from holding the pick loosely so the thumb brushes the string, a near-pinched attack. The solo reused ideas he had been playing live in 'She' and 'Cold Gin' and is less about precision than feel: Guitar World describes it as a 'song within a song', built from catchy, repeating phrases that could stand alone. On stage it grew into an extended showcase.
Legacy
Guitar World ranked the solo No. 43 among the 50 greatest guitar solos of all time, Paste named 'Shock Me' the tenth-best Kiss song, and Louder placed it seventh in its list of the 40 greatest. It launched Frehley as a Kiss vocalist and remained his spotlight number for years, and later Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer also sang it. Buckcherry borrowed its opening riff for 'Lit Up'.
Top 10 facts about Shock Me
Frehley was shocked by an ungrounded stair railing at the Lakeland Civic Center, Florida, on 12 December 1976.
WikipediaThe Lakeland concert was delayed around 30 minutes, and Frehley reportedly lost feeling in his hand for the rest of the show.
Wikipedia'Shock Me' was Frehley's first lead vocal for Kiss.
WikipediaFrehley recorded his vocal lying on the floor because of stage fright.
Premier GuitarHis live vocal debut on the song came in front of 18,000 fans at Madison Square Garden.
Premier GuitarFrehley used his Les Paul for the solo and a Stratocaster for rhythm, through a dimed 100-watt Marshall.
Guitar WorldThe solo reuses material Frehley had played live during 'She' and 'Cold Gin'.
WikipediaGuitar World placed the solo No. 43 on its 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.
WikipediaAsked about the lyrics, Frehley quipped that every Kiss song is about sex.
SongfactsKiss dropped the song after the Alive II tour and did not play it again until Frehley rejoined in 1996.
Wikipedia
Live versions
- Alive II (The Forum, Los Angeles) (1977) Recorded 26-28 August 1977 on the Love Gun Tour; Frehley's spotlight number on the live album.
- Love Gun Tour at Madison Square Garden (1977) Frehley's first time singing lead in concert, before about 18,000 fans.
- Alive/Worldwide Reunion Tour (1996) The song returned to the set when Frehley rejoined for the reunion tour.
- Tommy Thayer-era Kiss shows Thayer sang lead after Frehley's departure until the song left the set in 2012.
Notable covers
- Red House Painters (1994) Released a Shock Me EP built around their cover of the song.
- Acid Drinkers Recorded a cover of the song under a different title.
- Buckcherry (1999) Borrowed the opening riff for their hit 'Lit Up'.
In our lists
- Deep Cuts — #32
- The 25 Greatest Hard Rock Guitar Solos — #13
- The 1970s — #24
- Played on a Les Paul — #16
Sources
- Chaospin: The 30 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #24
- Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock — #37
- Guitar World: Readers' Top 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #42
- Guitar World: The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time — #43
- Bombay Lives (Substack): 100 Greatest Guitar Solos — #50
- Topito (now 10h26.com): Top 100 des plus grands solos de guitare de l'histoire (Benoit Floyd) — #50
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #82
- Pierre Grammat (WordPress blog): Les 50 grands solos du rock
- Terra / Cifra Club: Os 50 melhores solos de guitarra da história [The 50 best guitar solos in history]
- Wikipedia: Shock Me
- Wikipedia: Alive II
- Songfacts: Shock Me
- Premier Guitar: Ace Frehley Fires Up His Shock Me Solo
- Guitar World: Ace Frehley's greatest Kiss guitar moments
Who played the guitar solo on Shock Me?
Ace Frehley played the solo on Kiss's Shock Me (1977).
What guitar was used on the Shock Me solo?
A gibson les paul through a Marshall amp, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Shock Me rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#65 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 9 of them.
What is Shock Me by Kiss about?
It was inspired by Ace Frehley being electrocuted by a stage railing in Lakeland, Florida, in 1976, and uses electricity as a sexual metaphor.
Who sings Shock Me?
Ace Frehley, in his first lead vocal for Kiss.
What album is Shock Me on?
Kiss's 1977 album Love Gun; a live version is on Alive II.
What guitar did Ace Frehley use on Shock Me?
A Les Paul for the solo through a cranked 100-watt Marshall, with a Stratocaster for rhythm parts.
Who produced Shock Me?
Eddie Kramer produced Love Gun.