The New Spaceman

Lore & Background

The album's title, Spaceman, was named by Gene Simmons. Simmons co-wrote and played bass on the opening track "Without You I'm Nothing," and also co-wrote "Your Wish Is My Command," which he had originally intended for Kiss to record. A historical connection emerges with "Rockin' with the Boys": Kerrang! magazine listed it as a Frehley song title for the upcoming Kiss album (before Music from "The Elder") in 1981. In a 2018 interview with Ken Sharp, Frehley confirmed that the chorus for "Rockin' With The Boys" was written in the 1970s, but he could never come up with a good enough verse and bridge until revisiting it for this album. The album features three alternative covers, though their specific designs are not described in the source.

In Their Own Story

The recording of Spaceman brought together a specific set of musicians. Gene Simmons contributed to the opener "Without You I'm Nothing" by playing bass guitar and co-writing the song. He also co-wrote "Your Wish Is My Command." Alex Salzman served as co-producer and recording engineer for tracks 1 through 8, and also provided background vocals on tracks 2 through 4 and bass guitar on tracks 3 and 6. Warren Huart handled mixing for all tracks and provided additional instrumentation on track 9, including harmony lead guitar and bass. The album was mastered by Adam Ayhan, with photography by Jay Gilbett. Ace Frehley handled creative direction and design alongside Paul Grosso.

Reader's Guide

The personnel for Spaceman are strictly documented. Ace Frehley performed vocals and guitars on all tracks, bass on tracks 2, 4–5, and 7–8, and handled creative direction and design. Gene Simmons played bass on track 1. Drummers included Scot Coogan (tracks 1, 3–4, 7), Matt Starr (tracks 2, 6, 9), and Anton Fig (tracks 5, 8). Additional musicians included Ronnie Mancuso on additional guitar (tracks 4, 7) and Alex Salzman on bass (tracks 3, 6). Background vocals were provided by Scot Coogan (tracks 3–4), Alex Salzman (tracks 2–4), and Rachael Gordon (tracks 2–3). The album was mastered by Adam Ayhan, with photography by Jay Gilbett.

Did You Know?

• Gene Simmons named the album 'Spaceman.'
• Simmons co-wrote and played bass on the opener 'Without You I'm Nothing.'
• The song 'Your Wish Is My Command' was originally intended by Simmons for Kiss to record.
• The chorus for 'Rockin' with the Boys' was written by Frehley in the 1970s, but he couldn't complete the verses until this album.
• The album features three alternative covers.