Hoping to get a little inside scoop from Ace, I asked if the song, “Pain In The Neck” is about anyone in particular.  Laughing, he shoots back, “What do you want to do?  Get me in trouble or something?”  Hoping for at least a little be of juicy gossip, he chooses to leave me hanging on that one.

It’s honestly hard for me to pick a favorite cuts off of “Anomaly” but one that would have to be on my short list of top picks is “Space Bear” and the iTunes bonus track, “The Return of the Space Bear”.  I asked Ace what was the story behind those tunes.

He enthusiastically says that, “Space Bear was originally called "Skels".  The associate producer of ‘Anomaly’, Frank Munoz, was the one who came up with the idea of leaving it as an instrumental. And then (he) came up with the concept of adding my lines from Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show where the somewhat ‘drunk’ me tried to capture Tom's teddy bear.  We had a blast recording it.”

Another great cut from the disc is an acoustical instrumental number entitled “Fractured Quantum”.  Ace fans will immediately notice that, as in the case of “Fractured Mirror” (from “Ace Frehley”) and “Fractured Too” (from “Frehley’s Comet”), 12-string guitars form a catalyst to the tunes.  I asked Ace about the significance of the 12-strings and what gear he used to play the tunes.  His answer was interesting. 

“If you listen to the end of ‘Quantum’, it finishes where the original (‘Fractured Mirror’) begins.  I use the same 12 string & the effects.  It’s come full circle and this song completes the series.  I'm thinking of maybe piecing them all together in a row.  Maybe I'll throw it up on iTunes or something.  Who knows?”

Remember, Ace fans, you hear it here first!

“Well, are you going to tour to promote ‘Anomaly’ and, if so, where are some of the stops” (begging him to please say ‘Dallas’)?  The Spaceman teases with this word of advice: “Yes.  Keep checking AceFrehley.com for details.  How’s that for a plug?”

C’mon, Ace!  That’s cruel and unusual punishment!

Realizing that I’m not going to get any more of an answer than that (so you’ll have to join me in monitoring his website for tour dates), I turn the subject toward the world of touring.  Having toured with a band that been around the world several times, I thought it would be interesting to get his thoughts about how touring in a rock and roll band has changed since the ‘70’s. 

“Well, the hotels are better!  The promoting business has changed a lot.  It used to be you went to one specific guy in every city, every year.  Now, there are so many promoters worldwide, it’s definitely a business and that has taken some of the fun out of it.”

“Do you think the economy has affected concert attendance?” I ask.

“Rock ‘n Roll will always be a way for people to forget their problems for a few hours.  I don’t think it’s hurt us too bad.”