Ace Frehley’s drummer Scot Coogan recently opened up about the wild story of how he quit the late KISS icon’s band during a phone call while attending a Van Halen show at The Forum, revealing why management ended up paying him nearly double what he was owed just to convince him to come back.
Speaking on the “Artists On Record With Stefan Adika” podcast, Coogan recalled: “I was at the I don’t know if you if you knew I’m sure you knew about it at the Forum there was the Van Halen um friends and family show uh with the Cool and the Gang opening up. And it was the first night and I’m in the crowd and I’m pissed off at this point with Ace, okay, and the management. I’m calling back and forth.”
“Ace not Ace isn’t answering his phone for like two weeks and he finally answered the phone. I’m in the Forum in between Cool and the Gang and Van Halen. I’d had a couple beers, whatever. It doesn’t matter. I was mad and I said, ‘Ace, f*ck you. I quit.’ And I hung up and the money was in my account the next day and the management asked me to come back and I said no.”
“And that band and then now the life coaching comes in. I quit. I got… they gave me almost double. … So Ace eventually asked me to come back but I didn’t. I said no.”
Coogan’s story came from a period when he had already become one of the longest-serving drummers in Frehley’s solo band. His work with the guitarist was part of a wider career that included performances with Brides of Destruction, Lynch Mob, Lita Ford and Stephen Pearcy.
Coogan played with Frehley for approximately five years before leaving the band in 2012 to focus on other projects. He later returned to Frehley’s touring lineup, while also continuing his work with other rock artists.
Coogan’s résumé also extends beyond traditional hard rock. He has performed with the Blue Man Group and worked as a drummer and vocalist on several projects.
Frehley, meanwhile, was a founding member and original lead guitarist of KISS. He performed with the band from 1973 to 1982 and returned for its reunion era between 1996 and 2002. He also built a solo career that included Frehley’s Comet and several solo albums.
Frehley died on October 16, 2025, at age 74. An autopsy later determined that he died from blunt-force head injuries suffered in a fall.
The Van Halen performance that served as the backdrop to Coogan’s resignation took place at The Forum in 2012. The private friends-and-family event featured David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen.
Kool & the Gang opened the invitation-only show, which took place ahead of Van Halen’s broader touring activity. Coogan’s account places his phone call to Frehley between the opening set and Van Halen’s performance, turning an already unusual concert into the setting for one of the most dramatic exits of his career.
