RYAN COOK AND JEREMY ASBROCK HAVE LEARNED PLENTY FROM ACE FREHLEY AND GENE SIMMONS. WITH THEIR NEW DEBUT RECORD, THEY'RE FINALLY PUTTING IT ALL TO GOOD USE
By Andrew Daly
NEWS + NOTES
SOME ROCK STORIES are grand; others are a grind. And Ryan Cook and Jeremy Asbrock — who, after roving as session musicians, caught a break with Gene Simmons before connecting with Ace Frehley — have experienced both.
On Simmons’ and Frehley’s influence, Cook says, “It’s omnipresent. Through them, I learned about song structure; I’ve always been aware that a song needs to grab you, but it takes more than a good riff to keep you there.”
Asbrock, a fellow Kiss Army member, agrees, saying, “I started playing guitar because of Kiss, so it’s in my DNA. There are nuances — some I wasn’t aware of until I played with Gene — that found their way into my riffs.”
Kiss fans know that the band’s greatest strength is making sure the guitars, while simple, have different textures while retaining what Paul Stanley refers to as the sound of “one big guitar.” Judging by Cook and Asbrock’s new eight-song record, Rock City Machine Co., they agree with the Kiss formula.
“We try to ensure there aren’t two guitars playing the same thing,” Asbrock says. “Ace is very good at creating a song within a song when it comes to solos, and I’ve always thought along those lines.”
Sure, Kiss is a considerable influence, and yes, Cook and Asbrock remain members of
