With the band embarking on a One Last Kiss: End of the Road World Tour in 2019, Frehley is reading the tea leaves that he might be included in some fashion — though Kiss itself has not said anything about that and co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have long maintained Frehley and drummer Peter Criss are gone for good. But there have been recent signs of a thaw: Stanley guesting on Frehley’s 2016 covers album Origins Vol. 1; Frehley making guest appearances at shows Simmons did to promote his opulent Vault package; Simmons writing and recording two songs with Frehley for Spaceman; and most recently Frehley dismissing the band seen in the “Rockin’ With the Boys” video and hiring Simmons’ solo band.

“I think anything can happen,” Frehley tells Billboard. “It looks like we’re going in that direction. If you go on the Internet and see what the fans are saying, they want it, and Paul and Gene usually don’t have a deaf ear to fans. They try to make the fans happy, ’cause that’s who pays our rent. I think it boils down to dollars and cents; If (Kiss manager) Doc McGhee says that after talking to promoters around the world (Kiss) could make double the amount of money with Ace in the band, it’s a no-brainer.” Frehley is quick to note that no discussions have taken place with Stanley and Simmons, so his optimism is tempered — but still there.

“Who knows what’s going to happen,” the guitarist says, “but I think they’d be foolish not to include me in some capacity, if not full-blown capacity. I think the fans will be really pissed.”