He has the most uncool laugh you'll ever hear. It's a bit like a high-pitched hyena cackle, but with a New Yorker's nasal accent mixed in. Every KISS fan shuddered the first time they heard it.

That laugh, though, is one of the reasons Ace Frehley always was the coolest member of KISS. The band's original guitarist never seemed to take the band as seriously as his pompous, mouthy bandmates. Of course, Frehley was often too wasted to take much of anything seriously during KISS' heyday.

Clean and sober for 19 months now, Frehley quit KISS once again in 2001 after a five-year "reunion/farewell" outing and said he's having a new kind of fun on his first solo tour in 13 years. He's also releasing a solo album later this year.

These ventures follow recent TV appearances on VH1's "Rock Honors" and "Rock and Roll Celebrity Poker Tournament" as well as -- most surprising/charming of all -- a fireworks-filled Dunkin' Donuts ad directed by "Scrubs" star Zach Braff.

Although he's clearly not making KISS-sized money as a solo artist, Frehley believes he's getting the last laugh over his former bandmates.

Q. It's been well over a decade since you did a solo tour. How are things different now?

A. For me, things are definitely better because I'm clean and sober now. That puts a different twist on everything. It's great to wake up without a hangover and not remembering what you did the night before.

Q. Was it harder to stay sober when you toured with KISS?

A. Not really. If I was having a good time and everybody was doing the right thing, I might've stayed. It just turned into the same nonsense that led to me leaving in'82. It all started happening again.

Q. How do you feel about them touring with (former roadie) Tommy Thayer in your place, with the same makeup?

A. I really don't think about it (laughs), or I'd rather not think about it. I have no control over that. The fans don't seem too happy, though. What KISS is doing right now reminds me of like what some great fighters have done in the past when they come out of retirement . . . It's getting embarrassing.

Q. Every Kiss fan knows your 1978 solo album was the best of the four members'. Did you have something to prove then, and do you have anything similar to prove now?

A. I always felt like I had something to prove when I was a member of KISS because we were all so competitive. Those four solo albums speak for themselves.

Q. Your recent Dunkin' Donuts commercial reinforced how you don't take yourself too seriously, or at least your KISS persona. Was that the point?

A. I've never taken anything I've done too seriously, and when people take it too seriously I just tell them to calm down. Like the Stones said, it's only rock'n' roll.

Like I said earlier, I got involved with rock'n' roll because it's fun. It's not really work to me. When I'm having fun, at the end of the day I say, "Wow, I'm having a great time. I can't believe I'm getting paid to do this." That's the way it should be.

-- Minneapolis Star Tribune