"I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke"
About this Quote
The intent is part confession, part flex. It disarms critics who might dismiss him as technically limited, then immediately reframes the metric of greatness. Reading notes is private, almost bureaucratic; a smoking guitar is public, cinematic, communal. The subtext is that rock isn’t a conservatory exam - it’s theater with amplifiers, and Frehley is staking his claim as an effects-driven showman who knows what moves people.
Context matters: KISS built an empire on larger-than-life personas, pyrotechnics, and a deliberate blur between musicianship and comic-book performance art. Frehley’s “Spaceman” identity was never about being the most studious guitarist in the room; it was about making the instrument look like a weapon, a prop, a portal. The line also nods to a democratic fantasy at the heart of rock: you don’t need permission from the gatekeepers to matter. You need a riff, a hook, and the nerve to light it up.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Frehley, Ace. (2026, January 17). I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-cant-even-read-notes-but-i-can-teach-someone-63374/
Chicago Style
Frehley, Ace. "I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-cant-even-read-notes-but-i-can-teach-someone-63374/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-cant-even-read-notes-but-i-can-teach-someone-63374/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

