Coverocktober Song #9: "New York Groove" by Ace Frehley

The rock world lost a giant today, as founding member and original guitarist of KISS, Ace Frehley, died at at 74.  As you may know, I love KISS, and I was fortunate enough to see them many times, including twice on their final tour (which lasted five years, thanks to COVID).  Granted, that was without Ace, but I also got to see him solo a couple times.  Of course, the greatest Halloween I'll never remember was thanks to dressing up as Ace.  And if you need something to cheer you up on this somber day, check out this compilation of clips of Ace laughing.  The guy had a hell of an infectious cackle.

In 1978, KISS was arguably the biggest rock band in the world, and they decided to do something a little odd.  On September 18, 1978, all four band members released solo albums, though technically they were KISS records.  Ace's solo album -- which was featured in 2009's Rocktober -- is, in my opinion, heads and shoulders above the rest.  He really came into his own on the album, and the album is full of energy, great songs, and wicked guitar licks.

The biggest hit from any of the four solo albums was Ace's version of "New York Groove," which went to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.  I had intended to feature "New York Groove" on a forthcoming Tuesday Top Ten about songs you may not know are covers, but alas, the Spaceman's unexpected return to his home planet got in the way.  Needless to say, I had to feature the song today.

The song was written by Russ Ballard, who had been the lead singer and guitarist of the band Argent before gaining prominence as a songwriter for other artists beginning in the late '70s.  As a side note, KISS would cover another Ballard composition, "God Gave Rock and Roll To You," in 1991, albeit with some modified lyrics.  "New York Groove" was originally recorded in 1975 by British glam rockers Hello.  Their version of the song was a Top 10 hit in their native UK, as well as in Germany and Austria.  It's a glammy, catchy foot stomper.

But it was Ace, a native New Yorker, who took the song to new heights three years later, punching it up and giving a rockier feel.  When he sings "Here I am, again in the city, with a fistful of dollars, and baby, you better believe, I'm back in a New York groove," I can actually picture Ace Frehley, in full makeup, triumphantly returning to NYC, strutting down Broadway as gaggles of fans and hookers follow him.  No disrespect to Hello or to Ballard, but this is, was, and will always be Ace's song.