When Ace Frehley released his self-titled solo album in 1978, none of the other three members of KISS—Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons or Peter Criss—could claim a single. But Frehley did. His track New York Groove surged to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, forever tethering him to the Big Apple and securing a rare solo win among his band-mates.
Years later, though, Frehley’s reflection on that moment revealed the contradiction beneath the success. In a candid interview, he admitted:
“A lot of people think I wrote ‘New York Groove.’ It’s not a myth that I’ve perpetuated … I wish I would’ve wrote the song, though. I would’ve made a lot more cash out of it.”
The song, in fact, was penned by British songwriter Russ Ballard and originally recorded by the UK glam-rock band Hello. Frehley acknowledged the irony of having performed and popularised a track he didn’t first create.
Frehley recalled that initially he resisted recording the track. His producer Eddie Kramer pushed him into it:
“To be honest, I actually didn’t want to record this song. Eddie Kramer … kept saying to me, ‘Ace, you’ve got to record this song.’”
The decade that followed offered mixed emotions. On one hand, Frehley broke through commercially; on the other, the lack of songwriting credit weighed on him. He wasn’t bitter—just honest about a gap between his identity and his biggest hit.
In the years after, the track became an anthem, especially within the New York area, where it’s regularly played by the Mets at home victories and stands as one of Frehley’s most recognisable contributions.
In his final reflections, Frehley left a legacy layered with both triumph and yearning. Because for all the fire-breathing guitar solos and stadium lights, he knew the most lasting songs are the ones you write—not just sing.
