If you were hanging around Times Square in the late 1970s, the air probably smelled like roasted nuts, diesel exhaust, and cheap cologne. It was gritty. It was loud. And if you stepped into any arcade or bar, there’s a massive chance you heard that stomping, Bo Diddley-style beat.
"I’m back, back in the New York groove."
It’s the definitive anthem for the city that never sleeps. Most people assume Ace Frehley, the legendary "Spaceman" of KISS, sat down and penned this love letter to his hometown between puffs of smoke from his guitar. He didn't. Honestly, Ace didn't even want to record the song in the first place.
The Song Ace Frehley Almost Refused to Record
Imagine it's 1978. KISS is at the absolute peak of their theatrical madness. To cool off the boiling egos within the band, the four members decide on a move that remains one of the craziest stunts in rock history: they all release solo albums on the same day. September 18, 1978.
Ace Frehley was the underdog. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were the "stars." Peter Criss was the ballad guy. Ace? He was the guy who barely sang. He’d only taken his first lead vocal a year earlier on Shock Me. Nobody expected him to win the solo album war.
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But Ace had a secret weapon: producer Eddie Kramer. Kramer had worked with Hendrix and Zeppelin. He knew a hit when he heard one. While they were working at "The Mansion" in Sharon, Connecticut, Kramer’s assistant (some reports say Kramer himself) suggested a cover of a British glam rock track.
Ace scoffed. Seriously. He thought it didn't fit the vibe of his hard-rocking record. "I didn't think it was indicative of the other songs," Ace later admitted. He wanted to rip solos and sing about being "Ozone." But Kramer was persistent. He basically nagged Ace into tracking it.
Where did New York Groove actually come from?
The track wasn't born in the Bronx. It was born on a plane.
Russ Ballard, the English songwriter who also gave the world "Since You’ve Been Gone," was flying to New York in 1975. He hadn't been to the city in a while. As the plane descended, he started scribbling. He liked the phrase "back in the New York groove."
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He gave the song to a British glam band called Hello. They recorded it in five hours in a studio in North London. It was a massive hit in the UK and Germany, reaching number 9 on the British charts. But in America? Crickets. It was a ghost song until Ace found it three years later.
The Technical Magic of the 1978 Recording
When Ace finally agreed to do it, he didn't just copy the Hello version. He made it tougher. He recorded the bulk of his solo album in that Connecticut mansion, using the natural reverb of the wooden hallways.
However, New York Groove was one of the last things finished. They recorded it at Plaza Sound Studios, right above Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.
- The Beat: They used a "Bo Diddley" shuffle, but heavier.
- The Percussion: That stomping sound? It’s a mix of handclaps and heavy footfalls.
- The "Power Mouth": Bobby McAdams used a talkbox (the "power mouth") to give the track those weird, synthesized vocal textures.
- The Vocals: Ace’s voice is perfect here because it’s not perfect. It’s a conversational, slightly hungover-sounding delivery that feels like a guy actually walking down 42nd Street.
Why it blew the other KISS solo albums out of the water
When the four albums hit the shelves, Ace’s record was the surprise victor. While Gene Simmons was busy hiring every celebrity in Hollywood for his record, Ace just made a great rock album.
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New York Groove peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the charts for 21 weeks. None of the other three members even came close to that kind of solo chart success. It became Ace’s signature song. For decades, fans have shouted the lyrics back at him, often unaware that a British songwriter wrote them.
Ace once joked that he wished he had written it, mostly because he’d have made a lot more cash. But the song fit him like a glove. He was the "Bronx Boy." He lived the lyrics. He talked about how the line "fistful of dollars" and the references to Third and 43rd felt like his actual life in the 70s.
The Song's Second Life as a Sports Anthem
You can’t go to a New York Mets game at Citi Field without hearing this track. It’s played after home wins. It’s been used in commercials for AT&T, promos for White Collar, and episodes of Entourage.
In 2021, when New York was trying to shake off the COVID-19 gloom, the song was everywhere again. It became a symbol of the city's resilience. "Rebuild, Renew, Reimagine." It’s hard to imagine a song originally recorded by a glitter-rock band from London becoming the soul of New York City, but that’s the power of the Ace Frehley version. It has more grit.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re a fan or a guitar player wanting to capture that 1978 magic, here are a few things to dig into:
- Listen to the original: Go find the 1975 version by Hello. It’s much more "poppy" and features a harmonica. Comparing it to Ace’s version is a masterclass in how a cover can totally change the "weight" of a song.
- Check out the 10,000 Volts connection: In his 2024/2025 work, Ace has often talked about trying to recapture the "organic" feel of the 1978 sessions. Listen to his newer tracks like "10,000 Volts" to see if you can hear that same natural hallway reverb he used back in the day.
- Learn the rhythm: The "New York Groove" riff is deceptively simple. It’s all about the pocket. If you’re a musician, stop focusing on the notes and start focusing on the "stomp."
Ace Frehley might have passed away in late 2025, but every time the Mets win or a Cadillac rolls down 3rd Avenue, that "Groove" is still very much alive. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best thing an artist can do is listen to their producer and take a chance on a song they didn't even want to sing.