Song of the Day 10/17: Kiss, “New York Groove”

Ace Frehley, the original guitarist for Kiss, died yesterday at age 74, after suffering a brain bleed in a fall last month at his home recording studio. In a band known mainly for posturing and pyrotechnics, Frehley, a self-taught guitarist whose stage persona was the Spaceman, brought a measure of technical proficiency, even if his custom-made Gibson was rigged up to spit out smoke during his solos.

Frehley was generally regarded as the best player in what was essentially a New York bar band. When all four members released solo albums in 1978, Frehley’s sold the best, anchored by the single “New York Groove,” written by former Argent frontman Russ Ballard.

The hard-partying Frehley parted ways with Stanley and Simmons in 1982 and formed a group he called Frehley’s Comet, and though there was never a permanent reunion he rejoined them on various albums and tours over the decades. The band’s most triumphant comeback came in 1996, after an appearance on MTV’s Unplugged introduced them to a new generation. “New York Groove” was added to the set list as a star turn for the Space Ace.