AMC features this 1978 cover song in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 opening scene

Walking Dead fans were recently treated to a two-minute look at the upcoming season of The Walking Dead: Dead City, which was aired exclusively by IGN at Fan Fest 2025. The short clip gave Kiss fans a treat as well.

The clip features Kiss guitarist's cover of glam rockers Hello's single "New York Groove." This single was featured on Ace Frehley's self-titled solo album, released in 1978. The song was written by Russ Ballard, once the lead singer for the band Argent, known for "Hold Your Head Up" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You," a song Kiss covered in 1991.

"New York Groove" was an excellent song choice for the Dead City opener as this series, a spinoff of The Walking Dead, is set in post-apocalyptic Manhattan. The clip also shows a fantastic look at what Manhattan could become in an apocalyptic setting.

Hello release their version of Ballard's song in 1975 on their debut album Keeps Us Off the Streets. Their song reached No. 9 on the UK charts and Frehley's, released in 1978, climbed to No. 13 on the US Billboard hot 100.

Kiss member's solo albums

The release of Frehley's solo album was a historic time for Kiss as Peter Criss (drummer), Gene Simmons (bassist), and Paul Stanley (lead vocals) also released self-titledsolo albums. Frehley's "New York Groove" was the highest charting single of the four solo projects and was featured during Kiss tours from 1979 - 1980.

All four of the Kiss members' solo albums were released simultaneously on Sept. 18, 1978 as an attempt to keep Criss and Frehley in the band. Sadly, this was only a temporary fix, and Criss left in 1980 and Frehley in 1981. Before he retired from music in 2017, Criss released four other albums, and Frehley released eight more solo albums and two more with his band Frehley's Comet. Simmons and Stanley, who have been constant members of Kiss since the band's creation, each released two solo albums.

Critics and fans agree that Frehley's 1978 solo album is the best of the band members' solo efforts and it was the best selling of the four. "New York Groove" boosted the success of the album and gave Frehley a hit to boost his solo career. His talents continue to influence rock music.

Ultimate Classic Rock has ranked all 27 solo works from members of Kiss, with Frehley, Stanley, and Simmons's debut solo albums as the top three.