ACE FREHLEY was the original and legendary guitarist, who would come across as the coolest member of KISS. His passing yesterday came as a shock to many. Though not with Kiss since 1982, save for a few reunion tours and an album (late 90s), Ace remained in the spotlight , larger than life. Not the biggest writer while in the band during it’s first decade, he did come up with classics like “Cold Gin”, “Strange Ways”, and “Shock Me”. His 1978 solo album was the best (and highest seller) of the band members 4 solo solo albums released at the same time, featuring the hit single, his version of Russ Ballard’s “New York Groove”. But when he left the band in ‘8282, Frehley proved he wasn’t done, his album’s Frehley’s Comet and Second Sighting (as Frehley’s Comet), were as good as or Better than anything the band did in that decade without him. Surely songs like “Rock Soldiers” and “Insane” would’ve been standouts in Kiss’ 80s catalogue. While not busy recording in the 90s (like many older acts), Ace got more serious in the post-2000s. and while his former band gave up recording new material after 2012, Frehley picked it up, recording 6 albums since 2009’s Anomaly, and including 2 albums of cover songs. His last album was last year’s 10 000 Volts, which featured the title track and “Walkin’ On The Moon”. Heck, I’ve yet to pick that one up.
But, going through these this morning, I am picking 2018’s Spaceman. For me, I find Spaceman to be the most solid thing Ace recorded over the past few decades. And though I was never a fan of his vocals, it’s not too bad here, and suits these songs perfectly. Favorites include “Rockin With The Boys”, “Pursuit Of Rock And Roll” and ” Without You I’m Nothing” (co-written w/ Gene Simmons). Heck, I even liked Ace’s take of the Eddie Money hit “I Wanna Go Back”. This was a really good album, full of big riffs and solos, great sounding, and there’s no skip-over cuts for me! I did get the CD and the limited picture-disc LP at the time (Record Store Day, w/ poster).
For many classic rock fans the name RUSS BALLARD is more associated to a number of hits that his name appeared on as a songwriter, but really Russ Ballard has been writing and performing since the mid-60s. From Hertfordshire, England, Russ joined ARGENT (lead by former ZOMBIE Rod Argent), as a singer, guitarist and writer. He wrote a number of Argent classics, notably “Liar” and “God Gave Rock and Roll To You”. Ballard left Argent in 1974 after 5 studio and albums and 1 double live release, and released his first (self-titled) solo album later that year. Over the next decade he would release 6 more. His solo career didn’t take off as much in North America (even though all his records were released here and solo respectably), but a number of his songs would become big hits (and in many cases breakout hits) for a wide range of pop and rock acts. Chances are if you bought a lot of LPs in the late 70s and 80s, you likely have Russ Ballard’s name in your collection, somewhere!
On April 25 Frontiers will release Russ Ballard’s latest recordings, a double feature – Songs From The Warehouse and the Hits Rewired. The first disc is all new songs from Ballard and the second disc is his new recordings of those songs made famous by other artists. The new and the old material sounds outstanding, with new favorites like “Resurrection”, “The Wild”, and “Make Believe World” all showing Ballard (at 79) still writes catchy and timely rock tunes (as well as singing and playing everything himself!), as well as nicely updated takes of his classics like “New York Groove”, “You Can Do Magic” and “Voices”.
Below is from my conversation with Russ Ballard on his new recordings, as well as a bit of his past, including Argent, and some of the songs he wrote back then. After finishing this interview I immediately thought of 101 other things I could’ve or should’ve brought up, but hey – this guy is legendary! Check it out below, as well as the song links I’ve included, and links to Russ Ballard’s new album and websites at the end.
The new album, you’ve done it in two parts.
Well, the Songs From The Warehouse are all new songs. And obviously, the Rewired songs, I’ve had some of them for many, many years because they’ve been recorded by other people or whatever. But Rewired are songs that have been hits by other people, basically. And a couple that I’ve done now.
So, first of all, the new recordings – Can you tell me a bit about how long you’ve come up with these songs? Because I think your last album has probably been a while, correct?
Yeah, the last one was four, five years ago. The songs are usually story songs; there’s quite a few. I’ve been telling people that as you get older, it’s difficult to write so many love songs. I know love songs are very popular and kind of universal, basically, aren’t they(!?) – Love songs, everyone loves a love song. Everybody falls in love, everybody falls out of love, usually. But it’s harder to write love songs as you get older – ‘I love you… Don’t love you. I want you back…. I don’t want you back. Don’t leave me…’ It’s very difficult when you get older. So, I mean, I’m trying to find vehicles to write, stories. Find words, find things that I could turn into a song, basically. There’s one on it called “Courageous”. Courageous came from a news item on the BBC. When I was watching this item, it was a good feeling news item at the end of the usual sort of sad news. They left it with a good feel, a good feeling. They ended up with this girl; It’s all about the family. This girl was about 12 years old. She had a sister who was 8 years old, and a brother who was about 5 years old. The mother had multiple sclerosis, so she was in a wheelchair. This girl had to look after the whole of the family. And she was just amazing; she sort of got up, gave the kids breakfast, bathed the kids, bathed the mother, dressed the mother, dressed the kids. Then you see her walk into school holding the hands of the two kids. So I had to write a song about her, but I saw that news item about 7 years ago. It was an amazing story.
I don’t know if it’s just from the song titles and some of the lyrics, that there’s a bit more of a spiritual basis in this album!?
I find the spiritual area, it’s an area that I’ve used before and I love it because I think it’s where I’m coming from, basically. I like it. There’s so much out here, to write in spirit, you know – ‘feeling good, feeling bad’ and ‘there’s always another day’ and ‘that’s how it is’, you know.’ If you’re feeling down now – tomorrow you’re going to feel good.’
“Resurrection” – that was an obvious single, that one jumps out at you after, it’s kind of an interesting intro you got there, with the vocal…
Yeah. (Russ sings a bit of the intro) You have to get the hook in really early, if that’s possible.
I think even some of the other songs, there’s good cross-section of influences, with songs like “Fearless” and “Soul Music”.
Yeah.
It’s not just pop stuff…
Yeah it’s nice to go places you haven’t been before. I play the piano, I play the guitar, I can play the instruments and it’s nice to find a vehicle. I mean, soul music, it was such an obvious, such an obvious thing to write about – ‘You are soul music, we are soul music, you are soul music.’ And I thought that…it’s nice to find something that was, ‘new’, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know of another song called “Soul Music”; there probably is, I’m sure.
Do you find yourself writing more for yourself now, as opposed to writing with hopes that other people might record your songs, or…?
Yeah… You know how it is, I think that younger people, when I was growing up, I was the same age as everybody I was writing with. But as you get older, I don’t think younger kids, maybe they don’t want to write with you, because you’re older. So, they write with people their own age, which makes sense. You want to write for somebody older, you want to write for somebody that’s listening to the same music as you, so you want to, and that makes sense to me. But I could do it, I know I could do that, I’m pretty sure, but people don’t come to you as much as you get older.
So, did you separate the new stuff and the old stuff when it came to recording – did you do all of one album first, then the other?
Yeah, I basically did the new songs first, and then decided to do some, ‘rewired’. The idea was to just do songs that had been done by other people, but I’d recorded most of those songs before. I’d done them as demos, or I’d done them as masters, and it goes back to “Winning”, “Since You Been Gone”, I recorded those songs myself, and I had them out in the 70s, a lot of those songs were done. “So You Win Again” was number one for Hot Chocolate in the UK, and that was 1977. So, I did a really good demo for that in 1976. I just kept them basically the same as I made the demos.
Do you find you’re kind of reclaiming these songs in a way, that they’ve all been hits for other people, and not so much for yourself?
I wrote them for myself, to be honest. I only ever wrote two songs, two of those hit songs, when people came to me and asked me to write a song, and one was “New York Groove”, and the other one was “You Can Do Magic” by America. I didn’t write them for me, I wrote “You Can Do Magic” for America, and I wrote “New York Groove” for an English band (Hello), and Ace Frehley recorded that.
When you re-recorded some of these, did you, knowing some of the other versions (like the Rainbow version) did you ever go back and think you liked their arrangement, and did that have any kind of influence on your new versions?
Yeah, because when I did it, I wrote it on the piano. When I went to the studio, it was natural just to play the piano, and I’d go ‘let’s take it’, and I’m playing the piano, which is softer, the piano is always softer than the guitar. When I heard the Rainbow version, I thought they’d actually seen that song better than me. So that’s how I do it when I’m on the stage as well, I do it the same as them.
I think Head East had done it first, and I think that’s where Rainbow got the idea from, from what I read.
Yeah, that’s where they got it from.
So, “Liar” was kind of your first big hit, written for somebody else; that somebody covered!?
Well I wrote an instrumental when I was 14, and that was recorded by The Shadows in the UK, and that was on an album that was a top ten album. But that was an instrumental band, so my first tune I ever wrote was an instrumental. But that did well, and once that had been out, and I thought ‘well if they want me to do it, I must be able to do it’. After that I was writing all the time, trying to write different things, different ideas.
Was it ever kind of frustrating (if that’s the word), I mean over here, people know your name from the songs they see your name attached to, as opposed to you as a solo artist. Did you ever kind of think ‘well why wasn’t this a hit for me, but everything’s kind of been a hit for somebody else?’
Yeah, it did enter my head, but I think, on some of those songs that you listen to a certain one ‘well I could do that, I could improve that song, that demo’… whatever. So I think that’s what people have done. And there’s some really good versions of my tunes out there.
Do you think you’ve heard all of them?
I don’t know. That’s an interesting one (laughs), There’s been a hell of a lot of versions of my songs out there.
But, between all those ones, “Voices” – there’s a band called Wonderworld that did that a couple years ago. Obviously, Uriah Heep, I’m a big fan of their’s, they did “On The Rebound”. Yeah, so there’s lots of stuff out there.
Ronnie Romero did “Voices” as well, he did Voices on his last album, he did that. I saw Ronnie two weeks ago, less than two weeks ago, Sunday before last, and he did “Since You Been Gone”, I was on the stage and he came up with me and he did Since You Been Gone and we sang it together, which was really nice. He’s going to do it; he’s going to do it. I’ve sent him another song, he wants to do another song of mine. I’m still doing it Kevin, I’m still loving it, same as ever.
Aside from the obvious, like the Rainbow version of “Since You Been Gone”, what have been kind of your favorites of covers of your own songs? Aside from the Ace Frehley and the Rainbow, the ones that were the biggest, I guess.
I think a really good version, talking about Kiss, Ace Frehley, I think that “God Gave Rock and Roll To You” was very good. They saw it so well. They had the right tempo, they saw it really, really well. So that’s Bob Ezrin, I think, produced them. That was really good, that was a good one. There’s been others, Colin Blunstone did a couple of my songs and he saw those really well, from the Zombies. Hot Chocolate did a song of mine, it wasn’t a big hit in America, it was called “So You Win Again”. I did a demo which I thought was really good, they made their version slower, but they got to number one in the UK and that was a really good version.
Did you ever hear the Heep version of “On The Rebound”?
Yeah. I mean he sang it so much better than I sang it because he did it full voice. I was trying to do kind of a silly voice (sings) ‘On The Rebound, On The Rebound’, but they did it really well.
I know Peter Goalby who sang that had actually auditioned for your spot in Argent when you had gone.
Did he really!? Why didn’t they get him?
From what I understand, he was signed to a management company that advised him not to. And then John Verity got it, and obviously you know John.
I know John well. I was with John, he did “I Surrender” for me. He sang ‘I Surrender’, which I didn’t plan, I just wanted to produce it so I was in the studio and John sang it and I basically arranged him.
Did you know John before he took your spot (Argent)?
Yeah, I knew him in ’72, I think it was. John was singing, he supported Argent on a tour and I thought he was really great. When I left the band, I said you ought to get John Verity because John is perfect I think, perfect.
Now I know it’s kind of back peddling, but did you leave basically for the solo career or for other things?
No, I didn’t to be honest. I wanted to start a family to be honest. I knew, because I’d had a couple of hit songs that were doing well, I thought I could do it. I was afraid, I couldn’t stand the thought of actually going on tour for three weeks, four weeks and leaving my kid. I could stay at home and write tunes and I could still go in the studio, I could write the tunes which I could go in the studio every day and write a song. I could go to my music room and write. The publishing company, Island, had my publishing and they gave me the resources to go into a studio and they used to rent me everything I needed. I said I haven’t got a good acoustic guitar, I need a Martin, hire a Martin, hire a Marshall 100, a Les Paul, a set of drums or I’d get a drummer and they’d pay for everything. I’d go up with three songs and at that time and every time I seemed to go in the studio I always had one song that was successful, so it was a good time. Someone up there likes me because I was able to survive with a wife and a kid and have a good living and do exactly what I wanted to do, which was pursue this gift of song in music.
Do you own all your songs? Publishing and that?
I’ve owned them up to last year and I’ve sold 50% of my publishing, which I’ve given away 50% of it. I still have a good life, even though you don’t get so much money from streaming, I still do pretty well.
You still regularly play in the UK and Europe and that I see, but you’ve not been over here I assume for a long time?
I’ve been there, I came over there in ’85 with Roger Daltrey, I played guitar and Roger said ‘sing a couple of your own songs, give me a break’. I’ve played the East Coast, New York, Boston, I finished up in Madison Square Garden with Roger. He was doing a couple of my songs and I did a couple of my songs and that’s good, but I haven’t played there myself under my own steam since 1976.
Has it just been a thing where there’s just not offers or at this stage it’s too expensive or no point to it?
Yeah, I mean I’d always go out there, but it was basically because I left Argent and that whole thing, and I didn’t have that big name that Rod had out there as a band. When I was in the band we were doing really well, but the fact is I just couldn’t leave the family, I didn’t want to leave the family while my kids were growing up.
At this stage there’s a lot of bands that have never come over here since the 80s, so I imagine Argent hasn’t been here since you were with them.
No, you get the Zombies, the Zombies still go there don’t they!?
Yeah, actually I saw their last album in the shop, their latest album in the local shop.
I’m seeing Rod, I’ve got to see him next week or the week after, he’s not too well at the moment.
As far as those Argent albums go, do you still have any input as far as reissues or repackaging and stuff?
No, I’ve nothing to do with it, but the only thing I’ve done, I’ve used an Argent song, a song that I wrote for Argent which is “God Gave Rock and Roll To You”, on now on Rewired. I could have done a few Argent songs, but I wanted to just include the songs that I’ve written.
As far as the Argent stuff goes, aside from the hits, do you have any favorites that you wrote that kind of weren’t hits?
Yeah, I liked “It’s Only Money, (Part one and two)”, and I’m still doing that one actually, I still do that song. ‘God Gave…”, “Losing Hold” was a good song, I didn’t write that, Chris White wrote that, that’s a good song. But you had some good things there actually, “Pleasure”, “Liar”, of course that was an Argent song. We did some good. When we were together I didn’t know whether we were losing continuity as a band, you know, one moment we’re doing this, which is my writing, next moment we’re doing that. Maybe if we’d written it together we may have had more continuity, but I listen to things now, I do a great song, it’s a Chris White song, which was “Dance In The Smoke”. You’re too young to remember these, you probably might not.
Well, I’ve got the vinyl in front of me, but I picked up this last year. Have you seen that? (I show Russ the 2 CD Argent Hold Your Head Up, Best Of)
Yeah.
A pretty thorough collection. I know “Hold Your Head Up” wasn’t yours, but that was one that got covered immensely, like a lot of people.
By Uriah Heep (lol)
Yeah, Heep did it. There’s quite a few versions of that out there.
Yeah, I know there’s a few out there. Yeah, good song, but that came from “Time Of The Season”. We used to do Time of the Season, when we played in Germany we used to do Time of the Season, years ago, just as the Zombies split, probably in 1971, something like that, we used to play the (sings a bit of the beat).. You know, used to do that. Rod used to just start playing a solo on the song. We started going (sings the melody)… We started to do that, and it became another song. And Chris White said ‘when we get back from Germany we ought to write a song around that’, and he wrote with Rod, he wrote “Hold Your Head Up”.
What else do you got planned for the new album? I guess you got some shows coming up, do you have any more singles coming out?
Yeah, we’ve got some shows, going to Europe, going to Germany in a month’s time, out there three weeks in Germany. Bavaria is really good for me, I love that area, it’s a nice time to go. But you know, everyone knows my songs there, even my albums, they know my songs and they sing the choruses and everything, it’s beautiful.
I’ve got a great band, we’re very close and I’ve got a guitar player, Roly Jones, who I wrote “Resurrection” with, we wrote together. Marc Rapson on keyboards – he’s good, he’s another Rod Argent; PJ Phillips on bass and John Miller on drums.
Do you still do any producing outside of your own stuff?
Yeah, well I’m producing a band at the moment, I’ve got lots of young friends, 20, 30 years younger than me, so I’m involved with them They’re very, very good and they want to ask me if I could get involved with them. So, I’m doing that, I’ve got a band, Space Elevator, really, really good, I’ve got a girl singer, this is the girl that sang “Since You’ve Been Gone” with me. I was with the guitar player this morning, and I’ve done 14 songs with them, so we’re trying to put an album together. And I hope to get them a record deal, if possible.
Miami Vice was the other thing I wanted to ask about. You had 3 songs in that show!?
Yeah, “Voices” was in one, “In The Night’ was another one in there. People always remember that Miami Vice series.
I used to watch it a lot. There was always a musician as a guest actor or there was good new songs in there.
Jan Hammer did the music, wrote the (theme) music, didn’t he!? They had the 40th anniversary in September, in Florida.
Canadian writer Martin Popoff has a new book celebrating 50 years of KISS, out shortly. The hardcover book is 192 pages, including lots of rare photos, and comes from Motorbooks, the same guys who published Gary Graff’s awesome Alice Cooper at 75, earlier this year. *For more info see press info below or visit Martin’s website!
With this beautifully produced book, relive the extraordinary history of the of the hottest band in the land through 50 milestone events.
Formed in New York City in 1973, Kiss became one of the most popular and best-selling bands in rock history with their inventive stage presence and heavy, hook-filled catalog, both ideally suited for packing hockey arenas and football stadiums. This richly illustrated book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the band on the occasion of their 50th anniversary by curating and examining the 50 most significant milestones. This exquisite volume features:
Sturdy hardcover format
Stunning concert and candid offstage photography, much of it never before published
Images of memorabilia, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, ticket stubs, and more
Gatefold Kiss timeline
Popoff covers everything down through the decades:
The band’s formation on the New York club scene
Their fortuitous signing to the Casablanca label
Infamous TV appearances, including Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
The formation of the famous Kiss Army fan club
Mega tours undertaken in support of the LPs
Inter-band conflicts and personnel changes
The band’s 1980s “unmasking”
Innovative marketing such as comic books and the Kiss Convention
And, of course, each of the landmark studio LPs.
The result is an epic tribute to one of the most influential and admired bands in rock history—in a milestone year
“Buffalo Rock City II” – Fun Love Songs Helping the Maria Love Fund (Hard Rock All-Stars Joins Western New York Talents on KISS Tribute Album)
“Buffalo Rock City II” is coming October 31, 2023 to digital media and CD (via Bandcamp at LINK) and at “brick and mortar” retail record stores. “BRC II” is the sequel to the first “Buffalo Rock City,” the best KISS tribute album ever made! Proceeds from the sales of “BRC II“are earmarked to the Maria Love Fund, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, providing immediate financial assistance to those in need.
Lifelong KISS fan and KISS THIS! founder/guitarist, John Jeffrey, has, once again, assembled a who’s who of artists, largely representing the Western New York music scene. Among the artists are original “Buffalo Rock City” alumni: Shawn Przybylak (drums), Gene Schmidt (guitar), Joe Teresi (guitar), Rock Rollain (bass) and Nat Peace (vocals). “II” features WNY “newcomers” to the studio project – Larry Kremer (drums), Kylie Velletta (vocals) & Debbie Knight (who made her first “BRC” appearance on 2022’s, “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!“). The 2 headlining bands returning to “Buffalo Rock City II” album, are tribute band, KISS THIS! and DoDriver, an all-original act, handpicked by KISS and their manager Doc McGhee, to open for KISS on the Sonic Boom tour at Darien Lake on August 13, 2010.
Another WNY artist bassist Billy Sheehan spearheads the list of international rock artists contributing to the project. The album features John Corabi (vocals), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), John Gioeli (vocals), Jean Beauvoir (vocals), Tommy Henriksen (vocals), Tommy Denander (guitar), Howie Simon (guitar), Rafael Moreira (guitar) Deen Castronovo (drums/vocals), Steve Blaze (guitar), Philip Shouse (bass), Dave Comer (vocals) & Mitch Weissman (vocals). These “celebrity guests” have toured and recorded with Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Warlock, Accept, David Lee Roth, Hardline, Talas, KillSET, Gene Simmons, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, The Hollywood Vampires, Lillian Axe, Winger, Stryper, Tesla, Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, The Dead Daisies, The Ramones, The Plasmatics, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Stanley, Soul Station and Beatlemania.
Mitch Weissman, who sang on “Buffalo Rock City,” returns with his co-write with Gene Simmons, “What You See Is What You Get.” Originally demoed by Weissman and Simmons for the 1987 Ron Nevison produced KISS album, “Crazy Nights,” the Mitch and BCR’s producer John cleared 30-year old cobwebs to complete this special song.
Making an additional note in “KISStory,” Jean Beauvoir plays a significant role, recording a brand new version of “Who Wants To Be Lonely,” which he originally contributed to KISS’ 1985 release, “Asylum.”
“Buffalo Rock City II” was mixed by C. Wood (Brian McKnight, Rascal Flatts, Alicia Keys, Leann Rimes, Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake, Kenny G & Slash) and David Julian. Julian is an established producer and songwriter, who has written songs for Jack Russell (Great White) and Ace Frehley.
Keeping in tradition with the great KISS album covers, Kevin Conrad, the comic artist who penciled and inked the front cover of “Buffalo Rock City,” created a masterpiece once again– the front and back art for “II.” A life-long KISS fan, Kevin’s most known for ink all 31 issues of Todd McFarlane’s “KISS – Psycho Circus” comic book series. This new BCR II cover art depicts the KISS members that the musicians in KISS THIS! portray and personify. The cover is an homage to the iconic KISS “Love Gun” album artwork, featuring Buffalo’s Albright Knox Art Gallery as the centerpiece.
As the first album, “Buffalo Rock City” focused on topical/non-cock rock KISS songs, it was decided that “Buffalo Rock City II,” while serving a greater purpose, would focus exclusively on all the fun “love” themed songs in the catalog.
*Check out the first video for the album, “Calling Dr. Love,” filmed and directed by Joe Palumbo of Niagara River Pictures LLC)
Buffalo Rock City II tracks:
“I Stole Your Love ’89” (Johnny Gioeli & Howie Simon)
“Saint And Sinner” (DoDriver)
“Who Wants To Be Lonely” (Jean Beauvoir)
“Down On Your Knees” (John Corabi)
“Have Love Will Travel/Got Love For Sale'” (Dave Comer)
“Tomorrow and Tonight” (Dave Comer)
“Love For Sale” (Billy Sheehan & Jeff Scott Soto)
“Calling Dr. Love” (KISS THIS!)
“Makin’ Love” (KISS THIS!)
“Save Your Love” (Tommy Henriksen & Philip Shouse)
“Love Gun” (Deen Castronovo & Rafael Moreira)
“Shoot U Full Of Love” (Various artists)
“Exciter” (Dave Comer)
“You Love Me To Hate You” (Steve Blaze)
“I” (Dave Comer & Tommy Denander)
“Hell Or High Water” (Various artists)
“What You See Is What You Get” (Mitch Weissman)
The release is available for PRE-ORDER now!!!! All ordering information can be found at www.BuffaloRockCity.com and more details can also be found at their social media page: Buffalo Rock City – KISS Tribute Album (facebook.com/WNYTribute2KISS)
The first single from the upcoming studio album, “Buffalo Rock City-II” will be a cover of Peter Criss’s “Love for Sale” on May 3, 2023. The song will be released as a digital download, exclusively on Bandcamp athttps://buffalorockcity.bandcamp.com/track/love-for-sale. Buffalo Rock City II will be released this September on digital media, and as a physical CD, and via Bandcamp.
Buffalo Rock City II follows the critically acclaimed KISS tribute album, Buffalo Rock City – Western New York’s Tribute To KISS cited as “the Best KISS tribute album ever” by “Music and Food,” and the 2022 live album, Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!Buffalo Rock City II will also be a musical tribute to all things KISS. Buffalo Rock City II is spearheaded by Buffalo, New York native, John Jeffrey, who co-produced the first two releases.
John is the “Ace” member of KISS THIS!, and–along with bandmates Kevin Blakita as “The Starchild,” Taylor Stursa as “The Demon,” and Julius Giambelluca as “The Fox”– they join cream of the crop Western New York musicians including “Buffalo Rock City” contributors Gene Schmidt, Jody Velletta, Shawn Przybylak, Nat Peace, Joe Teresi, and Debbie Knight from Buffalo Rock City ALIVE! Newcomers to Buffalo Rock City-II are Buffalo’s Larry Kremer, Kylie Velletta, and Valentino Rockgod, plus international favorites; these are players who’ve toured and recorded with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Accept, the Hollywood Vampires, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, the Plasmatics, the Ramones, Lillian Axe, Stryper, Tesla, Winger, Yngwie Malmsteen, Sons of Apollo, Hardline, Alcatrazz, Warlock, Mr. Big, Winery Dogs, and David Lee Roth. The “Love for Sale” single was mixed by Rochester native, C. Wood (Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Wayne Shepherd….).
The release date of May 3 for “Love for Sale” is significant, as it marks the 2 year anniversary of the passing of singer Phil Naro. A Rochester native, Phil was best known as the lead singer of Buffalo’s TALAS (Version 2 aka “V2”), which toured with many top hard rock attractions, including Anthrax, White Lion, Quiet Riot, and Iron Maiden. Phil was also the lead singer for CRISS, the solo band of the original drummer from KISS. Naro wrote songs, performed, and recorded with CRISS in the early 1990s, but left the group prior to the release of their sole record in 1994.
One of the CRISS songs Phil contributed to was “Love for Sale.” He eventually recorded an unrefined version of the song in the late 1990s. This forgotten gem was finally remembered by Phil’s bandmates from Talas – bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Mark Miller & guitarist Kire Najdovski; they recorded their new version of “Love for Sale” for Buffalo Rock City II as a dedication to the memory and legacy of Phil Naro. Though he doesn’t appear on this song, Journey’s drummer, Deen Castronovo suggested vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen, Journey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Sons of Apollo with Billy Sheehan) to sing for the song. (Deen plays on another song on Buffalo Rock City II!)
In advance of the release of the single, there is a teaser clip, with a foreword from surviving members of Talas (V2), which can be viewed here – https://youtu.be/COpm4mIA5Yk
All proceeds from the single and the forthcoming album will go to the Maria Love Convalescent Fund, a Buffalo-based charity, which provides interim financial assistance for the people in the community with convalescent care needs.
Ace Frehley made his post-KISS vinyl debut in 1987 with Frehley’s Comet. His solo band had been going for a few years, recorded demos, and had undergone a few personnel changes, but the band (on record) would consist of drummer Anton Fig (who played on Kiss’ Dynasty and Unmasked, plus Frehley’s 1978 solo album), as well as guitarist/singer Tod Howarth (ex 707). Frehley’s Comet was easily as good or better as anything Kiss did in the ’80s, featuring the classic Ace anthem “Rock Soldiers”, co-written with Chip Taylor) as well as favorites like “Breakout” (co-written by Ace with Eric Carr and Richie Scarlet), “Stranger In A Strange Land”, and the single “Into The Night” – another Russ Ballard tune (Ace’s solo hit “New York Groove” was a Ballard song).
Tod Howarth also contributed a few good songs – “Something Moved” and “Calling To You” – a re-writing of 707’s “Mega Force” (co-credited to Ace, Jim McClarty, and Kevin Russell). Frehley’s Comet was a solid production – co-produced by Eddie Kramer & Ace, with Kramer engineering, and Howarth & Regan credited as assistant producers. Frehley’s Comet charted in Canada at #38, the US @ #43, and Sweden @ #20. It brought Ace Frehley back in to the public eye with tours and an excellent follow up album as the band Frehley’s Comet. Great album cover too!
RIP John Regan (Apr 7, ’23), who’s career also included numerous records with Peter Frampton, as well as Chip Taylor, as well as credits on albums by The Stones, David Bowie, Robin Trower, and David Lee Roth. In 2016 he was part of Four By Fate, along with Tod Howarth releasing the album Relentless.
American Artist Michael Doret is known for his letterform and image designing, and over the years he has created a number of rock album covers, with his most famous clients being Kiss, he also worked on covers by James Brown, The Blue Hawaiians and The Squirrel Nut Zippers. In 1975 though he was hired to create the cover for Brownsville Stations’ Motor City Connection album. The album was released in August of ’75 and would be the band’s last for Big Tree Records. It would also be their last as the classic trio of Cub Koda, Michael Lutz and Henry “H-Bomb” Weck, as guest Bruce Nazarian would join the band soon after on guitars. The album didn’t fare so well in comparison to the band’s earlier releases, part of which might’ve had to do with their being no single release from it. Motor City Connection is a great harder rockin’ album from Brownsville Station, featuring such favorites as “Automatic Heartbreak”, “Give It To Get It”, “Self Abuse”, and “They Call Me Rock ‘N’ Roll”; an album (like most of the band’s catalogue) which is long overdue for a CD (and vinyl) reissue! Certainly, one of Brownsville Stations’ best, and their most eye-catching cover from Michael Doret who talks about how he created this album’s front cover (the back cover features the logo again, along with credits and band photos; see comments). He also talks about some of this other album covers, notably the 2 he did for Kiss, and other aspects of his career.
Your background in art and your connection to the music world early on?
My background was that I attended The Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture. I thought I would become a fine artist of some sort, but I ended up falling in love with graphic design, realizing that I wasn’t cut out to be a painter or a sculptor. After graduation I held a series of staff positions in the design departments of various companies before going out on my own as a freelance graphic designer. At that point I hooked up with the preeminent airbrush artist of the 1970s—Charles White III. We collaborated on many projects including several album covers, among which were “Chuck Berry’s Golden Decade”, “Chubby Checker—Greatest Hits”, and “Gentle Giant—Octopus”..
How did Motor City Connection for Brownsville Station in 1975 come about?
That was so long ago that it’s hard to remember all the details . . . but I was contacted by Paula Scher from Atlantic Records who had recently become familiar with my work and asked me to design and create art for this cover. There’s really not much more to this story than that. As a young freelance designer, I wasn’t looking to work in any one particular area, but was interested in all kinds of projects from movie title treatments to posters to book jackets to advertising, etc. As I became more and more known in the design field, I got more and more assignments to solve all kinds of different design problems. Record jacket design was just one area of design for which I was lucky enough to get hired.
Familiar with the band? How did you approach putting that cover drawing together -where the idea came from? Any band input?
Honestly, I wasn’t familiar with the band, but that really didn’t matter. What is important is that a designer should be able to approach any design project, make themselves familiar with the subject, and be sensitive to what the client wants to project. I was never a big fan of heavy metal, but that really didn’t matter in this situation. What was important was that I create a cover that would call to people from across the record store aisles and attract attention to itself while telling the story that the band wanted to tell. I had absolutely no input from the band (no contact with them either), so I had to rely on what Paula told me about them (there wasn’t much), and my own intuition.
My thoughts on the cover design were pretty basic: design a cover that pulled together some of my favorite elements of automobilia into one cohesive design that spelled out the name of the album and the group: elements like car badges, chrome ornament, monograms, rockets, reflectors, etc. Color was also important to me, and I incorporated the colors of the 1955 Nash Rambler that was my parents’ first car. Combining all these elements was a challenge—but was also a lot of fun for me. So, the idea was to create sort of a collage of automotive elements that together formed (in my mind) the ultimate car statement.
[*Pics below: 1. Michael: “My Dad in our 1955 Nash Rambler. I loved the color of this 2-Tone car and used it for reference for the album cover. 2. Michael: “The “88” photo is one I took of an Oldsmobile ornament, one of the pieces of automobilia used for inspiration on the cover.” 3. Editor: MCC promo w/ hype sticker
A bit about how the cover was done – how long it took, etc.
Today this cover would have been a lot easier to do than it was back in 1975. Today I could have done this cover digitally, and it would have only taken a fraction of the time that it actually took me. Back then it was a laborious process which involved inking all the black linework, and then using colored adhesive films to fill in the color.
Any feedback from the band or label?
Sorry—I really can’t remember. But I can tell you it was one of my favorite pieces at the time (and it still is).
You went on to do Kiss’ Rock n Roll Over — presumably your best-known album cover? Recollections on coming up with that drawing? As well as reconnecting with them for the Sonic Boom cover after so many years?
Well, I guess the decision as to which is my best-known cover has been made for me. I don’t think Rock and Roll Over is any better than Motor City Connection—or better than any of my other covers. I just think that Rock and Roll Over just got seen a lot more. At the time I did that cover I was pretty much able to get away with doing whatever I wanted. The kind of art I was creating (letterform-centric) was something people hadn’t seen before, and so it was difficult for most people to know how to criticize it. The only changes I was asked to make were minor ones—Gene and Paul had some comments about the details of how I drew their faces—but that was the extent of it. Years later (2009) Paul contacted me, asking if I would be interested in doing another album cover for Kiss. They felt that Rock and Roll Over had become so iconic for them, that they wanted to do something similar for Sonic Boom. One thing I wasn’t crazy about was that this time they did not want me to illustrate their faces as I did on Rock and Roll Over (you know what sensitive egos performers have)—which meant I had to somehow use existing photography because they did not want to do a photoshoot for this album cover. They had Tommy Thayer in charge of their photo archives, so he and I went over all the photos that were available, and I picked a few that I thought could work. When I say “work” I mean that I could mess around with the photos so that they became less photographic and more just plain graphic. I didn’t want to just repeat Rock and Roll Over, so I designed the cover so that it was more or less Rock and Roll Over turned inside-out so that the album name was exploding outward from the center, and the faces were now on the outside perimeter. They loved the new cover, but you know how fans are . . . there was a lot of “Rock and Roll Over was the greatest album cover, but this cover is shit”. Everybody’s got an opinion.
Were you ‘into’ much of the music you created cover art for?
As I mentioned earlier, I never was a big fan of heavy metal. If I was creating a cover for a book, nobody would expect me to be a fan of the book or the author. What’s expected of a designer is to understand the client’s needs and to create something appropriate and which communicates what they want to say.
You did a number of covers – what are some of your favorites (any stories with)?
I mentioned the covers I created with Charles White III—those were done in collaboration with him. But (as with Rock and Roll Over and Motor City Connection) I went on to create more than a few covers on my own. Of all the album covers I’ve done I’d have to say my favorite is “Bedlam Ballroom” for Squirrel Nut Zippers. That one was by far the most difficult to create—and the most rewarding. And that art was nominated for a Grammy (didn’t win). Then there were covers such as “Subway Serenade” for Looking Glass, and two comedy album covers: “The Monty Python Matching Tie & Handkerchief” and “Saturday Night Live”.
You did the lettering (only) for the US/Canada release of Gentle Giant’s Octopus!?
Yes—I designed the glass jar lettering and the lid lettering for that cover, and Charlie did the illustration. That was at the very beginning of my career, and I was quite happy to be involved in such a high-profile cover because I did not yet have the “gravitas” to get that kind of project on my own.
Album covers have only been a part of your career, what else have you worked on that people might recognize your work from?
Well, there was the poster I created for Simon and Garfunkel’s Concert in the Park—which I am very proud of. Lately there’s been a lot of interest in that piece, and I’ve been reprinting and selling that poster. Some people might recognize the logo I designed for the New York Knicks, and others might be familiar with the title treatment I created for Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph. And then there were the covers I created for TIME Magazine.
In 1998 I had the opportunity to interview Bruce Kulick for his new band ‘Union’ (which also featured John Corabi). This was a fun conversation, as I got to inquire about Bruce’s work with Billy Squier and Kiss, as well as the new album from him & Corabi in Union. A few months later Union played a club show over in Buffalo [or nearby….I can’t remember the name of it]. I went with a buddy, had a good time, got a few pics, as well I had Bruce sign my Alive 3 poster – I had had the other 3 Kiss signatures on it already, but at the Alive 3 promotional signing years before I had pulled out a Black Jack LP for Bruce to sign first and then when I pulled out the poster – security stepped in, as there was only 1 signature per guest. So, I was glad to get it signed and hang it it up. I interviewed Bruce again, some years later for his first solo album. I will follow this up with my Corabi interview I did for the release of Union’s 2nd album.
Bruce was with KISS from 1985 to ’95, making him the band’s longest serving guitar player. He is currently promoting his new project ‘UNION’, which features ex MOTLEY CRUE / SCREAM singer John Corabi, Canadian drummer Brent Fritz, and bassist Jamie Hunting. The band’s debut album on Mayhem Music is heavy, yet the songs retain a somewhat commercial edge and melody. Personally, I like it a lot more than the last KISS album! UNION is definitely a band to watch for in the near future!
Billy Squier – You played on his first album. What do you recall of that album?
I really like that album; I really enjoyed that record! He wanted to hire Brian May from QUEEN – and he knew Brian. So for him to settle on me, I was very flattered, as you can imagine. I saw him work very hard. That wasn’t the record that put him over the top, as you know, but there was good material on that album.
I thought that album was a little underrated.
Absolutely! But, you saw the talent the guy had, and the vision. It was just going to happen a year later on the next record. It was a good experience. He asked me to go on the road but I couldn’t because of my band with Michael Boltin at the time, which was called ‘BLACKJACK’. But it worked out. I might not have been available for KISS if I was on the road with Billy Squier.
You did “Rich Kid” on that album, your brother did Paul Stanley’s album and the tracks on “Killers” (KISS). that riff on “Rich Kid” is very similar to “Tonite You Belong To Me” (from Stanley’s album) and “Nowhere To Run” (from Killers).
Well, Paul’s solo record was in some ways like the style Billy Squier was doing at the time, so there was a common thread there – which is just like really cool poppy-rock ‘n’ roll. And they knew each other; they were part of that whole New York scene, New York – Boston.
Regarding KISS, what were some highs and lows of your time with the band?
There was some very exciting times! Like playing Madison Square Gardens, doing Donnington in England, Maple Leaf Gardens – that was fun too. Certain places like South America, traveling to Japan, having kids camp outside your hotel, you know! And going to Europe, Sweden with everybody screaming and stuff! A lot of that kinda stuff. And also doing some cool TV shows like Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien – all those kind of highlights! I guess the only lows I had was obviously that sometimes the relative success of the albums being up and then down. Another highlight was the MTV Unplugged thing, and that also became bitter sweet because that pushed the reunion thing that happened, so that of course being the ultimate low.
Any favorite tracks or albums?
“Unholy”, “Forever”, “Tears Are Falling”. A lot of stuff from Revenge – I really dug. There’s a couple of things on Carnival that really showcased me; so again throughout all the albums there’s some things that stand out.
Did you ever get, I wouldn’t say upset, but a little miffed by perhaps being overshadowed musically by the mystique that surrounded Kiss, a lot of the hype and that??
There’s no doubt there’s a shadow of the make-up era which has not as much to do about music as that ‘set’ element of Kiss – which is an important one, even though I still feel the band was able to hold it’s own as an exciting rock group. But it turns out that’s a part of the band you can’t shake from it. No matter how much you’re pictured without make-up and then going on out there just like any other band. I still think there was a certain attitude and style of the band without make-up that was very different; but it’s hard to compete with platform boots and rockets shooting out of your guitar, and the ‘space’ out-fits, ya know!? And I’m not saying that to take anything away from that; all that’s entertaining and exciting, but it does create a certain thing that you can’t even compare with it, because you’re not playing in the same field. Eric Carr had the ‘fox’ for a while, and even Vinnie (Vincent) became a make-up character, and I think that worked, but I never had that opportunity, and the band never put the make-up on with me, so it was a different form of the band.
Did you ever feel your own playing got over-shadowed by Gene and Paul doing all the interviews and everything?
I knew, press-wise, that the story would always be Gene and Paul’s thing, ’cause they created the band. And even with the make-up and reunion thing – they mostly do the interviews. I’m just really proud that obviously, with UNION, I have a lot to say and a lot to be proud of! You know, the press are going to choose where they feel the story is.
Do you still have contact or connections with the (KISS) guys at all?
Yes, everything’s been really cool with the guys. I just recently gave them a couple of the discs, advanced CDs, and Paul asked me to help him on some of his songwriting demos – to decide which songs he was going to present for the next album. So, that was kinda cool. He’s very comfortable with me, and I really enjoyed playing guitar with him; we know how to communicate that way. So he hired me to do that kind of work, and that’s exciting!
You’ve probably been asked this a million times, but can you clarify – regarding ‘Creatures Of The Night’ – if and what you played on that album?
Actually, I played nothing on that album. At the time Ace wasn’t in the band, so they had a lot of different players on that record; from Dick Wagner to Robin Ford! He played the solos on a couple of things like “I Still Love You”. And Steve Ferris, the guy from MR MISTER, played the solo on the song “Creatures Of The Night”. But basically what happened on that record was they didn’t know what was going on with Ace, and it was obvious, I think, he was going to leave or whatever. That was a good record that got over-looked. And then later, when I joined, I think they said “OK – let’s put a new cover on with the non make-up band. Since you do some of these songs maybe we can sell it like that!” – which was a stupid idea! But, the record companies will always look at ways to try and increase the profits and sales. But, I think it was a mistake that they did it; and there I am on the picture. I didn’t ask to do it, you know!?
Have you read any of the KISS books that have come out recently?
“Black Diamond” – I read. That was kinda cool! I have “Kiss and Sell” – but have not read it yet, next plane ride I’ll take it along. And I still haven’t read “Kisstory”, …but I was there – I know it! (ha ha).
How was the Black Diamond book?
I did find some things that weren’t actually correct, but I realize he’s relying on a lot of different things. It’s kinda weird to read about a situation you’re so close to. I did enjoy it though!
Thoughts on ‘Carnival Of Souls’??
I’m really happy that it came out, of course, because it was so heavily bootlegged, and there was songs missing on the bootleg, the sound quality was terrible. I wanted people to hear it the way we recorded it and mixed it. I spent a lot of time working on that record; we all worked very hard on it. I’m a little disappointed with the packaging, but when I weigh that against whether it’d be out or not – I’m thrilled to death! So, overall I really can’t complain about it – I’m just excited that it finally got released in it’s full sonic glory.
Favorite tracks??
I love “I Walk Alone”. “Jungle” is great! “Master And Slave”. There’s some really interesting playing from me, a lot of different songs. There’s nothing I really dislike on the record. It was certainly a very heavy – dark album. And Toby, the guy who produced it with the band, and mixed it – even mixed it really dark. But I think it stands on it’s own for what it was.
What influenced some of the heavier – darker sounds on it, compared to previous albums?
“Revenge” had some darker stuff on it, maybe not quite as dark as this, but we were kinda getting more into some heavy riffs, and it wasn’t calculated. It was like – I came up with a lot of really dark riffs, which was fun to do. “Childhood’s End” and “I Walk Alone” certainly aren’t that dark sounding at all. But, it just evolved as a real guitar heavy – crunchy record. We’d fooled around with alternate tunings before, but everybody was writing some really heavy riffs in some of those tunings, so it just went a little bit on the heavy side there.
What’s the story behind you and John [Corabi] meeting? Did the high profiles play a part?
Well, on paper – of course the high profiles look like – “wow! this could be cool!”, but it wouldn’t have mattered how cool we look on paper if we didn’t get along and realize we’re into the same kinda music, you know!? And that was the beauty – as soon as I started playing a riff he responded well. We were both having a lot of personal things in our lives, we were in upheaval at the time, and both had careers in a new direction – not knowing where we were heading with. So, there was a lot to bond over. And it turned out that the music just came together very easily – very easy to create, and it was obvious that we were meant to work together.
Was it easy to find a deal?
It was a little difficult. Our first batch we didn’t really play for a lot of people, but we had a couple of acoustic songs on it, and people didn’t understand, you know – “what are they doing?”. But we had to keep writing, and by then we shopped a real cool tape – 4 songs. There was some people at real major labels that really liked it, but there was no way they were going to get it past their ‘higher ups’, because very few rock bands in the whole sense of what UNION is about have been signed of late, and I think they’re missing out. But “Mayhem” got it right away. This is what we’re into, and this is what we want to do. We didn’t try to calculate the market or create something that’s like “OK – this is what the labels are looking for!” We didn’t do a KISS or MOTLEY record because we’re not Kiss or Motley – we’re UNION!
The band’s based on you and John. How much of a part did Jamie and Brett play?
Both of them are very creative. In the sense of songwriting, they weren’t actually involved as songwriters, but certainly they were very creative on their instruments. Jamie’s a really great bass player and moves around in a really cool fashion. He’s definitely a master at his instrument. At times, because he was re-creating some of the demos, because he came in a little later, he had to take some suggestions from me, and I think he was appreciative a lot, because he knew it worked. And Brent was there a little earlier, so some of the beats that are on the record were right there from the ‘formative stages’ – so to say. We’re really proud of their contributions – John and I. It is a band; I wouldn’t want anyone to think that they’re just hired guns. We’re gonna sink or swim all together on this, and profit or not together. We’re not in a position to ‘hire anybody”, so we’re all along for the ride, bumpy or not!
How does the songwriting work with you and John?
Well, generally – he’d play me a riff, I’d play him a riff; he’d come up with something and I’d go “what’s that?”, you know. And off we’d go. Sometimes we’d have a song done in a half an hour, sometimes it would take 3 days. We really worked hard on it, and our co-producer – Kirk Cuomo, got involved in writing and helped out – did a lyric that was missing, an inception or a bridge. We all really worked hard on it.
You both play guitar and (presumably) sing!?
I’m not as strong of a singer as John, but yes.
Is there a lot of duo guitar on the record, or do you do most of the guitar work?
John is just about on every song, on a rhythm track as a scruff guitar, so he was very involved in, you know – “laying that track”. I did more work on guitars, because that’s my job. John’s a good guitarist, very valuable for the whole situation.
I’ll tell you, I’ve had the album for about a week now and I quite like it because it’s got the heaviness of the last Kiss album, and it’s got a certain ‘rawness’ – production wise. And it’s also got a lot of melody and it’s very radio accessible, I think.
Thank you!
Not to put down the last Kiss album, but “Union” is a lot more accessible as far as the harmonies.
I think Union overall – is a bit more melodic than Carnival… Again, it’s not intentional, it’s just what we wanted to do.
What are some of your favorite tracks?
I love ’em all – I gotta tell you! There’s certain songs that really feature me.
Anything that stands out as far as being a single?
I think “Old Man Wise” is great start to show people – “hey – we kick ass, and here we are!” It’s got some real catchy riffs and parts in there. “October Morning Wind” is a very cool acoustic song that I can hear it crossing over. “Pain Behind Your Eyes” has definitely got a very catchy hook that people seem to remember and point out to me as being real hooky. I love “Let It Flow” because of the whole ‘opus’ of it. It’s a long song, with a lot of guitars and stuff. But like I said – I dig all the songs. “Tangerine” – sometimes I can’t get that out of my head! I just dig the album, you know!?
And even the ballad type songs like “Love Don’t Need Anymore” have got quite a bit of bite to them.
Yes!
Any favorite guitar solos?
The stuff on Let It Flow – I’m really quite proud of. There’s a couple of different solos in the songs and each one is a different level of intensity, shall I say!? One’s where I’m showing off a little more classic melody type of thing, and then like Jimmy Page, and then I kinda brewed some nasty unholy thing with the wah-wah. So, it was kinda nice to spread out on that and play a couple of different things. I think the solo on “Empty Soul” was cool. I’m proud of them all! There’s even a little ‘trip of the back-woods’ thing in the song “Get Off My Cloud”. So for all you classic guitarists trying to figure it out – you’re not gonna get it buddy! (ha ha).
“October Morning Wind” – was that Zeppelin influenced at all?
Actually, when I came up with the music for that I was thinking of an old Cream song that had this half-step kind of acoustic thing going on. I forget the title now. Anything from that era I’m turned on to!
Favorite guitar players?
Oh, definitely – Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Brian May…there’s a few there!
Anything to add?
I just want to thank all the Kiss fans who have been supportive over these years, and I hope that they give Union a shot, and they come to check us out live. Mayhem’s really behind us, so if you have any trouble finding it – they have a ‘888’ number (which is toll-free). For this kind of music we need everybody to make the effort. It’s us vs the Spice Girls, you know!? (ha ha!)
Outsider Rock 