JOE WALSH, JAMES GANG: It Ain't Over Till It's Over

7/26/2012

Joe Walsh says that despite not having worked together in over five years The James Gang is "alive and well." He tells M: Music and Musicians magazine he doesn't think the trio -- which reunited for 18 dates in 2006 -- "should have a 'comeback' tour" or "try to fill 10,000-seat places," but thinks they would "do great" in House of Blues or Hard Rock Cafe size venues. He says he misses playing in the trio format, because it makes him "play in a certain way" that's different from what he does in the Eagles. The James Gang's 1969 through '71 line-up of Walsh, bassist Dale Peters and drummer Jimmy Fox make up the current band.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-27 05:45 by tatters.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-27 05:49 by tatters.

Dig the Gang baby. Would love to hear Joe play as he did with them.

cool. he mentioned it recently in an interview right before his new solo album was released that the james gang is not dead

I say, "Ride on, James Gang!!"

Not much on youtube from their 2006 reunion tour, but I did find this. Joe was bathed in that red spotlight for the entire show. Even on the big screens, you couldn't really see what he was doing. Very strange. Good show, though. Except for the Rocky Mountain Way encore, the setlist consisted entirely of material from Joe's three JG albums.

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tatters
Not much on youtube from their 2006 reunion tour, but I did find this. Joe was bathed in that red spotlight for the entire show. Even on the big screens, you couldn't really see what he was doing. Very strange. Good show, though. Except for the Rocky Mountain Way encore, the setlist consisted entirely of material from Joe's three JG albums.

I saw them near Detroit that year. It was a very low budget show using house lighting and sound with a bare stage. It FELT like seeing the James Gang 'back in the day' even as they were augmented by a keyboard player and girl back up singers. It was great though the Rocky Mountain Way encore was something of a WTF moment. Allegedly Joe had that song written in the 'Gang days or so it's been said.

Jimmy Fox, the drummer, is a manufacturers rep for several lines of jewelery. He calls on a friend's store and says all three members get along great and the reunion shows were a blast. He wrote a marvelous letter to my older son who was beginning to learn drums at the time In return I dashed him off three copies of the boot I had of the Detroit show. He emailed to thank me saying he'd get the extra copies to Joe and Dale. He said it was the best boot he'd heard from the tour and was glad to have it as they DIDN'T RECORD ANY OF THE SHOWS! Apparently Joe didn't want the "added pressure."

the first gang record is my fave...that was a wild ride

I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

I think the lack of solo stuff is great, and shows a measure of respect that Joe is treating his fellow James Gang bandmates as equals. And they had plenty of top-drawer material to play, even though it was short on FM Classic Rock Warhorses.

The '06 show I went to was fantastic. Straight-ahead guitar rock, loud and well-played. It was exhilarating, the kind of show I wish the Stones would do.

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theanchorman
I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

Thar's because it was THE JAMES GANG TOUR. How would you feel if the Stones trotted out "Just Another Night" or "Eileen"? I found the inclusion of "rocky Mountain Way" disconcerting, even as an encore.

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theanchorman
I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

Thar's because it was THE JAMES GANG TOUR. How would you feel if the Stones trotted out "Just Another Night" or "Eileen"? I found the inclusion of "rocky Mountain Way" disconcerting, even as an encore.

disconcerting. excellent use of double-entendre...or something.

i was a huge fan of these guys; still am; - wmms cleveland (then) - played alot of james gang (walsh lived in the area for some time) and later went to kent state university and gigged in and around cleveland before the james gang

when i heard 'stop' off of 'yer album' it was like, oh yeah, this guy can PLAY; the next record had 'the bomber' which had that cool bolero guitar bit in it, and of course 'thirds' had 'walk away,' a classic.. these songs all sound great today

James Gang Live in Concert -- dyn-o-mite album

Love Joe's use of guitar effects

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custom55
James Gang Live in Concert -- dyn-o-mite album

Love Joe's use of guitar effects

wish it was remastered when they did the 3 joe studio albums

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theanchorman
I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

Thar's because it was THE JAMES GANG TOUR. How would you feel if the Stones trotted out "Just Another Night" or "Eileen"? I found the inclusion of "rocky Mountain Way" disconcerting, even as an encore.

On Eagles tours he does a bunch of his own solo songs. Joe probably wanted to keep it to just JG songs so he other two members get songs royalties

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theanchorman

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theanchorman
I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

Thar's because it was THE JAMES GANG TOUR. How would you feel if the Stones trotted out "Just Another Night" or "Eileen"? I found the inclusion of "rocky Mountain Way" disconcerting, even as an encore.

On Eagles tours he does a bunch of his own solo songs. Joe probably wanted to keep it to just JG songs so he other two members get songs royalties

I know he does his solo stuff at Eagles shows. When you think about it, other than "In The City" what did Joe ever contribute to the Eagles besides a riff here and there? He stands there as one of the "four original" Eagles yet a hired gun plays his leads. Basically he's the comic relief in the Eagle's act.

Hmmm, Love the James Gang but I thought he was in support of his solo record these days, maybe the bookings are not going so well and he is fishing for a possible headliner besides the Eagles? peace

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theanchorman

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theanchorman
I caught the show at the Beacon in 06. It was good. However, as a Walsh fan - I was disappointed he only included Rocky Mountain Way from his solo work. He has too many cool songs to pick from. In that sense, the James Gang tour set list was lacking...

Thar's because it was THE JAMES GANG TOUR. How would you feel if the Stones trotted out "Just Another Night" or "Eileen"? I found the inclusion of "rocky Mountain Way" disconcerting, even as an encore.

On Eagles tours he does a bunch of his own solo songs. Joe probably wanted to keep it to just JG songs so he other two members get songs royalties

I know he does his solo stuff at Eagles shows. When you think about it, other than "In The City" what did Joe ever contribute to the Eagles besides a riff here and there? He stands there as one of the "four original" Eagles yet a hired gun plays his leads. Basically he's the comic relief in the Eagle's act.

Some would argue that the five or six tunes Walsh does live with the Eagles are the highlights of the show. Certainly they are the only rocking ones...
He did write the music to life in the fast lane and helped with the outdo solos on Hotel California. But yes, he was only with the Eagles for HC and TLR...
Check out the The Eagles Farewell 1 DVD - the Walsh numbers are the ones that bring the house down. IMO, he is the only worthwhile reason to seing the Eagles live....

His decision to join the Eagles might seem like one of the strangest "career moves" in rock history, but the work is easy and the pay is fantastic. Who wouldn't want a job like that?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-28 17:59 by tatters.

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loog droog
I say, "Ride on, James Gang!!"

Just in case you always wondered where Joe got that little bit he does at 3:25.






Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-28 18:10 by tatters.

Proof it's hard to put a new band together these days, the older ya get the harder it is, unless you are puttin and old band together. peace