|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWALSH, Joe(b 20 November 1947, Wichita KS) Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter; came to fame as one-third of the James Gang. On going solo he retained the services of producer Bill Szymczyk for Barnstorm '72, a surprisingly restrained debut backed by bassist Kenny Passarelli, drummer Joe Vitale. He added Rocke Grace on keyboards (the band called Barnstorm) for The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get '73, starting a fad for silly titles (many years later he was still asked what it meant), including the hard-rock masterpiece 'Rocky Mountain Way' (top 30 USA, top 40 UK) showcasing slide guitar and a trademark 'mouth bag' style of channelling guitar sound from the amp into his mouth, enabling voicing of sounds, later popularized by Peter Frampton. So What '74 saw him in aviator goggles (after the biplane on the Smoker sleeve); with Vitale, Passarelli, bassist Byron Garofalo, others helping on various tracks including Dan Fogelberg, J. D. Souther, Eagles on vocals, 'Time Out' and other tracks hold up well, neither more nor less than they should be, making much later pop sound the poorer. Yet synthesized Ravel and the jokey 'All Night Laundry Mat Blues' suggested a paucity of material confirmed on the flaccid live album You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind '75. He joined the Eagles in time for Hotel California '76, adding guts to their predictable sound on one of their best LPs, his 'Life In The Fast Lane' one of its best tracks. His solo work took an upturn with But Seriously Folks '76: a deadly ironic account of the rock'n'roll lifestyle in 'Life's Been Good' made top 15 hit USA/UK. There Goes The Neighborhood '81 included top 40 'A Life Of Illusion', followed by You Bought It You Name It '83, The Confessor '85, Got Any Gum? '87, Ordinary Average Guy '91. He produced albums for Fogelberg, Jay Ferguson (ex-Spirit), Ringo Starr, Fool's Gold (Fogelberg's backing band); contributed to Urban Cowboy soundtrack ('All Night Long' a top 20 hit '80). He also ran for President of USA '79 and did cameo in a Blues Brothers film, a rock'n'roller with a sense of humour as well as a highly-rated guitarist. The Eagles re-formed and kept touring the world, keeping him busy; Analog Man 2012 on Fantasy was Walsh's first solo album in 20 years, lyrically more gentle from a now happily-married rocker. |