James Gang "Live In Concert"

Joe Walsh. Enough said.

"Joe Walsh has been in my windshield for just about as long as I can remember actively listening to music."

December 3rd, Good mooooorning live music lovers! Rise and shine cause it’s our favorite day of the week! It's MONDAY! And, it’s not just Monday, it’s “More Live Music Monday” on the Live Vinyl Lovefest and that makes everything better, even Mondays!

Today I’m gonna jump back in time and grab a listen to one of my favorite artists over the years Joe Walsh. This morning’s choice is “The James Gang Live In Concert”

Joe Walsh has been in my windshield for just about as long as I can remember actively listening to music. My first introduction to him was at a junior high friend’s house while skipping school and “doing things” we were definitely not supposed to be doing according to the law of the times. That record has the ability to take me right back to that day.

As providence would have it, I would get to meet Walsh and some of the band members from that record while they were on tour as an opener for Petty and get to thank them personally for inspiring me to skip school as a 7th grader. Ah cherished memories ...

Okay, so back to THIS record. It’s kind of a record of ongoing epiphanies for me thought out my life. Here’s an example. I never knew this was captured at Carnegie Hall until way late in the game. Who knew? There are little to no liner notes on the record regarding venue, production etc. And then of course you get to file this one under “ahhhhh I get it now” … This record was produced by The James Gang, but it was engineered by Bill Szymczyk. Yes that Bill Szymczyk, the one that engineered “The Long Run” by the Eagles which as we know now was Walsh’s entrance into the Eagles. Coincidence? Me thinks not.

This record kind of marked the end of the James Gang as we knew them but would mark the beginning of Walsh’s solo career which yielded some FANTASTIC records that have stood the test of time. Records apparently good enough to get young men to skip school and break the law. I’ve kept them well hidden from my boys.

(truth: no I haven’t)