JAMES GANG
''THE BEST OF JAMES GANG (REPERTOIRE)
SEPTEMBER 30 1998
148:52
DISC ONE
1/Take a Look Around
Joe Walsh/5:55
2/Funk #48
Jim Fox / Tom Kriss / Joe Walsh/3:09
3/Bluebird
Stephen Stills/6:02
4/Lost Woman
Jeff Beck / Chris Dreja / Jim McCarty / Keith Relf / Paul Samwell-Smith/9:09
5/I Don't Have the Time
Jim Fox / Joe Walsh/2:49
6/Fred
Joe Walsh/4:09
7/Funk #49
Jim Fox / Dale Peters / Joe Walsh/3:54
8/Asshtonpark
Jim Fox / Dale Peters / Joe Walsh/2:00
9/Woman
Jim Fox / Dale Peters / Joe Walsh/4:38
10/The Bomber: Closet Queen/Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Jim Fox / Vince Guaraldi / Dale Peters / Joe Walsh/5:37
11/Walk Away
Joe Walsh/3:32
12/Yadig?
Jim Fox / Dale Peters / Joe Walsh/2:32
13/Things I Could Be
Jim Fox/4:18
14/Midnight Man
Joe Walsh/3:28
15/Madness
Roy Kenner/3:13
16/Looking for My Lady
Roy Kenner/2:53
17/I'll Tell You Why
Dale Peters / Domenic Troiano/3:53
18/Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
Roy Kenner/3:03
DISC TWO
1/One Way Street
Domenic Troiano/4:36
2/Had Enough
Roy Kenner/2:58
3/Up to Yourself
Domenic Troiano/2:41
4/Standing in the Rain
Tommy Bolin/5:05
5/The Devil Is Singing Our Song
Tommy Bolin / John Tesar/4:21
6/Must Be Love
Tommy Bolin / Jeff Cook/3:50
7/Got No Time for Trouble
Tommy Bolin / John Tesar/3:47
8/Ride the Wind
Tommy Bolin / Roy Kenner/3:44
9/Cruisin' Down the Highway
Tommy Bolin / Dale Peters/3:15
10/Do It (The Way You Do It)
Tommy Bolin / Roy Kenner/3:39
11/Wildfire
Tommy Bolin / John Tesar/3:28
12/Summer Breezes
Tommy Bolin/2:40
13/Merry-Go-Round
Bubba Keith / Richard Shack/3:03
14/Watch It
Bubba Keith/3:31
15/Driftin' Dreamer
Bubba Keith / Richard Shack/3:28
16/Shoulda' Seen Your Face
Bubba Keith / Richard Shack/3:44
17/Heartbreak Hotel
Mae Boren Axton / Tommy Durden / Elvis Presley/2:14
18/Red Satin Lover
Bubba Keith / Richard Shack/2:15
19/I Need Love
Jay Giallombardo/3:14
20/Feelin' Alright
Jim Fox / Jay Giallombardo / Dale Peters / Bob Webb/3:26
21/Hollywood Dreams
Bob Webb/3:08
22/Pick up the Pizzas
Bob Webb/2:31
Tommy Bolin /Guitar, Vocals
Jim Fox /Drums, Organ, Vibraphone, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Phil Giallomardo /Keyboards, Vocals
Bubba Keith /Guitar, Vocals
Roy Kenner /Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals
Tom Kriss /Bass
Dale Peters /Bass, Percussion, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Richard Shack /Guitar, Vocals
Domenic Troiano /Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Joe Walsh /Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Bob Webb /Guitar, Vocals
REVIEW
by Greg Prato
The Best of the James Gang [Repertoire] is the way a career overview should be -- two discs jammed to the limit with the group's hits and strong album cuts. Joe Walsh and company put the "power" in "power trio" as they supplied a smattering of releases from 1969-1971 that were custom-made to be cranked on eight-track while cruising in a Camaro. Walsh's woefully underrated talent for penning some of rock's all-time greatest riffs is evident throughout, especially on the group's two best known tracks, "Walk Away" and "Funk #49," while quite a few lesser-known tracks ("I Don't Have the Time," "Woman") rock just as hard. Additionally, Walsh's chicken-pickin' guitar playing in "Asshtonpark" sounds like a dry run for his later work as part of the Eagles, while the group's melodic and softer side is showcased on tracks like "Take a Look Around." And unlike most other James Gang compilations, this set goes beyond the Joe Walsh years, as tracks from both the Domenic Troiano and Tommy Bolin eras are touched upon. The Bolin-era tracks will undoubtedly prove to be the set's big surprise to fans familiar with just the Walsh Gang, especially on such exceptional tracks as "The Devil Is Singing Our Song," "Standing in the Rain," and "Summer Breezes," all of which would be classic rock radio staples in a perfect world. For a thorough look at the James Gang, The Best of the James Gang [Repertoire] is highly recommended.
BIOGRAPHY
by Greg Prato
With the emergence of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience during the late '60s, the path was cleared for other hard-rockin' "trios." Arguably, the finest to emerge from the subsequent American crop was the James Gang. Despite penning a few of classic rock radio's most enduring songs, the James Gang ultimately failed to deliver on their initial promise, as constant lineup juggling ultimately derailed the group.
The Gang's roots stretch back to 1966 in Cleveland, OH, where drummer Jim Fox formed the group with a few fellow Kent State University students, guitarist Glenn Schwartz and bassist Tom Kriss. But when Schwartz left to join Pacific Gas & Electric, Fox and Kriss opted to carry on with new singer/guitarist Joe Walsh. the James Gang's debut album, Yer' Album, followed in 1969, and while it didn't spawn any hits, it did set the stage perfectly for their next few releases. (The album was also one of the first recordings that noted producer Bill Szymczyk worked on.) Prior to sessions for the group's sophomore effort, Kriss exited the group, and was replaced by Dale Peters, resulting in the James Gang's definitive lineup. Peters soon proved to be the missing piece to the puzzle, as evidenced by the group's subsequent album, 1970's classic Rides Again, which spawned the rock gem "Funk #49." Although the song didn't come close to the top of the singles charts at the time of its release, it later became one of rock's most instantly identifiable tracks, and also established Walsh's talent for penning exceptional guitar riffs. (Pete Townshend became a vocal supporter of Walsh's guitar skills, and the Who took the James Gang on a European tour around the same time.)
Although it appeared that the James Gang was just hitting their stride, Walsh was growing increasingly disinterested with the group; he longed to launch a solo career. He managed to hang in there for another top-notch studio album, 1971's Thirds, which spawned an additional classic rock radio standard, "Walk Away." Around the same time as the appearance of a live set later the same year (Live in Concert), Walsh departed the group, first focusing on solo work before joining up with one of the '70s' biggest bands, the Eagles. Once more, Fox opted to keep the group afloat and expanded the band to a quartet, greeting new bandmembers Roy Kenner (vocals) and Domenic Troiano (guitar). Walsh's shoes proved hard to fill, though, as two lackluster albums released back-to-back in 1972, Straight Shooter and Passin' Thru, failed to expand the group's following.
Troiano exited the group to join up with the Guess Who, leaving the James Gang's guitar slot vacant once more. Troiano's departure proved to be a blessing in disguise, however, as the guitarist who replaced him, Tommy Bolin (supposedly at the recommendation of old friend Walsh), instantly breathed life back into the floundering group. Bolin's red-hot and versatile guitar playing (as well as compositional talents; he and songwriting partner John Tesar wrote the majority of the songs) helped reinvigorate the group, as two fine yet underrated albums followed: 1973's Bang! and 1974's Miami. However, just like the previous guitarists to play with the James Gang, Bolin grew disenchanted quickly, and exited in 1974. Following in Walsh's footsteps, he subsequently launched a solo career of his own before briefly serving as a member of Deep Purple. Sadly, Bolin passed away from a senseless drug overdose in 1976.
the James Gang decided to call it quits after Bolin's departure, but not for long. Fox and Peters launched a new version of the group in 1975, complete with new members Bubba Keith (vocals, guitar) and Richard Shack (guitar). Predictably, the latest version of the group only lasted for a pair of ignored recordings, 1975's Newborn and 1976's Jesse Come Home, before the James Gang finally called it a day for good. Subsequently, little was heard from the group besides the appearances of several best-of compilations (including 2000's Greatest Hits). By the late '90s, the group (with Walsh) reunited for sporadic appearances, including a performance at the 1996 election rally for then-President Bill Clinton at the Cleveland State University Convocation Center, as well as an appearance on The Drew Carey Show. In February of 2001, the James Gang played at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, and performed a pair of sold-out shows the same week at the Allen Theater.