James Gang - James Gang Greatest Hits (16 tracks) +Album Reviews

Greatest Hits of the Joe Walsh Years Only

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 10/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The James Gang were a power trio formed in Cleveland in the late sixties. Before the band garnered a record contract their original guitarist was replaced by Joe Walsh. This newly remastered compilation summarizes Joe Walsh's period with the band from 1969-71. Walsh's guitar playing and songwriting was inventive enough to lead to an eventual solo career as well as work with the Eagles. This compilation contains a few a rarities. The "Bolero" improvisation during the song "Bomber" was reinstated. The set also includes two tracks "Laguna Salada" and "Country Fever" from the rare "Zachariah" movie soundtrack. The latter cut was form a brief period in the band's history when Kenny Weiss replaced Joe Walsh as lead vocalist in the band. The music is mixture of hard rock and quieter numbers which feature Walsh on keyboards and acoustic guitar. The other band members Jim Fox on drums and first Tom Kriss and then Dale Peters struggle to keep up with Walsh's inventiveness at times. This set includes the 2 best known James Gang songs "Walk Away" and "Funk #49". Other notable cuts are live covers of Jerry Ragavoy's "Stop" and Albert King's "You're Gonna Need Me" with Walsh emptying his bag o' tricks. The string driven "Ashes The Rain And I" is my favorite of the quieter numbers. The disk length is only about seventy minutes. A couple of songs I miss from this period are the smokin' workout of the Yardbirds' "Lost Woman" and "Fred" from "Yer Album" and "Yadig" from the "Thirds" lp. I also miss the studio version of "Stop". I was also disappointed that a second disk of material from the bands seven lps after Joe Walsh left the band was not included. I was especially looking forward to the material from the period when guitarist Tommy Bolin of Zephyr and later Deep Purple was in the band. However this anthology is the best sounding compilation and considering the rare tracks the best summation of Joe Walsh's tenure with the band."

Forget The Eagles For A Minute...This is 1969-1971

Original Mixed Up-Kid | New York United States | 10/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The James Gang were midwest rockers and this collection is a great play and way to them featuring their famous singles and solid selection of material from their early albums with wonderful historical track and song notes from their producer (who also played a large hand with that great other USA band,J.Geils Band. Funny how Geils were blues and funky while the James Gang were rockers and more folkie,anyway..)

This is THE Joe Walsh period Collection.

Spent a few hours with this CD yesterday and it does not dissapoint and plays very well straight through basically gathering great songs from the Yer Album,James Gang Rides Again`Thirds,and their Live Album..there are also a couple of tracks from the soundtrack they scored.

Their clever lyrics,hard rocking guitar sound,experimental studio soundscapes of the time, were still always a form of melodic rock with that raspy voiced Walsh certainly unmistakable in their uniqueness.They should be taken seriously like the groups The Band,Love,Steppenwolf as musicians that stood out from the crowd.

Their 1960's posturing always came off sincere because they were a bunch of great players for their brief stay in their original lineup..You may find yourself checking out all their earlier faithfully restored re-releases mentioned above with great sound and notes as well.All this coming in just a couple of short years.."

James Gang Greatest Hits - Cleveland Rocks!

barry friedman | Valencia, CA | 05/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Who was the best American power trio of the 1960's? After listening to this CD, you'd have to rank The James Gang at the top of the list and perhaps even rename them The Jimmy Fox Experience! Undoubtedly one of the great American percussionists and a musical protege of the jazz saxaphonist Weasel Parker, Fox began professionally in his teens with The Outsiders ("Time Won't Let Me") and then decided to form his own band. Over the years the band went through many personnel changes, but Fox remained the constant and the group was powered by a series of ace lead guitarists. The first was Glenn Schwartz, a tremendous player rooted in the blues who went on to Pacific Gas & Electric. The original bassist was Tom Kriss, who went on to a series of meaningless jobs at very low wages. Taking Schwartz's place was the inimitable Joe Walsh and it is this version of The James Gang with Dale Peters on bass that roared out of Cleveland to national and international acclaim. All of the cuts on this CD are from the Fox-Walsh-Peters years. Their two biggest hits -"Funk #49" and "Walk Away" - are here along with a couple studio rarities and some powerful live cuts and the great news is that every tune here still holds up after 30 plus years. Talk about your grand funk - The James Gang blew the roof completely off the Midwest! Spend your money on this one!"

If you say so, part three

James M. Bergstrom | Alameda, CA USA | 01/19/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Look, it's like this: the Zachariah movie soundtrack cuts are for completists only. The live cuts jar the ambience and really don't give it up. "Lost Woman" and "Bluebird" are not included and truly do belong. I know it is rare that a "Greatest Hits" will satisfy all listeners, but these changes would have fulfilled expectations (although I must agree that post Walsh James Gang should be on another disc). Whatever happened to Tom Kriss? I don't know of anyone but Jack Bruce that could play it with such energy in the power trio format. And I've got to argue with the reviewer that holds Jim Fox in such low esteem ... Fox was (is?) more than just a drummer: he added quite a bit of color into the mix and was precise and tight. Do yourself a favor: skip this, and spend the money for "Yer Album" and then "Thirds"; if that doesn't hold ya, go ahead and round it out with "Rides Again". You'll be glad you did."

Surprisingly Effective as an Album

Todd and In Charge | Miami, FL | 01/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't really like greatest hits packages, but this one does a nice job summarizes the first few albums that had Joe Walsh onboard. Putting aside the radio hits, this is a surprisingly effective and cohesive look at a creative rock trio in the late 60s and early 70s. I especially like the slower songs, such as "Take a Look Around," which features plaintive singing, organ work, and sounds a lot like very early Todd Rundgren. "Ashes the Rain and I" is another quieter song that really works.

But the highlight is clearly "Bomber," which hits you over the head with multiphased songs, changes, and sequences, an epic tune that leaves you blissfully satisfied and ready for that final toke before you go to bed....."

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