The James Gang didn’t start out as a power trio. Initially the band was a standard five-piece with a revolving door of members coming and going; including legendary guitarist Glenn Schwartz who would leave the band while AWOL from the Army, and move to California to form the blues rock band Pacific Gas & Electric. In 1968 the James Gang was scheduled to open for Cream at a concert in Detroit. At the last minute, guitarist Ronnie Silverman informed the band he was out. Desperate for gas money to get back to Ohio, Walsh, Jim Fox and Tom Kriss were forced to perform as a trio—just like the headlining band from London. Everyone liked what they heard, so the band remained a three-piece (with Dale Peters replacing Kriss on the second album, Rides Again) until Walsh departed for Colorado in 1971 to start Barnstorm with Kenny Passarelli and Canton, Ohio native Joe Vitale. In addition to releasing three excellent albums in two years, Barnstorm also served as the backing band on Michael Stanley’s second album, Friends and Legends, which certainly clarifies the amazing guitar interplay that permeates that album, and a friendship that has lasted decades.
In 1970, the James Gang was assigned to support some shows on The Who’s American tour. Pete Townshend was so impressed he invited them across the pond to open for his band on their UK tour as well. Townshend and Walsh became fast friends and Pete once told Rolling Stone magazine that he thought Joe was the best American guitar player he had ever heard. Both Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton had equally complimentary things to say about him. When I finally dropped the needle on side one of Thirds and heard the opening guitar riff of “Walk Away,” I understood why Pete and the others were such enthusiastic fans. I also realized how shortsighted I'd been prejudging the band's sound and not listening to the records sooner. The James Gang with Joe Walsh at the helm was a quintessential high-powered rock n’ roll band; critically acclaimed and highly respected by fans and musicians alike. The icing on the cake was their hometown status; a source of pride that Cleveland music fans revere and rally behind to this day. From: https://happymediumproductions.weebly.com/the-james-gang---walk-away.html
