Jimmy Fox recently talked about working with Joe Walsh in James Gang and how he regrettably joined the Eagles later on.
Joe Walsh joined the Eagles in 1975, replacing their founding member Bernie Leadon. According to Don Henley, the musician was considered too wild for the Eagles, yet he stayed for five years, taking part in eleven albums throughout his time with them.
Before Eagles, Walsh was a member of James Gang from 1968 until 1971. He was still a talented musician but had ideas of his own to contribute to the band. Because the band did not actualize these ideas, the musician was not hesitant to leave when he had the opportunity.
James Gang drummer Jimmy Fox recently talked about Walsh’s departure from the band, and he stated that he was crushed when he left. Even though he knew that Walsh was growing out of the band, he had some mistakes which could have avoided his departure.
During his tenure with the band, Walsh wanted to add new arrangements to the music, but they were reluctant to add a keyboard for his liking. Fox continued to state that even if they had kept up with Walsh’s musical genius, he would have departed eventually.
Here is what Fox said about Walsh’s talents and departure:
“The first word that comes to mind is crushed, absolutely crushed. I wasn’t expecting it. I could see Joe growing at a rate that was unsustainable for us to keep up. That was obvious. I made a tactical mistake. Joe was hearing these great arrangements and then his head for new material.
A lot of these things seem to require keyboards. My attitude was that Joe’s a great keyboard player in his own right. Somebody’s played some famous stuff on the keyboard. I didn’t see the need to add a keyboardist because, in the studio, it could have been rectified because you can play one part, and then you can play the other part.”
He continued:
“But when you’re live on a stage, you miss that interaction. Joe would have to put down one instrument for the other, and I didn’t take that wish of Joe’s seriously enough. Instead, I opted for the old theory that it’s a trio, so everybody gets a window, and someone else gets to drive. I like that. I like the room in the car, so I never got more serious about adding a keyboard there, and I should have taken that dead seriously. I should have said, ‘Next chapter man, Let’s do it.'”
The interviewer asked:
“Do you think he would have stayed if you added a keyboard player?”
He answered:
“Probably for one more album, and then it would be the next state. He was growing so fast, and he was changing so quickly.”
You can watch the interview below.
