James Gang - Rides Again (1970)

Rides Again was soon-to-be Eagles member Joe Walsh’s second album with James Gang and the first to feature bassist Dale Peters. Whilst touring the UK supporting the Who to promote this album, James Gang never made much of an impact outside the US but are of importance in the rock family tree for being Joe Walsh’s first band and for largely launching the brief career of Tommy Bolin following Walsh’s departure . . . and for writing the odd one or two cracking tunes, some of which appear on Rides Again.

From the tortuously bent note that introduces Funk #49 things get off to a great start with a funky rock riff par excellence and a great vocal performance from Joe Walsh on what is one of, if not the most well known early James Gang tracks (however, please note that the video clip below shows a later version of James Gang performing the track after Walsh’s departure to join the Eagles with the late Tommy Bolin on guitar). A great way to start the album with a real classic and certainly a hard track to follow!

The oddly-spelt Asshton Park is up next with an upbeat blues jam intro feel with Walsh noodling around a central melody with a heavily delayed guitar throughout this 2 minute instrumental. Asshton park is followed by the heavier Woman which is a more plodding riff-based track featuring some nice drum breaks from Fox and a strong solo from Walsh.

Another gem is up next with The Bomber which is again a riff-based ‘heavy’ number which Walsh kept as a live number beyond his departure from James Gang. The mid-section is particularly interesting as the mood drops to a bass melody accompanied by drums with Walsh playing an atmospheric slide guitar solo over the top which continues for the majority of the rest of the track before a brief return to the main riff for the out-tro. Interestingly the track also featured a segment of Ravel’s Bolero but this was edited out at the request/insistence of the copyright holders!

Tend My Garden is one of the weaker tracks on the album and is a more commercial, mainstream US rock track of the period and seems a little limp following the preceding tracks . . . although it does feature a Hammond organ which is always a plus. As the track fades out, fading-in we get the second ‘garden’ themed track in Garden Gate. This short track features Walsh on vocals and acoustic and is a pleasant diversion into a folk styling for the duration of the number.

For There I Go Again, Walsh is again on acoustic guitar on a very mellow number hovering in Byrds/CS&N territory with a country lilt to proceedings. Thanks follows and opens with an acoustic guitar ‘riff’ heavily reminiscent of Funk #49 but then panning-out into a folk leaning number that is pleasant if not immediately as grabbing as some of the earlier tracks on the album.

The album closes with another acoustic-based track: Ashes the Rain and I which begins with a picked chord over which Walsh plays a melody on a second guitar. A very melancholy intro ensues which largely sets the mood for the rest of the track which later includes a full orchestra.

Rides Again is a good album but, to use a football analogy, is an album of two halves with the first four tracks being powerful hard/blues-rock tracks with Funk #49 in particular being very strong. The album then drifts into acoustic country/folk territory which is ok but for me rather lowered the tone to one of mediocrity. However, on the positive side Walsh is in fine form both vocally and on guitar and I’d definitely recommend giving James Gang a listen – especially for those of us in the UK who may not be as familiar with their pedigree as those from the US – to hear some good riffing rock and Joe Walsh before he became an Eagle!

• Joe Walsh – Guitar/Vocals
• Dale Peters – Bass
• Jim Fox – Drums