Joe Walsh | ParkInkSpot

Picture the one person in the world you really wish were reading your blog. Write her or him a letter.

Wait, I’ve already done her. Let’s see what else I have up my sleeve.

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Take a look at this list: Most admired man/woman. Do you see any issues with how “trendy” they are, on a yearly basis? Surely true heroes would endure a little bit longer than “who’s in the network news most often this year”?

I find that list pretty disturbing, actually.

So I think I’m going to take a pass on the fickle American public’s views on what makes someone admirable.

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My viewpoint maybe even more trivial, but at guess I can wallow in that?

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Hey Joe,

Thanks for taking the time to read. I’m just another fan who views you as iconic to his life.

I just wanted to thank you (and Don Felder) for your work on Hotel California. It was brilliant.

Thank you for the James Gang and The Smoker You Drink. Thank you for Rocky Mountain Way and Life’s Been Good.

I’m listing–sorry about that. Saw you play here in Chicago, the last time the Eagles rolled through these parts. My wife learned a whole lot of songs she didn’t know were from you, she’s not good at which-bands-did-what-songs. But she got a big kick out of your solo segment of that show. Thanks for entertaining us.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for so many hours on my ipod, my play lists, albums and cassette tapes and CDs. And I’m listing again. You’ve been a substantial part of the music for…40 years now? So you probably deserve a lot of beverages, on me, any time.

Thanks again, man.

Take care.

They write me letters, tell me I’m great

Gawd so many ‘thanks’, durp drool. Glad I don’t write much fan mail, I’m terrible at it.

Today, celebrate three songs that are significant to you. For your twist, write for fifteen minutes without stopping — and build a writing habit.

This may be difficult for me, as I’ve already written about the first of my three choices (see: Ticking Away). So there goes one, and I’ve hinted at another (in the same post).

Which means I’ll have to figure out a way for the third tune: Train kept a-Rollin to use up the majority of the time.

So let’s start with that one, I guess, feel free to have a listen:

Not only is it a classic old Yardbirds tune (and there are a bunch of other covers), but it has a number of delicious lead guitar breaks (I might have mentioned that I lean towards ‘hard’ rock and wailing guitars…?).

Anyway, for decades this was the track that made me worship Joe Perry, first got me hooked on Aerosmith, etc. etc. I pretty much wore the album (‘Get Your Wings’) out.

Some decades after the first release, it became known that Joe Perry didn’t play on that track! It was actually played by Steve Hunter & Dick Wagner, studio musicians, who played with Alice Cooper for years.

Those wailing lead breaks that fascinated me so much (at 1:20, 3:20, 3:55) for so many years, Joe didn’t play them! The two guys who did play them weren’t even credited in the original album credits!

I forgave Joe and Steve and the boys, since they closed concerts with the tune for so many years…and their careers went on for decades…but I remember how cheapened I felt when I learned that. The music industry really is freakin’ sleazy.

That other tune? I mentioned it in Ticking Away…it’s Hotel California.

Title track of the best album of the decade (well, at least in my humble). First time we get hear Joe Walsh play with the band, that excellent last couple of minutes of lead guitar break…

And for a good many years, I was the Night Man.