James Gang
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Headquarters | Cleveland , United States |
| Products | Rock music albums and live performances |
James Gang was a rock group originating from Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. The ensemble experienced multiple personnel shifts prior to recording their debut album as a power trio, consisting of Joe Walsh (guitar and lead vocals), Tom Kriss (bass), and Jim Fox (drums). Dale Peters succeeded Kriss on bass for the band's second and third records. Their tracks "Funk #49" and "Walk Away" continue to be prominent on classic rock and AOR radio formats.
In late 1971, Walsh departed to embark on a solo career before eventually joining the Eagles. The group persisted with various guitarists and vocalists but was unable to replicate earlier successes over six subsequent studio albums, ultimately disbanding in 1977. Walsh, Fox, and Peters have reunited sporadically, most recently performing together on September 3, 2022, at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert held at Wembley Stadium.
Formation and early period
Drummer Jim Fox initially played with the Cleveland-based band the Outsiders, leaving in 1965 to pursue higher education. After the band's national hit "Time Won't Let Me," Fox briefly rejoined before returning to college. Drawing inspiration from British Invasion acts such as the Beatles, the Who, and the Yardbirds, Fox established his own band in 1966 alongside classmates Ronnie Silverman (guitar), bassist Tom Kriss, and keyboardist Phil Giallombardo.
The earliest incarnation of James Gang featured Fox, Kriss, Silverman, Giallombardo, and a succession of lead guitarists including Greg Grandillo, Dennis Chandler, and John "Mouse" Michalski from the Count Five. Fox was later invited to audition for a nine-member rhythm and blues group but agreed only after learning that local guitar virtuoso Glenn Schwartz would be involved. Impressed by Schwartz's style and influences like the Spencer Davis Group and Jeff Beck, Fox invited him to join James Gang. Michalski exited immediately thereafter, followed by Silverman who entered military service. Bill Jeric joined the lineup alongside Schwartz. None of these early formations produced any official recordings.
By late 1967, Schwartz—who was discovered to be absent without leave from the military and facing personal challenges—left for California where he formed Pacific Gas & Electric.
The Joe Walsh era
Shortly after the start of 1968, Joe Walsh from The Measles replaced Glenn Schwartz. The band briefly continued as a five-piece until Giallombardo and Jeric departed; Ronnie Silverman returned from military duty to fill Jeric's spot.
On June 9, 1968, the group performed at Detroit's Grande Ballroom opening for Cream. When Silverman pulled out at the last moment, Fox, Kriss, and Walsh performed as a trio and decided to proceed with this configuration.
In 1968, they secured management under Mark Barger—who also managed Ohio’s Lemon Pipers—and were introduced to ABC Records producer Bill Szymczyk. This connection led to their signing with ABC’s Bluesway label in January 1969.
Their debut album Yer' Album was released in March 1969 with Szymczyk producing. Later that year, Szymczyk facilitated their participation in the film Zachariah (released in 1971), which included two James Gang songs. Vocalist Kenny Weiss was brought in for these sessions but left prior to filming in Mexico. These recordings were later included as bonus tracks on the 2000 reissue of The James Gang Greatest Hits.
In November 1969, bassist Tom Kriss departed due to family health concerns and was replaced by Dale Peters from Case of E.T. Hooley. Kriss died of cancer in 2013.
In 1969 Roger Abramson recommended Belkin Productions establish a management division featuring James Gang and Silk alongside Michael Stanley.
July 1970 marked the release of their second album James Gang Rides Again, which contained the hit "Funk #49." That spring Belkin Productions arranged opening performances for The Who’s US and UK tours. Pete Townshend praised Walsh as America’s finest guitarist. The band appeared on the UK program Top of the Pops in January 1971 and toured Europe that July.
During this time, they shared stages with notable acts such as Grand Funk Railroad, The Kinks, Humble Pie, Three Dog Night, and Led Zeppelin.
Following two additional releases—1971’s Thirds studio album and James Gang Live in Concert—Walsh exited in December 1971 due to creative differences. He relocated to Colorado before forming Barnstorm.
Post-Walsh Era in the 1970s
Following Joe Walsh's departure, Peters and Fox continued with vocalist Roy Kenner and guitarist Domenic Troiano, both formerly of the Canadian group Bush, producing two albums in 1972: Straight Shooter and Passin' Thru. Fox later reflected that the partnership with Troiano failed to fulfill their musical ambitions, which led to Troiano leaving the band in 1973 to join the Guess Who.
Replacing Troiano was guitarist Tommy Bolin, previously a member of Zephyr, who joined in August 1973 upon Joe Walsh’s recommendation. Bolin contributed to two albums, Bang! and Miami, coinciding with the band's transition from ABC Records to Atlantic Records’ Atco label.
During the recording sessions for Miami in 1974, Kenner encountered legal difficulties and was temporarily unavailable. While the band considered other vocalists, Kenner ultimately returned to complete the project. However, dissatisfied with the band's direction and Bolin’s limited involvement in songwriting, Kenner declared his intention to leave but agreed to remain until a successor was found. Concurrently, Bolin departed abruptly without prior notice; he later collaborated with artists such as Dr. John and Alphonse Mouzon, before joining Deep Purple in 1975.
After his exit from James Gang, Kenner joined the Ohio-based band "LAW," reunited musically with Troiano, pursued solo ventures, and engaged in voice-over work. The band searched in England for a new guitarist; although Jimmy McCulloch (formerly of Thunderclap Newman) expressed interest, he remained committed to Paul McCartney's Wings. This search ultimately proved unsuccessful.
By early 1975, Fox and Peters assembled a new lineup featuring vocalist Bubba Keith from Los Angeles' Uncle Tom and guitarist Richard Shack from Case of E.T. Hooley with Peters. This ensemble recorded Newborn, which included a rendition of Elvis Presley’s "Heartbreak Hotel". Their final album, Jesse Come Home (released February 1976), saw the return of early member Phil Giallombardo alongside new guitarist and vocalist Bob Webb, formerly of The Measles.
None of these post-Walsh configurations achieved the commercial heights enjoyed during the early 1970s. When James Gang disbanded in early 1977, drummer Fox remained the only original member still involved.
Later Years
In a 1998 interview, Fox characterized the band's concluding period as an ongoing effort to find an adequate replacement for Joe Walsh. Despite producing some strong albums during this time, they were unable to recapture the band's initial essence. After numerous lineup changes, Fox and Dale Peters chose to dissolve the group, with Fox deciding to take a hiatus rather than form another band.
Following the breakup, Fox became involved with Belkin management, which represented acts such as Michael Stanley Band and Wild Cherry. Other former members pursued individual paths: Bubba Keith joined England Dan & John Ford Coley before leading Point Blank, while Bob Webb performed with Jay Ferguson's band.
The classic trio—Walsh, Peters, and Fox—reunited in July 1991 at Cleveland’s Nautica Pavilion during a Joe Walsh concert. They performed together again at a Bill Clinton election rally in 1996 and made appearances on The Drew Carey Show between 1998 and 1999. In February 2001, they played three shows in Cleveland accompanied by keyboardist Mark Avsec (ex-Wild Cherry), who also joined them for several performances around Cleveland in 2005.
Glenn Schwartz remained active within the Cleveland music scene, performing regularly until his passing in 2018 at age 77.
In April 2006, the lineup of Walsh/Peters/Fox announced a U.S. tour supported by keyboardist Bill Appleberry and backing vocalists. That summer included a live appearance on The Howard Stern Show broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio.
By March 2012, reports indicated that Walsh was collaborating with Fox and Peters to re-record classic James Gang tracks at Cleveland’s Lava Room Recording Studios, featuring contributions from Joe Vitale and Michael Stanley; however, no further developments surfaced, likely due to Walsh's ongoing commitments with the Eagles.
In August 2022, James Gang confirmed their participation in two tribute concerts honoring Taylor Hawkins held at Wembley Stadium and the Kia Forum. On November 8, 2022, they hosted their first in-store signing event in over half a century at Used Kids Records in Columbus, Ohio—raising funds for veterans’ charities through Walsh’s VetsAid foundation.
On November 13, 2022, supported by Mark Avsec and a vocal trio—and joined on drums by Dave Grohl for the encore—the band performed at the VetsAid concert in Columbus. Although there were initial rumors that this might be their final performance, Walsh suggested future shows remain possible: “We played these concerts for Taylor Hawkins... I didn’t realize how much I missed it until we started cookin’ with the James Gang. I can’t wait to play again.”
Discography
| Release Year | Album Title | US | AUS |
CAN | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Yer' Album | 83 | — | 79 | |
| 1970 | James Gang Rides Again | 20 | — | 13 | Certified Gold by RIAA |
| 1971 | Thirds | 27 | 42 | 32 | RIAA Gold certification |
| 1972 | Straight Shooter | 58 | — | 39 | |
| 1972 | Passin' Thru | 72 | — | 28 | |
| 1973 | Bang | 122 | — | — | |
| 1974 | Miami | 97 | — | — | |
| 1975 | Newborn | 109 | — | — | |
| 1976 | Jesse Come Home | — | — | — |
| Release Year | Album Title | US | CAN | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | James Gang Live in Concert | 24 | 25 |
|
| Release Year | Album Title | US | CAN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Best Of ... featuring Joe Walsh | 79 | 33 |
| 1973 | 16 Greatest Hits | 181 | — |
| 1997 | Funk #49 | — | — |
| Year | Song Title | Peak Chart Positions | Corresponding Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | RPM (magazine) | |||||||||||
| 1969 | "I Don't Have the Time" | — | — | Yer' Album | ||||||||
| "Funk #48" | 126 | — | ||||||||||
| 1970 | "Stop" | — | — | |||||||||
| "Take a Look Around" | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Funk 49" | 59 | 26 | James Gang Rides Again | |||||||||
| 1971 | "Walk Away" | 51 | 31 | Thirds | ||||||||
| "Midnight Man" | 80 | 46 | ||||||||||
| 1972 | "Looking for My Lady" | style=text-align: center;|"108" | style=text-align: center;|"82" | rowspan= "2"|Straight Shooter | ||||||||
| "Madness" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | - | "Had Enough" | style=text-align: center;|"111" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | Passin' Thru | |||||
| 1973 | "Must Be Love" | style=text-align: center;|"54" | style=text-align: center;|"51" | rowspan= "3"|Bang | ||||||||
| "Got No Time for Trouble" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | - | 1974 | "Standing in the Rain" | style=text-align: center;|"101" | style=text-align: center;|"84" | - | "Cruisin' Down the Highway" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | Miami |
| 1975 | "Merry-Go-Round" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | Newborn | ||||||||
| 1976 | "I Need Love" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | style=text-align: center;|"—" | Jesse Come Home | ||||||||
The track "Cruisin' Down the Highway" reached number 122 on the Record World Singles Chart.
Band members
Last roster
- Jimmy Fox – drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (1966–1977, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2022)
- Joe Walsh – guitar, keyboards, lead vocals (1968–1971, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2022)
- Dale Peters – bass, guitar, percussion, backing vocals (1969–1977, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2022)
Further reading
- Wolff, Carlo (2006). Cleveland Rock and Roll Memories. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company.