Thirds
Encyclopedia
Thirds is the third studio album by James Gang
, released in 1971, and is the last studio album led by Joe Walsh
. "Walk Away" was released as a single, making the Top 40 on at least one national chart, reaching #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, the best placement of a James Gang single. The album reached Gold status in July of 1972.
On the liner notes to the LP version of this 1971 album, Joe Walsh is credited with "guitar, vocals, and train wreck" for his work on the song "Walk Away". The third element was a wry commentary on the multi-tracked, cascading lead guitars that clash as the song fades out.
The Walsh period of the band came to a close with the release of the live album James Gang Live in Concert
.
Billboards review stated: "The James Gang has another good one here, another set scoring artistically and slated to score commercially. This hot trio has solid material, such as "Walk Away," country-flavored material such as "Dreamin' In The Country," and other top material, including "Midnight Man." "White Man/Black Man" is another winner." John Mendelsohn
in Rolling Stone
was equivocal stating "By no exertion of the imagination are James Gang the greatest rock and roll band ever to walk the face of the earth or anything... but they are capable of some nice little treats every now and again." Mendelsohn conversely called "White Man/Black Man" "a real no-two-ways-about-it embarrassment in the form of an overproduced plea for Greater Understanding between the races so that we can all Live Together."
James Gang
The James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, except in the Northeast Ohio area, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh has since made the group more notable.- History :...
, released in 1971, and is the last studio album led by Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
. "Walk Away" was released as a single, making the Top 40 on at least one national chart, reaching #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, the best placement of a James Gang single. The album reached Gold status in July of 1972.
On the liner notes to the LP version of this 1971 album, Joe Walsh is credited with "guitar, vocals, and train wreck" for his work on the song "Walk Away". The third element was a wry commentary on the multi-tracked, cascading lead guitars that clash as the song fades out.
The Walsh period of the band came to a close with the release of the live album James Gang Live in Concert
James Gang Live in Concert
James Gang Live in Concert is a live album by the James Gang, released in September 1971. It contains highlights of performances at Carnegie Hall, New York City...
.
Reception
Writing for Allmusic, critic William Ruhlman wrote the album "though Thirds quickly earned a respectable chart position and eventually went gold, it was not the commercial breakthrough that might have been expected."Billboards review stated: "The James Gang has another good one here, another set scoring artistically and slated to score commercially. This hot trio has solid material, such as "Walk Away," country-flavored material such as "Dreamin' In The Country," and other top material, including "Midnight Man." "White Man/Black Man" is another winner." John Mendelsohn
John Mendelsohn
John Ned Mendelsohn is an American writer, journalist, musician and graphic designer, best known for his rock criticism in Rolling Stone. Critic Barney Hoskyns has called him "one of the funniest writers in English"....
in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
was equivocal stating "By no exertion of the imagination are James Gang the greatest rock and roll band ever to walk the face of the earth or anything... but they are capable of some nice little treats every now and again." Mendelsohn conversely called "White Man/Black Man" "a real no-two-ways-about-it embarrassment in the form of an overproduced plea for Greater Understanding between the races so that we can all Live Together."
Track listing
All songs by Joe Walsh, except where noted.- "Walk Away" – 3:32
- "Yadig?" (Jim Fox, Dale Peters, Joe Walsh) – 2:32
- "Things I Could Be" (Fox) – 4:18
- "Dreamin' In The Country" (Peters) – 2:59
- "It's All The Same" – 4:13
- "Midnight Man" – 3:29
- "Again" – 4:04
- "White Man/Black Man" (Peters) – 5:38
- "Live My Life Again" (Fox) – 5:25
Personnel
- Joe WalshJoe WalshJoseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
– lead, rhythm and slide guitars, Pedal steel, piano, electric piano, keyboards, sound effects, organ, vocals, "train wreck" (noted on the album cover; this reference is to the multiple cascading and heavily distorted guitars at the end of "Walk Away") - Dale PetersJames GangThe James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, except in the Northeast Ohio area, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh has since made the group more notable.- History :...
– bass guitars, percussion, vocals - Jim FoxJim Fox (drummer)Jim Fox is a musician best known as the drummer and organist of the James Gang, as well as the band's founder and its namesake. He is the only member of the group to appear in every incarnation of the band...
– drums, percussion, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, keyboards, organ, vocals,
Guest musicians
- Bob Webb – guitars, backing vocals
- Tom Baker – horns
- Mary Sterpka – backing vocals on "Midnight Man"
- The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals on "White Man/Black Man"
Production
- James Gang & Bill Szymczyk – producers
- Bill Szymczyk – engineer
- Kenneth Hamann – engineer
- Eddie Youngblood – engineer
- Dale Peters & Jim Fox – reissue liner notes
- Tom WilkesTom WilkesThomas Edward "Tom" Wilkes was an American art director, designer, photographer, illustrator, writer and producer-director....
– cover design - Tom Wright – cover design, photography
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Billboard Pop Albums | 27 |
External links
- [ Allmusic.com: Review]
- Billboard.com