'Rocky Mountain Way' rocker returns to his Ohio roots
Being a little rough around the edges isn't a problem for Joe Walsh.
The classic-rock stalwart prefers it, particularly in an era when audio embellishments and corrective software are commonplace.
"I'm not an old hermit that came out of the woods," said the 64-year-old, whose latest solo album, Analog Man, was recorded with the latest high-tech tools. "Digital is fine. But there's a tendency to mess with the music, whereas you couldn't in the analog days.
"You can fix a lot of things that don't really need fixing," he said. "It's a bad habit. A song might sound perfect, but there's no mojo."
Known globally for group efforts in the James Gang, Barnstorm and the Eagles - as well as a string of solo hits, including Life's BeenGood and Rocky Mountain Way - the musician has Columbus ties. He lived on the North Side as a child and studied at Kent State University.
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On Wednesday, Walsh will return to town to headline an Independence Day concert in Dublin.
He talked recently about his past and present.
Q What do you recall about growing up in Columbus?
A I lived there from 1956 to about 1959, out by Indianola around Weber - on Summit Street. Some of the happiest times of my life were in Columbus.
I used to listen to this guy on WCOL named Dr. Bop - a famous, famous disc jockey. All he played was the great, classic, old rock 'n' roll songs. When I was starting to get serious about music, I studied it all.
Q And you first picked up a guitar as a preteen in central Ohio?
A I had a Sears, Roebuck Harmony guitar that I ordered out of the catalog. . . . I found I could play songs a lot better on that than on a clarinet. I wasn't going to get any girls playing the clarinet.
Q You'll perform here on the Fourth of July. Does the holiday hold special meaning for you?
A Playing on July Fourth, everybody's either drunk or on fire. We'll see what happens. I really love America.
I try and stay in tune with veterans and what's going on with them - from Vietnam up to now. Every time the Eagles play in Washington, I go to Walter Reed hospital to the prosthetic-limb wing and visit with people.
People that go in the military, our young kids, they agree to put themselves in harm's way. But I never met anybody who ever had any regrets about what happened to them. They serve their country, and that makes them all heroes to me.
Q What inspired a solo effort two decades after Songs for a Dying Planet? Was the process any different?
A Well, yeah. Let's see. Two things happened. One, the Eagles got back together in 1994. Of course, (the multiplatinum live album) Hell Freezes Over came out of that. We'd been around the world a couple of times since.
Second, I had to go get sober. I ran out of options, and I had to learn how to do everything - starting from scratch, learning how to live.
Now, writing an album and recording sober is a lot different. It's in the daytime, not at night. There's no party. It's a work ethic, and you just keep at it. It's a whole new experience. I'm comfortable, which makes me very, very happy.
Q There has been buzz about an Eagles tour in 2012 but no formal announcement. What's the status?
A There are no dates yet. This is an abstract concept. We're putting together a documentary; that much I know. We've archived everything from day one. It's pretty powerful.
Next year is our 40th anniversary as a band. Based on that, the plan is to put out a whole new show, revisit the Eagles' songs and put out a retrospective next year.
I never dreamed about now. The 21st century was so far away - and here we are. We're all still alive. When the four of us get together, it still turns into something bigger than any of us individually. We know that it's a true band, and we're really blessed.
At the same time, we're stuck with each other.
Q What is the most compelling part of the documentary footage?
A I saw some interviews right after Hotel California came out. We were really naive and young, and we were passionate about life. We had the attitude like we're going to change the world with our music. We're a little bit stoned, too.
Just to see the old attitudes and see us onstage - because we were really pretty good - that warmed my heart.
Q How did you react to getting an honorary doctorate from Kent State University in 2001?
A I'm really glad I went to college. I didn't know why I was going. In those days, you went to Vietnam or joined the National Guard or you took a complete semester in school.
I got in a band and played in a little club - three nights a week, three sets a night. Boy, that's when I was good. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I was at the Kent State shootings. I stopped going to school after that. Later, I set up a scholarship at the music school.
As for the doctorate, I never thought that would happen. But you're allowed to call me Dr. Walsh.
@kevjoy