You Bought It You Name It
(©1983 & 2002 Warner / Wounded Bird Records)

1: I Can Play That Rock & Roll 2: Told You So 3: Here We Are Now 4: The Worry Song 5: I.L.B.T.'s 6: Space Age Whiz Kids 7: Love Letters 8: Class Of '65 9: Shadows 10: Theme From Island Weirdos

Well, I’ve finally got the Holy Grail of Joe Walsh albums in my hot little hands after years and years of wondering what the hell was wrong with the fine folks at Warner and why they were holding this album hostage. Thank you Wounded Bird for rescuing this one from the sea of forgetfulness.

I know many fans consider this one to be of little value in the Joe Walsh catalog, to them I say, “You’re full of crap.” In 1983 I was just getting into Joe in a big way. This was probably the most played album in my collection the summer of 1983. I Can Play That Rock and Roll was getting a lot of radio play and was the reason I bought the album.

There’s always more to a Joe album than meets the eye. I.L.B.T.’s is a great novelty tune, and as a teenager it was my hormonal soundtrack. But it was songs like Shadows, and the strangely engaging Class of ‘65 that put this over the top. Space Age Whiz Kids is still a song I’m not sure I like or not.

Admittedly I was a little worried (I'll take the easy shot) that after 20 years nostalgia would be all this would appeal to for me. Yes, there is a big chunk of memory lane built into this one, but it holds up really well, and the songs I loved then still strike a chord, and that’s all I was hoping for.

This guy could sure play that rock and roll.

Reviewed June 3, 2003

Ordinary Average Guy
(©1991 Epic / Pyramid)

Two Sides To Every Story / Ordinary Average Guy / The Gamma Goochee / All Of A Sudden / Alphabetical Order / Look At Us Now / I'm Actin' Different / Up All Night / You Might Need Somebody / Where I Grew Up (Prelude To School Days) / School Days

Every Joe Walsh album is a cause to celebrate. This one is no exception. When I first got this I played it to death like I play all my Joe Walsh albums. Is this a great album? No. Although it has enough good moments to solidly put it over the hump. The Gamma Goochee and the Alphabet song rank up with the worst moments Joe has ever put to tape, but a Joe Walsh album without one incredibly stupid song just isn’t a Joe Walsh album. Because for every idiotic moment that reinforces Joe’s “persona” as a dullard he’ll come out with tunes like All Of A Sudden, Look At Us Now Now and School Days (okay so Joe Vitale sings on this one). The early 90’s looked like the decade of Joe, but after his next album he dropped out of sight. And the world waits for Joe to speak …

Reviewed March 28, 2002

The Joe Walsh Anthology
(©1995 MCA Records)

Disc One: Turning PArt 1 / Take A Look Around / Funk #48 / The Bomber / Tend My Garden / Funk #49 / Ashes, The Rain & I / Walk Away / It's All The Same / Midnight Man / Here We Go / Mother Says / Turn To Stone / Comin' Down / Meadows / Rocky Mountain Way

Disc Two: Welcome To The Club / All Night Laundry Mat Blues / Country Fair / Help Me Through The Night / Life's Been Good / Over And Over / All Night Long / A Life Of Illusion / Theme From The Island Weirdos / I Can Play That Rock & Roll / I.L.B.T.'s / Space Age Whiz Kids / Rosewood Bitters / Shut Up / Decades / Song For A Dying Planet / Ordinary Average Guy (live with Glenn Frey)

Joe Walsh is one of those guys who probably should have died in the 70's (not that I wish him ill, it's just that some people manage to defy logic and eventually grow old and wise, I think Joe is at least getting older).  However, for what ever reason he lived, and kept cranking out great album after great album.  This double disc does a great job of showcasing Joe in all of his nasal glory.  Features all of the songs you'd expect, and my personal favourite I.L.B.T.'s - wouldn't have hurt to inlcude "Waffle Stomp" and "In the City" but you can't have everything.

I've snagged most of his albums along the way, and am still awaiting the day his 1983 album "You Bought It - You Name It" gets released on cd. If you've ever wanted to get a Joe Walsh album this is the place to start.  An excellent collection.

Reviewed November 1999