Guitarist Joe Walsh is Soaring Sober and Solo
Update: 8/7/12:
Full Interview Video from CBS.com is available for viewing at the end of the article.
I don’t normally just boost another person’s article without much added substance but in this case, there isn’t much to say without going off on a tangent and ruining the straightforward words of a man who has been to hell and back.
The Eagles, who were thrown into a more edgy rock direction when Joe Walsh joined their lineup, are etched into music history and easily recalled anytime someone says “Hotel California.” At this point in time, years after the highlight album and song hit the shelves and airwaves, Walsh has seen and experienced various changes in the music industry. Promoting his first solo effort in two decades, “Analog Man,” it’s not difficult to see the trail of life experience Walsh carries with him. Slightly less than the time between his solo releases, Walsh is also on his 18th year of sobriety; drinking being a heavy interference in his life -both personal and professional- up to then.
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| “Analog Man” Cover Art (Cit. JoeWalsh.com) |
Although Analog Man’s release date was already a whole two months ago, the interview Walsh gave on CBS News this morning brought some very poignant concepts to light in connection with the themes behind the album and Walsh’s views on trends surrounding today’s music business. For a man who, when he speaks, seems somewhat detached, (most likely a consequence of so many alcoholic years,) I was left hanging on everything he said when he described his thought process.
Here are a few choice quotes said by Joe Walsh from the interview, which aired only a little over 90 minutes ago.
Through music, I’m trying to show that we live on an analog planet, which we’re systematically trashing, while we’re spending more and more time in the virtual world, which doesn’t exist. It’s an illusion made by computers. What’s really happening is that we’re sitting in chairs while our bodies are waiting for our minds to come back.“
“With the new digital technology, you can fix anything. And you can make everything perfect[.] It doesn’t sound good to me. All the mojo is gone. You get a human performance of guys playing together in a room and there’s magic in that. And it’s such a temptation to fix stuff that doesn’t need fixing because you can. And every time you do that, you lose a little bit of the magic that was there…”
(CBS “This Morning” Interview – Joe Walsh, 8/6/2012)
The parts of each quote I have in bold are the pieces I found to be most speaking. There’s no fancy vocabulary, no scientific or business laden explanation with either opinion Walsh gave. There are likely to be plenty of individuals who disagree with what he has to say but even if one isn’t in the camp of desiring moderation on digital exposure, there’s no denying both the lyrically poetic and no-frills nature of how Walsh expresses his feelings. It’s no wonder he was able to come up with an entire concept album to back his stance.
Tie his yearning for more reality, together with the awakening he’s had after going sober and this solo project really comes across genuine and from the ground up -almost like the way a neophyte musician brings their first EP to life. They are chained to their work because it’s so fused with who they are and their point of view; able to bask in the results of initial accomplishment before there’s any chance for business, deadlines, profit and extreme fame to possibly water down that ingrained personal connection. To me, I firmly believe Walsh isn’t out to go against the grain just for show. He’s supported his concept with emotions that branch out beyond his guitar and manuscript.
CBS “This Morning” Joe Walsh Full Interview
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