Joe Walsh: The Definitive Collection

Good-natured rock & roll wise guy Joe Walsh not only made a name for himself as guitarist for The Eagles and The James Gang, but he also had a successful solo career. Known for his self-deprecating sense of humor ("Life's Been Good") and his dirty guitar boogie (the pulsating "Rocky Mountain Way"), Walsh drew a fan base from those who were fond of the harder edge he gave to The Eagles. He was easily one of the better guitarists of his generation, not so much for flashy licks but for his rhythmic sensibilities and awareness of restraint and economy. Yet Walsh continued to view himself as an "Ordinary Average Guy." His keen self-awareness and his understanding of the importance of rock in the overall scheme of things was further evidenced in "A Life of Illusion." Even the title of this collection, Greatest Hits: Little Did He Know shows Walsh, for all of his talent, never lost sight of the fact that it's only rock & roll. The album also contains the memorable "Funk#49," "Bolero," and "Midnight Man." --Steve Gdula