Last year, Joe Walsh released “Analog Man,” his first solo album in 20 years.
Now, the guitarist tells Billboard that he’s already begun work on a new project.
"I'll say, loosely, I've started a blues album," says Walsh of the record that mixes originals with "real obscure R&B and blues songs. Half of it is original, and half of it's old Howlin' Wolf or John Lee Hooker. I told everybody to bring a song in and everybody did, be it an old blues song or some idea. We went through some old Stax records from, like, the Otis Redding days, Sam & Dave stuff that were just albums tracks, and did our version of a whole bunch of stuff."
Walsh has teamed up with Dr. John, Robert Randolph, Keb' Mo', drummer Jim Keltner, keyboardist Mike Finnigan and Jeff Beck bassist Tal Wilkenfeld for the sessions.
Walsh says the group finished "about 12 tracks, and it's really good. We'll probably do it again before I call it finished, but we got a really good start on it."
He isn't putting a firm timetable on that, but Walsh is already hatching plans for what more he'd like to do with the project.
"My thought is maybe to go out and play, like, jazz festivals in Europe with that lineup when the album comes out," says Walsh, who's in the midst of a run opening for good pal Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band. "I thought that would be great, and it's some really good people who normally wouldn't get a chance to play with each other, and the music was really magic."
This summer, Walsh and The Eagles hit the road for their “History of the Eagles” North American tour, which kicks off July 6 in Louisville, Kentucky with 11 concerts scheduled through July 25.
Joe Walsh
See also:
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AUDIO: Joe Walsh premieres Analog Man
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The Eagles: Joe Walsh’s 1st solo album in 18 years due in 2011