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sodascouts
12-01-2009, 05:13 PM
Joe's "So What" album was released on this day in 1975, and I think it's Joe's best solo album with masterpieces like "Turn to Stone" and "Help Me Thru the Night." LOVE it.

Welcome to the Club (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txhaQ6D4IKs) - Great start to the album, great song! It's so fun! The lyrics are a hoot! The song structure really takes you along with it, too.

Falling Down / Pavanne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DzsdcwVpyo) - Joe wrote this with Don Henley and I think the lyrics reflect Don's writing style. The melody itself isn't that memorable, but it isn't bad. Sticking the instrumental "Pavanne" at the end was a nice touch.

Time Out (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocGDDsZnCag) - Interesting lyrically and pretty good melodically, it fits the pattern of a lot of music he was doing back then in structure and sound. Cool guitar.

All Night Laundry Mat Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIsfA9vGwUA) - OK, can I tell you how hilarious I find the concept of this cute little song? Joe says he wrote it when he was waiting for his clothes to be washed at the laundromat - like me, he waits until he pretty much has nothing left that's clean to go to the laundromat. As a result, once you get there, you're there a long time! How can anyone not love a song with a line like "If you wear clothes, you gotta pay the dues." LOL!

Turn to Stone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KKNsC9oHS4) - One of my favorite Joe songs. Incredible guitar, interesting lyrics - the song is intense, dramatic, rockin'... terrific.

Help Me Thru the Night (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99sBCTN-0ww) - My very favorite Joe song. So beautiful, so emotional, so moving. The vocal conveys such vulnerability over a soft, simple melody... magnificent. I hear it was about him and his then-wife trying to deal with his little daughter Emma's death.

County Fair (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPgZ782KWtg) - a song with some unexpected twists and turns that make it interesting. At first it seems simple but as it goes along it reveals a sophistication in lyrics and structure that sets it apart. A very underrated song.

Song for Emma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUYdGe70hBs) - I mentioned before the death of his daughter; most of you know what happened, but a quick summary for those who don't: Emma was Joe Walsh's first child, a daughter he had with his wife Stefanie. When Emma was 3, she died in a car accident on the way to nursery school, killed by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign. Even worse, she wasn't killed outright, but put into an irreversible coma and rendered brain dead - forcing Joe to make the decision to "pull the plug." Meanwhile, the mother was dealing with survivor's guilt since she was the driver. Awful. They got divorced not long after. The album's title actually is inspired by the fact that after Emma's death, nothing seemed important to Joe, so it was like "I'm making an album. So what? Nothing matters anymore." This song's lyrics are poignant in their simple, straightforward expression of grief and the melody is lovely. After the last verse, so softly you can hardly hear it, he whispers "Goodbye, Emma." Chokes me up every time.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-02-2009, 12:38 PM
Happy Anniversary 'So What'!!!

Sorry I missed posting this yesterday. I agree with you Soda about Turn to Stone and Help Me Thru the Night - love 'em both. And thanks for your review. I am going to make a point to listen to this album all the way through soon. I knew the anniversary was coming up and had wanted to do it before, but, once again, "the world got in my way". :wink:

Prettymaid
12-04-2009, 08:41 AM
Thanks for the links Soda. As many of us learned after playing Joe's Greatest Hits Survivor, Help Me Though The Night is a song that sneaks up on you and causes you to love it. But now that I know what it's about I'm going to think about it differently. :ack:

sodascouts
12-01-2010, 01:55 AM
I'm reviving this thread because So What was released 35 YEARS AGO on December 1, 1975.

It's Joe's best album, IMHO. C'mon folks, let's give it some love!

WalshFan88
12-01-2010, 02:03 AM
Happy Anniversary "So What"! Great album, although I have to say my favorite is.... his greatest hits collection. :hilarious: You got Rocky Mountain Way on one album, Life's Been Good on another, etc etc.

MikeA
12-01-2010, 09:02 AM
So What has like four of my favorites

Turn To Stone
Welcome To The Club
County Fair
Time Out

Those four stand apart but I really like

Help Me Make It The Night

WalshFan88
12-01-2010, 09:27 AM
So What has like four of my favorites

Turn To Stone
Welcome To The Club
County Fair
Time Out

Those four stand apart but I really like

Help Me Make It The Night

Turn to Stone is my favorite from the album. Second favorite is Help Me Through The Night,

TimothyBFan
12-01-2010, 10:22 AM
LOVE this album and Turn To Stone & County Fair and of course my all time favorite Help Me Thru The Night. :lie: Seriously tho---I have a whole new appreciation for this song thanks to WastedMaid and the survivor game that opened my eyes to it.

EaglesFanatic
12-01-2010, 11:10 AM
Happy anniversary "So What"! Great album! My three favorites on the album would also have to be County Fair, Welcome To The Club, and Turn To Stone.

Brooke
12-01-2010, 02:30 PM
Well, I'm embarrassed to say I don't have this album, but after reading your comments, old and new, I'm going to have to remedy that!

I do love Turn to Stone and Help Me Through the Night though.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-01-2010, 11:14 PM
HAPPY 35th ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

I had run some errands this evening so I had a chance to listen to the CD in my car to celebrate. I also think this is one of my favorite of Joe's solo albums. My favorites are County Fair, Welcome To the Club, Help Me Thru the Night, and Turn To Stone (this is one of my very favorite Joe solo songs).

Thought I'd go ahead and post the front cover of the album just for grins.

http://www.joewalshonline.com/images/sowhat.jpg

jdubfan
12-02-2010, 12:29 PM
Such a contemplative Joe shown there. This is another album/8-track/casette/cd evolution that I've always had in my collection. This was in the midst of one of the most creative times for Joe from James Gang Live, Barnstorm, Smoker, So What and Sick Mind during such a difficult time in his personal life. Reachin' deep and diggin in to survive, the suffering artist phenomenon I guess. I'd challenge any group or artist to be compared to this level of creativity and quality of output over 5 albums in a row. I love every song on here, Turn to Stone in any of its variations is one of my favorites, especially live.

MikeA
12-02-2010, 01:02 PM
No disrespect to Joe, but that album cover always made me think Joe was trying to stifle a burp.

Funk49er
12-10-2010, 01:14 AM
Love this album, one of my faves

whitcap
12-01-2011, 02:00 AM
Bringing this thread forward for the 36th anniversary of the release of Joe's So What album!

I've listed the songs from favorite to least favorite like we've done for other albums:

1. Help Me thru the Night
2. Turn to Stone
3. County Fair
4. Welcome to the Club
5. Time Out
6. Falling Down/Pavanne
7. Song for Emma
8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues

sodascouts
12-01-2011, 02:04 AM
Good deal! I like all the songs on this album. Here's my ranking:

1. Help Me Thru the Night
2. Turn to Stone
3. Welcome to the Club
4. Song for Emma
5. All Night Laundry Mat Blues
6. County Fair
7. Time Out
8. Falling Down/Pavanne

Ive always been a dreamer
12-01-2011, 11:27 AM
HAPPY 36th ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

I'm gonna pop this in the car CD player to celebrate when I go out this afternoon. This is among my favorites of Joe's albums. I'll rank the songs later. I think I already know the order, but I'll refresh my memory to make sure. :wink:

EaglesFanatic
12-04-2011, 02:13 AM
This is a couple days late, but I wanted to say Happy Anniversary to "So What"! This one is definitely in my top three favorite Walsh albums. And I know some people may disagree, but I just love this album cover. I've got it hanging up in my room:D

AzEaglesFan
12-04-2011, 02:32 AM
I like this album.
Here is my list.

1. Help Me Thru The Night
2. Turn To Stone
3. Welcome To The Club
4. County Fair
5. Song For Emma
6. Time Out
7. All Night Laundry Mat Blues
8. Falling Down/Pavanne

Ive always been a dreamer
12-06-2011, 12:39 PM
Well - I am finally remembering to post my favs list for this album. First of all, I think this is a very good, underrated album. I really like all of the songs and lyrically, they are very introspective compared to some of Joe's other work (well - except for All Night Laundry Mat Blues :grin: ). I went ahead and combined Falling Down and Pavanne like the rest of you, although to me these are two indivdual songs. My CD also has them listed separately. Anyway, unlike the rest of you, Help Me Thru the Night is not my favorite or even second favorite song on the album. That honor goes to the rockin' Time Out - love that song! So, here goes ...

1. Turn to Stone
2. Time Out
3. Help Me Thru the Night
4. Welcome to the Club
5. Falling Down/Pavanne
6. County Fair
7. Song for Emma
8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues

Ive always been a dreamer
12-08-2011, 09:25 PM
Well, I finally got around to compiling the results of our "So What" mini-poll. It was very close, but with one point more than Turn to Stone, the leader so far is Help Me Thru the Night. Here is the tabulation ...

1. Help Me Thru the Night - 30 points
2. Turn to Stone - 29 points
3. Welcome to the Club - 22 points
4. County Fair - 17 points
5. Time Out - 16 points
6. Song for Emma - 13 points
7. Falling Down/Pavane - 9 points
8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues - 8 points

Anyone else who wants to weigh in on this, feel free. I'll update the results if others post a list.

jdubfan
12-08-2011, 09:55 PM
Sorry to screw up yur tabulations :P

Can't believe I've listened to this since i was 15....er, I mean 10, or 5 :lie:
No wonder it's like woven into my soul.

1. Turn to Stone - probly my fav Joe song ever, his live version last month was outstanding

2. Help Me - spent a lot of time fantasizing while this played

3. Welcome to the Club - great version on his Nov tour, outstanding opening

4. Time Out - great lyrics

5. County Fair - beautiful feeling

6. Falling Down - moody, slinky, great feel

6 1/2 Pavanne - ditto

7. Song for Emma- beautiful, just too sad esp the whispers at the end

8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues - young Joe's new-found writing style n attitude I like it.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-08-2011, 10:22 PM
Well, I don't mind retabulating at all Deb, especially since your vote helps out two of my favorites. Time Out is now tied with County Fair for 4th/5th place. And my very favorite, Turn to Stone, is now tied for the lead with Help Me Thru the Night. Here are the latest results ...

1/2. Help Me Thru the Night - 37 points
1/2. Turn to Stone - 37 points
3. Welcome to the Club - 28 points
4/5. County Fair - 21 points
4/5. Time Out - 21 points
6. Song for Emma - 15 points
7. Falling Down/Pavane - 12 points
8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues - 9 points

EaglesFanatic
12-11-2011, 02:53 AM
You don't have to add me in to your poll if it's too much effort, Dreamer. I wanted to share my list just for the heck of it.

1. Turn To Stone <--- brilliant song. Joe can really rock out the solo (especially when TTS was part of the Eagles setlist and Felder played the solo with him.) I'd love to hear it live someday.....
2. Help Me Thru The Night <--- I've never cared for this song until I watched Hell Freezes Over. Now I can't get enough of it!
3. Welcome To The Club <--- Probably among the first few Joe Walsh songs that got me hooked on his music :D
4. County Fair
5. Time Out
6. Falling Down
7. All Night Laundry Mat Blues
8. Song For Emma
9. Pavanne

Ive always been a dreamer
12-11-2011, 01:13 PM
Hey - I'm glad to add your list in, EF - welcome to the club. :grin: Your votes give us a new leader in the poll. Congratulations to Turn to Stone, who now leads Help Me Thru the Night by one point. Here are the latest results ...

1. Turn to Stone - 45 points
2. Help Me Thru the Night - 44 points
3. Welcome to the Club - 34 points
4. County Fair - 26 points
5. Time Out - 25 points
6. Song for Emma - 16 points
7. Falling Down/Pavane - 15 points
8. All Night Laundry Mat Blues - 11 points

sodascouts
12-01-2012, 07:13 AM
Once again it's the birthday of So What, my fave of Joe's albums! Love it!

Ive always been a dreamer
12-01-2012, 09:03 PM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

Love this album, especially the awesome Turn to Stone. This is definitely one of my favorites of Joe's solo albums. I was trying to decide if I like this one or Analog Man better, but I think it's too soon to tell. Analog Man is still relatively new to me, so I'll probably have to wait and see if it stands up as well as So What over time.

sodascouts
12-01-2013, 03:46 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SO WHAT!

Released on this day in 1975.

Midnight Visitor
12-01-2013, 07:01 PM
My 2nd favorite Joe album! Fell asleep to it last night. What an amazing album!

Hard to pick a favorite song. Turn to Stone from Barnstorm is my all time fav. Joe song. The So What version is great too. I guess if I had to pick an all time favorite for this album it would be Country Fair Time Out Welcome to the Club Falling Down. After thinking about this for way to long I've figured out I can't pick a favorite off of this album because I love them all except Pavane & Laundry.

sodascouts
12-01-2013, 09:49 PM
Turn to Stone is absolutely epic. My favorite of Joe's solo material, along with Help Me Thru the Night.

WalshFan88
12-02-2013, 07:04 AM
Happy Birthday "So What"!

My fav on here is definitely TTS. And I love All Night Laundry Mat Blues, as cheesy as it is.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-02-2013, 03:24 PM
Sorry I'm a day late, but ...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

I'm gonna put this one in the CD player this week. In many cases, these anniversary dates for these albums are the only times I get a chance to listen to them. I think, at this point, this is tied with Analog Man as my favorite Joe solo album. I go back and forth between the two.

sodascouts
12-01-2014, 11:01 PM
I'm putting So What in the CD player tonight to celebrate the anniversary of its release!

Midnight Visitor
12-01-2014, 11:04 PM
My 2nd favorite Joe album!

shunlvswx
12-01-2014, 11:19 PM
When did the album come out. I saw 1974 and I also saw 1975.

Freypower
12-01-2014, 11:22 PM
When did the album come out. I saw 1974 and I also saw 1975.


I could have sworn it was 1974 but JWO has it as 1975 (I thought Smoker was 1975 but JWO has it as 1973).

http://www.joewalshonline.com/solo/sowhat/index.htm

sodascouts
12-01-2014, 11:52 PM
All Music Guide (http://allmusic.com/album/so-what-mw0000094627) has it as 1975, but when I got up and looked at the CD, it said 1974. I'll change it.

FP, Smoker is definitely 1973, as I checked that while I was at it. ;)

shunlvswx
12-01-2014, 11:58 PM
Wikipedia had 1974 and I know they are not right sometimes. When was that special when Glenn and the two Dons join Joe on HMTTN? Joe join in '75 and that special was before he join the band right?

Funk 50
12-02-2014, 07:55 AM
So What is very dear to me. The first album I bought. It's all I listened to for several months.

I worked out that if I left the arm open on my record player, I could get the last track, Song For Emma, to play over and over again.

At first, I really didn't like the Eagles backing vocals on it but I loved the Walsh/Henley co-write Falling Down.

Those early Walsh albums had fabulous Joe versions of all types of music like folk, Jazz, Blues, Classical, Gospel etc. and especially Rock. He's been a lot less adventurous since he joined the Eagles a year after this album was released

Produced by John Stronach rather than Bill Szymczyk (except Song For Emma. He needed someone very close for the song about his daughter dying). It's about my 4th or 5th favourite Walsh album.

How come Time Out turns up on the following You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind live album but isn't on the video that the album comes from?

Midnight Visitor
12-02-2014, 11:33 AM
How come Time Out turns up on the following You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind live album but isn't on the video that the album comes from?

The million dollar question. I suspect it was because of the drug references in the song. An Australian mega fan claims he has a copy of it on video but to be perfectly honest, unless I see it, it doesn't exist.

So What? is indeed '74.

It's funny to hear So What? called an early album because I think of the James Gang as his early work!

Also to shun above: Joe filmed his DKRC at the end of Nov. '75 & it aired Jan. '76. I've been told that Joe (& the others) already knew he was an Eagle at the time of filming.

Funk 50
12-05-2014, 03:05 PM
It's funny to hear So What? called an early album because I think of the James Gang as his early work!

I regard Joe's pre-Eagles albums, released on the ABC/Dunhill label as his early works and his post Eagles, drunk and lost the magic, albums as his later stuff. Having said that, I love Songs For A Dying Planet.

I didn't realize that the James Gang albums were significant until I saw the set list for the 1981 Reunion bootleg and realized he was still performing James Gang tunes, long after he left them.

I suppose the fact that So What was the first Walsh album I bought and cherished, and Barnstorm and the James Gang album's were the last archive, Walsh albums I bought may have skewed my sense of history.

Without the internet, I'd never have known that other people loved all these Joe Walsh albums too! I really thought I was the only one. :neutral:

Midnight Visitor
12-05-2014, 04:46 PM
I regard Joe's pre-Eagles albums, released on the ABC/Dunhill label as his early works and his post Eagles, drunk and lost the magic, albums as his later stuff. Having said that, I love Songs For A Dying Planet.

I didn't realize that the James Gang albums were significant until I saw the set list for the 1981 Reunion bootleg and realized he was still performing James Gang tunes, long after he left them.

I suppose the fact that So What was the first Walsh album I bought and cherished, and Barnstorm and the James Gang album's were the last archive, Walsh albums I bought may have skewed my sense of history.

Without the internet, I'd never have known that other people loved all these Joe Walsh albums too! I really thought I was the only one. :neutral:

I love both of Joe's albums from the 90's! I'm happy to see someone else that loves Songs For a Dying Planet. The lyrics on that album are still appropriate today. Unfortunately! I agree with your assessment that Joe lost a lot of his magic thru out the 80's. I got a sense that he was desperately trying to be relevant and his art suffered because of that.

I absolutely adore Joe's 3 James Gang albums. Incredible stuff from a 3 piece. He performed James Gang songs last night!

Funk 50
12-08-2014, 03:09 PM
I absolutely adore Joe's 3 James Gang albums. Incredible stuff from a 3 piece.

Don't you mean 4 albums MV? :shock:

The first two are great albums. In my opinion, Thirds displayed how much Joe was carrying, what was, the drummer's band. I'm really pleased he left the James Gang, especially when I learned that they toyed with a new lead singer.

The James Gang Live In Concert could be Joe's finest hour, performance-wise on Vinyl.

Just like so many others, when I first heard it, I thought it was at least a 5 piece band. Joe plays all the guitars, all the keyboards and provides all the lead vocals. Dale and Jim are pretty good too.


When I first played Joe's So What album, I asked myself, where's all the guitars? I was very naive :blush:

It's Joe's subtle use of guitars that puts him above other guitar heroes in my opinion. So What has just as much guitar as any other Walsh album, it just doesn't sound like a guitar virtuoso playing them.

Maybe I was expecting an album of uptempo rockers. I wasn't expecting the piano ballad, the classical keyboard diversion or the prominent vocal harmonies but as with nearly every Walsh album, the more I played it, the more I grew to love it and every time I put it on the turntable, it never disappointed.

The James Gang Live In Concert maybe an incredible Walsh tour-de-force but most of the time I'm very happy to listen to music without losing my breath or my jaw hitting the floor. Pleasantly uplifted will do for me and So What more than fits the bill with just the odd, well placed extrasensory highlight to upset my pulse rate. :smile:

sodascouts
12-08-2014, 07:52 PM
So What really shows Joe's versatility, doesn't it? People don't give him enough credit as an artist. As brilliant as he is on guitar, it isn't his only talent.

I love this album!

Midnight Visitor
12-08-2014, 10:12 PM
So What really shows Joe's versatility, doesn't it? People don't give him enough credit as an artist. As brilliant as he is on guitar, it isn't his only talent.

I love this album!


Unfortunately people give him almost no credit for his spectacular songwriting abilities. I really consider So What? the pinnacle of his songwriting. Those songs are pure magic.

Funk 50 I guess I was referring to the 3 studio albums. I really don't enjoy that live James Gang album. His vocals are really off putting to me. I don't listen to it.

Funk 50
12-16-2014, 11:48 AM
One of my favourite things about Joe's pre-Eagles albums are the lengthy instrumental sections. When he performed Collage live for the first time, with the reformed James Gang, decades after writing it, he introduced it by saying this is a song I wrote before I realised if you wrote a whole lot of words you're going to have to remember 'em.

The highlights of So What aren't the songs, they're bits of songs. The great guitar riffs, hooks, moods or even just odd noises.

I wonder if Joe has ever considered performing, Turn To Stone live in the short, but still incendiary , form it's recorded. There are a lot of later Walsh songs that would probably benefit from the five or six minute instrumental section that always crops up during performances of Turn To Stone.

I'd love to hear a 10 minute version of Analog Man.

sodascouts
12-16-2014, 02:37 PM
Oh gosh, I hope he never gets rid of that hot extended guitar solo on "Turn to Stone"! It's epic - a highlight of his live shows for me.

Midnight Visitor
12-16-2014, 09:09 PM
Oh gosh, I hope he never gets rid of that hot extended guitar solo on "Turn to Stone"! It's epic - a highlight of his live shows for me.

I have to agree. I keep hoping for a tour w/Joe Vitale so the flute solo is put back in where it belongs!

Ive always been a dreamer
12-16-2014, 10:33 PM
I agree with Soda and MV - the live version of Turn to Stone with the extended guitar solo makes a great song even better!

Funk 50
12-17-2014, 06:42 PM
Oh gosh, I hope he never gets rid of that hot extended guitar solo on "Turn to Stone"! It's epic - a highlight of his live shows for me.

I'm instantly jealous. Love Vitale's flute too.

I was thinking of the condensed version of Turn To Stone as opposed to it not being played at all. We either get the full 10 minutes or it's not performed. I think the album version would be a perfect way to liven up the first half of an Eagles show.

Midnight Visitor
12-18-2014, 12:40 PM
I'd love to see the Eagles add Turn to Stone to their set but I just don't see it happening. My all time favorite Turn to Stone is from the Eagles show, Huston 1977. I don't think anything tops this! Here it is now:

http://vimeo.com/14713758

sodascouts
12-23-2014, 02:57 PM
An incredible version - one of my favorites, too. I'd take it over "Rocky Mountain Way", "Funk #49", or "Life's Been Good" any day!

Freypower
12-23-2014, 07:05 PM
I'd take it over Funk #49 or Walk Away. I'm bored with LBG but it will never be dropped.

AlreadyGone95
06-27-2015, 03:09 PM
I just got my hands on a vinyl copy of this album(it was a gift from a friend). I've never listened to it before, and I can't wait to do so. One thing I noticed is that it's an early pressing because etched into the out grooves of Side- A are the words "That's no banana, that's my nose" :lol:

Midnight Visitor
06-28-2015, 12:12 PM
I just got my hands on a vinyl copy of this album(it was a gift from a friend). I've never listened to it before, and I can't wait to do so. One thing I noticed is that it's an early pressing because etched into the out grooves of Side- A are the words "That's no banana, that's my nose" :lol:

Joe always sent us secret messages. Original James Gang, "Yer Album" has a message in the run off that says on side 1 "turn me over" and side 2 "play me again".

Original Barnstorm, side 2 reads, "If they only knew how hard we work” – J. W. ’72"

Original But Seriously, Folks reads:
Side A: "Luncheon counter of the deli kind"
Side B: “…call it in the air.”

There are more too!

AlreadyGone95
06-28-2015, 01:26 PM
Joe always sent us secret messages. Original James Gang, "Yer Album" has a message in the run off that says on side 1 "turn me over" and side 2 "play me again".

Original Barnstorm, side 2 reads, "If they only knew how hard we work” – J. W. ’72"

Original But Seriously, Folks reads:
Side A: "Luncheon counter of the deli kind"
Side B: “…call it in the air.”

There are more too!

I'll have to look at my Barnstorm and But Seriously, Folks album to see if they have that! :)

Funk 50
06-28-2015, 07:15 PM
Joe tends to have nothing to do with these fan rip-offs but So What is about to get yet another re-release. This could be the most expensive yet;

https://audiofidelity.net/product/joe-walsh-so-what

So What is very dear to me as it was the first LP I ever bought. It's all I listened to for about 3 months, until I got The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get.

sodascouts
06-28-2015, 08:50 PM
$30? Dang!

Midnight Visitor
06-29-2015, 11:58 AM
Joe tends to have nothing to do with these fan rip-offs but So What is about to get yet another re-release. This could be the most expensive yet;

https://audiofidelity.net/product/joe-walsh-so-what

So What is very dear to me as it was the first LP I ever bought. It's all I listened to for about 3 months, until I got The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get.

Joe originally mixed this album into Quad. The record company wouldn't allow him to put it out like that. The best version I have of So What(!) is a bootleg DVD with the original Quad mix directly off the master tape. I was soooo hoping they'd release that version so everyone could buy it. The sound on it is absolutely mind boggling amazing. I'm lucky to have a surround sound receiver. THAT would be worth the $30. I'm disappointed that this release doesn't include that mix.

AlreadyGone95
06-29-2015, 12:09 PM
$30? Yikes! :headshake:

Funk 50
06-29-2015, 04:48 PM
Joe originally mixed this album into Quad. The record company wouldn't allow him to put it out like that. The best version I have of So What(!) is a bootleg DVD with the original Quad mix directly off the master tape. I was soooo hoping they'd release that version so everyone could buy it. The sound on it is absolutely mind boggling amazing. I'm lucky to have a surround sound receiver. THAT would be worth the $30. I'm disappointed that this release doesn't include that mix.

I think I've got a 4 track, quadrophonic single of Joe's. 4 "Smoker" tracks from memory. Never had a quadrophonic record player to play it on though. I'm pretty sure I've downloaded the quadrophonic So What LP too but I can't play that either.

I bought the So What LP for £1.99 in about 1977 or 1978. Walsh records were so difficult to find, I never thought they'd get released on CD, I suppose it's some sort of achievement to have it re-released 40 years later at an extortionate price.


ho hum....

From So What but several decades after it was released, here's a rare live, short version of Joe's shortest song, originally a sorta duet with Dan Fogelberg, All Night Laundry Matt Blues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQdiKAybAs

VAisForEagleLovers
06-29-2015, 04:56 PM
Can someone 'splain to me what 'quadrophonic' is? Try to blonde-proof the answer, please... :D

AlreadyGone95
06-29-2015, 05:01 PM
Can someone 'splain to me what 'quadrophonic' is? Try to blonde-proof the answer, please... :D

From Wikipedia:
Quadraphonic*(or*Quadrophonic*and sometimes*Quadrasonic)*sound*– similar to what is now called 4.0*surround sound*– uses four channels in which speakers are positioned at the four corners of the listening space, reproducing signals that are (wholly or in part) independent of one another. Quadraphonic audio was the earliest consumer product in surround sound and thousands of quadraphonic recordings were made during the 1970s.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadraphonic_sound

I've almost bought quadraphonic records before by accident (I have no way of playing them)

Funk 50
06-29-2015, 05:20 PM
Most music is made to be played out of two speakers ie. Stereo. Quadrophonic is designed to be played through 4 speakers.

I have a version of Hotel California that is made to be played on a 5 speaker dvd player, I can play that either. :sad:


As I only have two ears, I'm not sure how much better 4 or 5 speakers are.

Freypower
06-29-2015, 06:29 PM
Most music is made to be played out of two speakers ie. Stereo. Quadrophonic is designed to be played through 4 speakers.

I have a version of Hotel California that is made to be played on a 5 speaker dvd player, I can play that either. :sad:


As I only have two ears, I'm not sure how much better 4 or 5 speakers are.

We have that version of HC. It's just wonderful & I would recommend it to anyone who has 5 speakers (although we actually have 7). You hear things you never thought were there.

Midnight Visitor
06-29-2015, 09:38 PM
I think I've got a 4 track, quadrophonic single of Joe's. 4 "Smoker" tracks from memory. Never had a quadrophonic record player to play it on though. I'm pretty sure I've downloaded the quadrophonic So What LP too but I can't play that either.

I bought the So What LP for £1.99 in about 1977 or 1978. Walsh records were so difficult to find, I never thought they'd get released on CD, I suppose it's some sort of achievement to have it re-released 40 years later at an extortionate price.


ho hum....

From So What but several decades after it was released, here's a rare live, short version of Joe's shortest song, originally a sorta duet with Dan Fogelberg, All Night Laundry Matt Blues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQdiKAybAs


I love that live version of ANLB!! I often watch it.

The whole of Smoker was released in Quad but that one wasn't mixed by Joe. I have that one on DVD as well. It has a few oddities. RMW is sped up just a bit, making Joe's vocals higher. The fantastic beginning of Meadows is gone! That's an outrage, in my opinion. Strangely there is an extra scream in Book Ends. The first time I heard it I nearly fell off my chair. The source is a Quad reel to reel tape so it sounds good but not as good as the quad So What! That one is absolutely incredible. If you have it and a DVD player, play it. Even tho it won't be in Quad, it's still a different mix. I believe you can play it on your computer as well.

VAisForEagleLovers
06-29-2015, 10:46 PM
Thanks for the explanations! F50, my guess was that it was quad vs. stereo, 4 vs. 2, but wasn't quite putting it all together.

shunlvswx
12-01-2015, 12:28 PM
Happy 40th Birthday to So What. This is my favorite album by Joe. I love majority of the songs on the album.

AlreadyGone95
12-01-2015, 12:37 PM
Happy 40th anniversary So What

A great album, possibly Joe's best.

LuvTim
12-01-2015, 08:28 PM
So What

So cool. :rockon:

Ive always been a dreamer
12-02-2015, 01:40 PM
HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

40 - hard to believe! :headscratch: But, it remains timeless and is one of my top Joe solo albums.

sodascouts
12-03-2015, 12:57 AM
I LOVE this album and here is something crazy - I listened to it in the car yesterday on the way to work and back without even realizing it was turning 40 that day. Something in the air!

shunlvswx
12-01-2016, 11:10 PM
Happy 41st Birthday to So What. This is my favorite album of Joe's. I love all the songs on this album.

Annoying Twit
12-02-2016, 03:30 AM
Really like this album. So many great songs. It's the album that shows, in several ways, how he would fit into Eagles.

NightMistBlue
12-02-2016, 09:13 AM
Oh my, I didn't know he co-wrote "Falling Down" with Henley.

According to Wikipedia, Randy Meisner contributed bass and background vocals and Glenn background vocals. Maybe just on that one track - anybody know?

Bass player Bryan Garofalo and drummer Ron Grinel later played on Randy's solo album One More Song I believe.

shunlvswx
12-02-2016, 09:57 AM
I'm trying to figure out what song Glenn, Don and Randy sang backup on. Maybe it was Help Me Thru The Night.

NightMistBlue
12-02-2016, 11:46 AM
The end of "Falling Down" sounds like an Eagle (or two or three) could have been singin'.

Delilah
12-02-2016, 12:09 PM
I'm trying to figure out what song Glenn, Don and Randy sang backup on. Maybe it was Help Me Thru The Night.

There's a YT performance where Joe is singing this with Glenn and both Dons. Funny I didn't see anyone playing bass guitar but I hear it.

I thought I heard those stellar backing vocals on a couple of different songs--Time Out, Turn to Stone and County Fair; was it supposed to be just one song?

I wasn't aware Randy played bass on any of the tracks. Anyway, it's a very good album.

Funk 50
12-02-2016, 06:49 PM
So What was the first album I ever bought. It was the only album I had for a month or two, so I spent many a long while gazing at the artwork and studying the album credits.

Firstly it was released in 1974 (14th December according to wikipedia) so it's close to it's 42nd birthday. It was made about the same time as Dan Fogelberg's Souvenir, which was produced by Joe and also heavily features Joe, Don (H), Glenn and Randy (but not Bernie).

1 Welcome To The Club is performed by Barnstorm
Joe Vitale (D) (Drums ) + Kenny Passarelli (B) ((Bass) + T Stephenson (O) (Organ) + Joe Walsh (G) (Guitar) ,(LV) (Lead Vocals), Mellotron :cool:

2 Falling Down (Lyrics by J Walsh & D Henley)
Ron Grinel (D) + Joe Walsh (B), (G), (S) (Synthesizer), (LV)
Don Henley, Bryan Garolalo, Jody Boyer & Joe Walsh (BVs) (Background Vocals)

3 Pavanne (De La Belle Au Bois Dormant) (Maurice Ravel 1875-1937)
Joe Walsh (Arp & Moog Synths)

4 Time Out
Ron Grinel (D) + Joe Walsh (B), (G), (S), (LV)
John David Souther & Joe Walsh (BVs)

5 All Night Laundry Matt Blues
Dan Fogelberg (G) + Joe Walsh (G), (LV)
Dan Fogelberg, Joe Walsh & John Stronach (Miscellaneous Noises)
Leonard Southwick (Harmonica)

6 Turn To Stone **
Joe Vitale (D) + Bryan Garofalo (B) + Tom Stephenson (O) + Guille Garcia (Congas) + Joe Walsh (G), (LV), (Church Organ)
Randy Meisner, Don Henley & Glenn Frey (BVs)

7 Help Me Through The Night
Joe Vitale (D) + Bryan Garofalo (B) + Joe Walsh (G), (P) (Piano), (LV)
Don Henley, Randy Meisner & Glenn Frey (BVs)

8 County Fair
Joe Vitale (D) + Tom Stephenson (O) + Joe Walsh (B), (G), (P),
No vocalists are credited, not even Joe's lead vocals :?

9 Song For Emma (Arranged by Jimmie Haskell & Bill Szymczyk)
Russ Kunkel (D) + James Bond (Acoustic Bass) + Joe Walsh (P), (B), (LV)
The wonderful Strings and Choir are uncredited.


** Although he's listed in the album credits, Terry Trebandt is uncredited as the co-wtiter of Turn To Stone on the LP I have.

There are a lot of names listed under the heading, Special Thanks to.... at the bottom of the inner sleeve. If I had the internet in the 1970s, I probably would have googled them all but there are a few I recognise. Besides all the people already mentioned, I recognise Irv "The Bear" Azoff, Elliot Roberts, Allan Blazek (Engineer along with Bill Szymczyk and John Stronach, who also produced the album, except for Song For Emma. Such an emotional and personal song needed close friend, Bill Szymczyk as producer), Patrick Cullie, Rocke Grace, Cameron Crowe, Gary Mallaber, Jimmy Page, Wolfman Jack and tragically deceased daugher, Emma's mother, Stefany. There are many others that I've never heard of.

I'm wondering who does the background vocals on County Fair now :-?

Delilah
12-03-2016, 12:51 PM
Thank you for posting all that info, F50. I thought I heard JD Souther on one of those tracks. Cool that Joe played the mellotron; after reading up on the Rolling Stones, I've come to associate the mellotron with Brian Jones.

Annoying Twit
12-03-2016, 06:39 PM
I'm trying to figure out what song Glenn, Don and Randy sang backup on. Maybe it was Help Me Thru The Night.

Turn to Stone?

If not, those are some pretty Eagley backing vocals if they aren't Eagles singing them. JD Souther is on the album too, so it could be him overdubbed.

EDIT: Ah, ignore this. I just saw Funk 50's detailed post on the previous page. JD on Time Out then.

Funk 50
12-05-2016, 08:44 AM
JD Souther has always been an interchangeable voice with the Eagles harmonies, surprisingly even with Joe. Jody Boyer, who I think is one of Joe's ex-Wives, sounds very much like Timothy on some Walsh LPs.

The Henley/Frey writing partnership seemed to wither after the Hotel California album. Maybe it was the absence of the Henley/Frey/Meisner harmonies and the extra bit of vocal magic they added to the music.

Compared to the amount of harmonizing they did in the 70s, I was disappointed that we didn't get a lot more from Henley and Frey singing together after their resumption in the 1990s. :-(

NightMistBlue
12-05-2016, 02:02 PM
I associate the mellotron with the Moody Blues.

Thank you, Funk. I don't think many of us realized what a multi-instrumentalist Walsh is. Someone on YouTube said his Mom was a piano teacher?

Funk 50
12-06-2016, 06:58 AM
Genesis for me. Horrible instrument but incredible sound. Joe destroyed his Mellotron when Barnstorm transported it from one gig to another upside down. When they opened the van it had fallen apart. :faint:

What a tragedy. I love it when Joe goes all Genesesy, :)

shunlvswx
12-02-2017, 10:32 AM
Happy belated 43rd Birthday(yesterday) to So What. My favorite Joe album.

Funk 50
12-05-2017, 09:47 AM
Here's a Cameron Crowe interview from around the time that So What was released, when Joe was still considered a serious musician. It has a good chronology of Joe's career up to becoming an Eagle.

http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs181-joe-walsh/

East Texas Girl
12-05-2017, 02:39 PM
Cool interview, thanks for sharing it. I would love to see the picture of Joe "slicked up" and in his "Beatles" gear playing at the prom. :)

shunlvswx
12-01-2019, 08:14 PM
Happy 45th Birthday to So What. One of my favorite Joe album. Not one song on there I don't like.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-02-2019, 08:42 PM
HAPPY 45TH ANNIVERSARY SO WHAT!!!

So what - if I'm a day late. lol I agree with you shun - this is absolutely one of Joe's best solo efforts. It tops my list along with Analog Man.

KingWalsh
12-02-2019, 11:16 PM
So What= so amazing. Love this album,it's heartbreaking, beautiful, and rocks all at once. Every song is perfect, and "County Fair" is so so good.

KingWalsh
12-14-2019, 06:12 PM
Here is a write up from ultimate classic rock posted today.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-walsh-so-what/

FreyFollower
12-15-2019, 02:45 PM
So sad. It's great how he uses his experience to help others.

Scamp
09-10-2020, 08:15 AM
When you look at his eyes you can see the hurt he's feeling. Lots of people say they think Joe has the funniest album covers except this one. At first you see I'm in those goggles and think another Joe cover but when you really look at the cover and see his eyes you realize it's something else.
I'm so happy he was able to get clean and sober. He now has a second chance and is making the best of it.
I'm just sad that he doesn't get the recognition he's earned. We know who he is but I think he deserves recognition for is solo work too. He's one of the best slide guitar players out there. He's a walking rock history book.

KingWalsh
12-17-2020, 07:24 PM
Might be a little late but Congrats to “So What” 46 years old. This album is so amazing during such a dark time for Joe. “ County Fair” is one of my faves of all time period. Although I prefer “Turn To Stone” from Barnstorm, This album is so good from start to finish. With Eagles making appearances on this it was a sign of things to come.

I have to agree Scamp, his solo stuff gets overlooked and he should get more recognition as a solo artist. He has inspired so many and has such a distinct sound.

sodascouts
12-22-2020, 12:53 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is my favorite of Joe's solo work. A great album.