They came from Cleveland, which is enough to give them some rock cred, and they featured one of rock’s great guitar players in Joe Walsh, but I didn’t pay much attention to The James Gang until my friend Tommy Bolin joined the group in 1974. What the band had lost in grittness when Walsh left the group was made up for in a more metallic and glammy approach with Bolin on guitar and Roy Kenner (with grooming tips from Bolin) on vocals.

At the time of this performance on Rock Concert, the center wasn’t holding for The James Gang. Line-up changes had taken its toll (the only original member left was drummer Jimmy Fox), the group had lost its identity and Bolin wasn’t patient enough to stick around and re-invent the band in his own image. Deep Purple was calling.

The James Gang on Rock Concert in 1974. You got to agree that Bolin was one cool motherfucker (even though the cameraman seems to have a thing for Kenner).