Multi-instrumentalist and world-class drummer Joe Vitale co-wrote “Rocky Mountain Way” as well as “Pretty Maids All in a Row” with Joe Walsh and played with the Eagles’ road band during their Long Run Tour. More about Joe Vitale @ Wikipedia.
The following is an excerpt from “Backstage Pass” by Joe Vitale (as told to Susie Vitale). Thanks to Joe for allowing us to reprint a portion of the book.
Chapter Three
The Echoes
I went home and lay in bed most of that night wondering how I would quit my Dad and brother’s band, the Tony Vitale Trio, to play music that they both hated, with the Echoes. It was too powerful, though, and I had to do it, even though I knew it would be “High Noon” at the Vitale house when I told them. It was. I told them a week later and it was a horrible scene. My Dad shouted, “You’ll never go anywhere in rock & roll and when you’re sixty you’ll be playing in dives!”
A Joe-Bob and Don photo shoot
Chapter Thirteen
1979 & 80, Eagles Tours
We went to Japan and my basic job with the Eagles was to play percussion and keyboards. I had just been there with Frampton, and I felt really comfortable with the culture. There were no cell phones and we had to talk long distance while I was gone. I had Susie call me so we didn’t have the hotel long distance fee added on to the phone bill, but the hotel personnel didn’t speak English very well, so it cost a fortune just to get me on the line. The Eagles were pursued by their fans, so when we stayed at hotels, we used phony names. I went under the name “Joe Bob,” which the Eagles gave me when we picked out the names we were going to use at the hotels. They also gave me a cowboy hat to wear, so I’d look more like a Joe Bob. When Susie called me, for some reason they always asked who was calling, so Susie had to say, “It’s Mrs. Bob.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
2005 Crosby, Stills & Nash European / USA Tour
After Bonn, we played Frankfurt, Germany, which was a more cosmopolitan town. Then we got on the bus and drove to Montreaux, Switzerland, for the Montreaux Jazz Festival. We arrived late at night, about 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, and as we were approaching the city….I just couldn’t help myself….I opened the bus window and yelled, “RIC-CO-LA!” The guys shook their heads in disgust and said, “We can’t take you anywhere!” and I laughed and did it again. It didn’t echo like in the TV ad, by the way….maybe I needed more altitude.
from Backstage Pass: Written By Susie Vitale
More on Joe – his blog entry at ModernDrummer.com (2010-11-19)
Check out Joe’s latest single “Feels Like Home”
Buffalo Springfield Reunion Tour 2011
Backstage Pass Promo
During his BARNSTORM days Joe co-wrote “Rocky Mountain Way”