In 1971, Joe Walsh left the James Gang after three years, believing he had exhausted what the power-trio format could offer him. Although the band had become a successful and respected American rock act, Walsh felt increasingly frustrated that his more ambitious musical ideas could not be performed with only guitar, bass and drums.

The James Gang had released three studio albums, including Thirds, before recording Live in Concert at Carnegie Hall on 7 June 1971; the album later became their first US Top 30 release. Walsh subsequently formed Barnstorm and moved to Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains inspired ‘Rocky Mountain Way’, before he later joined the Eagles and achieved wider fame.