There are threads going back 6 years regarding this topic. I guess old Joe vs new Joe is next So, excuse my repeating myself, but.....
I became a fan of Joe's because of his guitar playing. He's the Master to me. And, he keeps fine tuning that skill every time I see him, or a new CD is released. Over time his voice has also become fine tuned, and is now another strong suit in his arsenal of skills.
If Joe never wrote another song, it wouldn't matter to me. There are so many songwriters without the skills to perform the songs themselves. Should those songs be delegated to the gone and forgotten bin? Recording covers of Howlin Wolf will do more to educate many of Joe's young fans about music history, and ,consequently, other great artists from the past, just like Zep did, back in the day.
And, what does it take to write songs? Time. A rare pleasure for Joe. I'm already whining about the infrequency of shows in my area compared to past years. If he took off months to write, that would mean even fewer show opportunities.
Because Joe is only 35, I have no fears he will continue to grow. Maybe the time will come when he wants to cut back on touring and spend time composing, but that's his choice.
As for more rock. Again, personal preferences. I'm not a BCC fan. Never was a hard rocker. But, I support his right to play whatever he wants. I don't have to buy it, or go to those shows. My "bone" is DTTD. Back to blues rock Joe knows many of us stand with him in his brave stance regarding the legitimacy of the genre. The Blues Foundation finally got the hint!! BTW, I talked to Tony Colter, from Bluesville, this weekend about the Blues Awards and Joe's win. He swears there was no bad mouthing or grumbling. My how times have changed Cathy