Song:Magnet and Steel
Album:Singers & Songwriters: Late '70s
Walter Egan started out as a Los Angeles sideman and graduated to solo artist in the late 70s. The 1978 top ten hit Magnet and Steel was his only big hit. He is also known for his close association with Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and the late guitar legend Gram Parsons. He was born July 12, 1948 in Jamaica, NY. In the early 60s, he led the surf rock band The Malibooz. They played the 1964 World's Fair in New York City. Then Egan moved to Washington, DC and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Georgetown. He planned to do art and music. His band Sageworth and Drums signed with Warner Bros. but the band split up before they could record. Egan appeared on the 1973 Gram Parsons album Grievous Angel and then he moved to Los Angeles with Emmylou Harris. He was backing up guys like Jackson Browne and David Lindley. Columbia Records execs spotted Egan playing at the Troubador and signed him to a record deal. Magnet and Steel is from the 1978 album Not Shy. It was his second album. Both albums were produced by Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. Magnet and Steel reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would turn out to be Egan's only big hit. You can get it on this Time Life 2CD budget various artists comp. Magnet and Steel got a big boost when it appeared in the 1997 film Boogie Nights. Egan left Columbia and recorded for Polydor and Backstreet/MCA but he was never able to score another hit. He reformed The Malibooz and they recorded an album. And he participates in Gram Parsons and Flying Burrito Bros. tribute bands. And he does graphic design. Egan is still around. He released new music in 2014. But his claim to fame is the retro sound of Magnet and Steel. Here's the video for Magnet and Steel by Walter Egan.
I loved that song. It is one of my big favorites and I remember it very fondly on the radio growing up in the 70's. I did not know about his association with Lindsay Buckingham or his hooking up with Emmy-Lou Harris.He played with big names back in the day. I am glad he is still around working. It's to bad he never had another hit. He definitely had talent.
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