(L-R) Don Felder and Joe Walsh of The Eagles perform on stage at Ahoy on 11th May 1977 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)

Redferns

In Part 1 of our interview series with Eagles and James Gang guitarist Joe Walsh, we discussed his upcoming charity event courtesy of Julien’s Auctions on December 16-17. Walsh is putting on the block at Hollywood’s Troubadour club 800 rock memorabilia items he has collected over the decades, part of the proceeds going to his VetsAid not-for-profit. We also dissected his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” and whether that Maserati really goes 185.

Here, in Part 2, Walsh opens up about his former alcohol abuse, his passion for ham radio and the differences between playing solo, and in The James Gang and The Eagles. Following are edited excerpts from a longer Zoom conversation.

Jim Clash: What are the differences between playing in The James Gang, The Eagles and solo?

Joe Walsh: The James Gang was a three-piece, bass, drums and guitar. For a good rock group, that’s really all you need. You might want a lead singer unless the guitar player sings. There’s a symmetry and way of playing music where it’s very powerful, in your face, and you can hear everything. We were young with the attitude, “Well, somebody count off and, when everything is broken, we’re done [laughs]. We were naive and young, and The James Gang was an extension of that.

Afterwards, I had a solo career I did well with for a couple of years. All of a sudden, I was the boss, in charge, not really in the band. I had support musicians I told what to do. I was in charge of hiring and firing, and all of the decisions that came with that. I didn’t want to do it anymore. I wanted to be back in a band, a part of something.

As it happened, life’s been good, The Eagles had to replace a guitarist, and I stepped in. I couldn’t be more blessed because it was a great group with great singers that I could play guitar for, and sing some harmonies. I was part of a band of brothers, if you will. My writing really blossomed with the input of the other guys, watching them, going “Holy smokes, look how this works.” It was amazing. So those are the differences.

Clash: I’m not sure why, but it seems a good number of musicians are drawn to alcohol. You, yourself, almost died from it. Why do you think this is?

Walsh: Most of us are on the spectrum, obsessive compulsive, attention deficit, a little Asperger’s [Syndrome] – mostly child conditions. When I was young in the fifties, modern medicine hadn’t diagnosed any of that. You were just a difficult kid. I went to the principal’s office a lot, and I didn’t understand it [laughs]. Most musicians are insecure people with big egos.

Really early in my lite, I achieved success I never thought possible. I was somebody. That’s great, but I didn’t know how to process it. I’m a guy from Ohio, and all of a sudden I’m famous. I was really uncomfortable going on stage. Initially, I found that a couple of beers really helped, made me feel, “All right, I’m ready to go!” We all have stage fright.

As I became more successful, the more afraid I became. Alcohol was an attempt to self-medicate. Then, everybody I knew, especially the English musicians, drank after the shows, and I did, too. I’m an alcoholic, but didn’t know it then.

Then there were other substances I experienced. Over a period of time, without noticing, I got dependent on the stuff. My cocaine and alcohol convinced me that I couldn’t play without it. I saw my buddies go down, crash and burn, and I knew that was gong to happen to me. I got sober before I died, and I’m grateful to still be here.

A Hammarlund short wave radio owned by rocker Joe Walsh is on the block at Julien’s Auctions Dec. 16-17, 2025, at Hollywood’s Troubadour club.

Courtesy of Joe Walsh

Clash: I know you’re a FCC-licensed ham radio operator, and have been most of your life.

Walsh: I’m totally into it, [call sign] WB6ACU. I got my novice license in 1961, and have been a ham ever since. Besides guitars, I love old analogue equipment. It works perfectly well, but it’s obsolete. In 1961, in the back of the ARRL [American Radio Relay League] handbook, and in those ads in QST [magazine], all kinds of pieces of equipment were listed. And I wanted all of them. They are on eBay now, and not that expensive, so I’ve bought the stuff I had always wanted. That feels great, but I don’t use it. [Hence the Hammarlund short wave VetsAid auction item.]

I had Hallicrafters equipment for a long time. Now I’m running Icom. I also run a thousand-watt broadcast transmitter converted to 80 meters [frequency band]. There’s a really good community of AM guys up and down the west coast, even in Alaska sometimes, and down to Phoenix. They get on the air every Wednesday night with all-analogue stuff, and we talk.

I have a 70-ft. antenna tower. I also like getting on SSB [Single Side Band] and CW [Morse code]. The sunspot cycle is such that the bands are now wide open. I’m not really a DX [long-distance] guy, but have contacts with maybe 40 countries and 40 states.

Clash: What’s it like when other hams realize that you’re rocker Joe Walsh?

Walsh: People know my call now. I’m treated with respect, but it’s not like, “Oh my God!” It’s more like, “Hey Joe, how are you doing? I love your work. What kind of equipment do you have?” I can just be Joe on my radio. I love that.

Some people don’t even know I’m a guitarist, and I don’t flaunt it. But it’s really nice to talk to people on their level. It’s grounding for me. In fact, I have some life-long friends I’ve met through ham radio.

Clash: Fascinating. I’ve been a ham myself going back to 1968, and echo all you just said. My call sign is WA3JID.

Walsh: Are you still on the air? If so, talk to my media people and we’ll set up a contact date and time.

Clash: That sounds great. I certainly will!

ForbesWho Knew Rocker Joe Walsh Is A Hoarder And Ham Radio Operator? A ChatBy Jim Clash