Why is Joe Walsh selling a bunch of his old stuff?

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Okay, so I was at the Troubadour the other day, and Joe Walsh was on stage, playing “Lucky That Way” for a pretty small crowd – maybe 50 people. He sounded great, really bluesy guitar and that classic, kinda raspy voice of his. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t exactly a concert. He was showing off one of the 400+ guitars he’s auctioning off through Julien’s Auctions. The guitar was gleaming under the lights, and it was clear he’s letting go of a huge part of his collection.

Taking place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Troubadour, this event will auction off almost 800 items, including cars, music equipment, and amateur radio gear. It will also feature clothing worn by musician Glenn Walsh throughout his career, both as a solo artist and with bands like the Eagles, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band. A standout piece is a red brick-patterned Moschino suit.

I recently spoke with Walsh, and I was curious about why he was auctioning off so many of his possessions. He assured me it wasn’t about money, but rather wanting to see his things enjoyed and appreciated instead of gathering dust in storage. It’s really admirable, actually. And even better, a portion of the money raised will go to VetsAid, his organization that supports veterans and their families – a cause very close to his heart, and one I’m happy to support by admiring his generosity.

Music

The singer-songwriter is nominated for Traditional Country Album at the February awards show with his album, “American Romance.” His father, 92-year-old Willie Nelson, is also nominated for an album.

Walsh feels strongly that veterans aren’t receiving the support they need, a concern deeply rooted in his personal history – his Air Force flight instructor father died in Japan when Walsh was a young child. Seeing homeless veterans is particularly upsetting to him, and he questions why this happens.

It seems like our country has a tendency to quickly move on from wars. After each conflict, we tend to forget about it and focus on the next challenge. While we offer thanks to the veterans, it often feels like just empty words.

It feels wrong that we have to fund support for those who served our country. They often return home feeling forgotten and unsupported, which has always been the case. Considering they secured our freedoms, we really need to prioritize taking care of them.

I always knew my dad was a pioneer – he flew the very first Air Force jet used in battle, the Lockheed Shooting Star. I never actually met his fellow pilots, but I have connected with others who flew the same plane. They’ve shared books and information with me, and when I told them about the circumstances of my father’s death, they weren’t surprised. They explained that the Shooting Star was so new, it had limitations – certain maneuvers it just couldn’t handle. It was the first of its kind, and you really only learned its boundaries by flying it.

I have a few questions about some of the items up for auction. Could you tell me more about the bright green zoot suit? I’ve always liked those suits and even had a couple made to see if they’d be good for performing on stage.

Who do you remember seeing in a zoot suit? Like Cab Calloway, for example? Absolutely, and you see them in a lot of classic black-and-white films. The band War also wore them. And Jim Carrey in “The Mask” – that was a really cool look!

How did your performance go?

It went pretty well. Getting everything ready felt like preparing for a wedding – all the little details, like the hat, shoes, and watch, take a long time to perfect. But I really wanted to give it my best shot.

We have a painting by Mark Mothersbaugh, the artist from the band Devo, up for auction. I doubt he knows we’re selling it, or even if he’d be interested. However, there are definitely Devo fans who would be thrilled to own it. I actually went to college with Mark in Kent, Ohio, which makes me feel better about selling it.

I noticed there’s a set of bedazzled sombreros.
Yes.

I figured one sparkly sombrero would have been plenty. But every trip to Mexico resulted in me bringing back boots and another sombrero. I just couldn’t resist – I absolutely love mariachi bands; they’re amazing!

Music

Pop music critic Mikael Wood of the L.A. Times named albums by Jensen McRae, SZA, and Madi Diaz among the best of the year.

Okay, so about that mariachi sound on “A Life of Illusion”? That was actually Kenny Passarelli, Barnstorm’s bassist, who wrote the music for it. He used to be a trumpet player, so I asked him to lay down the trumpet parts. Let’s just say he was feeling pretty good when he recorded those parts – a little ‘buzzed,’ maybe. But honestly, that song needed those slightly tipsy-sounding trumpets. It was exactly the right amount of playful imperfection, and it just worked perfectly.

Someone’s selling a saxophone. Do you play? I dabbled with it in high school, along with the oboe. But the oboe wasn’t a hit – it wasn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser with girls! Plus, it’s hard to sing when something’s in your mouth. It was interesting though – oboists get a lot of respect because the entire orchestra tunes to them. The oboe uses a double reed and produces a really pure sound.

A few of the jackets really stand out. Did you buy any of them just to bother Don Henley? The brick suit, for example, was definitely intended to get a rise out of him.

So, did the outfit work out? Mostly, yes. It was for the Eagles’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, and I was trying to figure out what to wear. It’s a rock and roll event, after all! I thought about what the musicians I admired would expect – what would someone like Eddie Cochran choose? I found this suit that was a bit of a fit, and decided on that.

Take that, Henley.
Well, you know, he’d rather I didn’t wear it: “F—ing Walsh…”

Do you expect folks who buy your guitars to play them or hang them on a wall?
Both?

Do you have a preference between the two options? I have a guitar crafted for me by winemakers in Italy, using wood from their massive grape barrels – wood that’s around 200 years old. It sounds unlike any other guitar I’ve ever played; it has a special quality and almost seems to communicate with you.

What’s the best riff you ever wrote?
Probably “Funk #49.” For a three-piece band, that’s a monster.

People often ask me what my favorite guitar solo is. I’d say it’s the one on “Rocky Mountain Way,” the one with the talk box. I actually discovered that effect in Nashville. Dottie West, a country singer, had a husband named Bill who was an inventor. He’d created this talk box, and Pete Drake, a pedal steel player, used it once on a song called “Forever.” After that, it just sat in Bill’s garage.

Dottie often had people over to her place when we were playing gigs in Nashville. One time, Chet Atkins and I ended up there, and we were all passing the guitar around. Then Bill stopped us and went to the garage. He came back with an old box sealed with tape and pulled out a piece of rubber tubing. It smelled awful, but he told me to put it in my mouth. I did, and I actually used it to create the sound on my song, “Rocky Mountain Way.” Everyone wondered what that strange noise was, and I guess I just got lucky with it.

I was inspired by Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up” and especially Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” when writing the reggae section of “Life’s Been Good.” Johnny Nash really knocked me out with that song. It felt like reggae came out of nowhere! The guitarist on that track, Joey Murcia – he was a studio musician who played on a lot of Bee Gees records – was actually playing that part, and we took it and used it in our song.

I saw online that you’ve been with the Eagles for fifty years this month! It feels like just a couple of years to me, though. I’m 78 now, and I honestly never imagined getting this old. It seemed so distant when I was younger, like something that just wasn’t real.

The Eagles are returning to the Sphere in January. On their nights off in Las Vegas, there isn’t much going on besides enjoying dinner at one of the city’s many excellent restaurants, resting up for the next performance, and hitting the gym.

I try to do a little bit of everything at the gym. Staying active is really important, and I don’t like being idle. I have a specific workout routine I follow from 8:30 to 10:30, where I really push myself.

Have you ever imagined yourself performing in Vegas? I haven’t. I remember being there and wondering how people got their names on those big billboards – it felt like a sign of real success. Now, I guess people see my name up there and ask the same question. But honestly, even I don’t know how it happened.

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2025-12-15 14:04