Joe Walsh Online Fun Facts

Fun Facts About Joe Walsh
Some completely random pieces of trivia

Joe's mother was a classical pianist.
One of Joe's first bands was called The Measles. Two members of it, Bob Webb and Mary Sterpka, also appeared on "Midnight Man." Later, long after Joe left the James Gang, Webb joined as its guitarist.

Joe attended Kent State University in Ohio. Although he dropped out to pursue his music career, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2001.
Funk #48 and Funk #49 started off as soundcheck riffs. The numbers just "came out of the air" as producer Bill Sczymzyk puts it.
"The Bomber," which has the tune "Bolero" in it, had to be edited after the James Gang Rides Again album first came out because of copyright laws. The full version didn't appear until the song was re-released on a greatest hits album decades later. The name was just something the James Gang called it before Joe thought of lyrics, and they didn't bother to change it once he did.

In 1971, Joe pioneered the use of the "talkbox" - that's the gadget he uses with his electric guitar during the solo of "Rocky Mountain Way." You can also hear a "talkbox duet" on "Those Shoes."

Joe had cameo roles in the movies Zachariah (1971) where he and the other members of the James Gang played a wild west rock band, and in The Blues Brothers (1980) were he played a prisoner during the "Jailhouse Rock" sequence.
At the end of the song Giant Bohemoth on Joe's Barnstorm album, the message "Register and vote" is tapped out on a telegraph in Morse code. On the album Songs for a Dying Planet, you can also hear a Morse code message: "Reigster and vote for me."

When touring in the seventies, Joe brought a chainsaw to each city in case he needed to "modify" his hotel room. These modifications included widening doorways, creating doors where there were none before, and chopping up various pieces of the decor.

In 1980, Joe made a joke run for the presidency. His platform was "Free Gas for Everyone." He also said he would change the national anthem to "Life's Been Good" if elected. In 1992, he "ran" for Vice President. This time his platform was "Free Toilet Paper for Everyone."

Joe has mastered the art of Ebay, where he often purchases ham radio equipment. He has even said that he once delayed going onstage in order to make a winning bid on an auction.

Joe dated Stevie Nicks in 1983, when they toured together (he was her opening act). Stevie wrote the song "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" for Joe. He also inspired her songs "Long Way to Go" and a line from her song "Welcome to the Room...Sara. " Stevie calls him one of her two "great loves."

Joe is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober since 1994. He often speaks out against substance abuse of all kinds, sometimes appearing at meetings, retreats, etc. in order to help others get on track.

Joe has been on TV several times, guest starring in comedy series such as The Drew Carey Show, MAD TV, and Duckman. He almost starred in his own NBC sitcom in 2000, but negotiations feel through. The description: "The plot in the hybrid scripted/improv sitcom produced by Warner Bros. TV follows a dull accountant who finds out that he enjoys living in the fast lane when he goes to work for a rock star. Walsh [would] play the rock star."