Joe Walsh says he had to buy a Maserati after the success of 1978's “Life’s Been Good.”

Taking a light-hearted look at the world of rock-star excess, the song notes that the Eagles star's Maserati can do “185” – but he doesn't drive it because he lost his license, and instead is being transported by limousine.

In a twist, however, Walsh tells Rolling Stone “I never had a Maserati. I finally got one, because everyone was making me feel really guilty. The look of sadness on their face … so I went and got a Maserati. I don’t know if it does 185. I chickened out at 140.”

He memorably ran for president in 1980, pledging to make “Life’s Been Good” the new national anthem. “Wouldn’t that be good before a football game?” Walsh reflected. “I would have had a lot more fun than Trump. With Wednesday, I would have just said ‘We’re gonna cancel Wednesday. We’re gonna do Tuesday right to Thursday to get to the weekend closer.’”

Listen to Joe Walsh Perform ‘Life’s Been Good’

He owned up to having trashed hotel rooms, as in the song, but for truly larger-than-life antics, no one came close to the Who's late co-founding drummer. “Hanging out with Keith Moon was one of the highlights of my life,” Walsh said. “It was absolutely terrifying at the time. Now, it’s funny.”

Much has changed for Walsh, who also revealed that one of his quieter interests nowadays is ham radio: “That’s obsolete. We’re dinosaurs because of the internet. That’s pretty fun, because I’m not a rock star, I’m just Joe when I do that. So, that keeps me grounded.”

 

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