Joe Walsh and Eric Clapton are two of the greatest guitarists of all time and both have extremely successful careers as solo artists and members of several bands, not only just one. Over the decades, they had the chance meet many times and Walsh has spoken about the British musician, giving his opinion on his playing.
What is Joe Walsh’s opinion on Eric Clapton
Joe Walsh is a big fan of Eric Clapton and was inspired by his playing, even saying that Clapton’s guitar solo in Cream‘s version of “Crossroads” is one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. He had the chance to meet the British musician when James Gang was Cream’s opening act in the late 60s.
“The Cream album with the live ‘Crossroads’ on it (Wheels of Fire – 1968) that shook me up pretty good. ‘Badge’ and ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ are nice, but Eric Clapton’s work on ‘Crossroads’ is some testifying. He just got going. The James Gang played with Cream in Detroit once at the Grande Ballroom, and I sat right in front of Eric. His ‘Crossroads’ that night was very similar to what’s on (the album). But to hear anybody go like that for a good six minutes — incredible guitar. I was completely overwhelmed with the vast resources that Eric had, which so many other guitar players aren’t aware of.”
Joe Walsh continued:
“He never played the same lick twice in that solo, and I have the gut feeling that it was absolutely spontaneous. During that tour, he probably never played it the same two nights in a row. He was just blowing so freely! He and the guitar were one thing. You know, over the process of a tour, you kind of lock into. Well, it gets to be like charts toward the end of the tour. I love ‘Crossroads’ because he was screaming, I mean, it’s the classic, total Clapton get out of the way! I don’t care what you think; get out of the way. I’m not done playing yet!” Joe Walsh told Guitar Player in 2025.
Curiously, that is the guitar solo that Eric Clapton has said he does not like at all, disagreeing with people who consider it great. “It may have been eleven minutes long (The original performance). God knows. And I don’t understand that either. There’s a couple of big myths about me. This thing about God and this thing about ‘Crossroads.’ I think that’s a terrible solo. I saw a thing with Joe Walsh the other day. (He was) talking about that solo. I really appreciate that respect for it, but I can’t figure out what the hell they’re talking about. It’s messy! I admit it’s got tons of energy, but that alone doesn’t make it. I don’t like it. Isn’t that funny?” Eric Clapton told Rolling Stone in 1988.
Clapton admires Joe Walsh’s playing
Eric Clapton is also an admirer of Joe Walsh’s playing and praised the guitarist already back in 1975, saying: “He’s one of the best guitarists to surface in some time. I don’t listen to many records, but I listen to his,” as told by Rolling Stone magazine at the time. They had the chance to see each other many times over the decades, having invited him to play at his Crossroads Festival several times. One of the first times they performed together was with Fleetwood Mac in Boston back in 1970, when they were part of the “Encore Jam“, later featured in their album “Live In Boston” (1985).
Curiously, Joe Walsh first discovered Eric Clapton’s music after reading him talk about B.B. King in an interview, which led him to really listen to older Blues records by influential American musicians. “They (James Gang) had heard I was hot stuff, so they asked me to join. I had some big shoes to fill, I began to study the guitar like mad, buying records and reading all I could.”
Walsh continued:
“I wasn’t even aware of B.B. King until I read an interview with Eric Clapton where he talked about stealing his licks. I had a lot of catching up to do. After a while, I started to branch out and write my own music,” Joe Walsh told Rolling Stone in 1975. Interestingly, Walsh ended up having a direct impact on some of the greatest Rock and Roll albums made by British bands. Early in his career, he had the chance to meet Jimmy Page and Pete Townshend. He was the one who gave them two important guitars: a Gibson that the Led Zeppelin guitarist used on many of their albums, and a “fat orange Gretsch” model that Townshend used on Who’s Next (1971) and during Eric Clapton’s famous Rainbow concert in 1973.
Walsh’s Eagles bandmate, drummer and singer Don Henley, has said that he considers the guitarist a mix of Duane Allman and Eric Clapton. So it might not be a coincidence that when Paul McCartney performed the song “My Valentine”, which was recorded with Clapton, he invited Walsh to fill in for the guitarist when Clapton was unavailable for a Grammy Awards performance. Like Eric, Joe also had the chance to be successful with several bands and as a solo act. He is one of the most influential American guitarists of all time.