Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
An excerpt from People Magazine - Oct. 7, 1985
FARM AID
Bridging the stylistic gap between hard rock and country, Maria McKee and Lone Justice gave the largely Midwestern crowd what was perhaps its first taste of L.A.-style "cow punk." Wearing a country-girl dress and wielding a mean electric guitar, McKee opened with a rave-up rock version of Merle Haggard's Workin' Man Blues. Former Pure Prairie League vocalist Vince Gill, standing in the wings with Carlene Carter, said he thought McKee and Don Henley's band turned in the best performances of the day. But, he said, they both "went right over [the audience's] head."
If Farm Aid reminded rock of its roots, it also provided indelible moments when everyone seemed country cousins. It was Nelson playing his gut-string guitar with Tom Petty's electric band during Dylan's rousing rendition of Maggie's Farm. It was an aging country singer saying "I'm what's left of Hoyt Axton." It was Arlo Guthrie saying that if his dad, Woody, were alive "they couldn't get him off the stage." It was former Eagle Don Henley, just another sex object to Debra Winger, who called him "the cutest boy on stage," quietly detailing facts and figures about the farm crisis offstage and saying, "The value of farmers is not only in the food they raise, but in the value system they nurture."
[You go, Don!]
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro!
Wow-I just learned something new--even tho completely not Don related-I did not know that Vince Gill fronted Pure Prairie League. I'm not a big fan of theirs but know some of their stuff (their song Amie is my ringtone for my friend Amy). Will have to Wiki them to see who else was in that band.
On with the Don stuff (sorry I hijacked for a minute).
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro!
My brain seems to be stuck on the 'Don as a sex object' part...
(Love this idea, Nancy! It's always fun seeing past articles and interviews.)
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
My brain is always stuck on "Don as a sex object." 8)
Debra Winger has impeccable taste.
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
I think Don would be pleased by Debra's description of him as "the cutest boy onstage," despite the author of the article acting like it was shallow of her. Hey, is it wrong to comment upon the hotness of someone just because they happen to be discussing a serious topic? That actually makes them hotter! ;)
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
I completely agree about A Month of Sundays - the quiet simplicity of it set against the synthesizer laden songs on the rest of the CD. It is still my second favourite solo Henley song after the inevitable BOS.
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
Again, I just love reading some of the guys responses in these old interviews ... always makes me wonder what they would have to say about their answers today.
FP, as you know, I can't agree about A Month of Sundays. I know a lot of people like this song, but it just doesn’t do a thing for me. I find the music and melody to be terribly repetitious, and bland. It always amazes me how differently music can affect people. While some people call this song a masterpiece, to me, it is one of Don's weakest songs.
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
I'm with you on this one, Dreamer. I appreciate the sentiment behind Month of Sundays, but the song isn't one of my favorites.
Re: Don Henley in the Press - Retro Edition!
This old sound bite touches on something we were discussing in another thread:
http://kluv.radio.com/2010/08/23/don...songwriting-2/