Originally Posted by
Delilah
Hello, Tom, and welcome to the board. I agree with you about Felder. I don't think it's unreasonable for him to inquire about the books, so to speak. That being said, I keep in mind that I wasn't in the band and I don't know what it's like to work with any of these people. I'm sure every single one of these guys, with the possible exception of Timothy, could be a pain in the a$$ at some point or another. That's what happens when you have 4-5 creative, talented musicians with their own ideas of how things should be done. Henley said so himself. Yet, it was that "creative tension" that fueled the songwriting process, as Glenn pointed out.
Just as there is a sub-group of Felder fans who disparage Henley and Frey, there is a sub-group of Henley and Frey worshippers who believe:
1. Henley and Frey could do no wrong;
2. Henley and Frey were the only 2 who matter and the others were just glorified sidemen who were lucky to breathe the same air in their presence;
3. Henley and Frey created 99% of the music, with .75% credit going to Jack Tempchin, Jackson Browne and JD Souther and .25% credit to the other 5 band members;
4. The only line-up that matters is the Final 4 b/c this was the one where everyone got along with Henley and Frey and didn't cause them any trouble (never mind that the climate and circumstances were vastly different from what it was in the 70s);
5. Henley and Frey got along like peaches the entire time with maybe the occasional light-hearted squabble; it was those other 3 ingrates in the band who caused problems.
Fortunately there are many of us who truly appreciate the contributions of all 7 members who were part of the band at one time or another. I share UTW's envy of you and anyone else who got to see them perform during their 70s heyday. Thank you for your post.