Discussion of Eagles Documentary "History of the Eagles"

[Freypower]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is exactly what happened

Again we have this implication that you have heard the Felder version. I suppose you won't tell us how you heard it but you seem to also imply that it measured up to Henley's version.

What I don't understand in all this is why Felder thought he should sing it in the first place. He didn't write any of the lyrics, did he? He has never said so. Did he think that there were too many Henley vocals on the album already (something which which I tend to agree)? Anyway for me at least his petulant behaviour was obviously extremely disruptive. All this is starting to sour my opinion of the song which I have always loved & saw them play, with Felder, in 1995.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Not even his drumming?

*Hides*

What I'm about to say is one of the reasons why I like the Eagles above other bands... In the video and in interviews, Glenn talked about Felder turning in demos that were all guitar licks, and no room for singing. There's a lot of bands where the guitars are the features. There's quite a few where the drumming is the feature. Then there's bands like Air Supply (to steal an example from Glenn) where it's all soft vocals. The bands I like the best are the ones that give everything an equal place. Some songs might favor one thing because the song calls for it, but overall it balances out. Song Power. It's about the songs, and not about showcasing the particular talents of the band members. There's songs where that happens, but it's not the motivation, it's always about the song.

Given all that, I'd say Don is the perfect drummer. I've read the same in drum forums. Call me crazy, but I'm betting there were a lot of drummers sitting in the Troubadour that Glenn could have recommended, and I bet there were quite a few that auditioned for Linda's backup band. In my opinion, Don was chosen for a very good reason, and it was more than his sexy, raspy voice and sexy good looks. I see what you are saying, TLR, but IMO, Don is the perfect drummer for the Eagles, and more drummers should emulate him in other bands.

[Scarlet Sun]

Again we have this implication that you have heard the Felder version. I suppose you won't tell us how you heard it but you seem to also imply that it measured up to Henley's version.

What I don't understand in all this is why Felder thought he should sing it in the first place. He didn't write any of the lyrics, did he? He has never said so. Did he think that there were too many Henley vocals on the album already (something which which I tend to agree)? Anyway for me at least his petulant behaviour was obviously extremely disruptive. All this is starting to sour my opinion of the song which I have always loved & saw them play, with Felder, in 1995.

I wouldn't say it was as good, I would say it was decent enough to carry through in terms of keeping the overall quality level at a certain high.

I would think that Felder thought that HC would be a continuation of OOTN and all the other previous albums in that each member would get at least one lead vocal.

[thelastresort]

What I'm about to say is one of the reasons why I like the Eagles above other bands... In the video and in interviews, Glenn talked about Felder turning in demos that were all guitar licks, and no room for singing. There's a lot of bands where the guitars are the features. There's quite a few where the drumming is the feature. Then there's bands like Air Supply (to steal an example from Glenn) where it's all soft vocals. The bands I like the best are the ones that give everything an equal place. Some songs might favor one thing because the song calls for it, but overall it balances out. Song Power. It's about the songs, and not about showcasing the particular talents of the band members. There's songs where that happens, but it's not the motivation, it's always about the song.

Given all that, I'd say Don is the perfect drummer. I've read the same in drum forums. Call me crazy, but I'm betting there were a lot of drummers sitting in the Troubadour that Glenn could have recommended, and I bet there were quite a few that auditioned for Linda's backup band. In my opinion, Don was chosen for a very good reason, and it was more than his sexy, raspy voice and sexy good looks. I see what you are saying, TLR, but IMO, Don is the perfect drummer for the Eagles, and more drummers should emulate him in other bands.

I agree fully, Don is perfect for the Eagles' needs. He strikes the balance perfectly between hard (Outlaw Man), complex (Hotel California), simple (Tequila Sunrise) and gentle (ICTYW) etc as appropriate; I just wish he's do more of it nowadays: I find it a bit odd that the drumming is near-identical in Doolin-Dalton and TITTL, yet he's unfront for the one he doesn't do lead on...

What I meant more was that, a bit like Glenn, he's very good at his instrument, he just doesn't do anything mind-blowing. That is what I meant by 'ordinary': you'd struggle to tell from just audio if it was Don or Glenn playing as opposed to someone else altogether, but you could with someone like Joe, you couldn't replace him musically and that's why he is sort of the level up from the others.

(This post was not meant to offend anyone, sorry if it does. I'm just working off my usual concept that it is the correct thing to do to always tell the truth as you see it.)

[Buttercup]

By the time Hotel California came along it was pretty much Don singing most of the songs. Glenn, Randy and Joe each had one and the rest were Don's. Glenn had always had several songs on every album and Randy always had 1 - 2. The early albums (which are my favorites) have a couple songs of everyone on each of the albums. These are my favorite because you got the unique sound of each member on all the albums. Bernie and Randy had such good voices and both of them harmonized so well. I think On The Border is so overlooked, this is probably at the top of my favorites along with Desperado. Such a great variety of songs and voices. I just love it.

[sodascouts]

I would think that Felder thought that HC would be a continuation of OOTN and all the other previous albums in that each member would get at least one lead vocal.

Exactly. Felder expected to have one vocal lead, just like he had on One of These Nights. He has said more than once that this was his understanding when he signed on, although Henley denies that they ever told him that. Other than the title track, "Victim of Love" was his only co-write on Hotel California. Since the title track was indisputably Henley's pretty much as soon as the lyrics were written, it would be natural for Felder to latch on to VOL. While it's true he didn't write any of the lyrics and Henley said all Felder gave them was a very basic chord progression, it was still the only other song with his name on it.

[DivineDon]

Not even his drumming?

*Hides*

Actually I find Don's ability to drum and sing so magnificently at the same time quite extraordinary

[L101]

Actually I find Don's ability to drum and sing so magnificently at the same time quite extraordinary

I think Don is an amazing drummer!! He has a way of playing that is so understated, a less is more style, but still stands out in each song he drums on! You don't need to play like Animal from the Muppet's to be a good drummer

And when he sings and drums together .....WOW! The new drum style for Witchy Woman on the HOTE tour is brilliant - it actually made me like that song.

[UndertheWire]

Someone, possibly Linda Ronstadt, said that Don was a good drummer for singers. He keeps good time and doesn't play rolls over the singer.

[chaim]

That "guitar licks all over the place" (or however it went) comment from Glenn is interesting and makes me want to hear some of the stuff Don F brought to the band. No matter how many guitar parts there are, all of them don't have to be used, so I don't quite get it. If Don F played the tapes and insisted "the full song/arrangement or nothing", then there obviously were problems. But if he didn't give such terms, Glenn and Don H could have taken pieces (riffs, chord progressions, intrumentation ideas, modulation ideas, structural ideas, "feels", musical styles etc.) they liked from here and there and used them to construct songs.