Eagles.... 3.0

[eaglesfan]

I haven't posted here much if at all, but read this thread with interest.

I was a Don Henley fan first...I was slightly too young (born in 1970), to really be into the Eagles through the 1970's, although I was undoubtedly surrounded by their music as a six and seven year old without really knowing who the Eagles were.

When Henley got hot in the 80's as a solo artist, I got into him and then the Eagles and then when HFO occurred, I went and was off and running.

I've always been big into Henley's music and also am a huge Joe Walsh fan. No disrespect to Glenn Frey at all however, as he was the key guy, the quarterback, of the Eagles.

That's my preamble.

But the Eagles have ALWAYS been about business. It's always been about money, units sold, fame and chicks. (chicks not so much in recent years okay...)

Irving Azoff said in the documentary that it's always been about "Song power". That it's not a hippie commune band (this was all in reference to Felder's firing).

This band fired the architect of their biggest hit, Hotel California, because it was good for business. It wasn't good for loyalty nor band integrity necessarily nor even the music itself. It was good for business.

So Frey sadly dies an untimely death. Henley says mostly 'no' , though never definitively 'no' to a reunion as he always subtly left a door open. Maybe Frey's kid...maybe this...maybe that...but probably no. He never said 'no' as definitely as he did in the 1980's when he said "When Hell Freezes Over", when it came to reforming the band. And we all saw where that led.

Finally....let's be honest. Glenn frey and Don Henley went years without speaking and decades without being close.

I don't know that Henley would disrespect Frey's legacy out of spite. But I also don't think he's crying in his cocoa as much as many might think (or hope).

Henley and Frey confided in other band members how much the other pissed them off for one reason or another. Henley mocked Frey's failed TV series, Frey said 'nobody sucks the fun out of the room faster than Don Henley.

When Frey was sick during HFO with, ironically, a colon problem, Henley said "they operated on the wrong end of that asshole."

Look...this is a band about money and achievement. Always has been and always will be. There is actually only one true Eagle left...Henley. Walsh and Schmit have never actually, technically, been Eagles...they've been hired hands all along.

Henley insisted, as noted above that the Eagles would reform "when hell freezes over", due in no small part to the animosity he and Frey held for one another back then.

He was NEVER that emphatic this time around, following Frey's death, and probably thinks things like Hotel California, Desperado, Witchy Woman, The Long Run, One of these Nights, Boys of Summer, Best of My Love, Wasted Time, Life in the Fast Lane, Dirty Laundry, Rocky Mountain Way, I Can't Tell you Why, and In the City (among several others), can be performed, for big money, onstage without Frey without missing a beat.

I understand why some won't attend or would rather it not happen given their admiration of Frey. But Henley is almost 70...it's either now or never and whatever he can add to his war chest for furture generations is probably his driving factor.

Let's be real...these shows are just the beginning...the Eagles will announce another tour later this year and/or next. The crowds and prices may miss a bit due to the absence of Frey...although on the other hand there may be some increased demand as well as this is probably TRULY the farewell tour for the surviving Eagles.

[FreyFollower]

Well, now! Wasn't that uplifting? While disappointed in their decision for these shows, I certainly think more of the guys than all of that! And this from someone who apparently believes they are supporting them.
For those who want to go to the concerts, they should go and have fun. For those of us who are unhappy--good people may bow to pressure or make ill- advised choices for various reasons that they later regret.
No matter what you believe, hurtful comments about the deceased is seldom a good idea.

[Witchy Woman]

Man, some of you guys are just flat out vicious with your vitriol. We don't have to like or agree with everyone's opinions, but to mock or otherwise lessen the feelings of others on this board is rude, inconsiderate, and tasteless. I admit, I've had my skirmishes with some folks here, but I have never stooped so low as to attack them personally for how they feel. I am very unhappy with their decision to bill themselves as the Eagles without Glenn. I'm a huge Don fan, but this smacks of greed, and I expected better of him. I will always be a fan, however, and I will continue to see Don as a solo artist when he comes to my area. I refuse to participate in the upcoming circus, nor will I ever go to an Eagles show that to me is incomplete. Let's all remember why we're here - because we are fans, and as such we should respect each other and our beliefs.

[chaim]

Don H's "They're treating the wrong end..." comment behind Glenn's back proves absolutely nothing. Felder chose to immortalize that in his book, so it might look like a permanent state of things. At times we are angry at people we love - including our close relatives. We say stuff behind their backs we forget immediately - unless someone puts them in a book.

I'm not insisting that Don and Glenn absolutely adored each other, but IMO it was obvious that there was this bond that nasty remarks in times of anger couldn't erase. And when Glenn passed away, of course Don remembered the angry moments rather than the bond and all the good moments, living together in the 70's etc - and therefore didn't weep.

[Annoying Twit]

I'm taking a bit of a step back on this discussion. It's clear that there are people here who have extremely different reactions to the same event.

Looking at other examples where bands or parts of bands have continued on after splits or members passing on, I think that I'm biased towards the 'continuing on as best as can be done' point of view.

E.g. Ian Dury passed away. His sometimes backing band The Blockheads have continued playing after Dury's death, featuring songs from "Ian Dury and the Blockheads" albums. They started recording new music, initially in a number of styles, but have evolved such that their most recent albums feature new vocalist Derek Hussey (AKA Derek the Draw) reasonably closely reproducing Dury's vocal and songwriting style.

After reading this thread, I can imagine that there are some people who would be outraged at that if they were Ian Dury fans. For me, Chaz Jankel's music was an important part of why I enjoy Ian Dury's songs. Neither Dury nor Jankel were, in my opinion, as good apart as they were together. Greater than the sum of the parts.

With Dury having passed on, all we have left are The Blockheads, who have in some way replaced Dury with Hussey. But, their songs aren't bad, and I appreciate that they are still doing something, and new material etc. appears. If Dury was alive then I may be wishing that he'd get back together with Jankel. This can't happen, so Jankel working with a replacement singer who does appear to target a Dury style is the best that we're going to get. And, in my opinion, what we're getting isn't bad at all, apart from originality.

The reason I bring up another artist is that it's possible to discuss the situation with fewer raw emotions involved.

Is there anyone who would say whether they would object to what The Blockheads are doing if they were an Ian Dury fan?

[Funk 50]

The way I see it, the band is bigger than any of the individual members

I have always said as far as I’m concerned ‘No Glenn or No Don = No Eagles –

I totally agree with the first quote, which makes the second quote irrelevant.

And it doesn't matter how great someone was when they were alive, the living are always more important than the dead.

Don, Joe and Tim's responsibility is to entertain the people that buy the concert tickets. If the audience go home satisfied, They are to be congratulated on a job well done.

[Funk 50]

I can't think of any band, AT, where I've actually been appalled at them continuing after losing members. Even the bands with no original members, I choose to ignore them rather than castigate.

My favourite band Genesis have gone through many major line-up changes. I stood by them through-out. Even through the downward Ray Wilson era. I was actually slightly angry that they abandoned it and went back to Phil Collins, even though Phil is my favourite.

I'm a Walsh fan. I'm an Eagles fan because Joe's in the Eagles. If, or rather when Joe dies, I'll probably still be an Eagles fan because it's now ingrained in me. For better or worse.

It's a good job that The Beatles stood firm when Stuart Sutcliffe died and when the Pete Best fans protested about his exit.

[chaim]

I'm taking a bit of a step back on this discussion. It's clear that there are people here who have extremely different reactions to the same event.

Looking at other examples where bands or parts of bands have continued on after splits or members passing on, I think that I'm biased towards the 'continuing on as best as can be done' point of view.

E.g. Ian Dury passed away. His sometimes backing band The Blockheads have continued playing after Dury's death, featuring songs from "Ian Dury and the Blockheads" albums. They started recording new music, initially in a number of styles, but have evolved such that their most recent albums feature new vocalist Derek Hussey (AKA Derek the Draw) reasonably closely reproducing Dury's vocal and songwriting style.

After reading this thread, I can imagine that there are some people who would be outraged at that if they were Ian Dury fans. For me, Chaz Jankel's music was an important part of why I enjoy Ian Dury's songs. Neither Dury nor Jankel were, in my opinion, as good apart as they were together. Greater than the sum of the parts.

With Dury having passed on, all we have left are The Blockheads, who have in some way replaced Dury with Hussey. But, their songs aren't bad, and I appreciate that they are still doing something, and new material etc. appears. If Dury was alive then I may be wishing that he'd get back together with Jankel. This can't happen, so Jankel working with a replacement singer who does appear to target a Dury style is the best that we're going to get. And, in my opinion, what we're getting isn't bad at all, apart from originality.

The reason I bring up another artist is that it's possible to discuss the situation with fewer raw emotions involved.

Is there anyone who would say whether they would object to what The Blockheads are doing if they were an Ian Dury fan?

I know a few of their songs, but I don't know anything about the dynamics within the band. Did Ian form the band or was he one of the founding members? Was he the boss or just one of the members? Did he lead the songwriting process (choosing which ideas to use, building songs from everyone's ideas etc.) or did he just suggest ideas?

Not that I'm interested in pondering this personally, but it is a fair question from you IMO.

[UndertheWire]

I don't object to that The Blockheads are doing, but I've little interest in seeing them.

I may come to terms with what is being done with the Eagles brand but again, I have little interest in seeing them. I'd much rather see Don, Joe and Timothy solo than see them try to reproduce the old hits with a key element missing.

Referring back to something Funk 50 wrote (I think), it seems unlikely that the remaining Eagles will produce new material as a unit - it seems that rather than inspiring each other, the compromises kill creativity. Timothy certainly sounded happy to be writing alone, Don has other writing partners and, going from his comments, Joe finds Don glacial style of writing and recording frustrating. So let them leave the new material to their solo projects. Besides, people who are paying a lot of money to see the new "Eagles" probably want the hits.

I'm not ready to criticise Don for his change of mind, although I hope he gives an explanation. The band ending with Glenn seemed like the right decision.

A further thought is these two shows needn't tarnish their reputation. I think of Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry touring as "The Who" and although they are not what they were in their prime with Keith Moon and John Entwhistle, it doesn't take away from their legacy.

[eaglesfan]

Well, now! Wasn't that uplifting? While disappointed in their decision for these shows, I certainly think more of the guys than all of that! And this from someone who apparently believes they are supporting them.
For those who want to go to the concerts, they should go and have fun. For those of us who are unhappy--good people may bow to pressure or make ill- advised choices for various reasons that they later regret.
No matter what you believe, hurtful comments about the deceased is seldom a good idea.

Are you suggesting that I made hurtful comments about the deceased? I didn't. I actually said Frey was the quarterback of the Eagles.