But I also think that in the back of Irving's mind, he knew that
once I make up my mind about something, there's no changing it. And I told him two years ago, 'It's over. You can announce it and whatever. I'm finished' I've got a new life ahead of me--my 302. And I'm going to spend it my way. I was a good soldier for nine years; a pretty good soldier anyway, barring a couple of upheavals now and then. It was just time to change.
I didn't want to see the Eagles--the purity of the band--destroyed by going out there and doing "Take it Easy" for the 12th summer in a row, with a beer belly, 38 years old, greed and lost youth etched into the audience's mind.