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Thread: Glyn Johns autobiography

  1. #11
    Stuck on the Border
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    The book arrived on my Kindle overnight and I've read the Eagles chapters. There's little that you don't already know and his writing style doesn't bring it life. I prefer his interviews when promoting the book.

    What I learned:

    - he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad". He says they continued to work together through the afternoon and he realised they were better musically than he'd originally thought. He felt incompetent for not spotting their potential earlier.

    - there was an unpleasant situation about the recording of Nightingale. Part of this was Johns being stubborn and not liking Geffen telling him what to do. I thought Johns came across badly in this and the band were stuck in the middle.

    - he thinks Desperado suffered because Geffen didn't give it as much attention as the first album.

    - he saw cracks in the band with Desperado and these were much bigger for On the Border. He tried to heal these by encouraging greater equality. Glenn didn't like being told to give the others more of a chance.

    - they didn't have many songs ready for On the Border. When the recording sessions were halted, Johns thought it was just to give them time to write some songs.

    - Johns thinks they were right to go with a different producer, although he likes the work they did with him better.

  2. #12
    Moderator Brooke's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Thanks for the info, UtW!

    A couple little tidbits there anyway! Interesting!
    https://i.imgur.com/CuSdAQM.jpg
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  3. #13
    Border Rebel Scarlet Sun's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Quote Originally Posted by UndertheWire View Post
    - he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad". He says they continued to work together through the afternoon and he realised they were better musically than he'd originally thought. He felt incompetent for not spotting their potential earlier.
    A-ha, I had always suspected it was Most Of Us Are Sad. The earlier account had identified it as "a ballad Randy had written"

    Quote Originally Posted by UndertheWire View Post

    - they didn't have many songs ready for On the Border. When the recording sessions were halted, Johns thought it was just to give them time to write some songs.
    They recorded almost an entire an album with him, but most of the songs were very medicore. It may have killed their career if they had finished and released that version of the album

    Quote Originally Posted by UndertheWire View Post
    he likes the work they did with him better.
    Me too

  4. #14
    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Quote Originally Posted by UndertheWire View Post
    - he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad".
    Wow, mystery solved! You know, that song is really underrated.

    there was an unpleasant situation about the recording of Nightingale. Part of this was Johns being stubborn and not liking Geffen telling him what to do. I thought Johns came across badly in this and the band were stuck in the middle.
    What, they were arguing about his production of it?

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

  5. #15
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Quote Originally Posted by sodascouts View Post
    What, they were arguing about his production of it?
    They tried to record Nightingale it in London but it didn't work. Geffen asked Johns to have another go but Johns refused so Geffen sent the band into an LA studio with a different producer. That didn't work either so Bernie phoned Johns to beg him to try again. Johns was furious at the band's betrayal and flew to LA to give Geffen a piece of his mind. Geffen refused to release the album without Nightingale so Johns agreed to have another go. It still didn't work but was included anyway.

    Johns says that he'd been thinking of Geffen as the manager - who shouldn't interfere with the record production - but realised that as the record label, Geffen did have that right.

  6. #16
    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Oh, I remember reading about this from the other producer's perspective (Bill Halverson). Halverson put up his recording of Nightingale along with Get Up Kate on his website. It's linked from the below thread, if anyone would like to hear it. It's interesting to compare it to what was released.

    https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/...ead.php?t=4348

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  7. #17
    Moderator Ive always been a dreamer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Thanks for linking to that Soda. As soon as I read UTW's post this morning, I remembered that we had heard an alternate version of Nightingale, but I didn't have time to search for it at the time.

    "People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
    Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016

  8. #18
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    I've finished the book and it's readable without being that exciting. It's amazing how many people Glyn Johns has worked with over the years but too often it's more like a list of artists and session players. His "voice" is very similar to what you see in HotE. He's a forceful character and often makes his mind up quickly and is reluctant to change it but he'll admit to being wrong afterwards.

    One story fits in the Glenn's "school marm" comment. Johns is quite particular about time-keeping. He was working with Eric Clapton and Eric turned up with a note from Patti Boyd to explain it was her fault that Eric was late, just like a mother sending a note to teacher.

    Bernie worked as a session music on many recordings that Glyn Johns produced or engineered and seems to be one of Johns' go-to guys.

    The impression he gives is that recording the first two Eagles were very good experiences and he was quite close to the band at that time.

    I've read some of Ethan Russell's e-book and there are overlaps because Johns and Russell worked with the same bands at the same time. For a good read covering much of the same period and bands, you can't beat Tom Wright's Roadwork.

    It's a short book and a quarter is discography, index and acknowledgements so not great value.

  9. #19
    Moderator Ive always been a dreamer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    UTW - Thanks again for your diligence in recapping Glyn's book. I appreciate you helping me make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase it.

    "People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
    Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016

  10. #20
    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Glyn Johns autobiography

    Yes, thanks, UTW. Right now I'm leaning towards skipping it.

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

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