Eagles.... 3.0

[Brooke]

Well, I'm way behind here. Too much life going on for me, but I really wish they wouldn't do this. It looks inevitable though. I could accept it if it's only the two big shows on the E & W coast. That will be a huge thing with all the other bands performing. They probably ok'd it with Cindy and the money will be huge for them. I'm sure they just can't turn down the money. I would never go to such a thing, way too much chaos for me.

As for them touring again as the Eagles or even with Family and Friends, no. Glenn is gone and the band is no more. Don said so, Irving said so, JD said so. I don't care how they describe themselves. I will never go see the Eagles without Glenn. He was too big a part. This all just makes me sad that they have forgotten him already. I don't think there will be a proper fan tribute to him now. Too much time has passed.

[sodascouts]

I keep going back and forth.

One minute I'm all "They're not billing themselves as the Eagles; maybe they'll do some kind of tribute to Glenn; Fleetwood Mac is playing" and it all sounds OK. You can't blame them for wanting to play together again, especially when you consider the amount of money they'll be making. They probably miss playing for huge crowds, too. I can only imagine what it feels like to have that much mass adulation directed at you. The lifestyle they had become accustomed to - the massive amounts of money pouring in, the private planes jetting them around the world, the adoring crowds filling arenas, etc. - it was all snatched away from them when Glenn was taken. Presumably they had the sense to lay aside some of their earnings for the inevitable day when they Eagles would end, and they can still make money on their own... but not nearly as much as they can doing an "Eagles Family and Friends" arrangement. Plus, the more money they make, the more money Azoff and all of the other people riding the Eagles gravy train can make. Sure, they can get jobs elsewhere, but will those jobs be as lucrative? You can bet they're putting pressure on the guys to keep the money rolling in.

Then I try to imagine what it would be like seeing them without Glenn and with guest performers "filling in".... and I feel a little sick inside. Unless it's a tribute, it will be such a pale shadow of the real Eagles... and can it really be a tribute in such a setting, especially since it's being done multiple times? It's certainly not being billed as such. Seeing them like that would feel like losing Glenn all over again, in a way. It would physically hurt.

I guess we'll see. Like I said, I keep going back and forth. I'm still undecided about whether I'm going to go, but I won't call it disrespectful if they are recognizing it's not the Eagles without Glenn.

[Dawn]

The sad thing is no one knows just how irreplaceable Glenn Frey is to the Eagles then the three remaining Eagles themselves. Of course Azoff also knows but simple truth is this wouldn't be happening without Azoff . He is the man with the plan now expected to make bazillions from the bicoastal version of last year's hugely profitable Desert Trip Festival.

Fleetwood Mac, EFF, are headlining so we could presume they'd be paid more ala Paul McCartney and Roger Waters who are believed to have been paid $20 million each with $14 million estimated to have been paid to each of the remaining 4 bands at 2016 DTF. Edited to add seems The Stones earnings would be in McCartney and Waters (Pink Floyd) range????

Of course actual numbers would vary plus or minus. I don't know if that info is available online though. Be interesting to know the real deal.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradaue.../#38545e537ec3

[UndertheWire]

Thank you for the Forbes link. An earlier article (possibly The Sun) suggested the payout would be around £4m ($5m) and I thought that seemed rather low. With Glenn, they were supposedly able to charge up to $2m for a private show and it's been said many times that they were offered $1m for the US festival in the 80s. I couldn't see that $5m for two shows would be enough to tempt them.

My feeling is that they can go ahead if they want but I won't see them and it's not the Eagles. What makes me cringe is that my reaction is very close to what I've seen from Felder fans about the band from 2000 onwards.

[Funk 50]

That would be:
Eagles
+ Family And Friends

Many thanks for the correction UndertheWire. I wasn't sure about the "+" but completely overlooked the more obvious and blatant error .

I don't know how much the band will miss Glenn but I know that they will. In my opinion, The Henley, Frey, Meisner harmonies were peerless. Henley, Frey, Schmit, outstanding. Henley, Schmit... nothing special.

I'm hoping JD's involved because, as well as being a major Eagles songwriter, who regularly performs a number of their tracks live, his harmony vocals are Eagle-esque, plus his inclusion increases the chances of Joe's Last Good Time In Town making the live set list.

I think I've heard that the hope is to make the Classic East / West shows an annual event. Whether this year's shows are a success or not, I hope Eagles, Family And Friends, or however they're billed, are back in 2018, particularly if they spend the intervening period working (or playing) separately.

[thelastresort]

... plus his inclusion increases the chances of Joe's Last Good Time In Town making the live set list.

This alone should be the reason they don't reunite!

[Brooke]

This alone should be the reason they don't reunite!

If they weren't very "close" as far as being real friends during the last few years of big time touring, wouldn't you think that they would rather just hang it up and do their own thing? I guess this kind of money can make you do just about anything. But, they are multi-millionaires! Do you never get enough?

[maryc2130]

I could be very wrong, but I don't think it's all about money. First of all, I doubt that they need the money, and these days, they probably have the luxury of not making career decisions based solely on financial concerns.

Secondly, Don, Joe and Tim may not be close personally, but they seem to enjoy playing together. I think Joe in particular is very invested emotionally in the Eagles. He had to get sober to play with the Eagles, not a small task, and he did. I think it's a big part of who he is right now. Of the three, I can see Timothy wanting to remain with the group because he would draw the smallest audience solo. (This is not a knock on Tim; I love his music, but it's just reality.) The biggest question in my mind was whether Don would want to do something like this, as he seems really happy performing his solo shows, but apparently he is also vested in the group, at least somewhat.

Also, as I said before, I think they feel some responsibility toward the people they employ. And by this, I don't mean Irving, although I'm sure he's the #1 person pushing them to do this.

This is, of course, just my 2 cents, and I could be completely wrong. Let's face it, we are all just guessing here, and none of us really knows (or most likely will ever know) their true motives. I do think it's fair to say that it's a mixture of many factors that's made them decide to do this. I, for one, am glad they're doing it, and hope there will be other shows.

No, it won't be the Eagles (thankfully!), and yes, I'll miss Glenn, but I love these guys, and I'm happy that they'll be playing together again.

[Freypower]

At the risk of repeating myself I find the idea of them doing this & then continuing, grotesque in the extreme. UTW, I note what you said about the Felder parallel. Perhaps I'm the same. But that was a lineup change. THIS... this is something else entirely.

[Funk 50]

If you discount Hell Freezes Over as a live album, Eagles have changed line-ups every album since 1973's Desperado.

The difference between Felder and Frey's exits are that Don's was intentional, for which Glenn shouldered the blame, Glenn's was unintentional. nobody can be held responsible. In both cases the validity of the remaining band is questioned by their most loyal disciples.

Hindsight suggests that the band will continue to attract new fans as long as they keep going.