Glyn Johns

Eagles credits
Producer, Engineer: Eagles LP, Desperado, On the Border (for the songs "Best of My Love" and "You Never Cry Like a Lover")

Biography/Discography
Glyn Johns on Wikipedia
Glyn Johns on AllMusicGuide

Involvement with the Eagles
Johns was an established producer who had worked with the likes of the Who and the Rolling Stones when David Geffen approached him to work with his brand-new band, the Eagles, in 1971. While Johns at first refused after being less-than-impressed with their live performances, he heard them play acoustically while rehearsing and decided that if he produced them to highlight that, the band had potential.

The Eagles went to England to work with Johns at Olympic Studios. Johns took them in hand, enacted a strict no-drugs policy, overrode band concerns, and forced them to finish the Eagles album in less than three weeks. He especially clashed with Glenn Frey, dismissing his role as leader of the band and largely ignoring his input. Glenn wanted rock'n'roll, and Johns wanted countrified acoustic - and Johns won out. Johns saw Glenn as lording it over the other members and stifling them. In retrospect, he has admitted that he probably underestimated Glenn.

Despite their problems with Johns, they returned to England to work on Desperado with him. Johns believed strongly in the album and found its mediocre reception "disgraceful," blaming it on lack of promotion from the label. Despite Johns' excitement about the album, his relationship with the band did not improve.

When the band began work on On the Border, they already had their eye out for a new producer. After making Best of My Love and You Never Cry Like a Lover, they returned to America to finish the album with Bill Szymczyk.

Read an article on Glyn Johns' work with the Eagles here.

 

Producers