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The History of the Eagles - new DVD


wateroftyne
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(Yeah, yeah.. I know. I couldn't possibly get any uncooler anyway.)

I picked up the new Eagles documentary last week - four hours of interviews and archive footage tracing the history of the band. It's incredibly well put together, and it doesn't shy away from the battles between various members, management, etc. All very revealing stuff. I'd hate to be in a band with Glenn Frey (but the money could ease the pain).

The big thing for me is that there are interviews (current and archive) with Randy Meisner. IMO the guy is a legend, but he pretty much disappeared after leaving the band. It's great to hear him talk about his days as an Eagle.

I got the version with the bonus live DVD from 1977 - it's the footage that produced the live version of Hotel California you always used to see on MTV, but the audio and video has been restored and it's astonishing. Randy's playing a Rick with flats and it sounds great, and when he sings Take it to the Limit... whooah.

I know 90% of you won't agree, but... what a great band they were.

Edited by wateroftyne
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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1367826175' post='2069735']

I know 90% of you won't agree, but... what a great band they were.
[/quote]

I admire your courage in admitting to this. Is there a self help group? Only kidding. I'm with you on this - in fact I think I may have to visit HMV for this particular gem...

Cheers

Geoff

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I'll put myself in the ten percent. Not everyone is going to love a 'strong' leader but that's what produces the goods sometimes, and they produced some goods in their time. Never liked the acoustic version of Hotel California though.

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We do a cover of Life In The Fast Lane. That always goes down well.
Does anyone remember an anti- Eagles parody song that went along the lines of: 'Don Henley must die, Please dont let him get back with Glen Frey'! :D

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Ignorance is bliss.

I know very little about The Eagles as people, or as a working unit, but I've always loved their music.

Not sure that learning that they were a complete bunch of tossers is going to help ...

:rolleyes:

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This dvd or part of it anyway, is going to be on BBC tv within the next few weeks, possibly on BBC 4 on a friday night. I don`t know when but I am looking forward to it. It`s good that Frey and co gave the other guys their say.

Can`t say I`m over keen on their music but you can`t beat a good rock n roll yarn!

Edited by jezzaboy
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Generally I find the Eagles dull and wishy washy, with a few notable exceptions, one of which is "Get Over It".

Unfortunately I've just joined a band that includes "Hotel California" and "Peaceful easy Feeling" in the set list. The first I can just about tolerate (better to play than to listen to), but the second is just dreary.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1367826175' post='2069735']
(Yeah, yeah.. I know. I couldn't possibly get any uncooler anyway.)
[/quote]

Nope, you've actually gone up in my estimations :D

I saw it advertised beside a video on YouTube, but never thought much of it, but i'll have to get a copy now based on this! My dad will probably like it too, he's been a big Eagles fan since his teens. He's the reason I like them. He always used to listen to them in the car. My parents have great taste in music, and I recently found out that both sides of my family happen to be quite musical. who'd have thought it, looking at me? :D

Seriously though, thanks for the thread! It might make a good gift for my dad for looking after me :)

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I too have bought the 3 DVD boxset. Fantastic stuff. The band's catalogue of songs and their vocal harmonies are wonderful.

I have to agree re Glen Frey and Don Henley, BIG egos, with Frey's being incredibly over inflated - he comes accross as a real dick.

Its interesting to see how the members have aged. Randy Meisner is practically unrecognizable from his 70's persona, as is Bernie Leadon due to the loss of his trademark curly hair. Joe Walsh is looking good, but his voice has the tell tale slurring to mark the many years of indulgence.

Don Felder looks fantastic. I guess being removed from the stress of the Eagles environment has been good for him? Have you read his biography "Heaven and Hell"? That's a good one, aven after Frey and Henley's laeyers did their best to neuter the content.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLcL4MkpJQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1367827036' post='2069744']
I personally don't get the animosity towards the Eagles. I am a huge fan and hope I can afford to get tickets when they tour here. I will certainly get the DVD.
[/quote]

They are touring the UK? My dad saw them once years ago. If they are touring here, I want tickets! :D

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Whilst on the subject of the Eagles, if there are any Bernie Leadon fans out there, this is a great album he made in 1977.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Progressions-US-Release/dp/B001F2Q5NI/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367863903&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=bearnie+leadon"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Progressions-US-Release/dp/B001F2Q5NI/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367863903&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=bearnie+leadon[/url]

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Watching the DVD - during the section about Bernie Leadon pouring the beer over Glen Frey's head - I was thinking, "why is the theme tune to The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy playing in the background? ". A quick google search revealed thst the theme tune was sctually a segment of the Eagles' track "Journey Of The Sorcerer". Well I never, who would have guessed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOMGIbY-9s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1367868825' post='2070490']
Watching the DVD - during the section about Bernie Leadon pouring the beer over Glen Frey's head - I was thinking, "why is the theme tune to The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy playing in the background? ". A quick google search revealed thst the theme tune was sctually a segment of the Eagles' track "Journey Of The Sorcerer". Well I never, who would have guessed?

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOMGIbY-9s&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]https://www.youtube....be_gdata_player[/url]
[/quote]

That tune is burned into my psyche. Whenever I used to go for car journeys with my dad when I was a nipper, I'd ask him to put One Of These Nights on, on JotS in particular. I adore it.

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I watched the video the other day and I wouldn't mind being in a band with Joe Walsh but I'm not so sure about the others. I'm in two minds about the Eagles. They're just a bit too sterile. They got Joe into the band to rock it up a bit but even he has a hard time giving them an edge. It's all a bit corporate soft rock/country.

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[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1367829761' post='2069785']
Does anyone remember an anti- Eagles parody song that went along the lines of: 'Don Henley must die, Please dont let him get back with Glen Frey'! :D
[/quote]

Authored and performed by Mr Mojo Nixon, who also gifted us "Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child". Nixon wiki-stuff [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojo_Nixon"]here[/url]

As for the Eagles, I've always mightily enjoyed [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Resort_(song)"]The Last Resort[/url] as the perfect combination of sweet [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekytTpFy96o"]music[/url] and vitriolic [url="http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/4800/"]lyrics[/url].

Edited by skankdelvar
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[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1367841962' post='2070059']
Generally I find the Eagles dull and wishy washy, with a few notable exceptions, one of which is "Get Over It".

Unfortunately I've just joined a band that includes "Hotel California" and "Peaceful easy Feeling" in the set list. The first I can just about tolerate (better to play than to listen to), but the second is just dreary.
[/quote]
Check out the non-hits..there are some really great songs that pretty much never get radio play.

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1367879891' post='2070672']
I'm in two minds about the Eagles. They're just a bit too sterile.
[/quote]

I hear this a lot about the Eagles, and it's something I've never understood. 'Sterile' to me is the shiny, polished stuff that comes out of Nashville. The Eagles canon is just meticulously arranged songs played incredibly well. IMO, of course.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1367907112' post='2070757']
I hear this a lot about the Eagles, and it's something I've never understood. 'Sterile' to me is the shiny, polished stuff that comes out of Nashville. The Eagles canon is just meticulously arranged songs played incredibly well. IMO, of course.
[/quote]

I thought that too. I've never heard them called sterile before. For me, they aren't on the wrong side of country, a bit disco sometimes, and enough rock for me to like them. In fact, I more than like them, I love them.

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I may have to watch this, I loved the Eagles for a year or two when I was 18ish (super cool I was, this was in the mid-90s) Always felt that once Bernie Leadon left it all got a bit sh*t though.
I am right in thinking that Timothy B/ Schmidt really was only on 1 album though aren't I? So all this reunion stuff is largely lies isn't it?

When you get Leadon, Meisner, Frey and Henley to do the gig, I might want to see it.
:)

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[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1367922202' post='2070963']
I may have to watch this, I loved the Eagles for a year or two when I was 18ish (super cool I was, this was in the mid-90s) Always felt that once Bernie Leadon left it all got a bit sh*t though.
I am right in thinking that Timothy B/ Schmidt really was only on 1 album though aren't I? So all this reunion stuff is largely lies isn't it?

When you get Leadon, Meisner, Frey and Henley to do the gig, I might want to see it.
:)
[/quote]

Tim's a great player too. His lines on The Long Run are great. Yep - he was only around for the last album and tour, and the 'new' album (which is mostly junk IMO) but, in total, he's technically been in the band far longer than Randy.

I don't agree that they went t'pot after Bernie left. The post-Leadon albums are awesome, IMO.

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