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Don Felders book about the Eagles?


Gizzyboo

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anyone read Don Felders book about the Eagles? I'm amazed with all the crap that went on. But also i wonder if Frey and Henley wern't such sticks in the mud and meticulous (and maybe a little greedy) would they have reached the sucess level they did. Maybe Felder should have just played the game like Schmit and Walsh.

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anyone read Don Felders book about the Eagles? I'm amazed with all the crap that went on. But also i wonder if Frey and Henley wern't such sticks in the mud and meticulous (and maybe a little greedy) would they have reached the sucess level they did. Maybe Felder should have just played the game like Schmit and Walsh.

 

 

As I understand it, Felder was hired as a full member of the band, which was not the case with Schmit and Walsh. The lawsuit, which Felder won under terms of secrecy, was not over royalties or rights, but wrongful termination. Maybe Tim and Joe should have played the game like Don did.

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No ... but I heard him on Stern a while back and it was fascinating.

 

 

That was great, also Joe walsh playing "Desperado" on Stern years ago pushed the Eagles reunion back ten years at least because Henley was so pissed.....he sounds like a total tool....better watch out he might sue me.

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What Eagles songs did Felder sing lead on? I am drawing a blank, other than the "Heavy Metal" song from the movie, that wasn't Sammy Hagar.

 

I don't believe Felder sang lead on any tune for the Eagles: at least that's what Henley says in the liner notes of one of the Greatest Hits collections I have laying around here....

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No, Felder didnt sing any tunes. He did do back up harmonies i believe. But what a great lead player. Him and Walsh on the "Hotel C." ending, top rate. I think Frey's vocal is over rated and i don't believe he plays lead. But having said that, he's credited for the lead guitar on "I can't tell you Why", studio version. Which is pretty impressive i must say.

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I think Frey's vocal is over rated and i don't believe he plays lead. But having said that, he's credited for the lead guitar on "I can't tell you Why", studio version. Which is pretty impressive i must say.

 

I'm sure you meant Felder was credited for lead on "I can't tell you why".

 

There's a video on Youtube of the band recording that last album and you can see Felder waiting around until the end for that unusually long outro.

 

 

Felder didn't sing anything as far as I know, but he did write the music for Hotel California. In fact, the Eagles originally gave Felder first listing on the credits for HC because he was the major contributor. During the rehearsals for the MTV unplugged Hell Freezes Over, they decided to change Hotel up and Frey charged Felder with the responsibility of coming up with an equally impressive, yet unique intro on the spot! :eek:

 

When they unceremoniously kicked him off of the 3rd or 4th comeback tour, due to money, and released the latest Greatest Hits compilation, they gave Felder 3rd listing on the credits for Hotel California.

 

I love Joe Walsh and have the utmost respect for his business decisions, but after reading Felder's book and really studying his style, I can say that I have a new found respect for "Fingers Felder". IIRC, he wrote both guitar parts for Hotel California.

 

BTW, Felder is the only one you see smiling in all of the old/new footage of the band. He strikes me as the only one who was relaxed and really enjoying the moment every time. How can you piss on a guy that seems that happy to be a part of it when he's contributing and pulling his weight?

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Well, it says in black and white on my Long Run CD as it did on the record i had many years ago that Frey plays guitar solo on "I can't tell you why". I wasn't in the the studio to confirm and I believe Felder would have disputed it in his book if he was the actual player. But maybe he did play it but all the evidence points to Frey. Interesting dispute because Felder does an excellent job with the solo on Hell Freezes Over.

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I love Joe Walsh and have the utmost respect for his business decisions, but after reading Felder's book and really studying his style, I can say that I have a new found respect for "Fingers Felder". IIRC, he wrote both guitar parts for Hotel California.

 

 

Walsh said as much in a Guitar magazine interview, in the early 90s.

He had nothing but mucho praise for Felder.

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on the Hell Freezes Over DVD, it's Felder, not Frey playing the solo on "I can't tell you why".

 

In fact, with a couple of minor exceptions, Frey only plays rhythm on the DVD. Solos are shared between Walsh and Felder.

 

I once read an interview of Henley a couple of years ago. He was pretty clear that Frey calls the shots... I always thought Henley did.

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on the Hell Freezes Over DVD, it's Felder, not Frey playing the solo on "I can't tell you why".


In fact, with a couple of minor exceptions, Frey only plays rhythm on the DVD. Solos are shared between Walsh and Felder.


I once read an interview of Henley a couple of years ago. He was pretty clear that Frey calls the shots... I always thought Henley did.

 

 

Henley didn't really become his own man, as a songwriter, until Hotel California. He'd contributed several hits before then, but not with the scope he displayed on H.C.

That's one reason why The Eagles only lasted one more solo album, Henley was stockpiling great songs, and Frey didn't have the material to match him.

 

The proof was their respective solo careers, in the 80s.

Frey had a few hits on uneven albums, while Henley totally blew up, writing songs that have become pop/rock standards and becoming one of the biggest artists of the decade.

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I really enjoyed the book.

 

I'm neither a big Eagles fan, nor an Eagles hater.

 

Frankly, I consider them to be a 'greatest hits' band - That is, a band where if you have the Greatest hits CD and nothing else, you're not really missing anything.

 

They were a decent easy listening band (think Bread, or America) until they added Felder and Walsh, and then for two albums they became a 'classic rock' band.

 

That being said, Henley and Frey have always seemed to be world class douchebags with a grotesquely inflated sense of their own importance.

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Henley was a cock

frey started out cool but became a cock

Henly hated Joe walsh, Frey loved him

Frey hated Don Felder, Henley loved him

T B Schmidt was the only one flying under the drama radar...

 

Now they are like kiss...strictly a business venture...henley and frey despise each other but KNOW this business, The Eagles, needs them both...so they carry on for da $$$$...Felder was just a guitar player, he did not sing ONE hit...the rest of them did...so of course to maximize $$$ they replace everyone not needed to sing the hits...Schmidt, Walsh, Frey, Henley...they all have key Eagles tunes necessary to the set list...

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"And by tomorrow morning I'll have Glen Frey's stink all over me." ROT mo-fuggin' L

 

Felder is a band owner, right? It is split 3 ways with Frey, Henley, and Felder right? So that means, even tho' they won't let him play with them, he laughs all the way to the bank. They still have to pay when they play anything he wrote, and he gets an owner's % of the profits, onstage or off.....mailbox money DEEEE-luxe

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Henley was a cock

frey started out cool but became a cock

Henly hated Joe walsh, Frey loved him

Frey hated Don Felder, Henley loved him

T B Schmidt was the only one flying under the drama radar...


Now they are like kiss...strictly a business venture...henley and frey despise each other but KNOW this business, The Eagles, needs them both...so they carry on for da $$$$...Felder was just a guitar player, he did not sing ONE hit...the rest of them did...so of course to maximize $$$ they replace everyone not needed to sing the hits...Schmidt, Walsh, Frey, Henley...they all have key Eagles tunes necessary to the set list...

 

There's a lesson here for non-singing guitar players:

 

You are utterly replaceable, so shut the hell up! :thu:

 

Seriously though, if you don't sing, don't expect to call the shots and don't be surprised when you are sent packing for someone who can do both.

 

Which I think anyone should be able to do.

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Henley was a cock

frey started out cool but became a cock

Henly hated Joe walsh, Frey loved him

Frey hated Don Felder, Henley loved him

T B Schmidt was the only one flying under the drama radar.

 

 

Tim Schmidt probably doesn't care, since he does fine as a solo artist and session guy.

He's so laid-back and good-natured, he's even buddies with Randy Meisner...which also says something about Randy, IMO.

You wanna talk about somebody who should hold a grudge against Frey and Henley? After Meisner quit the Eagles, he's pretty much been persona non grata.

Frey and Henley's faces when they were inducted into the R&RHOF made it clear they were barely tolerating Randy's presence.

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That book was FASCINATING.

 

I always had a ton of respect for Don Felder, because I knew the story about Hotel California, and always admired his tasteful playing, but I never knew about the {censored} Frey and Henley put him through. I already thought those two were self-absorbed assholes (especially Frey), and the book only served to provide more support for that theory.

 

Brian V.

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But i see Felder now singing with his band on youtube. Why didn't he sing the scatter tune with the Eagles? On youtube he's singing Hotel California but on a lower key i believe. Maybe he just didn't want to. I can't remember "Visions". I will have to check that out.

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But i see Felder now singing with his band on youtube. Why didn't he sing the scatter tune with the Eagles? On youtube he's singing Hotel California but on a lower key i believe. Maybe he just didn't want to. I can't remember "Visions". I will have to check that out.

 

They wouldn't allow him to sing, basically.

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