Now that Glenn Frey is gone.... - History of the Eagles (2013) Discussion

[–] highschoolkiller 8 years ago

Highly doubt that's gonna happen, henley would probably get a bitch fit if that happens.

I hated Jaws, it had too much shark, and dont get me started about King Kong, waaay too much gorilla

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

I'd guess from here on, it's down to the individual. The Eagles are done and there's no need to tread carefully for fear of upsetting the band or Henley. On the other hand, it's possible they might want to avoid any public reconciliation out of respect for Frey or maybe they have no particular wish to play with Felder.

Bernie Leadon has said that he's still in touch with Felder and yet they haven't played together either between 1980 and 1994 or between 1996 and 2013 when they were both free of Eagles committments.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

How do you know there's anything to patch up? Are you speaking about their personal relationships or playing together? As far as playing together, like touring, the only 2 I see doing that are Walsh and Felder. They're the only ones who could generate any interest. However, Walsh has a successful solo career. He's going out on tour this summer with Bad Company. Maybe these guys might jam or do a benefit, but I don't see Walsh, Leadon or Schmit playing together with Felder. The Eagles are over. We didn't need Don Henley to confirm that a couple days ago.

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[–] acirluster 8 years ago

If they haven't already I think they should. I thought it was kind of unfair to pin the entire first breakup of the Eagles (1980) squarely on Don Felder as the documentary seemed to do. I mean if he was causing all of this trouble back then like Frey says he was why didn't they just fire him and move on? What actually happened (and the documentary doesn't mention) was that Frey himself left the band after the Long Beach concert and would not speak to any of them for many years. I think Frey was having issues not only with Felder at that time but with Henley also, and probably Walsh and Schmit as well to a certain degree. But the documentary totally made Felder out to be the bad guy in all of that when it was mostly (if not entirely) Glenn Frey that was responsible for the band splitting up.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

The documentary said there were fractures in the band between everyone - they didn't blame it on Felder. Doesn't everyone know Glenn went his own way after they broke up? Didn't someone say he even left Azoff? I thought that was public knowledge and he more or less said it in the documentary. If Frey thought Felder was responsible for breaking up the band, he never would have contacted him for the reunion. They had video of that fight so it was great for the documentary. As much video as they had, I'm surprised they didn't have a fight between Frey and Henley because I bet there were a few of those.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

A two hour documentary (Part One) doesn't have time to tell the story in detail. Instead, they keep it interesting by showing the high - and low - lights.
Guess what? Bernie Leadon didn't leave immediately after pouring a beer over Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner continued to tour after the "fight" with Glenn Frey. What those scenes did was illustrate that relationships had broken down and with the Cranston benefit, the proverbial straw.

If the documentary doesn't tell you everything you want to know, at least it hints that there's more to the story. If anyone wants to know more, they can do more research.

Yes, Glenn Frey was the one to leave in 1980 and he was quite happy to admit that in the early 80s and he gave good reasons - he wasn't enjoying working with the Eagles and he wanted to be his own boss, have some fun and find time for a personal life. At that time, Don Henley also said that Glenn was tired of being the leader and being hated for it (which is where Don Felder fits into it).

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

Also, it was obvious Glenn and Don had issues. I always called Glenn "Billy Bad Ass' from Detroit and Don, 'the good ole boy from Texas'. Don didn't try to get into fights or declare he was the boss, but Don is passive aggressive and I'm sure he and Glenn had disagreements. In fact, I was disappointed that Don used the word dysfunction in his statement about Glenn's death. What was the point of adding that to a tribute after someone dies? There are other minor things in the documentary where Don is like that, so I'm sure in real life at times they were like oil and water and that relationship had a bigger impact on the band than Don Felder.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

In fact, I was disappointed that Don used the word dysfunction in his statement about Glenn's death.

I agree. A eulogy is not the right time to say ANYTHING disparaging about the departed.

My assumption is that "dysfunction" was a way of soft-pedaling the toll that drugs had taken on Glenn Frey throughout his life. Maybe Henley was hoping to send a message to young people with that veiled hint.

(As if Prince, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, etc. etc. etc. weren't lessons enough)

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

How do you equate dysfunction with drugs? Don was talking about their relationship. I have a theory - maybe it's a wild one, but no wilder than one referring to drugs. Glenn seemed to have gotten ill pretty quickly and even though he was ill for a couple of months before he died, I don't know if anyone outside of his family were able to see him. My theory is Don didn't get to see and talk to Glenn before he died. He might have felt guilty because of their entire life of disagreements or perhaps the last time they saw each other, they had a fight. Because that was just an odd thing to say in a tribute, but from watching and listening to Don all these years, it sounds like something he would say because I think he always feels guilty about something. That was his way of saying to the world, but really to himself, 'I really loved you, man, no matter what I said the last time I saw you.'

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

How do you equate dysfunction with drugs?

Well, first you did say:

In fact, I was disappointed that Don used the word dysfunction in his statement about Glenn's death.

Implying the statement was about Frey's death, not their relationship.

Also, Henley's quote was:

He was like my brother. And like most families, there was some dysfunction.

Of course they weren't really brothers. So what do you think the "dysfunction" was based on? Arguing over money? Arguing over what chord progression to use?

The History of the Eagles made it clear they were all using cocaine heavily toward the end, and if there is one constant regarding cocaine is that prolonged use makes people extremely selfish and self-centered. Friendships can't be maintained when cocaine is in the equation.

It also tends to shorten life. Why do you think Glenn Frey died 10 years younger than the average American?

The first Eagles conflict the movie mentioned was Glenn Frey wanting to use drugs in the studio and Glyn Johns saying no. Frey mentions drugs over and over during the course of the story, including riding with a drug dealer when he got the idea for Life In The Fast Lane.

I noticed that Frey was rather mocking and disrespectful toward Joe Walsh and his substance abuse problems. I also notice that it was never mentioned that Glenn Frey went to rehab. Cocaine addiction is not so easy to shake on your own.

I suspect Frey was using until the end, hence the lack of detail in what the cause of his death was.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

When Don used the word dysfunction it was about their relationship. I personally believe Glenn's illnesses were related to his drug use, but from the little we know there is no causation. I had no idea until he died and right before that he and Henley had such long lasting problems with drugs. Henley is so private and wants to be the good one, he always deflected it, but he did tell Howard Stern about a month before Glenn died that he went cold turkey in the late 80's or early 90's. They both had drug issues - it's one reason they looked so bad. I read a joke on Twitter once that said if someone came back to earth after 30 years, they would be shocked that Joe Walsh is now the best looking Eagle. However, the word dysfunction in Don's tribute was about his relationship with Glenn, not drugs.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

However, the word dysfunction in Don's tribute was about his relationship with Glenn

It was, at one level. But the relationship between Frey and Henley existed at multiple, complicated levels. Drugs were one of those levels.

not drugs.

Maybe, maybe not. Don Henley is a complicated guy. Parse his words and you'll find a lot of hidden and shaded meanings. He didn't mention it in the movie, but Glenn Frey said that both he and Don Henley enjoyed putting a lot of secret meaning in their songwriting and there are some things (notably in Hotel California) that nobody will ever figure out.

I don't know for sure that Henley was thinking partially of drugs when he used the word "dysfunction" but I consider it a possibility.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

I don't know for sure that Henley was thinking partially of drugs when he used the word "dysfunction" but I consider it a possibility.

No. Why in the world would he be talking about drugs in his comments about Glenn's death? That doesn't even make sense.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

No. Why in the world would he be talking about drugs in his comments about Glenn's death? That doesn't even make sense.

That has already been explained. Drugs had a big impact on their relationship and likely had a big impact on Frey's death, both of which were the reasons Henley was talking.

Drugs may not be a big deal to you. But you weren't a rock star in the 70's. The movie addresses the issue of drugs but mostly in the light-hearted dismissive way all addicts discuss their substance of choice. They pretend it is just a casual habit, no big deal. "I can quit whenever I want to". But...they can't. It dominates every facet of life.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

Again, I'm going to challenge that recreational drugs played a big part in Frey's death. He suffered from a serious disease that was not caused by his drug taking. and the prescription drugs used to treat that condition may have contributed to his early death. Rheumatoid arthritis is treated with drugs that suppress the immune system and make it harder to fight off the infections that cause pneumonia. RA can also cause damage to the heart and lungs, as well as joints.

It may make you feel better to think that Frey brought in on himself through lifestyle choices, but that's not what happened.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

Again, I'm going to challenge that recreational drugs played a big part in Frey's death.

It may make you feel better to think that Frey brought in on himself through lifestyle choices, but that's not what happened.

Feel free to challenge. But you don't know what really happened any more than I do. It looks like R.A. drugs were likely the largest contributor to his death. But to say drugs had absolutely no effect is not a valid conclusion either.

I don't have any "feelings" about it. But I know that spending 15 years doing enough cocaine to make your nose gush blood is likely to weaken your heart. Smoking heavily also does that. Pneumonia, by itself, doesn't kill you. Your heart has to stop for you to die. It may be that if his heart had been stronger he would have survived longer. But I don't claim to "know" as you seem to be doing.

But if it makes you feel better to think that doing massive amounts of drugs for many years has absolutely no effect on your body, you are free to think that.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

We know he used cocaine. We don't know how much or for how long and we don't know how much damage it did to his body.

However, what we do know is that he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, both serious diseases that are not specifically linked with cocaine use. We were also told that he developed pneumonia which is a killer, especially with people with a compromised immune system.

You are speculating based on limited knowledge of his drug-use 30-40 years ago, whereas I am going by the statement given after his death that listed three serious conditions that are consistent with what is known of his medical history over the last 20 years.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

You are speculating based on limited knowledge of his drug-use 30-40 years ago, whereas I am going by the statement given after his death that listed three serious conditions that are consistent with what is known of his medical history over the last 20 years.

Yes, but you are stating that the reasons you cite are the only possible factors. A statement of such narrow certainty cannot be correct, even if made by his own personal physician.

I am suggesting there might be other factors involved. My broad statement is correct because it only mentions possibilities. Using the movie as a source of information, there is much there to suggest Glenn Frey was a heavy cocaine user.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/eagles-guitarist-glenn-freys-secret-7207220

The article above states that Frey gave himself gastric ulcers and had to have his colon and his nose surgically reconstructed several time because of his excessive cocaine (and alcohol) abuse. How much foreign substance does it take to actually do that much damage? A lot, I think. For some reason you are denying that his 15-20 years of drug use could have affected his immune system and contributed to the arthritis. I am not so sure.

If you think Frey was completely and fully recovered from such massive physical damage and it couldn't possibly have anything to do with his death, that's fine for you. But it doesn't make a very plausible argument to me. (nor did I ever believe that Michael Jackson and Prince died simply from exhaustion).

Nor am I 100% sure the story of his self-cold turkey quitting of drugs was accurate or permanent. A drug addict needs lifelong maintenance to remain clean and sober. Did he have that? Notice in the article how Frey's manager becomes very reticent when asked specifically which arthritis drugs contributed to his death. Of course I really don't know, but it sounds like the classic cover-up story to me. If he was still using, I'm sure he wouldn't want his family to know about it, even after his death.

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[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

Yeah, a lot of people don't get it. Use drugs for a long time, which Frey admitted to doing, and it will take it's toll. Maybe not always, but usually. Cocaine affects the sinuses and their ability to keep out infections and the heart as well.

There is a reason why pneumonia is so deadly to older people. As we age, our hearts gradually lose strength. Snorting coke as much as he admitted to doing weakens the heart.

And, anyone who thinks a rock star with millions of dollars and tons of "friends" to party with only does "a line" on occasion is an idiot.

As you said, he came up with the idea for Life In The Fast Lane while he was riding in a car with a drug dealer and they had drugs with them.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

(nor did I ever believe that Michael Jackson and Prince died simply from exhaustion).

Exhaustion? Michael Jackson's death was due to an overdose of Propofol and a doctor went to prison because of it and the official cause of Prince's death has not been made public yet.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

Are YOU on drugs?

No, I am not.

Michael Jackson's death was due to an overdose of Propanal

It is named "Propofol" also known as Diprivan.

the official cause of Prince's death has not been made public yet

It is good you can admit you don't know every last detail regarding Prince's death.

You should admit the same thing regarding the death of Glenn Frey. I admit that I don't know everything. You should too.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

I knew I spelled "Propofol" wrong but I was working and didn't have time to look it up. I never said a word about Prince. You brought him up, not me. Same with Glenn, I never said I knew anything about his death except the little I have read. Who are you responding to because I said none of those things?

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

What I have said is that there is nothing to link his death with his drug use whereas you are speculating that his death was caused by his cocaine use and that he was still using. As there was nothing suspicious about his death or its cause, I wonder why you feel a need for such speculation.

The Daily Mirror is trashy tabloid press that likes to sensationalise things. I believe their source for most of the information was Marc Eliot's book.

The only detail he gave about giving up cocaine was that after he left the Eagles, he cut down and was able to "become human again". And that when he stopped snorting, he didn't drink as much. As I neither know the extent of his cocaine habit nor the problems with quitting, I'm not going to speculate about how he was able to give up.

Azoff didn't name the drugs as he would run the risk of being sued by the pharmaceutical company.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

What I have said is that there is nothing to link his death with his drug use

What you should say is that you don't see anything to link them. Others do, and not just me.

As there was nothing suspicious about his death or its cause, I wonder why you feel a need for such speculation.

No need for cloak and dagger. It is a simple truth that long term drug abuse weakens every organ and system in the human body. Glenn Frey may have irreparably damaged his body with drugs. Why do you find that to be impossible?

The only detail he gave about giving up cocaine was that after he left the Eagles, he cut down and was able to "become human again". And that when he stopped snorting, he didn't drink as much.

This may be the truth. But it might not be. Part of drug addiction is making lying and shading the truth a normal part of your daily life. And Glenn Frey was a drug addict for years. Perhaps he was completely physically and mentally free of it by the time of his death. But perhaps he wasn't.

90% of drug addicts have occasional relapses throughout their lives. Perhaps Glenn Frey was one of the 10% who didn't. Perhaps he was part of the 90% who did but he didn't feel like telling the world about it. We will never know for sure either way.

Azoff didn't name the drugs as he would run the risk of being sued by the pharmaceutical company.

Perhaps. And perhaps there was more to it that we public schlubs in the general population have no right to know about. Again, we'll never know 100% of the full story. We just have to accept that truth.

Just as nobody else in the world knows 100% of the details of your life. If you have secrets, I see no reason that Glenn Frey didn't have any. I don't know all there is to know about Glenn Frey. Neither do you. Perhaps he was completely open and honest about all his drug use. But more likely what we heard was just the tip of the iceberg. That's how a drug user's lifestyle tends to work. Admit a little to avoid admitting a lot.

Think about your own friends and co-workers. They don't know the full extent of your life story and problems. Same for us and Glenn Frey. We all get an edited story.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

I am so confused as to why you are equating a tribute to a deceased person who was 'like a brother' with drug use? They have nothing to do with each other. If Glenn Frey had died of a drug overdose like Prince, what would be the point of talking about that in a tribute? Nothing. It hasn't been done with Prince and we know he died of a drug overdose and it wasn't done about Frey because first, he didn't die of a direct result of taking drugs and second, people don't do that in tributes to people when they die.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

It also tends to shorten life. Why do you think Glenn Frey died 10 years younger than the average American?

Because he suffered from rhematoid arthritis which on average reduces life expectancy by 10 years. There's no established link between cocaine use and RA, but smoking may increase the risk and severity and Frey was a smoker for a significant part of his life. Stress can also be a factor. It's a chronic and crippling disease and the treatments carry risk of serious side effects. If you look at photos of Frey over the last ten years, you can see the progresive changes to his hands and spine. That's arthritis, not drug-use. At the end, Frey would have been on careful regime of (prescription) drugs (and probably, biologics) to treat his condition and it's unlikely he was taking recreational drugs or even drinking much alcohol. "Complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia" is more than enough detail.

Frey seems to have given up cocaine around 1986/87 and got hooked on fitness, instead. He said he didn't go into rehab. Henley cleaned up a few years later and he also said he did it without rehab but that it took several attempts. When Frey spoke about why his attempts to work with Henley in 1990 hadn't worked, he gave one of the reasons as being that Henley was still living the LA lifestyle and he wasn't and I read that as being about drugs, alcohol and late nights.

I don't see Frey as being mocking and disrespectful toward Walsh. He played his part in helping Walsh get clean and sober. He toured with Walsh before the reunion and when it came to the reunion, it wasn't just about giving Walsh an ultimatum, there were also rules for the tour that were intended to make it easier for Walsh to stay sober.

I'm not sure what to think of the stories of drug use. I've read stories that imply that the band weren't heavy drug users compared to many bands and that they were inclined to binge at weekends and straighten up for the week. Certainly, there are no reports of their shows being less than perfect due to drug use, unlike many of their contemporaries.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

It also tends to shorten life. Why do you think Glenn Frey died 10 years younger than the average American?
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Because he suffered from rhematoid arthritis which on average reduces life expectancy by 10 years.

Perhaps that and heavy smoking caused his early death and not cocaine use. But I suspect his heart was weakened by that drug.

I don't see Frey as being mocking and disrespectful toward Walsh

What sticks in my mind from Frey was "Joe was an interesting bunch of guys" and some other disparaging comments.

Also the line about Joe saying he was "in awe of Don and Glenn". Why? It should have been the opposite. The James Gang had success long before the Eagles and Frey was a fan of that band when he was young. Joe had a successful solo career. He was a better musician than either one of them, a very good song writer and (IMHO) just as good as Henley at lead singing.

If Joe felt humbled and "beta" when he was around those two "alphas" then I think it was partly because they made him feel that way. Frey and Henley were the founding members of the Eagles and the chief song writers. They had the right to take a leadership role as they saw fit. But (IMHO) they didn't have to be as dickish about it as they were (especially Frey).

I'm not sure what to think of the stories of drug use. I've read stories that imply that the band weren't heavy drug users compared to many bands

I don't see why that matters. If the Eagles did less drugs than Ozzy Osbourne that is hardly something to brag about.

They had a lot of money and they used it to buy a lot of expensive, harmful, addictive drugs. Far more than you and I could afford to use. It had to take a toll on their bodies and do some irreparable harm.

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[–] cinles 8 years ago

Frey seems to have given up cocaine around 1986/87 and got hooked on fitness, instead. He said he didn't go into rehab. Henley cleaned up a few years later and he also said he did it without rehab but that it took several attempts. When Frey spoke about why his attempts to work with Henley in 1990 hadn't worked, he gave one of the reasons as being that Henley was still living the LA lifestyle and he wasn't and I read that as being about drugs, alcohol and late nights.

I think this is all true except I think Frey was into the healthy lifestyle in the mid 80's and he seemed to phase it out around the time he got married and really quit when the Eagles got back together. If anything hastened his death, it was the same stress we all experience, quadrupled. Even though they had a wad of money and private jets, touring has to be hard for a 50/60-year-old person. The exception to this is the Rolling Stones. Keith and Mick are probably already dead and we just don't know it. 

I had no idea the extent of Frey and Henley's drug use until Glenn died, but it was extensive. Thinking back on the documentary, I think it was hypocritical to make such a huge deal about Walsh's problems. However, that was a great part of the documentary and I'm sure it was an inspiration to many people.

Glenn suffered from a disease (s) that had to be treated by powerful drugs that depleted the immune system. Irving Azoff alluded to that in the little information we've been given about what contributed to Glenn's death. I've never had an immune disease touch my life, so I can only depend on what other people say. However, I know both Don and Glenn smoked cigarettes and that on top of 15+ years of taking drugs has to have affected both their health. Don looks and acts like an old man and my opinion is his drug use has affected him too.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

A two hour documentary (Part One) doesn't have time to tell the story in detail. Instead, they keep it interesting by showing the high - and low - lights.

Well, it is a movie. They can't rely solely on historical accuracy for their timeline and pacing of the story. It is their duty to keep it interesting for the movie audience.

Yes, Glenn Frey was the one to leave in 1980 and he was quite happy to admit that in the early 80s and he gave good reasons - he wasn't enjoying working with the Eagles and he wanted to be his own boss, have some fun and find time for a personal life.

All legitimate reasons. A band doesn't have to last forever.

At that time, Don Henley also said that Glenn was tired of being the leader and being hated for it (which is where Don Felder fits into it).

Frey has more of himself to blame for that. It certainly wasn't all Don Felder.

Frey had problems with Glyn Johns. Then with Bernie Leadon. Then with Randy Meisner. Then with Don Felder. Then with Don Henley. Over and over and over the crux of the band's problems was Glenn Frey.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

Frey has more of himself to blame for that. It certainly wasn't all Don Felder.

Frey had problems with Glyn Johns. Then with Bernie Leadon. Then with Randy Meisner. Then with Don Felder. Then with Don Henley. Over and over and over the crux of the band's problems was Glenn Frey.

The crux of the band's problems was they were chosen for talent and chemistry rather than their ability to work with others - a bunch of highly-strung, ambitious and egotistical young men who found that they made good music together but otherwise didn't get on. From everyone's comments, Frey did his best to get them working as a team using coaching methods borrowed from sport. But he also had a temper and liked things done his way.

Meinser wanted to fire Glyn Johns after the first album. There were problems between Henley and Meisner before there was a problem between Frey and Meisner. Felder described Leadon as being highly-strung and argumentative. Felder also described Henley as "castigating". It's not all Frey.

The Felder problem does seem to have been specific to Frey. From Felder's account, it sounds like neither of them understood why they had this problem.

Without being part of it, we can never understand the band dynamics, but saying that Fery was the problem is simplistic and probably inaccurate.

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

but saying that Fery was the problem is simplistic and probably inaccurate.

I didn't say Frey was THE problem. But I did suggest he was the major problem in regard to conflicts in the band, and I stand by that. Other band members were annoyed with each other sometimes. But the band broke up because of Glenn Frey's issues.

The crux of the band's problems was they were chosen for talent and chemistry rather than their ability to work with others - a bunch of highly-strung, ambitious and egotistical young men who found that they made good music together but otherwise didn't get on.

Perhaps. But if the Eagles had been founded purely on friendship rather than musical talent, we wouldn't have even heard of them and we wouldn't be discussing them. They had a nice, long run (pun intended) compared to most bands.

From everyone's comments, Frey did his best to get them working as a team using coaching methods borrowed from sport.

If that were true it speaks even less of Frey's leadership ability. In sport, players play and coaches coach. When players try to boss other players around it rarely works out well.

In Irving Azoff, they had a great manager. Frey and Henley didn't need to be co-managers. They did that because they wanted to and because they enjoyed having power over the others. It wasn't necessary. Perhaps they should have focused on the music.

As Joe Walsh said, nobody in the front of the plane appreciated the secret meetings in the back of the plane that they were excluded from.

And what was the real problem they had with Randy Meisner? Because he didn't always want to sing one particular song? Because he wasn't as ambitious as the others? Maybe he whined too much about working too hard or something? Either way, demanding he quit and having a fist fight with him over that stuff is ridiculous.

The Felder problem does seem to have been specific to Frey. From Felder's account, it sounds like neither of them understood why they had this problem

I think the issue is made pretty clear. Felder was used to being a top dog in previous bands. In the Eagles, he was near the bottom and he didn't like it.

Personally, I agree with Henley and Frey on this issue. Felder was not nearly the song writer that Henley and Frey were and he was by far the worst singer in the band. He was lucky they let him sing background vocals. For him to insist on singing lead was delusional egotism on his part.

And I agree his comment to Alan Cranston was disrespectful. On the other hand, I suspect Felder was not given a choice on whether he wanted to play for a political rally or not. He was expressing his disgust with Frey and Henley for ignoring his opinions, when he made the rude comment.

But Frey was just ridiculous over it. "We believe strongly in the values of saving the environment and global peace....SO I"M GONNA KICK THE LIVING *beep* OUT OF FELDER OVER THAT!" The actions don't quite fit the professed philosophy. Cocaine-fueled rage, is my guess.

Later on, after the reunion though, I side with Felder. Frey was being a complete dick over money. "Don and I made WAY more money than you guys over the last 14 years, so we deserve more money from the tour". Ridiculous logic. Song writers get the royalties. And Frey and Henley got a lot of those. But everyone in the band is on the same stage and gets paid the same for playing. That is a basic principle, which Frey violated. (and why Felder won the law suit)

As was Frey's rationale "We kept the Eagles name alive" pure B.S. In the movie, Frey himself said what kept the Eagles name alive during the 80's was Classic Rock radio playing the songs over and over and over. Nobody went to an Eagles reunion concert hoping to hear The Heat Is On or Dirty Laundry. Frey was just needling Don Felder over the money thing and it was a really nasty, unnecessary thing to do, knowing how much Felder had already been forced to swallow his own ego.

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[–] Flexon 8 years ago

And what was the real problem they had with Randy Meisner? Because he didn't always want to sing one particular song? Because he wasn't as ambitious as the others? Maybe he whined too much about working too hard or something? Either way, demanding he quit and having a fist fight with him over that stuff is ridiculous.

In the coumentary, Meisner talks about it being difficult being in a band and having a family. He had problems with his marriage, not surprisingly. He's also said he didn't like flying (Leadon also had issues with flying). He was anxious. He had a drug problem. He didn't like Henley. Whereas he used to have fun with Frey, Frey was trying to settle down and had become more serious. Meisner didn't like Henley and Frey making all the decisions. Henley thought Meisner's health issues were brought on my toomuch partying. As Meisner was recently diagnosed as suffering from bi-polar disorder, possibly that was one of his problems.

Meisner's account of the fight with Frey (in Marc Eliot's book) is that afterwards he tried to apologise to Frey but Frey wouldn't accept the apology. A slightly different twist but it seems that rather than Meisner quitting because he'd had enough of Frey, it was Frey who withdrew his support from Meisner (with Henley already having given up on Meisner).

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[–] bsharporflat-50959 8 years ago

Meisner didn't like Henley and Frey making all the decisions

Who would?

Randy had been in Poco and he also was part of Linda Rondstadt's back-up band and he was an original, founding member of the Eagles. What was the reason he was at the bottom of the band? Did he retreat there himself? Was he pushed down there? A little of both?

Henley thought Meisner's health issues were brought on my toomuch partying. As Meisner was recently diagnosed as suffering from bi-polar disorder, possibly that was one of his problems.

Henley is clearly a grumpy pill kind of guy. Hence the lyrics that he wants to take people's "inner child" and kick its little ass. A song complaining about complainers. Did he realize the irony?

Tim Schmidt was obviously a good replacement for Randy. Same skill set but more enthusiasm and energy. But I think it would have been better to let Randy quit on his own rather than pushing him out.

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