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Redcloud
01-01-2012, 08:22 AM
I'd really like to know if Don can actually play a guitar. He is often on stage "playing" a telecaster or an accoustic but has anyone ever heard him play an actual chord on a guitar?

Don suffers from chronic back pain and I think he often stands with guitars or at conga drums to get away from his kit and help relieve the pain. Maybe that is why he uses guitars too. Ive always thought he never looks comfortable holding a guitar and that its just a prop but maybe im wrong.

WalshFan88
01-01-2012, 10:16 AM
I think he can probably "play", meaning he knows chords and stuff but as far as how much he plays or anything I don't know.

If you watch him, he mainly plays chords on the Tele during the choruses of the songs. This is very easily seen during Boys Of Summer. He also hits some power chords throughout Dirty Laundry.

I don't think he's much of an electric player but he knows his chords well and sounds better and looks more natural with an acoustic guitar than an electric. I think it IS probably mainly for looks but I do think he can play rhythm guitar. He may not be the next Keith Richards of rhythm guitar, but I do think he can play chords well. :lol:

Personally, I'd rather see him play drums or just sing with his mic. Looks more natural that way. It doesn't look so out of place sitting down with an acoustic but Don Henley playing an electric guitar is something I cannot really "grasp", LOL!

Ive always been a dreamer
01-01-2012, 03:37 PM
Don has said in interviews that he plays some guitar. I believe he does play a little during the live shows rather than strictly using it as a prop. However, I agree with Austin - he's no Keith Richards (or Joe Walsh or even Glenn Frey). He was introduced to us as a drummer so I think that's what a lot of fans still prefer to see him do (although I don't want him to hurt himself! :lol: )

Freypower
01-01-2012, 05:46 PM
At the risk of being controversial I don't like it much when Don sings without an instrument. I think he should save that for solo shows. My preference is for drums, but if he's going to be down the front I don't mind watching him play electric or acoustic guitar even if he is not a technical wizard.

GlennLover
01-01-2012, 05:50 PM
I remember in one of the LROOE interviews when Don was talking about getting ready for the tour that he said he had to practice to learn the guitar chords for whatever song he was commenting about (I don't remember the details now.) He played guitar (or it appears that he did) on Saturday Night in the '73 BBC concert & also played on Tequila Sunrise on HFO, to name a few instances.

Freypower
01-01-2012, 06:04 PM
He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.

What disappointed me with the LROOE songs was that he played percussion on the grand total of one new song, which was IDWTHAM, leading to the suspicion that he may not have played drums at all on that album. Yet he is credited. I wish he had done so to prove that he can still do it. He is cutting back the drums even more; when I saw them in December he didn't play on LITFL (he played guitar) or on RMW (he played percussion, but for one performance of RMW he LEFT THE STAGE COMPLETELY).

GlennLover
01-01-2012, 07:12 PM
He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.
).

I forgot about BOML. Love the clip from Houston 1977 on Glenn's birthday.

EaglesKiwi
01-03-2012, 05:38 AM
He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.

What disappointed me with the LROOE songs was that he played percussion on the grand total of one new song, which was IDWTHAM, leading to the suspicion that he may not have played drums at all on that album. Yet he is credited. I wish he had done so to prove that he can still do it. He is cutting back the drums even more; when I saw them in December he didn't play on LITFL (he played guitar) or on RMW (he played percussion, but for one performance of RMW he LEFT THE STAGE COMPLETELY).
I think that was because he was still recovering from some back injury or something - hadn't he been not playing drums at all for a while there? Both Rob and I are fairly sure he played drums on LITFL when we saw them a couple of weeks later in Melbourne (& he definitely didn't leave the stage for any songs!).

I think Don can play the guitar and probably better than most people realise, but he has commented that it's harder for him to play guitar & sing at the same time - perhaps he simply prefers to concentrate on the singing without feeling any need to focus too much on the guitar (especially given there are so many talented players there already!).

I'm sure I heard in an interview that he originally wrote some of the music for WITW on acoustic guitar...???

Mrs Frey
01-03-2012, 10:14 AM
If I can give my ten cents worth here, Don can definitely play the guitar. The shapes his fingers form are real chords - there's no doubt about that.

Certainly in HFO, his playing was more than just "dressing" - when the Eagles sit in a row with guitars, they are all playing the same chords in different places on the fret board, giving a fuller and more interesting sound, along with Joe's (and in HFO, also Don Felder's) lead guitar parts. Don definitely plays his part, along with Glenn, on rhythm guitar.

I think it's great that each Eagle can play more than one instrument. I wish I was adept at more than just the guitar.

Freypower
01-03-2012, 05:11 PM
I think that was because he was still recovering from some back injury or something - hadn't he been not playing drums at all for a while there? Both Rob and I are fairly sure he played drums on LITFL when we saw them a couple of weeks later in Melbourne (& he definitely didn't leave the stage for any songs!).

I think Don can play the guitar and probably better than most people realise, but he has commented that it's harder for him to play guitar & sing at the same time - perhaps he simply prefers to concentrate on the singing without feeling any need to focus too much on the guitar (especially given there are so many talented players there already!).

I'm sure I heard in an interview that he originally wrote some of the music for WITW on acoustic guitar...???


This is from the Hop Farm Festival last year, after the Australian tour. He is playing guitar here. There is no sound, but I have no reason to believe the song is not LITFL. Glenn is playing Old Black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5261Oidt6I0

TimothyBFan
01-04-2012, 11:40 AM
This is from the Hop Farm Festival last year, after the Australian tour. He is playing guitar here. There is no sound, but I have no reason to believe the song is not LITFL. Glenn is playing Old Black.


:lol: FP--You just crack me up. Even when there's a discussion about something totally different, you still manage to get Glenn in there somehow. ;-)

Ive always been a dreamer
01-04-2012, 04:09 PM
I thought I was the only one that noticed that. :wink:

Freypower
01-04-2012, 05:29 PM
:lol: FP--You just crack me up. Even when there's a discussion about something totally different, you still manage to get Glenn in there somehow. ;-)

Oh, wow. The reason I knew the song was LITFL is because Glenn plays Old Black in that song. That's all. I thought if I mentioned that it would justify what I said, given that there was no sound.

Prettymaid
01-05-2012, 12:00 AM
FP, I think they're just yankin' yer chain.

EaglesKiwi
01-05-2012, 02:46 AM
Oh, wow. The reason I knew the song was LITFL is because Glenn plays Old Black in that song. That's all. I thought if I mentioned that it would justify what I said, given that there was no sound.
Is that the only song he plays Old Black on? (I'm hanging my head in shame here for not knowing! :rofl:)

It would be interesting to know, especially if he HAD played in Melbourne yet chose not to at Hop Farm...

And going back to the original context of your comment about preferring to see Don with an instrument - how would you feel about seeing Glenn without an instrument at an Eagles concert? I know it appealed greatly during his solo show, but would you feel the same way at an Eagles concert?

Freypower
01-05-2012, 06:37 PM
Is that the only song he plays Old Black on? (I'm hanging my head in shame here for not knowing! :rofl:)

It would be interesting to know, especially if he HAD played in Melbourne yet chose not to at Hop Farm...

And going back to the original context of your comment about preferring to see Don with an instrument - how would you feel about seeing Glenn without an instrument at an Eagles concert? I know it appealed greatly during his solo show, but would you feel the same way at an Eagles concert?

In terms of Old Black he plays it when Don is singing Witchy Woman & LITFL (and OOTN before that was dropped). He plays it when he sings Heartache Tonight.

Can't someone who was at the Las Vegas show tell us what the configuration for LITFL was?!

Regarding the 'no instrument' thing the easiest way to deal with it is to say that it would never happen at an Eagles concert. Whether I would LIKE it to happen is another story. If I said I would, I come across as a hypocrite regarding Don in the same position.

sodascouts
01-07-2012, 02:57 PM
Don played guitar on LITFL in Vegas.

I think Don is an adequate guitarist and is not just faking up there, but with Joe, Glenn, and Stu already playing parts more than adequately, his is probably turned down in the mix.

I don't mind Don up there in the front on occasion, but I do think people like to see the man who is billed as the Eagles drummer play drums, lol. That said, they don't mind getting a good look at the man, too. He just has to strike a balance. When I saw the LROOE tour at its height, I thought he played drums on enough songs to justify the job description. ;)

Personally, I prefer him behind the drums during classic Eagles songs like HC and LITFL - it invokes the five-piece band they were when those songs were on the radio, which gives them extra emotional punch - but if he wants to come out for other stuff, I have no problem with it.

Freypower
01-07-2012, 05:30 PM
I have no problem at all with him being out front for his solo songs, but for Eagles songs he should be playing drums, unless he's playing acoustic guitar. The percussion is a compromise, I suppose. He mainly plays percussion on Joe's songs. When they did Somebody and for once he was standing to Glenn's right while Glenn sang instead of vice versa, that was fun to watch, but the question will always remain - if he did play drums on any LROOE songs we have no evidence of it (apart from the How Long video).

sodascouts
01-07-2012, 05:37 PM
Whether or not Don plays drums on new songs onstage has nothing to do with whether or not he played drums for those songs on the album. Remember our "I Can't Tell You Why" guitar solo discussion?

In the same way, the "How Long" video is not evidence of anything except his ability to "drum-sync." He may or may not have played drums for that song on the album, but the video would show him on drums regardless. The set was designed to feature the four Eagles and evoke an old-school feel by having them play in an empty hanger. It wouldn't be very "old school" if they were surrounded by a dozen backing musicians. If I remember correctly, not only does Don not play drums on that song onstage, but Stu has the prominent guitar solo rather than Joe. That would really look bad on a video.

That said, I think Don plays drums very little on the LROOE album - just enough to get the credit, methinks. I'm only speculating, but he's said himself that he doesn't like to drum on his own albums... his lack of enthusiasm for drumming is no secret. In light of that fact, it doesn't seem likely that he would be eager to drum on an Eagles album. In fact, I imagine he would only drum on an Eagles album for the sake of appearances, and thus do so minimally.

Freypower
01-07-2012, 05:51 PM
Which is a shame, because despite what he seems to think, he is better than he seems to think he is (admittedly I am no expert). I like watching him play drums and always will as long as he is capable of it.

VAisForEagleLovers
01-07-2012, 06:32 PM
Which is a shame, because despite what he seems to think, he is better than he seems to think he is (admittedly I am no expert). I like watching him play drums and always will as long as he is capable of it.

FP, I think it's your last eight words or so that are key here. Even if his back doesn't bother him every time, it's happened often enough over several decades that he probably tends to think negatively about sitting behind a drum kit.

Ive always been a dreamer
01-07-2012, 08:55 PM
ITA, VaIsFEL. Don has complained about drumming hurting his back since the Hotel California tour IIRC. So although I like seeing him behind the kit, especially on Eagles songs, if it works better for him to keep his drumming to a minimum, then I can live with it.

Henley Honey
01-07-2012, 11:31 PM
ITA, VaIsFEL. Don has complained about drumming hurting his back since the Hotel California tour IIRC. So although I like seeing him behind the kit, especially on Eagles songs, if it works better for him to keep his drumming to a minimum, then I can live with it.


Me too. I think they cancelled a show because of his back issues and if spending more time upfront will help his health, I'm all for it. Did I also hear something about his knee? Playing drums during their long shows is like riding a bicycle for 3 hours. Ouch. Plus -- try singing at the same time. I'd rather have them all healthy and whole and if that means less Don drum-time, so be it.

Prettymaid
01-07-2012, 11:49 PM
Yeah, these guys are in their sixties. You can't tell me they don't have aches and pains! Lol! I think as Don ages his drumming will obviously have to stop.

EaglesFanatic
01-08-2012, 04:19 AM
Yeah, these guys are in their sixties. You can't tell me they don't have aches and pains! Lol! I think as Don ages his drumming will obviously have to stop.

As sad as it is, that's the truth. It's understandable that there will be a point at which he can't do it anymore. I love seeing Don back there behind his drums! But that being said, I equally enjoy watching him sing up front, because you are really able to see the emotion and soul he puts into his singing. For instance, Heart of the Matter in the HFO dvd.

VAisForEagleLovers
01-08-2012, 10:04 AM
At the show in Vegas, when he was up front, he played to the crowd, singing, smiling and laughing, gesturing. Sometimes he can seem kind of stiff, but he wasn't that night and the crowd did love it.

EaglesKiwi
01-09-2012, 04:14 AM
At the show in Vegas, when he was up front, he played to the crowd, singing, smiling and laughing, gesturing. Sometimes he can seem kind of stiff, but he wasn't that night and the crowd did love it.
No back pain to make him grumpy! :lol:

I love seeing Don playing the drums, but I would (a little reluctantly) give it up if it stopped him from enjoying performing - particularly if the alternative was a smiling and laughing Don up front to sing & interact. :smitten:

Mrs Frey
01-11-2012, 06:45 AM
Awww, it's actually so sad that Don's drumming causes him back pain. He really is a super drummer, and it would be a pity if it comes to a point where he can't play drums anymore.

This is probably a stupid assumption, but I wonder if there is a chiropractor or physiotherapist who can help Don with his back pain? I'm sure he has already looked into this, but I still wonder. Chiropractors can do wonderful things for backs - I speak from experience.

Brooke
01-11-2012, 04:41 PM
To add my 2 cents, I really enjoy and prefer Don playing drums. Especially the older songs. I do enjoy seeing him play guitar and being up front too, so a mix is good for me.

I would hate to see the day that the Eagles performed and Don never played drums at all. :shock: That would be too sad for me.

Freypower
01-11-2012, 04:48 PM
To add my 2 cents, I really enjoy and prefer Don playing drums. Especially the older songs. I do enjoy seeing him play guitar and being up front too, so a mix is good for me.

I would hate to see the day that the Eagles performed and Don never played drums at all. :shock: That would be too sad for me.

I agree. I hope that never happens.

Ive always been a dreamer
01-11-2012, 10:31 PM
This is probably a stupid assumption, but I wonder if there is a chiropractor or physiotherapist who can help Don with his back pain? I'm sure he has already looked into this, but I still wonder. Chiropractors can do wonderful things for backs - I speak from experience.

Mrs. F - according to the Farewell I DVD and tour book credits, the band does employ a chiropractor or massage therapist to accompany them on the road. IIRC, Don has had a chiropractor work with him since he began having back problems in the 70's.

Brooke, I agree with you that it would be sad to see Don have to give up drumming completely, but for me,I would still want the band to continue even if it did come to that.

EaglesKiwi
01-12-2012, 03:10 AM
I think Don has mentioned that he has less back pain since he took up yoga (years ago). Hopefully he will be able to keep playing for a while, even if he cuts it down a bit. I hope thought that if that happens the fans and audience accept that and appreciate what they are still getting. :drummer:

Mrs Frey
01-12-2012, 07:44 AM
Mrs. F - according to the Farewell I DVD and tour book credits, the band does employ a chiropractor or massage therapist to accompany them on the road. IIRC, Don has had a chiropractor work with him since he began having back problems in the 70's.



Thanks for that, Dreamer - I knew I was being silly to think that Don hadn't looked into this. Now that you mention the credits of F1, it rings a bell. I've probably noticed it before, and forgot again. :blush:

I really feel for Don. He is obviously passionate about his music, including his drumming. I cannot imagine how awful I would feel if I developed arthritis in my hands, for example, and was no longer able to play guitar, or had to cut down on playing.

sodascouts
01-12-2012, 01:46 PM
It would be sad, but if it came to Don concentrating on singing rather than drumming or Don retiring completely, I'd choose the former.

tequila girl
01-12-2012, 06:37 PM
It's been well documented for quite a few years now that Don has had trouble drumming, and whilst I agree he 'holds his own' with a guitar - let's be honest - he's not the best...(I think he'd be the first to admit this)..........that is Absolutely no disrepect to Don whatsoever, I'm sure a lot of you know 'I Love Him To Bits' but to be honest some of those "performances" where it was SO obvious that he was just 'acting' were embarrassing!
However..... I for one will be be MORE than Happy to see him performing in whatever capacity for many more years to come!
Love You Don!:heart:

Ive always been a dreamer
01-13-2012, 02:47 PM
TG - I agree with what you are saying here, and I know that guitar isn't Don's strong suit; however, I can't recall seeing any performances of Don acting instead of playing the guitar. I'm not doubting you, but I'm not sure it was all that obvious to an untrained eye such as mine. Can you recall any video that shows what you're talking about so I can check it out?

Topkat
01-16-2012, 05:43 PM
I just started reading this thread regarding Don's guitar playing & drumming. I agree it's been well documented that Don has had these back problems for a long time. I believe in one of the Eagles books, (may have been Felder's) that a special mattress was taken on a tour for Don, as well as a massage therapist. That said, I really don't mind that Don doesn't play much on the drums on the live shows. I actually like seeing him up front. I also hear that it is more difficult to sing while playing the drums, because of all the movement.

I do think that Don can play guitar. As a songwriter, I think this is almost a necessity. Writing the lyrics to a song, I think one would need that unless he plays the piano, which I'm not sure if he does or not.
When Don is on drums, you can hardly see him from the audience. I would rather he concentrate on his vocals, rather than the drumming. I don't think he is "Faking it" when he's playing guitar, but his part is more scaled back. He even plays the moraccas ( I need spell check here) at times.
Bottom line: I like Don up front, guitar or whatever!

TimothyBFan
01-17-2012, 02:19 PM
I saw this on Steve Winwood's FB page today and immediately thought of Don. This guy is in for a bunch of back pain in his future. Lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItZyaOlrb7E

sodascouts
01-17-2012, 02:34 PM
Forget back pain - Don would be on the floor gasping for air from the exertion! I mean look at 4:23! lol

It does remind me of the James Gang's drummer, though. Man, he WORKED IT. Check it out - for example, about 1:15.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EdWQ8hX4Ik&feature=BFa&list=PL8D5446FB36A85922&lf=results_main

Ive always been a dreamer
01-17-2012, 05:08 PM
Yep - the James Gang generated some awesome music for a three-piece band that's for sure!

EaglesKiwi
01-18-2012, 04:26 AM
I do think that Don can play guitar. As a songwriter, I think this is almost a necessity. Writing the lyrics to a song, I think one would need that unless he plays the piano, which I'm not sure if he does or not.
I'm sure I've read somewhere that he does play piano... I think it was a commentary around writing Desperado - Don played Glenn a couple of bars of music on the piano but at that stage the lyrics were "Leo, my God, why don't you come to your senses..."

If I remember correctly!

Edited to add: well d'oh and double-d'oh, It's from the liner notes of Very Best Of and they're also right here on Glenn Frey Online! Here's the link: http://www.glennfreyonline.com/eagles/verybest/linernotes.htm and this is the relevant part:

GLENN: It was only a day or two after we had been back from England with our first album. Don sat down at the piano and showed me this song he was working on, and it was the intro to "Desperado." Originally, it was written for a friend of his whose name was Leo. And so the song started out "Leo, my God, why don't you come to your senses. You've been out ridin' fences for so long now."

To be strictly accurate, it doesn't say that Don PLAYED it at the piano, but that's the way I interpreted it.

sodascouts
01-18-2012, 01:11 PM
Yeah, I think that's a safe assumption to make. A lot of musicians can play the piano to a degree and use it in songwriting, even if they aren't virtuosos or comfortable enough to play it publicly.

Topkat
01-18-2012, 02:56 PM
Don probably plays a bit of piano & guitar because as I said it is necessary for the songwriting process. Doesn't surprise me that he would play the piano too.

Freypower
01-18-2012, 05:51 PM
This photo is on the band's website:

http://eaglesband.com/images/photos/main/lg_today_102.jpg

I am sure I have seen a larger version than that.

EaglesKiwi
01-20-2012, 05:05 AM
This photo is on the band's website:

http://eaglesband.com/images/photos/main/lg_today_102.jpg

I am sure I have seen a larger version than that.
Awwww, so cute!

Shadowland07
01-22-2012, 01:35 AM
Since we're talking about Don's playing, I was wondering how you guys feel about his drumming. I've read comments, on YouTube on the live Eagles videos that are still up, that say he's a crappy drummer. Now I think he's a great drummer. But others tend to think that he sucks.

"Don Henley's pedestrian drumming sucked all the soul out of this song."

"Henley obviously has never bothered to learn that wacky guitarist's tune from his nobody days. lol Henley does suck on drums, really barely passable if not for studio edits."

Those two were from the Walk Away video. There's more but they are more explicitive (however you spell it).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXtg9zg1ggc

sodascouts
01-22-2012, 02:41 AM
Those people are just haters. Don may not be the best drummer that ever walked the face of the earth, but he can rock those drums when he wants to. He certainly does NOT suck!

Check out this thread: https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3278

EaglesKiwi
01-22-2012, 03:59 AM
Don's drumming makes a fantastic contribution to the music, whilst never overpowering it. i.e. he doesn't seem to feel a need to indulge his ego when drumming, and he should be given credit for that.

Yes, he can absolutely rock out - if you have a chance to, check out his performance in Christchurch (specifically when Joe's playing his songs) - it was fantastic, full of energy and passion.

In my opinion, drumming is about more than just a solo exhibition and virtuosity - it's supposed to be a part of a song, for goodness sake. How many of us would want to listen to music that is nothing but drums?

Guns n Roses invited Don to perform for them on one occasion when their own drummer was unavailable - I don't think they would have asked him if he had been "barely passable." Some people just seem to have a problem with somebody else's success.

Ive always been a dreamer
01-22-2012, 03:14 PM
Well said Soda and EK.

I don't know about the technicalities of drumming, but my ears tell me that Don is a terrific drummer. Just listen to the Eagles catalog for evidence. You can bet that he wouldn't have remained the Eagles drummer if he wasn't very good. Just because he isn't flashy or pounding on the drums full force all the time doesn't mean he isn't good.

Freypower
01-22-2012, 05:15 PM
I have said for years that he is a much better drummer than he gives himself credit for.

A lot of YouTube comments are peurile & go out of their way to be negative, whether justified or not.

Shadowland07
01-22-2012, 10:39 PM
IMO Don's best drumming is shown on On The Border. I love his drumming. He certainly rocks out. "Outlaw Man" from the Seattle show definately shows that.

Redcloud
01-23-2012, 04:08 AM
He's an ace drummer and well respected in the world of drummers who know what theyre talking about. He is powerful and perfect for this band just like Ringo Starr was for the Beatles.

Mrs Frey
01-23-2012, 06:57 AM
Anyone who says Don Henley is a poor drummer knows nothing about music.

Don is a band drummer, and as RC says, is perfect for the Eagles, like Ringo Starr was for The Beatles. Ringo has had similar comments made about him, but it needs to be said about Ringo too, that the Beatles sound that eventually emerged in 1962 was completed by Ringo - the Beatles never did sound quite as good before he entered the picture.

It is interesting also to note that Don once defended Ringo, saying that he learnt a lot from him, and thinks he is a great drummer, in spite of a lot of negative comments from others.

Ive always been a dreamer
01-24-2012, 12:26 AM
Well said RC and Mrs. F!

Freypower
01-24-2012, 12:30 AM
I will defend Ringo to the skies (Rain! Revolver album! Ticket To Ride! etc etc), but I don't want to divert the thread from Don. I love Don's work in King Of Hollywood. I could listen to that all day.

Scarlet Sun
01-24-2012, 12:45 AM
I will defend Ringo to the skies (Rain! Revolver album! Ticket To Ride! etc etc), but I don't want to divert the thread from Don. I love Don's work in King Of Hollywood. I could listen to that all day.
Yes, Don and Ringo are definitely in the same bag as drummers, very tasteful. Drummers like that are hard to find nowadays