Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
I was watching a documentary on The Seventies on Netflix - a lengthy one, eight episodes long. One of those episodes was devoted entirely to music.
I clicked on the episode, fully expecting to see the phenomenon that was Hotel California covered if nothing else.
NOT EVEN A MENTION. NOT EVEN A MENTION, PEOPLE.
THE BAND DID NOT GET A MENTION.
Can you believe it? What an outrage! Now, Glenn and Don got mentioned in a list of names rattled off of songwriters discovered at the Troubadour, and their images were duly flashed across the screen amongst a dozen others, but that's it.
I guess it's possible that the band's picture might also have been flashed across the screen during a montage while I glanced away for a millisecond, but I do know that they were not mentioned by any commentator (although Linda Ronstadt in an interview clip from the 70s talks about how she and the Eagles are part of the California sound).
What the freak?!
Fleetwood Mac got a segment, so it wasn't like they weren't doing bands of the genre. FM got one, but not the Eagles?
It seems like the Eagles get snubbed a lot by music critics, but this was a documentary about POPULAR MUSIC IN THE SEVENTIES! And the Eagles didn't get a MENTION!
I'm sorry, I just had to vent my disgust!!!
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
Absolutely Soda, I mean love them or hate them they were a driving force band of the 70s - they had the greatest selling album of the 20th Century, you couldnt escape their music so to leave them out is a travesty.
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
Soda - CNN did the same thing when they did their special on the 70's and music of the 70's. When I was watching it I thought for sure they would have something on the Eagles. Nope, not a thing. I was shocked and angry. How can you discuss the 70's without discussing the Eagles ? Got me. It is incredible they can discuss that decade and not mention the Eagles I have never understood why they are so ignored. They are the biggest selling American Band in Rock history and have the largest selling album in the 20th Century. I don't get it either. :scowl::sigh::thumbsdown::rolleyes:
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
Having lived thru the 70's, I am unfortunately used to it. I don't understand it AT ALL but as a good friend says "it is what it is".
It is SO frustrating to me!! I just could never understand why they did not get a lot of credit for their contribution to the music scene then or now. :brickwall::enraged:
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
It's so funny because when i saw that same episode i had that exact same reaction. I entirely expected them to at least be mentioned but besides that picture they weren't. They were arguably the biggest American music act at the time. It's weird sometimes the Eagles are bigger and more popular than you think but other times they just get snubbed
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
That is so messed up. Even non-Eagles fans know they were a huge part of 70s music, especially the "Hotel California" album.
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
Yeah, with an album that sold over 10 million units in the USA and over 18 million worldwide, you'd think that would merit a mention, at least.
The only thing I can think of, from a media standpoint, is that they didn't want to use the images without the music, and no one would release the music rights. I thought there was a provision in most music contracts that for something like a documentary or other news program, the makers could use a certain number of measures/seconds of a song before they had to get the licensing rights for it. But there may not be such a proviso in the Eagles' contracts. I just don't know. It would seem they would get a mention, for HC, certainly, and for the Greatest Hits Vol. 1 sales, which is the sixth best-selling pop album of all time. That's just a hugely careless omission, and I'd say that even if I weren't a fan.
When you think of the pop culture references alone they've contributed to the lexicon, that people use without even thinking... "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave" or the fact that "Desperado" was a plot point in a "Seinfeld" episode! The references are everywhere. I know Glenn always put up Steely Dan as a group whose lyrics they so admired, but let's face it: it's the Eagles' songs people remember.
I know I don't have to convince anyone here of that, but...
Here's an example. When the hubs and I were dating, his hobby was karaoke. He's a good singer and I'm a good fan. LOL. They also don't charge a cover on karaoke night. Anyway, no matter what music was popular in that particular bar, you could count on certain kinds always going over well (this is the South, remember. YMMV): Motown, Credence, Beatles, country, and the Eagles. No one ever griped about anyone singing Eagles songs. Ever. When you say "part of the fabric of the culture," for the USA, that's the Eagles.
Ehhh. We know quality when we hear it, and a good song is a good song for as long as people sing it.
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
That really sucks. That's another show I won't be watching. :(
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
I seem to vaguely remember reading an article a few years ago that indicated the Eagles and management granted very few requests to use their images or songs for documentaries or other types of TV programs. (There is a You Tube video of David Letterman claiming he wanted Paul Shaffer and the orchestra to play Eagles songs but an agreement couldn't be reached.) That may or may not be part of the reason but it shouldn't prevent anyone from mentioning them by name.
Re: Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary
I mentioned this before in the 'Eagles Mentions in TV Shows' thread. Here's the page on that thread where I mentioned it: https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/...ary#post338657
No need to really look at it though, since I pretty much said the same thing as you.
I watched the music episode for "The Nineties" in the hope that maybe "Hell Freezes Over" and/or "The Dance" would be mentioned to indicate the resurgence of 70's groups coming back to life to become popular and mainstays in the live music circuit once again. But nope, no mention of the Eagles nor Fleetwood Mac. It was about the new music at the time: grunge, country (Dixie Chicks/Garth Brooks/Reba/etc), Alanis Morissette, and Hip Hop/Rap.
I don't remember what the music episode for "The Eighties" had, but I'm pretty sure that Don Henley wasn't mentioned b/c I probably would have said something if he were.
Also, the mention of Fleetwood Mac in "The Seventies" informed me that the person who sings "Go Your Own Way" was not a woman as I've thought, but it was a man, Lindsey Buckingham. Yep, I always thought the song was from a woman until I saw that bearded dude with an afro playing on a white Les Paul. And because of that, I've been on a Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham kick for about a year.
EDIT: Well, this is only marginally related to Henley as he has covered "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and that song plays at the end of "The Eighties" music episode. Yep, that's it.