Eagles' back-up band

I've been wondering for a while, what was the need for the large back-up band that they had since HFO? In the 70s, they could do the same songs with just 4 or 5 of them...why did they need so many back-up musicians? And why did the number of back-up musicians increase over time - there were far more on the 2004 Melbourne dvd than on HFO. I understand they had Scott Crago filling in on drums if Henley couldn't or didn't want to drum as much anymore, and if they wanted a sax they needed Al Garth, but why did they need 2 back-up piano players, for example? If it was to fill larger arenas, they played large arenas in the 70s, so that can't be it...IMO these extra people were not really necessary and took away from the band's sound. (No offense meant to any fans of these people...they all seem very talented, I just prefer the band when it was just 4 or 5 of them on stage).

Groupie - From what I have heard, when they reunited for HFO both Don and Glenn insisted their solo back up bands be part of the reunion. I don't know if this is true. As time went on, I think they became necessary to beef up their sound. I think it may have also helped save their voices some too.

They did have a few extras between 1976 and 1980. For example, Joe Vitale and David Sanborn/Phil Kenzie played on The Long Run tour.

During the break, Glenn seems to have gone for a larger band - at least six in addition to himself for his 1982 tour. I'm not sure about Don.

There were no horns on the HotE tour.

Thanks, UTW, I didn't see them during the HOTE tour, I didn't know that. I thought it was just The Long Run tour when they started adding people...I've seen concert footage from 1976 and 1977 and I didn't see extra musicians (with the exception of bringing out JD Souther), unless they had people hidden behind a curtain somewhere.

Maybe it was to keep their solo band musicians on the payroll, who knows. I could see adding extra back-up singers, to help save their voices, but they added musicians and instruments that weren't on a song before. There is a very loud piano player (I think it's Michael Thompson) on the Melbourne dvd who, IMO, ruins some of the songs, he plays so loud.

When I watched old videos between 1985 to 1990(before HFO), Don had 2 guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, 2 piano players and 3 backup singers. So he had about 9 people on stage. I think for a while Don didn't have the backup singers. I think he started back using backup singers during the Cass County tour. I don't know how many people he had during his IJ tour. Probably the same amount. I think one time he had a choir with him. Maybe that was only when he did special appearances on tv. But mostly he has 9 musicians on stage with him. He now includes a horn section. He did have a horn section on his IJ tour.

I have no idea why they have so many piano players. I can understand guitarists, but not piano players. I think a lot of singers have that many people on stage(minus the backup singers)

I don't know why they added the horns, ever. I remember them being on the F1 tour and was so glad they dropped them for HotE. Now, I guess, they are back. I heard one of Joe's songs (Life's Been Good!) (with horns!) on Sirius Eagles channel and was like....oh, horns! lol

My dream would have been for them to tour with just a 5 piece band again. Till Glenn died.

I can understand Scott Crago given Don's gradual phasing out of drumming duties (he has moved away from drums on RMW, Wasted Time, Desperado, LITFL and In the City in stages since 2001 for example), and one of Michael Thompson or Will Hollis given Glenn's arthritis (I am presuming Joe has long given up piano), and Steuart Smith since Felder left, but some things do bother me with their use: as much as I can appreciate it has become a preservation act in the last few years, it did look a bit off having four rhythm guitarists on Take It to the Limit; and I do think things like Glenn and Don H. playing their studio instruments on Desperado was iconic and should have been the last song to fall.

I never cared for the Mighty Horns by and large, though I am partial to the violin Al Garth added to songs like Lyin' Eyes and Already Gone, and I absolutely adore the trumpet solo in Tequila Sunrise and prelude to HC that they used to do. Similarly, I actually like how much at the fore the grand piano is in songs like Lyin' Eyes and Peaceful Easy Feeling, it adds a lot of depth to them for me.

Scott is the only perpetual member of their back-up since 1994 - the keyboardists on the HFO tour were different, and I believe doubled up on guitar too for the likes of Already Gone and Get Over it. There was also another percussionist (see some of the acoustic stuff on the MTV special).

As others have said, whilst the quantity of them may be, the Eagles using backing musicians isn't anything new - they had the wonderful (I still miss him in the band!) Joe Vitale on keyboards and drums on TLR tour, and a mystery man called Vince Melahmed (?) on keyboards during the HC tour - I wonder if he is the bloke you can see standing at Glenn's keyboard on the Washington '77 version of New Kid in Town. Further, I believe the guitar tech (Jage Jackson) used to play Hotel California off stage too.

Let's not all forget the most sparingly-used back-up too - their drum tech used to play percussion (and maybe still does) on Those Shoes and Life in the Fast Lane. I forget his name, but he was with Glenn's solo band IIRC.

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Originally Posted by Brooke

I don't know why they added the horns, ever. I remember them being on the F1 tour and was so glad they dropped them for HotE. Now, I guess, they are back. I heard one of Joe's songs (Life's Been Good!) (with horns!) on Sirius Eagles channel and was like....oh, horns! lol

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I concur, the horns as a quartet did nothing for me: aside from adding body at the end of things like Heartache Tonight (though I am presuming that is now stuck in Beach Boys mode), I didn't miss them in the slightest when I saw HOTE live.

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Originally Posted by thelastresort

I can understand Scott Crago given Don's gradual phasing out of drumming duties (he has moved away from drums on RMW, Wasted Time, Desperado, LITFL and In the City in stages since 2001 for example), and one of Michael Thompson or Will Hollis given Glenn's arthritis (I am presuming Joe has long given up piano), and Steuart Smith since Felder left, but some things do bother me with their use: as much as I can appreciate it has become a preservation act in the last few years, it did look a bit off having four rhythm guitarists on Take It to the Limit; and I do think things like Glenn and Don H. playing their studio instruments on Desperado was iconic and should have been the last song to fall.

I never cared for the Mighty Horns by and large, though I am partial to the violin Al Garth added to songs like Lyin' Eyes and Already Gone, and I absolutely adore the trumpet solo in Tequila Sunrise and prelude to HC that they used to do. Similarly, I actually like how much at the fore the grand piano is in songs like Lyin' Eyes and Peaceful Easy Feeling, it adds a lot of depth to them for me.

Scott is the only perpetual member of their back-up since 1994 - the keyboardists on the HFO tour were different, and I believe doubled up on guitar too for the likes of Already Gone and Get Over it. There was also another percussionist (see some of the acoustic stuff on the MTV special).

As others have said, whilst the quantity of them may be, the Eagles using backing musicians isn't anything new - they had the wonderful (I still miss him in the band!) Joe Vitale on keyboards and drums on TLR tour, and a mystery man called Vince Melahmed (?) on keyboards during the HC tour - I wonder if he is the bloke you can see standing at Glenn's keyboard on the Washington '77 version of New Kid in Town. Further, I believe the guitar tech (Jage Jackson) used to play Hotel California off stage too.

Let's not all forget the most sparingly-used back-up too - their drum tech used to play percussion (and maybe still does) on Those Shoes and Life in the Fast Lane. I forget his name, but he was with Glenn's solo band IIRC.

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Victor. To my shame I have forgotten his surname. Is he still with them? I thought he was Glenn's guitar tech because I saw him hand Glenn guitars at Niagara Falls.

I didn't notice another keyboardist in the 1977 DC video...I'll have to watch again. I can understand if they did it for health reasons, but it does take away from it for me. They were at their best when they could do these songs with just the 4 or 5 of them, without the entourage.