Which band line up is your favorite era?

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I was looking at some posts today and it inspired me to start this new topic. I am curious - of all of the Eagles various line ups, which is your favorite and why? I went ahead and posted the line ups just in case some of you need to refresh your memory.

1971-1974
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner

1974-1976
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Don Felder

1976-1977
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Don Felder, Joe Walsh

1977-1980; 1994-2000
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit

2001-present
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit

[Freypower]

I would have to say that my favourite lineup is the current one, but the 'classic' lineup is probably Frey/Henley/Felder/Walsh/Meisner.

[eaglesvet]

I loved the lineup of HFO in 1994, because that was my first Eagles concert. They looked fantabulous, sounded great, and had all the wonders and talents of the current lineup plus one...what's not to love?

[DonFan]

I loved the lineup of HFO in 1994, because that was my first Eagles concert. They looked fantabulous, sounded great, and had all the wonders and talents of the current lineup plus one...what's not to love?

Felder?

Sorry all you Felder-lovers out there. It's not that he wasn't a great guitarist who made significant contributions to many Eagles songs, but reading that whiny tell-all book of his, full of those poor-me-stories such as "the-other-guys-forced me-to-do-all-that-partying-on-the-road-and-then-I-don't-know-why-my-wife-left-me, blah, blah, blah," BS just irritated the crap out of me. He is whining all the way to the bank.$$$

I love the current lineup. It just doesn't get any better than Don, Glenn, Timothy and Joe. Perfection!

[Freypower]

I completely agree with you, DF. The band is much better and happier without him, despite his talents. I was only prepared to acknowledge that he may be considered part of the 'classic' lineup.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Well, since I started this thread, I guess I should try to answer the question. The trouble is I can't! I've thought long and hard about this and tried to see if I could pick just one or two that I like best, but no can do!

First I thought maybe I could eliminate the original line up of Glenn, Don H., Randy, and Bernie because maybe they were better with the addition of Felder. But then I decided I couldn't because this line up is responsible for Desperado, which is my second all-time favorite Eagles album (next to Hotel California). So maybe, I should eliminate the '74 - '76 line up, but like I said I think the addition of Felder was a great move for the direction the band was headed.

I can't eliminate the line up with Frey, Henley, Meisner, Felder, and Walsh because that the line up that created their masterpiece called Hotel California.

The final '70's line up (Frey, Henley, Felder, Walsh, and Schmit) can't be discarded either because of all it represents. They broke up, took a 14 year vacation, and got back together again. Since this is the HFO line up, I love it for all that it represents.

And now I love the current line up and all that it represents. It seems that they have finally come full circle. At last, "band morale is at an all time high" Frey declared in February. While not everything is perfect, it does seem that at last, the guys have the maturity and wisdom to deal with the highs and lows of being in a band - not to mention that the talent is still present in abundance. I think firing Felder was necessary for the preservation of the band. I feel that certainly this is the final line up and that in itself is significant.

[GlennLover]

I was about to post that my favourite lineup is the current one until I read your post Dreamer. You make some very good points & what you say is probably true. However, I am going to go ahead & let my heart lead me & still choose the current lineup, only because HFO was the 1st time that I actually discovered what they looked like & did not become famliar with past lineups until after that.

I would have chosen that lineup with Felder included, but I can't get past the fact that he wrote his book & was so disrespectful to Don & (especially) Glenn . The fact that they felt that he had to be let go from the band, despite his talent, is another reason that I can't include him in my choice for favourite lineup. Just mho though.

[MikeA]

With a question like this one, I have to think in terms of musical prowess alone and leave personalities out of it. None of those guys were angels anyway though they had the vocals and harmony that angels might be envious of.

But from a musical stantpoint, there is no doubt in my mind anyway (Rock Bias) that Felder, Schmit, Walsh, Henley and Frey had to be the best line up for my tastes. I'll probably step on some toes here, but I'd be just as happy if they'd leave the horns at home! They sound good on HC as an intro, but I'm not into the brass.

I'm not bashing Leadon and Meisner at all. It's just that it seemed to come all together for me with Walsh in the lineup. Two masters on guitar that harmonized as much on those strings as Henley and Frey and Schmit combined to blow everyone away with vocals!

I count myself lucky that I was able to catch Felder and Walsh here in Wichita back in 1976 when they played on the Hotel California tour...or maybe it just preceeded the tour. I seem to remember it being late November or December of '76. Whatever, they played most all of the cuts on HC. Fantastic show.

[AzEaglesFan]

My favorite is the present band, I think they just are a better mix. Don the poet, Glenn the arranger, Timothy the soul and Joe the wild child. They are so gifted in their own way and I can't really pick a favorite one member.

[Mrs Henley]

I think I choice the present line up, I think because I remember and been grown up with this line up, of course the line up at Hotel California (Frey, Henley, Meisner, Felder, and Walsh (thanks Dreamer!)), that the only line up of the 70's I remember. Although the HFO line up is one I know..
I saw the present line up live and I have no feelings with Felder, so I stay with the present line up!