One of Bob Lefsetz's recent online columns talked about Guns N Roses and other artists' ongoing battles to keep their new work from leaking to the internet prior to release. We all know Irving Azoff reads Lefsetz--he has commented on his columns before--and so Irving emailed this response to Lefsetz:

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"You are missing the points on leaks. Once the album is delivered and in the pipeline the artist doesn't freak out. When it's a leak of a work in progress it's like photographing one of them in the nude that doesn't want to do that... the GNR leaks were poor quality unmixed and unfinished."
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Bob's response to Irving:
"We can make distinctions all we want, but that's not the point.
The point is the fan wants everything, is interested in everything... He's eager for pre-release stuff, and time and time again the end result is better and the act has been forgiven.
The old days of the act being in control and holding back are done.
Henley wants perfection. That's an old paradigm, that keeps him locked up. Today's acts are open, they're part of the fan base...
We're imperfect every day, and so are the acts."

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In my opinion, Bob is completely right. No one loves Don more than I do, but his pursuit of perfection does tend to keep him locked up. And WE are the fans that Bob is talking about there--we are the ones who are interested in everything the Eagles do--we are the ones who would love to be able to hear some of their behind-the scenes rehearsals and other unrehearsed, spontaneous material.

(Notice: I am not even going to try to comment on the "seeing photographs of them in the nude" statement. The visual that conjures up is quite enough, thank you. )