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Thread: How did you become a fan of the Eagles/a specific Eagle?

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    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default How did you become a fan of the Eagles/a specific Eagle?

    I stole this idea from PLS, who suggested in another thread. I think it's a great idea. I'll tell my story of how I became an Eagles fan first.

    I was a child of the 80s. I didn't know anything about the Eagles. All I knew were Glenn Frey and Don Henley's solo hits, because I really didn't listen to rock music until around 1984/1985. I liked both Don and Glenn a lot.

    That's why, when I saw a commercial for Hell Freezes Over in 1994, I was astonished to find that BOTH Glenn Frey AND Don Henley had been in a group together! I figured, that must be one awesome band to have BOTH of them in it. I watched the special and thought it was great. I bought the cassette, and one of my first CD purchases was the Greatest Hits 1972-1975. I remember listening to "Take It the Limit" off of my new purchase while attempting to take limits for my calculus III class in college. Man, I sucked at that class.

    However, my fandom didn't go any further at that point. The Eagles weren't putting out any new stuff, and I figured I already had the best of 'em already, why buy the back catalog? Instead, I got into Fleetwood Mac in 1997 with The Dance, and became a hardcore fan of them, especially Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. I went to their concerts whenever I could.... including Stevie's summer tour with Don in 2005... and there begins part II of my story, when I become a hardcore Eagles fan.

    Although I went to Chicago to see Stevie in 2005, I didn't mind Don being there. I remembered how I'd liked many of his songs back in the 80s. Some of my Stevie friends didn't agree, including the ones I was driving up with. I took out my CD of Actual Miles, which I'd bought a few years before, and insisted that they listen to it before continuing to whine. It was a three hour drive to Chicago from West Lafayette, Indiana, after all! They did, and had to admit he had some good stuff. We got into discussions about whether Stevie inspired songs like Not Enough Love in the World. Before you know it, they were enjoying Don, too.

    Once there, I thoroughly enjoyed Don's set (with the exception of The Genie). I was impressed by how well his voice had held up, how well the music had held up, how well he'd held up. The smoldering sexuality of his duet with Stevie on Gold Dust Woman was... um... inspiring. Afterwards, I decided it would be worth my money to buy some more of the Eagles' music, and I purchased the Very Best. I put it in my car's CD changer and it didn't come out for MONTHS, which says something, since nothing besides the Mac/Lindsey/Stevie had ever occupied it for that long. (It was a six CD changer, though, so some of their stuff remained. lol)

    But it gets better! A few months later, I went to Stevie's benefit concert in Phoenix. I donated money to the Arizona Heart Institute, which garnered me (and 200 other donors) a pass to meet Stevie. Who should accompany her to the meet-n-greet but Don! I recently posted this story in the "Meeting Don" thread in Don's forum, so I won't go into more detail, but suffice it to say that meeting him fanned the Don-love which I was already feeling. He was so gracious and friendly to all the Stevie hardcores, and so supportive of my girl Stevie.

    Now at this point you may ask yourself, "I thought Nancy liked Glenn better?" So here's part 3, where I started to become a hardcore Glenn Fan. It started slowly. As I said before, I listened to the VB regularly. I found myself liking the songs with Glenn's vocals better. His voice really appealed to me. As I started buying the albums themselves, this only became more and more evident with each one. My appreciation for Glenn built when I obtained the Houston 1976 bootleg. He was such a dynamic performer! Farewell 1 cemented it even further. I was enchanted! At this point, I was still a member of Eagleland. I learned a lot of stuff there, and met a lot of great people. I inquired there about whether Glenn had a site, and when I found he didn't, I determined to make him one! The more I discovered in researching for the site, the more I liked him. When you spend a lot of time building a site for a musician, you really have to immerse yourself in his work. My Frey fandom was building to fever pitch!

    Then, I went to the Eagles Sacramento concert in late 2005, and that was it. Glenn became my fave male singer ever (surpassing even Lindsey Buckingham) and the Eagles tied with the Mac for the best rock group ever.

    And it just keeps getting better!

    That's my story. What's yours?

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

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    Stuck on the Border Maleah's Avatar
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    well mine is nowhere near as exciting as yours but here we go lol


    I'll start off by saying what I've said before, I had heard the Eagles songs before and really liked them.......but had no clue who sang them. lol But I work at Wal-Mart in the electronics department, and back in September of 2006 our supervisor decided to put F1 on to get people to stop and look at some tv's we were trying to sell. Well, needless to say he stopped trying to sell the tv's and decided to order 150 dvd's when we had 12 customers within a half hour ask us for that dvd. ANYWAY..............back to the story .......we had disc 2 in and I didn't really pay any attention until "Dirty Laundry" came on and I immediately liked the beat of the song. So of course I stopped to listen, and when Don opened his mouth and started to sing.............I went ! lol

    I've always liked raspy voices for a guy and Don had everything that I liked in a guys voice. He had the rasp, he had range, he had soul..........I LOVED it!!! I immediately went home that night and downloaded DL from wmart.com and proceeded to download LITFL, ICTYW, TITTL, and TLR as well. By that time I was hooked and I bought the dvd the next day.

    I stood at work in awe of the fact that I was familiar with these songs, but had no idea who they were! I had heard ICTYW and HT a lot especially. The more I watched the dvd, the more I loved watching ALL of the guys. Don remains my favorite, but I love them all because of the individuality that they bring to the table. In fact, watching Timothy on F1 made me want to learn to play the bass.

    So here I am, eagerly waiting for the next tour because I trying to stop beating myself up over the fact that they were here in little 'ole Bismarck 2 years ago and I didn't go. Hopefully they'll come back this year!!

    And that's it! (told you it was boring ) But the saga continues.........

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    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    That's a great story about the rush at Walmart, Maleah! Love it. My Brother-in-law once worked at a Best Buy type store a few years ago (I honestly can't remember the name) and he said they sold a lot of TVs, DVD players, and sound systems playing Hell Freezes Over.

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

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    Stuck on the Border Maleah's Avatar
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    Since we've had F1 playing pretty much the entire time since September of last year, we're thinking when the new cd comes out........we'll order HFO and have that playing on the tv's and have the cd's (and HFO dvd's of course ) displayed around it. We sold over $5,000 worth of F1 so I guess that's not too bad.

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    This is a great idea for a topic. I like the idea of getting your Stevie friends to listen to Don before criticising him, Soda, and your description of his smouldering duet… Maleah, that is very cool to hear about all the customers rushing to buy F1!

    Well, my story goes like this. I first heard the Eagles when I went to university in the mid seventies. My flatmates had Hotel California, and we used to spend many happy hours chilling out to that, as well as other iconic albums of that era. I didn’t buy much music of my own (I was on a very tight budget in those days), but one of the few I did buy was ‘Greatest Hits’, which I loved. When my first pay cheques started arriving, I began to buy more music, but the Eagles’ music was hard to find. and I remember the excitement of finding ‘Live’ on cassette in 1981, listening to it on the way home in the car (on a battery powered tape player on the front seat) and thinking ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’ was a beautiful song, and also wondering who Joe Walsh was, as he appeared to be a guest). As I’ve said elsewhere, I didn’t have a clue about who was who.

    Then there was a bit of a gap, then ‘Boys of Summer’ came out, and Don was referred to as former Eagle, and I loved the song and recorded it off the radio, crumby quality, but I listened to it a lot.

    For the next number of years I got sidetracked with marriage, children, etc. We started buying cds, and at last I found ‘The Very Best of’ which replaced my ancient tape of ‘Greatest hits’ in the car. I suggested we bought ‘Hotel California’, and this is when things snowballed. I looked at the insert, and found myself fascinated by these men, particularly the wasted guy in the middle. I discovered that he was the sensitive voice on NKIT, co-wrote a lot of the songs, and played the piano. I went back to my old ‘Greatest Hits’ album, and tried to tie up the faces – to be honest I don’t think I recognised Glenn on ‘GH’, and of course I didn’t know about the personnel changes.

    Out of curiosity, I googled Eagles on the internet, and found a site called Desperado (no longer in existence), where to my amazement I discovered that they had reunited in 1994, and were still performing now. I became more and more interested, learnt a whole lot more about them on Eagleland and other sites, that the ‘wasted guy’ was now a gorgeous and happily married man, and my admiration just exploded. That was nearly two years ago. Since then I have seen The Eagles live three times last summer, have all their albums and Glenn’s solo work, constantly listen to them (and carry a little badge with Glenn on it in my pocket all the time. )


    www.donfelderonline.com
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    This way to happiness...

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    Stuck on the Border DonFan's Avatar
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    My initial Eagles connection goes all the way back to listening to their music during my college days in the 70s, too. But like so many of us, I married my college sweetheart (too early) and working and trying to get pregnant and miscarriages and real life distracted me from concerts and music for awhile. Then I got a divorce in the 80s and remember listening to Don's solo music quite a lot during my dating-again days--I loved DL, BOS, ASWTDID, EOI, etc--and I was also a huge Miami Vice fan so I also loved Glenn's Smuggler's Blues & The Heat is On.

    Then I got married again--to the right man this time--and we started trying to have a family. I had to go through several fertility treatments to finally get pregnant, and I was hospitalized for 9 weeks taking various anti-contraction meds to stop my pre-term labor with my youngest. I laid in the hospital bed listening to a lot of music during that time. The Dr kept telling me I could go home, then would change his mind and tell me I had to stay when my contractions would start back. One song became my mantra--Hotel California--for the line "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave"! Anyway, I finally had the children I wanted for so long, our two wonderful daughters--and I got wrapped up in my family life so I stopped going to concerts again.

    Flash forward to 2004, when my beloved father was diagnosed with aggressive Stage 4 melanoma and my entire family was thrust into an endless string of doctor's appointments and unsuccessful experimental cancer treatments until he died, less than 6 months after his diagnosis. My sister had just moved to Atlanta to the Chastain Park area and sent me a list of performers who were coming to Chastain, and asked me to pick one and come over to a concert so we could get our mind off our sorrow. I chose Don Henley.

    That man--that voice!--and his music touched something deep inside me that night, and things were never quite the same after that. What started as an innocent distraction turned into something quite wonderful. I bought every Henley and Eagles CD I could get my hands on. I started researching him online, with sites such as Eagleland and others. I think it was right about the time I watched Don's Storytellers that BOOM, I slipped, stumbled, and fell--I was a complete goner. I went back to Atlanta the following year and got 6th row seats for an Eagles concert, and when Don walked out front and stood right in front of me in the spotlight to sing Wasted Time--Oh my God. Need I say more? As an added bonus, I started meeting other wonderful Eagles fans, which just made everything even better.

    And it is still going strong....

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    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Great stories, GEF and Dana! GEF, we sure have come a long way since not knowing who was who! (I used to be very confused about who sung Take It to the Limit on the Greatest Hits 1972-1975. After all, there was no Randy on Hell Freezes Over, and I too wasn't aware of all the personell changes! I thought, "This doesn't sound like any of them!" And when someone posted the OOTN album photo on a Fleetwood Mac board, the only one I could identify was Don - because he was the one who looked like Lindsey. It blew my mind that the guy with all the hair and that funkified moustache was Glenn!)

    Dana, it really is wonderful how music can help you through hard times. Your story was very moving. No wonder you're a DonFan.

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

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    Stuck on the Border DonFan's Avatar
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    Thanks to everyone who posted their stories.
    I love reading them--they are all amazing--and I can't wait to read more!

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    I became a fan of the Eagles music in 1994 when I heard the Common Thread album. I remember my family was driving down to the USA for a vacation... and Dad wanted something to entertain us in the car. So he picked up the Common Thread tape at the local music store! Needless to say i was hooked and when i got home started listening to all my dad other Eagles music...

    This continued for many years. Yet I didn't become a hard core Eagles fan til June 2005 when I purchased the Farewell 1 DVD for my dad for Father's Day and WOW!! Upon watching it I took immediate notice of one Timothy B Schmit!! Since then it's been all Eagles for me!! :P

    Since 2005 I've been to 3 Eagles concerts, (one in San Jose California and two in London England) and one Glenn Frey solo concert. I can't wait for the album to be released and more Eagles concerts to be announced!!

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    Moderator Ive always been a dreamer's Avatar
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    These are great stories so far. It just serves as a reminder to me about the power of great music. I know we joke and kid around alot about the 'hotness' of certain individuals, and that IS important. But in the end it really is all about the music.

    So okay – here is the story of my 35-year old Eagles fandom. I apologize in advance for the length, so I decided to break it up into phases. I considered trying to post a condensed version, but I then figured 'what the crap'! You all can decide for yourselves whether to read the whole thing or not.

    Phase 1 – The ‘70’s

    First of all, I’m old so I became an Eagles fan the first time I heard Take It Easy on the radio in the summer of ’72. I immediately went out and bought the Eagles album, which was weird since I was a poor college student and I usually only bought 45 RPM singles back then. Now, there was no MTV or VH1 back then, so the only image I had of the guys was the upside down picture on the inside of the gatefold. To say the least, nothing much caught my eye, but my ears really did get a treat. I loved almost every song. It wasn’t that much time between when Witchy Woman and PEF were waning in popularity that Desperado was released. I bought that album too. At the time, I liked some of the songs, but didn’t think it was as good as the Eagles album. As most of you know, Linda Ronstadt’s cover of Desperado was a hit, but the Eagles version wasn’t a hit. Now, I had one more picture of the band on the cover of the album, and I just remember the mental image I had of them was that they were some messed up looking, skinny cowboys. This is the trend that would continue throughout the decade. I eagerly awaited the release of every new album, loved them all, but wasn’t impressed by their looks. I just thought they were a bunch of drugged up, skinny hippies. The only name I knew was Glenn Frey. But then, as they began reaching megastar status, I remember all the talk on the street when it was announced that Bernie had left and was being replaced by Joe Walsh. While many thought that was a totally insane idea, I remember thinking how cool it was that Joe was going to be an Eagle. Once Hotel California was released, I think I learned the name Don Henley, as well. Of course, by then, they had become the most popular band in the country. Finally, I remember waiting what seemed like forever for The Long Run to be released. By then, my fandom was in full swing along with most of the rest of the country. I knew them all by name, except somehow I missed that Randy had left the band. When I bought the album and looked at the picture I had to try to figure out who was who because some of them had really changed their look. That was when I figured out that Timothy was now an Eagle and put him together with the unrecognizable voice on ICTYW. DUH! It suddenly began to occur to me that these former messed up, skinny cowboys were pretty easy on the eyes after all. But then, it all came to an end. I remember that I was devastated (much more so than when The Beatles had split up a decade earlier).

    Phase 2 – The 80’s and 90’s

    Throughout the ‘80’s, I followed both Don and Glenn’s solo careers. In the early days of the band, Glenn was the lone front man for the band and the most well known, so he was my obvious favorite. After Hotel California, of course, Don joined Glenn as my co-favorite. As I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t until The Long Run that I had even paid any real attention to their appearance. But by now, MTV was in full swing, and as I watched The Boys of Summer and You Belong to the City videos, I was taken agasp by the full-fledged hotness that had developed in Mr’s. Henley and Frey. I was in awe about how well those messed up hippies had developed. I bought No Fun Aloud, Building the Perfect Beast, and The End of the Innocence. But like most fans, I missed the Eagles. Although I was in complete shock, I was elated with the Hell Freezes Over announcement. I never had the opportunity to see the band live in the 70’s because I was dirt poor and there was no way I could afford a $10 - $15 concert ticket. So now with the pending HFO tour, I could rectify that. However, by then, I was a dedicated career girl who was traveling extensively in my job during the decade of the ‘90’s. Much to my disappointment, I could never synch up my travel schedule to get to a concert – a huge disappointment that lingers to this very day! To help ease my pain, I bought Glenn’s Solo Collection CD around 1996, and only then discovered that I had somehow missed out on Strange Weather, so I thankfully added that to my collection. That has since become my all time favorite Eagles solo album.

    Phase 3 – The New Millenium

    Finally, in 2003, the guys announced new tours dates, and the very first date was right in my hometown. Even though I was ready to purchase my tickets the moment they went on sale, I still only managed to get sucky seats in the upper level. It didn’t matter though because I was on Cloud 9. After over 30 years, I finally got to see a live show! My fandom was renewed in full force. In March 2005, I went to another show in Hampton, Va. This time, with the help of my new home PC (which I had intentionally avoided purchasing for many years), I managed to get floor level seats, but still about 2/3’s of the way back in the arena. Shortly after that show, I was so psyched that I started surfing the net for any information I could find about the band. That’s when I found Eagleland. After the Hampton show, I kept thinking how much I wanted to see another show. Reading other fan's experiences made me realize how normal I am.

    During the summer of 2005, the band announced fall dates for the California tour. It just so happened that I was planning an October trip to California for a family affair. I synched the tour dates with my trip, and the Oakland concert fit in beautifully with my travel schedule. I immediately made up my mind that I was going to that show and that I was going to get the very best ticket that I could find no matter what I had to pay. The tickets had already been on sale, so I began my Internet search for the perfect ticket. I finally found ONE perfect 3rd row center ticket on ebay that er … shall we say, was not cheap. It didn’t matter. It also didn’t matter that I would have to tell my SO and my cousin that they would not be accompanying me to the show after all. As previously mentioned, ever since HC, Don and Glenn had co-existed as my favorites and that was reinforced after seeing them live. Therefore, I was totally unprepared for what was to happen in Oakland. I was taking vigorous notes at the show so I could post a detailed review on Eagleland. However, with my 3rd row seat directly in front of Glenn, this was a concert experience unlike any other I’d ever had. I became increasingly mesmerized and taken in by Glenn’s charisma, charm, and energy. The man was flat out oozing with hotness. By the end of the show, I could hardly take my eyes off of him. When he made eye contact with me and mouthed a line from LITF directly at me, I was chosen once and for all. I left that show in a daze. Once home, I began to suffer from serious PEW, mainly PGW. I kept thinking how much I wanted to go back for another show. In the meantime, Z and I had become PM buddies. She had been to the Bakersfield show in September, and was feeling some Timmy love. Like me, she was feeling the need for another show. One day we just decided ‘what the hell, let’s do it!’ So we checked things out and decided to go to the show in Sacramento in November. We got all our plans together and eagerly awaited for the day to arrive. The night before I was flying to CA, I got a PM from Soda informing me that she had suddenly decided to go to the Sacramento show, and was meeting up with PLS out there. So off we all went, not only to see another awesome show, but to meet new friends as well. It turned out to be a wonderful weekend. Z and I even managed to casually work our way to the front row from our 4th row seats. The security guy waved us on so we got to watch a good part of the 2nd half of the show from the best ‘seats’ in the house right in front of Tim and Glenn – you wanna talk about two happy women! We both got the eye contact that we were craving.

    Since 2006 only saw the guys doing their short European tour, I didn’t get an opportunity to see them. However, much of the sting of not going to London for a show was lessened for me when Glenn announced his Prelude to Obscurity tour dates for July 2006. Once again, Z and I began making plans, along with Molly who was now our PM/email buddy as well. The original plan was to attend the two shows at Casino Rama. Several other fans, including Soda and PLS, were also making the trip. Then came the announcement that the Atlantic City date was added to the tour. Of course, attendance at that show was mandatory since it is so close to Z’s home. My Glenn love escalated even more when we were standing right at his feet for a good portion of all three shows. Then, it was back home again for a long, cold winter awaiting confirmation for a certain musician’s name to appear on the 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach celebrity golfers list. Oh my!

    "People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
    Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016

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