I think the Eagles are actually underrated!

[VAisForEagleLovers]

So i do think there is some of that. People tend to think the eagles are soft.

I will agree with you on that, so many people refer to them as Soft Rock instead of Classic Rock.

I think there is also another aspect. Glenn mentioned it during the documentary and I've read it in many places, when they were leading up to why Bernie left the band, Glenn said that as they became more successful, Bernie had felt like they were selling out. I'm sure I remember this being a big issue in the To The Limit book as well as Felder's book, and not just with Bernie. I guess in SoCal back then, if you were successful, if you made money, you 'sold out'. I think a lot of people and probably media (not to mention friends and fellow musicians) thought the same thing.

I would never say that these guys don't appreciate the money they've made, of course they do, and they certainly aren't adverse to making more of it. I don't think money has ever really been their motivating factor, and certainly not now (or they'd be doing more shows). To me, they worked hard at their music and the sales, the money, was their verification that their hard work paid off. The success was validation of their efforts and decisions. The money was 'proof in the hand' that they'd given their fans what they wanted. Others saw that as 'selling out', the heck with the fans, music was to be all about what you (the musician) had in your head at the moment. As a fan, I can't respect that attitude.

Anyway, that 'selling out' attitude seemed to be pervasive back then and I think it's had a lot to do with a negative attitude being attached to them all along.

[GlennLover]

I tend to agree with you, VK.

[bluefox4000]

They've always been in my top bands. It's funny, I'm a member of multiple boards. And on most every one. When you bring up this band, they get dumped on so bad. The biggest reason i get is they're to cooperate.

I'll never understand it myself.

Mick

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Yes, I think the corporate theory is the same as the selling-out theory.

[Houston Debutante]

They've always been in my top bands. It's funny, I'm a member of multiple boards. And on most every one. When you bring up this band, they get dumped on so bad. The biggest reason i get is they're to cooperate.

I'll never understand it myself.

Mick

Right, I've seen this at other boards I've been part of, too. Lots of haters out there. It's mostly elitists who consider them to be a 'soulless corporate band' who care about money first, 'art' second.

[OutlawManNJ]

Im not so sure the selling out angle is it. Just about every band sells out. Mettalic for example is a real classic sell out and still got tons of love. I think it was a combo of things but most the soft ballads. The eagles were dressed as dirty rockers but half their so gs and most their hits were best of my love type songs. This probably left a bad taste in manys mouths. And still does. It even irritates me reading these books and seeing the doc and don and glenn talking about being a rock band and then in their next breath they record new kid in town. So which is it. You wanna rock or what? If not dont keep saying u want to.

[Freypower]

Im not so sure the selling out angle is it. Just about every band sells out. Mettalic for example is a real classic sell out and still got tons of love. I think it was a combo of things but most the soft ballads. The eagles were dressed as dirty rockers but half their so gs and most their hits were best of my love type songs. This probably left a bad taste in manys mouths. And still does. It even irritates me reading these books and seeing the doc and don and glenn talking about being a rock band and then in their next breath they record new kid in town. So which is it. You wanna rock or what? If not dont keep saying u want to.

I'm not entirely sure what you are saying here.

They were never a hard rock band in the way Deep Purple etc were. Ballads were & still are a very important part of their repertoire. However I would not say that 'half their songs' were ballads.

They didn't 'keep saying' they wanted to be a rock band. They did rock songs, they did ballads. Surely you would agree that The Long Run, ironically, had a harder edge than the Hotel California album with its strings?

If you don't like the Eagles' ballads, OK, but I think a lot of their fans do like them.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Im not so sure the selling out angle is it. Just about every band sells out. Mettalic for example is a real classic sell out and still got tons of love. I think it was a combo of things but most the soft ballads. The eagles were dressed as dirty rockers but half their so gs and most their hits were best of my love type songs. This probably left a bad taste in manys mouths. And still does. It even irritates me reading these books and seeing the doc and don and glenn talking about being a rock band and then in their next breath they record new kid in town. So which is it. You wanna rock or what? If not dont keep saying u want to.

I think the 'sell-out' mentality was from other SoCall bands a little older than Metalica, but as someone noted above, there was the 'corporate band' title as well.

As far as rock vs. softer music, I can't remember what thread I put it in, but I think their intent on adding a 'harder edge' was so that they could do rock and roll. I don't think they ever intended to be purely rock and roll. They always wanted songs that were influenced by one or more genres. They intended ICTYW to be influenced by R&B. They've repeatedly said that HC was 'Mexican Reggae'. So in answer to your question, 'which is it?' I would say 'neither'. They do want to rock, but not with every song.

[OutlawManNJ]

I never said i didnt like the ballads. The topic here is not what I like but why we think some people hate the eagles. My opinion is that people (not i) hate the eagles because they appeared to be a rock band but kept releasing ballad after ballad. The country aspect also didnt help with the haters.

[bluefox4000]

I always roll my eyes when I hear grown adults talk about "selling out" What are you in high school?

Mick