Why I no longer am happy with my favorite band

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Many people seemed to make up their minds about villains and victims based on very little inform, it's a gut reaction, it's how they feel but it doesn't mean they understand what was going on. The reality is sure to be far more complex and everyone involved has both good and bad parts of their personality.

I so totally agree with your post, especially this part.

I have a question bases on UndertheWires comment above (sorry if it's been addressed already) but when they say that Berne and Randy returned their shares of the corporation or surrendered them, does that mean they were bought out?

LR - According to Felder's book and other documentation, there was a clause in all member's contracts that required them to sell back their shares of the corporation for a nominal sum upon their departure from the band.

[Brooke]

Exactly. They weren't and aren't perfect, which is just one thing I like about them. Perfect is so incredibly boring, and we established in the Blokes thread that I like the bad boys! They did some bad things. They did some good things. They sound like angels but they aren't. As my Grandma always said, "If you can't say anything good keep your mouth shut." We don't need to be sycophants, recognizing the good with the bad is far healthier than wearing rose-colored glasses, but I have enough negativity in my life, I don't need it in my virtual world.

I have my favorite, obviously, but I love all these guys and have a huge amount of respect for their talent, their drive and ambition. I'm a fan of them, which explains why I'm here on an Eagles fansite.

I agree with everything here. Thank you VA!

[The Thrill Is Never Gone]

Yes we are all here because we love the eagles and their music. There is no denying that.

You have your opinion and I have mine. Why don't we all just, GET OVER IT!, and move on.

[SoaringRockyMountainWay]

Yes we are all here because we love the eagles and their music. There is no denying that.

You have your opinion and I have mine. Why don't we all just, GET OVER IT!, and move on.

I TOTALLY AGREE!

[Vector]

For those who have read and/or participated in this thread, you know my journey with the Eagles has gone from a naive fan who liked them more than any other, to disillusionment with all the behind the scenes stuff I learned about after HOE documentary. It caused me to read every book and watch most interviews related to their history and demise.
I even sat down with someone at the Troubadour who knew them from their humble beginning to try and find the truth as best as I could.
The conclusions I came to were far from popular with some of the posters here, yet others were publicly and certainly privately expressing their similar feelings. It is sad so many had to speak off the record or via email since they felt ridicule expressing their views publicly on this forum (more on this in a moment).

I also got to the point of not being able to hear the Eagles songs without thinking of how petty, egocentric, greedy or downright stupid they could be to destroy such an incredible array of talent. I pronounced I would never see them in concert again (in their present form), nor purchase anything that could put money into their pockets.
I also wished I had never seen the HOE doc to begin with, and just enjoyed their music in ignorant bliss.

Yet with all the aforementioned, I found myself looking for ways to excuse, if not forgive, the bands actions.
After all, being a fan of their music, I'd prefer to feel good about them rather than thinking negatively. I wanted to get back to enjoying their music without thinking of what could have been.
So I started thinking if XYZ happened to heal the old wounds between them, that would work for me. The first and most obvious thing would be for them to just call each other, agree to have a beer, and let the egos and pettiness go.

Never happened.

Then I thought Frey/Henley could invite the former members back to the group. While this was the most unrealistic, having all 7 living members up on stage preforming (like they did during the HOF induction) would be great.
What fan could possibly not want that to happen?
Yet as the years rolled by with the rift between the former members and the current ones seeming to go on without end, I figured it was a lost cause.

Never happened.

Yet every time a significant member of another band would pass away, you'd see former "enemies" within the group open their hearts, and remember the good times & old days. I'd think to myself, you guys are not getting any younger, so you'd better not wait until one of you gets sicks or dies, then it will be truly too late.
So when I heard the Eagles were having a Farewell Tour, I thought this might be the chance to heal the wounds. Needless to say with Bernie Leadon rejoining, I was heartened. Yet the lack of Randy Meisner and Don Felder was enough to keep me from seeing them. Heck even having them play just a few songs (TITTL for Meisner & HC/OOTN for Felder) might have done the trick. Needless to say it never happened.

My next thought that would suffice was when the Eagles were to receive the Kennedy Award. I thought, ok guys, this is an easy one. Just as you did during the HOF award, invite everyone back to receive the honor. Just like with the Travis Tritt video for "Common Threads", that might be the spark that could cause them to forgive and forget. Sadly not only was Frey sick, but either he and/or Henley had not decided to invite any of the 3 other members, including Leadon.
I certainly didn't expect Frey to pass, yet it crossed my mind that I'd bet this episode might enlighten him to realize his own mortality and make amends when he recovered. I'd like to think he would have, but sadly we will never know.
So when Henley decided to only have the 3 honored (with Glen posthumously so via his wife), I though, ok, that is it, my favorite band and their music is going to be lost to me.

Never happened.

However, not wanting to hold a grudge and still wanting to get beyond my current state when I hear their songs, I figured they could do a tribute tour (with all the members), and have fellow friends musicians fill in for Frey. Such as Brown, Seger, Tritt, etc., etc.
Then Henley does an interview saying the Eagles are no more.

Never happened.
But what is the old saying, never say never?

Well low and behold, just when I was about to give up all hope, I hear the Eagles are supposedly going to reform for this east coast - west coast concert thing. I have no clue what it's reason for existence is, but have heard rumors that the Eagles will have all current and former members together.
I know it is just rumor at this stage, and some fans might not even want to see it happen.
But my desire to get beyond my present state of mind with them has me hoping it is true. All the living Eagles on stage would likely do the trick. Heck, just like a parent who sets the bar for forgiveness very low for their own kids, I'd even be happy if Henley (lets face it, he decides, no one else) just invited the other 3 to be a part of it. So even if Meisner is too ill/messed up, Felder is on tour, Leadon is off surfing, just the mere olive branch gesture of inviting them would be enough for me.

I am cautiously optimistic and keeping my fingers crossed. Needless to say, I am interested in your points of view on my lengthy journey and hope for them reuniting.


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[Delilah]

As much as I would LOVE to see the 3 former members join the rest of the band this summer to perform and pay tribute to Glenn, that's just not realistic. I read about that rumor too and didn't take it seriously. At all. Well except for Bernie. I think there's a chance he could be part of it. That would be great.

[New Kid In Town]

Vector - Just MHO, but you are taking this too personal. Don H. and Glenn had no problems with Randy and Bernie. Bernie toured two years with them for the HOTE tour. Randy was asked but was too ill to tour with them. Don and Glenn paid all of Randy's medical bills, including months of rehab he needed after his chocking incident. They had no objection to them receiving the KCH.
They have not and will probably never make amends with Don Felder. You can not sue and write a tell all book trashing former band members and expect to be welcomed back into the fold so to speak. You have to remember that most bands have gone through the same thing with members. The Eagles are not the only group this has happened to. In fact, there are more groups this has happened to than not happened to.
Remember that when most of this went down, they guys were all in their 20's. They were young and famous beyond their wildest dreams. Their behavior was not any different than most R&R groups. Did they always handle everything well ? Not always. Don H. and Glenn long ago made amends with Bernie and Randy. It will probably never happen with Felder.
As to who will play at the two concerts with them, I would guess that Randy will not be able to participate due to his poor health. Hell could freeze over before Don H. shares a stage with Felder. I would not be surprised if Bernie participates like he did for the HOTE tour. As to whom the "family and friends" will be we will just have to wait and see. You should not let something that happened 40 years ago stop your enjoyment from listening to the Eagles.

[Vector]

As much as I would LOVE to see the 3 former members join the rest of the band this summer to perform and pay tribute to Glenn, that's just not realistic. I read about that rumor too and didn't take it seriously. At all. Well except for Bernie. I think there's a chance he could be part of it. That would be great.

Well I agree about Bernie, as they do seem to have gotten beyond their rift.

With Randy, I'd think a public invitation, regardless of his ability to actually participate, would be a nice gesture. Remember, Henley could have asked him to attend and be honored for the Kennedy Awards, and all that would have required is him to sit and enjoy the evening.

Randy could politely decline a current invitation, and everyone is a winner, even if only for optics. Still I'd bet Randy would still appreciate the offer.

[Vector]

Vector - Just MHO, but you are taking this too personal. Don H. and Glenn had no problems with Randy and Bernie. Bernie toured two years with them for the HOTE tour. Randy was asked but was too ill to tour with them. Don and Glenn paid all of Randy's medical bills, including months of rehab he needed after his chocking incident. They had no objection to them receiving the KCH.
They have not and will probably never make amends with Don Felder. You can not sue and write a tell all book trashing former band members and expect to be welcomed back into the fold so to speak. You have to remember that most bands have gone through the same thing with members. The Eagles are not the only group this has happened to. In fact, there are more groups this has happened to than not happened to.
Remember that when most of this went down, they guys were all in their 20's. They were young and famous beyond their wildest dreams. Their behavior was not any different than most R&R groups. Did they always handle everything well ? Not always. Don H. and Glenn and long ago made amends with Bernie and Randy. It will probably never happen with Felder.
As to who will play at the two concerts with them, I would guess that Randy will not be able to participate due to his poor health. Hell could freeze over before Don H. shares a stage with Felder. I would not be surprised if Bernie participates like he did for the HOTE tour. As to whom the "family and friends" will be we will just have to wait and see. You should not let something that happened 40 years ago stop your enjoyment from listening to the Eagles.

I agree that I might be letting things get to me more so than just about anything else so remote to my direct life.
Then again the Eagles music seems to touch many of us in ways that are not rational.
Heck just look at the fans on this site alone, who feel a personal connection to the music, and even the band members themselves.
I certainly cannot explain why a rational pragmatic guy like myself has become so intrigued with the dynamics of the Eagles.

While I do think Leadon has been forgiven and welcomed back int the fold (at least enough to be a paid sideman), Meisner has a much more strained relationship with Frey/Henely than most realize.
It was not until Eliot's book, did Randy finally have a voice in how he felt betrayed and screwed over by Henely/Frey and Azoff. I too have heard that Frey/Henley have paid some of his medical bills, which of course is commendable.
However to think he is even in financial need of other members to help him says a lot.
He was driven away, and according to him his career sabotaged via Henley through Azoff. So if a founding member is poor and the others all multi-millionaires, that is an indictment in and of itself, don't you think?

Regarding Felder, nice play on words with "hell freezes over". I could of course counter that Henley should "get over it".
The fans would love to see everyone back on stage, performing for what will likely be the last ever opportunity.
Like you point out 40 years is a long time. Grown men who were once friends and help to make each other rich/famous should be able to tolerate being in the same room with each other, much less creating an environment where they work together to make even more money than they could being apart.

[New Kid In Town]

Vector - Amends will never be made with Don Felder. That is just the way it is. Felder is not an innocent angle either - there are three sides to every story - your, mine and the truth. Don F's book should be taken with a grain of salt. I personally think he came off as whinny and ungrateful. He blamed everyone else for his actions. He seems quite happy now with his own band.

If you remember in Elliott's book, he indicates, and Don H. concurred, that Glenn got along well with Randy for the most part. Don H. and Randy were never close. Glenn was described as having much more patience with Randy. I had read somewhere that Randy's continued drinking and drug use sabotaged his career in the 80's. Randy's refusal to sing TITTL during the HC tour made Glenn angry. People expected to hear that song with Randy singing it. Also, IMHO it was unrealistic for Randy to expect to be included in the HFO tour when he had quit the band 16 years before. Especially when he refused to sing any lead songs. And you know the fans would have expected TITTL every night. His stage fright and refusal to sing was one of the reasons he quit(along with trying to save his marriage).

I do not believe Randy is broke. A few years ago he gave an interview stating life was good for him. He had good investments and a good business manager. He of course does not have the same amount of money as Don and Glenn but, he has stated numerous times in interviews I have seen that money was not that important to him. Don't forget, he continues to make money every year from their GH vol.1, which is a gold mine. Bernie has stated he makes good money every year from the sale of the album. Don and Glenn paid ALL of Randy's medical bills. If they were not getting along, they probably would not have done so.

So, just try to listen to the Eagles music and enjoy it for the great music it is. And remember, we do not know what really went on in that band - we were not there. We do not know what is is like to experience that kind of fame at such a young age. Glenn had stated in numerous interviews that he regrets the way some things went down in the 70's. Remember, alcohol and drugs brought out the worse in ALL of them.