Frey-less Eagles??? Was it ever considered?

[Funk 50]

Thanks for the link UTW http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...s-1530716.html

Joe released Songs For A Dying Planet in May 1992. A year after Ordinary Average Guy (April 1991). He didn't support the album with a tour as he toured with Timothy in Ringo Starr's All Starr Band. But I reckon he had a recording contract.

I thought Henley's record company problems were one of the reasons that the Eagles resumed, not long after this 'It definitely won't happen now" interview. Glenn confirms that Henley and Frey lost their ability to write together.

Thanks again for the link UndertheWire and for the first time, I may be interested in Felder's, bash the Eagles, book.

[Lisa]

I would speculate that with two successful solo careers--the Eagles may have been a higher business risk to regroup. I would think that going ahead with floating the Eagles may have been a little more expensive and riskier a business decision to make. Maybe it is this apprehension that plays a part in the reformation. Pure speculation, but happily, the Eagles are playing as a group again after their long hiatus.

(Of course, this could all be completely unrelated in reality--)

[Ive always been a dreamer]

As far as the tensions between Glenn and Randy and Glenn and Bernie, we need to keep in mind that in a lot things, Don agreed with Glenn and Glenn was the one that had to be the hard-ass. So, quite a few of those tensions would have still been there with Don at the helm.

What I like about Glenn, and his detractors seldom acknowledge this when saying it always has to be his way is that while true, his decisions were for the good of the band and not always for his good. A prime example is the decision for him to sing leads less in the late 70s. I STILL boo the TV when I watch the DVD and he says that.

Well stated on both points, VA.

And I read both the Frey-less and the Henley-less hypothetical setlists posted in this thread, and, I'll say it again ... for me at any point in the band's history, no Frey or no Henley - no Eagles. And at this given time in the band's history, I don't think the band would continue without Joe and Timothy either.

[UndertheWire]

I think the only time for a Frey-less or Henley-free version of the Eagles would have been the seventies when there was still an expectation they would play new music rather than the old hits. I'm guessing that the majority of people didn't know who sang or wrote what so there woudn't have been an immediate outcry and the new music would have been judged on its own quality.

[Freypower]

I've read bits and pieces in a lot of different places, and put them together and given it some thought. It was briefly mentioned in the HOTE documentary as well. Felder would be all buddy-buddy with Glenn and tell him things Henley was doing that he knew Glenn wouldn't like. Then he'd do the same with Henley about Glenn. He was always trying to play one off against the other, and the words used in the documentary supported the idea, to me, that it was for control. I never got the impression that he was trying to get control of the band, but he was trying to be one of two against the other.

If anyone remembers the bits in HOTE, please provide the words. Otherwise, it'll have to wait until I get time to watch the DVD again. I think most of the other things I remember reading may have been in Eliot's book, I'll have to do some research to find it all again.

You're in luck because I was watching this last night. I can't repeat it word for word but it's during the segment of the recording of The Long Run. Glenn says that Felder was trying to gain more control and co-opted Joe for this purpose. Felder & Joe were thus pitted against Glenn & Don. It's only then is the growing rift between Glenn & Don hinted at - mainly by Felder, who says nothing about any attempt by himself to gain control.

What Glenn should have done as the band leader was tell Felder in no uncertain terms that his attempts to divide the band into armed camps would not be tolerated. Sadly I think at this stage he no longer cared & hardly involved himself.

[MaryCalifornia]

r the first time, I may be interested in Felder's, bash the Eagles, book.

Felder's book is definitely worth reading for any Eagles fan. I like the parts about his early life - many on here don't, but I always think a rags to riches story is intriguing, and his family was really poor. Maybe not Africa-poor, but poor, they didn't have much. He is somewhat of a guitar prodigy, which you probably already know. Obviously, you have to take his comments about Henley and Frey with a grain of salt (and Tim and Joe for that matter), but it's pretty well-written and was a quick read for me.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I think the only time for a Frey-less or Henley-free version of the Eagles would have been the seventies when there was still an expectation they would play new music rather than the old hits. I'm guessing that the majority of people didn't know who sang or wrote what so there woudn't have been an immediate outcry and the new music would have been judged on its own quality.

I'm not sure I agree with this, UTW. I believe there were indeed many, many fans back in the day that did know who sang which songs and would have noticed if there was a new vocalist. However, I'm sure you're right that many casual fans may not have known or cared.

And for this to have worked, we have to assume that the new material would have been equally as good or better than what the Henley-Frey songwriting team had produced - a pretty tall order, no doubt.

Felder's book is definitely worth reading for any Eagles fan. I like the parts about his early life - many on here don't, but I always think a rags to riches story is intriguing, and his family was really poor. Maybe not Africa-poor, but poor, they didn't have much. He is somewhat of a guitar prodigy, which you probably already know. Obviously, you have to take his comments about Henley and Frey with a grain of salt (and Tim and Joe for that matter), but it's pretty well-written and was a quick read for me.

I enjoyed Felder's book for the most part too, MC. As you said, I particularly liked the parts about his early life. Although I still enjoyed the latter parts, my biggest beef is that I didn't learn much new when he got to the Eagles stuff. I thought it was mostly Felder's spin on events that most of us hardcores were already familiar with. I also wasn't impressed by his tell-all complaining or the inconsistencies, contradictions, and inaccuracies that I came across. Because of this, I would caution folks to use their critical thinking skills and keep in mind that this is only his version of events. I won't go into much more detail other than this because I have already expressed my opinion more than once in the thread devoted to the book. But, overall, it's a good read and I would recommend it to fans. I have to admit though, as someone who read the books when it first came out, I have grown rather weary of discussing it all these many years later.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

One other thing that I forgot to mention in my previous post - I enjoyed reading that interview again that UTW posted - it's been a while since I read that. I'm not sure whether Joe had a record deal or not at that time, but I assume he did, and Glenn misspoke about that. He definitely released two new albums in the early 90's - Ordinary Average Guy ('91) and Songs for a Dying Planet ('92). Hopefully, someone can shed some light on this for us.

[shunlvswx]

Wikepedia says those two albums were made on Epic Records. Maybe when Glenn and Joe got together for the Party of Two tour, Joe didn't have a record deal.

[UndertheWire]

Thanks for the details of Joe's releases. I took Glenn at face value but maybe he wasn't too throrough with his research.

I'm not sure I agree with this, UTW. I believe there were indeed many, many fans back in the day that did know who sang which songs and would have noticed if there was a new vocalist. However, I'm sure you're right that many casual fans may not have known or cared.

And for this to have worked, we have to assume that the new material would have been equally as good or better than what the Henley-Frey songwriting team had produced - a pretty tall order, no doubt.

I'm thinking of a Frey-less follow up to Hotel California. Imagine "The Long Run" album without "Heartache Tonight", "Teenage Jail", "I Can't Tell You Why" (I know it's Tim's song, but I believe there's a lot of Glenn in the music and arrangement) and "The Long Run". Add in versions of the three tracks Felder put forward for Henley to write lyrics (which Felder later completed as "Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)", "Bad Girls" and "Haywire"). Perhaps a reprise of "The Disco Strangler"?

It wasn't until I'd written the above, that I realised this new "Long Run" album was missing the title track and all the hit singles. It would have been released because it said "Eagles" on the cover but...

I'm just taking the idea and running with it and I've just about convinced myself that a Frey-less Eagles wouldn't work.