Looks like The Band is on a full fledged tour next year! How do you feel about that?

[Arlee]

Hi there, I found this site awhile ago and thought I'd feel at home with some like-minded Eagles fans. I've loved them from the time I was around five, during their original run. As my music tastes changed, I always came back to them. I'm emotionally attached to this band.

I didn't read the whole thread, but here are some thoughts on what I did read:

I think the reason I and so many others were ready to embrace baby Eagle Deacon before we even heard him play is out of love and respect for his father. As living creatures, the children of our loved ones are our children too. So it's surprising to me that so many here are not doing that but seem to have the opposite reaction.

Deacon joining the Eagles has touched me deeply. To me there is no sweeter story. As for people who are against the new line-up, I think many would reconsider if they saw them live. You would see his talent and how well they play together and the full respect and reverence they pay to Glenn. They talk about Glenn. They show a picture of him on the big screen. But it's not heavy-handed. They acknowledge it's not the same band and say they're not pretending it is. Henley notes that Glenn was the driving force, the leader, and that this is his legacy. He says that it's about the songs and what they mean to US as the fans.

Some things said here about Deacon are speculations and assumptions that aren't true. For example, that maybe he wasn't all that musical or had a career of his own. There's a picture of Deacon at about two. The elder Frey is holding a real guitar in young Deacon's hands. Deacon has said he got his own guitar at seven and the first songs he learned to play were two Eagles songs that his Dad had sung lead on. I think it was TIE and another hit. He's said while growing up, sometimes he'd go on tour with the band and watch his father from backstage. Glenn's guitar tech (who is now Deacon's) would set up headphones for Deacon so he could listen solely to his father's vocals and guitar.

He's been working in the music business for some time. He's played guitar and sung to smaller audiences regularly for over ten years. (YouTube "Don Was and Deacon Frey.") He's been a producer and a sound mixer.

It doesn't seem that his parents would raise a slacker, and all the band members have commented on his strong work ethic.

He has repeatedly shown himself to be grateful, thankful, humble, appreciative, and deeply talented. He seems very sweet and his bandmates RAVE about him.

There was some talk here about the principle players maybe someday realizing eventually this is all wrong, and they will stop and we'll all try to forget. Well, the guys are all around 70. So yeah, they'll be stopping soon.

All those involved are happy and supportive. The band (Henley, Schmit, Walsh, young Frey, Gill); Glenn's widow and his daughter, (who is a road manager with the band); and the fans. Even the backing band rejoined (Smith, Crago, more.)

If it makes all those people happy and it helps them heal, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would be against it. How could I possibly want the people who loved Glenn the most, and who he loved the most, to stop doing this thing they love and is helping them heal? I really don't understand that line of thinking.

When children take over a family business, it's common for the business to retain the same name.

As for this being a money grab. Henley has said he's in a lot of physical pain and has been for years. He has ailments throughout his body, one being the result of decades of singing while drumming. And there's nothing wrong with getting paid for work.

They are musical artists. This is how they grieve and this is how they heal. Yeah they get paid, but their heart and soul is in it too.

Some people here mentioned that those involved seem just too happy about it. Some stuff about not liking what Schmit and Walsh said, and Gill being happy. Just because there is happiness doesn't mean they don't grieve.

These are the people who loved Glenn the most and who he loved the most. I'm very sure they have all had to deal with private moments of severe grief and will continue to do so.

Henley has said Deacon has his rough emotional moments. Walsh couldn't even make a statement after Glenn died. He literally said, "I have no words because there are no words." Gill has stated in a few interviews that it's bittersweet, and he's fully aware he has the job only because his friend is gone, and he'd rather have his friend back.

I had to laugh when I read here that Gill did it because of his career. He's been going strong for a couple decades and has won 20+ Grammys. He's known as the nicest guy in the business. So much so that his peers sarcastically joke about how hard he is to get along with.

I think it was in this thread it was said that the band members weren't friends, including Henley and Frey. I think the evidence strongly shows otherwise. They weren't "estranged." They had just finished a tour and were considering another one. Of course their relationship was different in the 70's. They lived together regularly and didn't have wives and kids.

It was Browne who relayed that Henley agreed when Browne used the word "estranged." That could've easily been misinterpretation. Henley might've said that back at Browne meaning something else or just agreeing with him or who knows. Because they clearly weren't estranged.

There's no question the guys all loved each other. Even the Baby Eagles seem to love each other like cousins. At least two of them think the world of Azoff. He may be cutthroat at business, but to the Family Eagles he's thought of warmly and regarded as family.

When he first joined the band, Schmit received a guitar as a gift from Frey with a simple note that referred to both of their nicknames. In an interview sometime after Frey's death, Schmit said he has that note framed and hanging on his wall.

In the interview with 60 minutes that I think is referred to here, the closeness of Frey and Henley is obvious in word and action. The interviewer even noted the body language. Glenn looked relaxed, facing the interviewer. Don had both his arms wide open resting on the back of the booth, close to Glenn, slightly toward him because it was a round booth. They both appeared very relaxed and never changed position. This is where they said they are friends and that they are brothers and that they will ALWAYS be in each other's lives.

I don't know how that could be interpreted to mean anything else or what else they could have possibly done to relay their love and respect for each other than to make out.

They both spoke very highly of each other for decades, even during their separate ways. They also frequently saw each other during the break up, as did all the members. They just weren't official Eagles. Walsh and Schmit wanted a reunion before they even officially broke up and have been happy in the band for decades. Glenn has said they all genuinely liked each other.

Both Don's statement and the Family Eagles statement after Glenn's death shows the love. The fact that there was a joint statement from the Frey family and the band and Azoff speaks volumes.

I have never known a group of people not related to each to be so close. No band, no coworkers, not even some "true" families. There's a multitude of evidence to support it.

I feel respect and love for the Family Eagles for their music, writing, work ethic, integrity, loyalty, friendships, humor, talents, and their affection, love, and respect for each other. I'm not much of a "celebrity" person but for me, this is about so much more than that.

I have to be honest and say that some things said here have been cruel to the family and the band and insulting to the fans, including me. Honestly folks, it comes off as very selfish and insensitive. NO ONE ELSE'S opinion matters in this except the band and the family. Who are any of us to tell them what to do with their lives and how to handle their grief?

It's been said here that people going to the live shows think that Glenn didn't matter or that he wasn't all that important. I take great offense to that. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. People are showing up because they love the music and legacy and they weren't ready to let go. They want to feel the love and support and see his son and rejoice in what Glenn created. I can attest to this because I've seen them twice this year. We in the audience share laughter AND tears, trust me.

These live shows are a CELEBRATION of the music, the band, the legacy, and GLENN.

Well if you made it this far, THANK YOU for listening. I've been wanting to get some of that off my chest since I first started seeing the negative articles that came after Glenn's death.

I just didn't expect them here. Frankly, some things said here have been worse than those articles.