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

[Dawn]

I agree 100%. Wrong. And IMHO not just on one level. Many.

[Dawn]

Soda--I have never posted in any of these contentious threads as I am not by nature an argumentative person. There have been many times I have thought about it, but then stopped and thought again. I think for the most part, a small number of people have posted and reposted their thoughts on the Eagles (or Eagles 3.0) continuing to tour in various threads. Some posts have been loud and aggressive, some snarky and hurtful (possibly unintentionally), and some thoughtful. These posts have come from both sides. Full disclosure, I am not against them touring now and went to see them last October in Louisville. I enjoyed seeing them again after 37 years. Were they the "real" Eagles, the Eagles of my youth? No, of course not. Most importantly, Glenn was gone, my favorite Eagle, my favorite songs. Also, "my" Eagles were not 70 year old men. But these were the Eagles that I had a chance to attend a concert with my son, who had become a become a big fan.

Although I guess this puts me on the "other side", I wanted to let you know that I agree with you about the Eagles legacy. Their legacy is that music from the seventies that still resonates today. Their legacy is why many on this board became fans and attended concerts in the guys' later years. I even think of the HFO years as later years, ones that were made possible by their legacy. To me, my "real" Eagles were those 20 something guys who sang those beautiful songs onstage, sounding just like their wonderful albums. For me, the Eagles were a moment in time, and that time was the seventies. I'm glad I was there for the ride...

From 1994 to 2015 (21 years) Glenn Frey toured and performed with the Eagles. He died @6 months after the last tour ended. All told I think they did about 480 shows.

As someone who has followed the band since they began (the 70's) i must say each decade and tour has had it's great moments -- my only real regret is missing Glenn's solo After Hours concert at the Wiltern.

Since I do not support the current lineup I am very appreciative of my collection of Eagles albums and solo efforts.

[sodascouts]

I know that sometimes it's better to go out with a bang than a whimper.

I was just thinking of this the other day, in terms of the poem from where the phrase originates - T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men": "This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper." The world might not have ended, but this is the way the band ends. All the disappointment, all the anguish, all the despair of that line is now applicable to what was my favorite band, and it just cuts me to the quick. Are they now the "hollow men"? Well, they are not literally caught between life and death and they do act, but their actions are spiritually bereft. Something essential is definitely missing.

[Dawn]

I was just thinking of this the other day, in terms of the poem from where the phrase originates - T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men": "This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper." The world might not have ended, but this is the way the band ends. All the disappointment, all the anguish, all the despair of that line is now applicable to what was my favorite band, and it just cuts me to the quick. Are they now the "hollow men"? Well, they are not caught between life and death and they do act, but their actions are spiritually bereft. Something essential is definitely missing.

Wow, this really resonates with me. Thank you.

[Freypower]

When Glenn sang Take it to the Limit on their tour, do people also consider that cheapening of the Eagles' sound? Maybe only slightly because it was just one song as opposed to the six Frey lead vocal songs now being sung by Deacon or Vince?

My preference is always to hear the songs as sung by the original lead vocalists and whenever there is a substitution, I don't believe the audience gets the total experience as they would otherwise. I would rather see them expand their setlist to include other songs that had Don, Joe or Timothy as the original lead vocalist and maybe have TITTL and one other Glenn song performed as a tribute.

I am glad I had the chance to see them twice with Glenn, but I am still looking forward to seeing them again in their current lineup configuration.

I understand what you are saying here, but if they were to do more songs sung by the three remaining members it really would be Henley & his backing band, because Walsh & Schmit have hardly any Eagles songs to work with. They won't bring back I Don't Want To Hear Any More or Guilty Of The Crime & they're not going to introduce Last Good Time In Town or Do Something (although PMIAR could be reintroduced as that was played on the HFO & HOTE tours). Also if they reduce the number of songs that used to feature Glenn then they really do run the risk of marginalising his memory completely. What they are doing is bad enough.

The band's sound was not cheapened by Glenn singing TITTL because he co wrote it & played on the record.

[Freypower]

I was just thinking of this the other day, in terms of the poem from where the phrase originates - T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men": "This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper." The world might not have ended, but this is the way the band ends. All the disappointment, all the anguish, all the despair of that line is now applicable to what was my favorite band, and it just cuts me to the quick. Are they now the "hollow men"? Well, they are not caught between life and death and they do act, but their actions are spiritually bereft. Something essential is definitely missing.

That speaks to me. Eliot was so wonderful at conveying that sense of despair.

[Freypower]

I am quoting myself here because I want to clarify this statement which I believe has been misunderstood by some. I do not believe they can change what's past, so they can't cheapen the past in that sense. Let me put it in more commercial terms; they are "damaging the brand" by presenting themselves as the Eagles. They are making their living presenting themselves as the Eagles and playing "cheaper" versions of the songs. Thus, they "cheapen" the Eagles's sound in that sense.

Therefore, I have to disagree with Freypower and others who believe Glenn will be forgotten due to this egregious error in judgment. I do not hold that extreme opinion, because I remember to step outside the emotion of the moment and keep a "big picture" perspective regarding that matter.

I have said this elsewhere, but we must remember that as upsetting as all of this is, and as much as I loathe it, this too shall pass.

Whenever this ends, as mercifully it must, this relatively short and painful period is what will be forgotten. The albums will remain. That is the Eagles' legacy.

Let's think about this for a moment. Will a few years of touring, done long after the Eagles' heydey, so expensive that most of the Eagles' fanbase can't even go, trump some of the greatest selling albums and most loved songs of the 20th century? Will people forget that it's Glenn Frey's voice they're hearing on those albums because some other guy whose name they probably can't even recall and Glenn's son (whom they only care about due to his connection to Glenn!) toured as the Eagles for a few years at the tail end of their existence?

Methinks not.

Soda, as you addressed some of this to me, you have explained this eloquently & I take some comfort in your words. I do hope the fans remember, because I still do not feel that Glenn received the recognition or respect he deserved, to the point where even a tribute concert is apparently not considered necessary.

We will have to forget all this & keep him in our hearts, as you say, and continue to hear his voice & relive our own individual memories.

[Brsullivan123]

Unfortunately we will never have the original lineup but I will definitely go and enjoy these shows

[EagleInKansas]

I think part of the reason these arguments become so emotional is that each side can feel the other's pain. I can relate to those who think Glenn's death should have ended the Eagles. Until a resumption was announced, I believed that any band who performed songs without their original singer or singers lacked legitimacy. I never expected it to happen to my favorite band, which is far too mild a term to describe what the Eagles mean to me.

I must admit I have been in denial, and it's lingering. I don't really want it to go away, because then I would again have to confront depression and, eventually, acceptance. The days and months after Glenn's death were some of the darkest of my life, almost as sad as the days and months after my mother died. I had to say goodbye to someone I never met but whom I loved. I couldn't listen to the Eagles much because I was trying to wrap my head around the reality that they no longer existed.

I didn't discover the Eagles, the Eagles discovered me. My earliest memories are of playing The Long Run album on my grandmother's record player. I've known all the words to all the songs since I could speak in complete sentences. The band shaped my personality. I'm loyal and I love unconditionally and I am all in on my passions because of the Eagles. Every time I hear one of their songs, it's like the first time. Their concerts are pure euphoria.

I appreciate all of you, even through our disagreements, for being Eagles fans. It's a bond that, even though we're strangers, connects us all, and I am grateful for that. There is nothing I love talking about more than the Eagles. I am very much an introvert, but I'll break into conversations about the band at their concerts and share my enthusiasm with anyone who will listen.

All of us loved Glenn Frey, myself included. I remember driving with my mom and sister to an outlet music store in central Ohio and purchasing "Strange Weather" on audio tape. I remember listening to "Soul Searchin'" in the back room of my one-floor house while watching Saturday afternoon baseball on mute. I remember singing "The Heat is On" at a church lock-in 20-plus years ago.

A new Eagles era is comforting and healing for me. Maybe that is a selfish viewpoint, but the Eagles have always been there when I needed to feel better. I saw my last Eagles show with my mom on October 20, 2010. They didn't tour again until HOTE in 2013, and by then my mom had passed away. But I was at the first HOTE show in Louisville, and life sort of felt OK again.

I don't begrudge anyone for shunning this era of the Eagles, and I hope no one begrudges me for needing it. This time I need healing from Glenn's death. He died almost three years to the day as my mom, just five days apart. Quite frankly, this is an easier goodbye than discovering the news of Glenn's death on Twitter and trying to process the end six months after I watched the penultimate HOTE show in Arkansas. I'm not sure I would have ever truly processed the end of the Eagles I knew without Deacon and the new era.

I know this won't last forever, and I know it's not the same. It sucks that I can't talk about the upcoming shows with the majority of the people on this board, but I can still enjoy and even love them for what they are. I know I really will have to say goodbye eventually, but for now the Eagles -- the band -- are alive, which means Glenn's spirit remains and his memory is alive, too.

[maryc2130]

MC – I appreciate your attempt to comfort Glenn fans and know your heart is in the right place. But with all due respect, I took very little solace from your post. First of all, I want to repeat that I have always been an Eagles fan first and foremost and I would have felt exactly the same way if Don Henley had preceded Glenn in death. I can’t buy the argument that Glenn’s death could not have halted the Eagles. In fact, all of the band members pronounced on numerous occasions that it had done exactly that. Then, they made a conscious decision to go back on their word. I don’t understand what was at stake for them personally or professionally if the band had quit. As I have pointed out numerous times, there were many options available to them - they could have continued to perform solo, collaborate with other artists, or even perform together under another name. So, the way I see it is the only thing at stake was the money. It would take a very naïve person not to know that some fans would not respect their decision, but that apparently didn’t matter to them. So, yes, there is criticism and they should not be immune to it, IMO.

The Beatles permanently disbanded after their breakup and John Lennon’s death and they didn’t have a single lead singer either. I have total respect the decisions they made – they demonstrated vision, wisdom, and integrity at a very young age. They secured their band’s legacy forever and, individually, went on to forge new paths for themselves. So, yes, this is the standard and expectation myself and others held the Eagles to. Whether the Eagles legacy is tarnished or not, only time will tell. But, the closer they move towards becoming caricatures of their former selves and passing the band on to a second generation will do nothing to help it, that’s for sure. I do, however, agree with Soda’s last post that Glenn, as one of the band’s two principle songwriters and vocalists, will not be forgotten when the final chapter of this band is written. But, none of this changes the sadness, disappointment, and betrayal I feel by my favorite band. Others, obviously, accepted a different standard than I – so I guess we can chalk it up to different value/belief systems. And, no words, no matter how many times they are repeated, will change how I feel about the choice to continue – I just fundamentally believe it was the wrong thing to do.

As YoungEaglesFan said, this is a thoughtful post, although I disagree with quite a bit of it. I'm not going to address it, though, because I'm pretty sure it was directed at Mary California.

This isn't the first time that I've been confused because someone has addressed something MC or Mary C. I know it's a pain to use the longer versions of our names, but given the similarities of our names and initials, I'm asking that people please do that when they address one of us!

I know Mary California was here first and most people know her, and more of the posts are addressed to her. But not all!

Thank you! Sorry about going off-topic!