How did you become a fan of the Eagles/a specific Eagle?

[Glennsallnighter]

Great idea Willie! I'd love to hear about everyone elses Eagle experiences.

[MikeA]

I'll bite. I was in Dallas back in 1969, on my own and having a blast with no responsibilities other than seeing that my car payment was made, my appartment lease paid, and enough for a Jack 'n the Box taco every once in a while.

I was "underage" but knew a couple of clubs that didn't check ID's too closely ("The Fog" and "The Rickshaw Club"). Every weekend was a party!

The popular music of the day was pretty cut and dried. If you were in Fort Worth, it was Country mostly. If you were in Dallas, it was either Soul or Psychedelic. The "Fog" was pretty cool. Before 1am, it was Soul since that seemed to be the prefence of those who were there legally. But at 1am they quit serving booze and opened the doors to kids 18 and over and when they did that, they switched bands and brought in the music such as was played by Strawberry Alarm Clock and Jefferson Airplane, The Doors and other heavy bands.

But you couldn't stay in the clubs 24 straight hours over the weekends so we found other things to do until "party time" on Saturday night!. One of those passtimes was to be found at a "Head Shop / Botique" whose name I can't recall right now (it was something like the Purple Onion or something weird like that (edited....I REMEMBERED IT: "Black Narcisis"). They had a patio out back with speakers piping music from the set list picked by the folks running the shop...all hippies and all cool. They played NO Top-40 music. Usually, the music you heard was from recordings of groups most people had never heard of before! And that was the primary topic of conversation....these unheard of bands.

One afternoon, I still recall clearly a song came on that seemed to play forever and had some of the most amazing guitar licks in! I ran inside to find out who was playing and what the name of the song was. They told me it was a new group out of Cleveland or Columbus...the weren't sure but the name of the group was "The James Gang" and the song was "STOP!"

From that point on, I was freaked about the Guitarist, Joe Walsh. I followed him almost religiously as he released albums with the Gang. I was broken hearted when he left the Gang but then Barnstorm formed and it was Walsh back better than ever. And then solo works.

I'd listened to the Eagles through all that but they were almost too country for me. I did like some of Desperado, and then really liked several cuts off of their early albums, but was not rabid to go out and buy one before the glue on the labels had dried!

But in 1976 when I heard that Walsh was going to join the Eagles, all of that changed. I've been a loyal Eagles fan since that point.

[Peekaboo]

I've mentioned before on other threads that i give credit to my mother for getting me into the Eagles. I had always known their songs growing up from listening to them with my mom. I can remember her playing the HFO video loud while we would be cleaning the house together or whenever we would be in the car together she would be playing their tapes. I didn't get completely captivated with their music until I saw the commercials for the Very Best Of cd that came out in 2003. After I bought the cd, I listened to it just once and thought "Yes, this is some great music." From that moment on I was hooked. And it was just a bonus that i was awestruck by the voice of one Mr. Henley...and his looks aren't too bad either.

[Just Another Hired Hand]

I was in high school trying to figure out how I was going to pay for college. In my junior year, at age 17, I started driving to school and every morning and every afternoon I would listen to a few of the local pop stations on my old Ford Falcon's AM radio. I heard the songs time and time again. There was Take It easy, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Witchy Woman, Peaceful Easy Feeling (My favorite), and James Dean. It didn't take long before I knew the words to them all. I would sing along on my many trips to and from school and work.

I was also learning to play the guitar and was "in" to all of the really good guiatar players then, Joe Walsh being among them. What a lot of people do not realize is that the Eagles have become a part of our American culture. I would love to see them perform at the Super Bowl or on the Mall in DC on July 4.

The Eagles received so much air play in Philadelphia that even if you knew nothing about the band, you still knew their music.

Later when Joe Walsh joined them I was hooked. At the time I would consider myself a serious student of music (all kinds). I started to get into Don Henley's music (he is a true musical genius) and Glenn Frey in the 80's around the time of Miami Vice. I couldn't get enough of Smuggler's Blues. When I first heard "I Can't Tell You Why" I thought it was Carole King. I was amazed to find out it was an Eagles Song. TBS is that good. Like Glenn Frey said, "He is the ribbon on the package."

I didn't become successful until I was in my late 30's, so I didn't have the resources to go to a lot of shows. I was busy raising a son and taking care of a family.

But now the son is a college graduate and I am at a point in life where I get to "smell the roses" a little bit. I had to wait a stretch before they cam thru our area, but every time the Eagles came thru, my wife and I were there. It was very gratifying to see Joe Walsh perform live. We are very fortunate to have attended three shows in 08 and to have seen Don Henley solo in 07.

I repeat, the Eagleas are a part of our American culture, every bit as much as the Beach Boys. I hope all of the Border members in Europe and the Pacific Rim enjoy the upcoming shows. After seeing them three times, I can tell you with certainty they have never been better. I would even go as far as saying I am a little envious of you all knowing your concert experiences are still ahead of you as mine are fading into memory. Enjoy every minute of it.

[eaglesvet]

Mine is not too exciting. Back in the day when bigger was better when it came to buying stereo systems, I remember going into a "stereo store" with my parents to purchase my first system in 8th grade in 1975. Stereo stores would have acoustically-enhanced rooms where you could play all the different components you were considering, and test out their sounds before making your purchase. Nothing like buying the thinnest I-Pod today, and then getting a light-up I-Dog like my 9-yr-old Graham has! Anyway, for my birthday my parents bought me a receiver, turntable, and 2 large speakers...so I was all set! And the next thing I did was buy my first 3 albums: Bruce's Born to Run, the Eagles One of these Nights, and Chicago VIII. Along the way, Chicago dropped out of my radar completely; but as you all know, the other 2 musical groups are ranked as high on my list now as they were back then!

[eaglesvet]

Oh, as far as specific Eagle, I would have to say it was at the HFO concert at the Meadowlands. We were actually on the floor level, but quite a ways back--maybe mid-arena or farther, so nothing to write home (or on the Border) about. But, once I laid eyes on Glenn, it was all over for me. They all looked hot, but he was !

[fred]

The first time was in 1977-Hotel California, I was 15 years old.
Than i bought all the albums they made, Till the last-The Long Road Out Of Eden, And this Year i go to the concert for the first time in my live, What a shame.
But i can say that i´am very happy to see them once live.

[eaglesvet]

Fred, what city did you wind up getting tickets to?

[fred]

The City Arnhem, In the Netherlands.

[jdubfan]

Thought I'd throw my .02 in. I haven't had a chance to read all of the others' stories, but mine is probably pretty weird.
I really can't remember not being a Joe fan. I was 7 yo in the spring of '69 when my (much older) big bro joined the Marines and left for Vietnam. I idolized him, always followed him around, was the usual lil sis pest. He was a big influence on me in many ways. He loved music, I loved music. You know the deal. And I always thought he looked like Joe. I was old enough to know this was a scary deal. So, when my other (also much older-I like to remind them of that every chance I get.) brother left for college the next fall, I stole the James Gang Rides Again album they shared, because I honestly thought it was a picture of my brother. My brother also had a bike, leathers, etc. I really missed him and didn't want to lose his "picture". I played that album everyday on a little pink plastic record player that I had. I still have the album, but haven't open the jacket in years. I'm sure it's in great shape. I then really got into Joe's music myself and saved allowance, did chores, begged, borrowed, etc. to get anything new Joe put out.
As I got older I really got into rock-n-roll, especially the Eagles. My home town of Elkhart, IN is known as the "Band Instrument Capitol of the US". When I was growing up, there was a garage band in every block. All the kids who were cool would do covers of their stuff and lots of other great groups. I'd ride around on my bike nearly every night and listen to all the great music. My family is very musical, and I was a "Band Geek" all thru school. I play sax, and my big debut at age 15 was Seger's Turn the Page. I was hooked! I was absolutely gonna be a rocker! Yeah, right. I forgot about the talent part...or the lack thereof...
My Joe addiction continued. I was in college in the early '80s and as a desperately poor college student, I sold plasma at the blood bank to pay for a ticket to see him and Stevie Nicks in Indy....anything for the "cause". Then I moved out to Colorado for awhile. Then my Dad got sick and I moved back to Indiana. Then I got married. Then I got divorced. The ordinary, average life. Ups, downs, some really big, life changing events. But one thing has been constant in my life, and that's my love of Joe and the Eagles. Finally last September, all the energies of the universe finally aligned, and I got to see the Eagles in person. Not only that, I got to meet my long-time hero, Joe. He's so great to his fans, and I appreciated his m&g more than he'll ever know. There was no way I could relate to him what he has meant to me all these years....it's kinda cool it took so long, tho. Our paths have been similar in some ways, and I appreciated meeting him more now.
Thanks Joe


My bro ~'72.