Particularly Galling Eagles Snub in Documentary

[sodascouts]

I was watching a documentary on The Seventies (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4491456/) on Netflix - a lengthy one, eight episodes long. One of those episodes was devoted entirely to music.

I clicked on the episode, fully expecting to see the phenomenon that was Hotel California covered if nothing else.

NOT EVEN A MENTION. NOT EVEN A MENTION, PEOPLE.

THE BAND DID NOT GET A MENTION.

Can you believe it? What an outrage! Now, Glenn and Don got mentioned in a list of names rattled off of songwriters discovered at the Troubadour, and their images were duly flashed across the screen amongst a dozen others, but that's it.

I guess it's possible that the band's picture might also have been flashed across the screen during a montage while I glanced away for a millisecond, but I do know that they were not mentioned by any commentator (although Linda Ronstadt in an interview clip from the 70s talks about how she and the Eagles are part of the California sound).

What the freak?!

Fleetwood Mac got a segment, so it wasn't like they weren't doing bands of the genre. FM got one, but not the Eagles?

It seems like the Eagles get snubbed a lot by music critics, but this was a documentary about POPULAR MUSIC IN THE SEVENTIES! And the Eagles didn't get a MENTION!

I'm sorry, I just had to vent my disgust!!!

[Glennsallnighter]

Absolutely Soda, I mean love them or hate them they were a driving force band of the 70s - they had the greatest selling album of the 20th Century, you couldnt escape their music so to leave them out is a travesty.

[New Kid In Town]

Soda - CNN did the same thing when they did their special on the 70's and music of the 70's. When I was watching it I thought for sure they would have something on the Eagles. Nope, not a thing. I was shocked and angry. How can you discuss the 70's without discussing the Eagles ? Got me. It is incredible they can discuss that decade and not mention the Eagles I have never understood why they are so ignored. They are the biggest selling American Band in Rock history and have the largest selling album in the 20th Century. I don't get it either. :scowl::sigh::thumbsdown::rolleyes:

[Houston Baby]

Having lived thru the 70's, I am unfortunately used to it. I don't understand it AT ALL but as a good friend says "it is what it is".
It is SO frustrating to me!! I just could never understand why they did not get a lot of credit for their contribution to the music scene then or now. :brickwall::enraged:

[YoungEaglesFan]

It's so funny because when i saw that same episode i had that exact same reaction. I entirely expected them to at least be mentioned but besides that picture they weren't. They were arguably the biggest American music act at the time. It's weird sometimes the Eagles are bigger and more popular than you think but other times they just get snubbed

[buffyfan145]

That is so messed up. Even non-Eagles fans know they were a huge part of 70s music, especially the "Hotel California" album.

[Pippinwhite]

Yeah, with an album that sold over 10 million units in the USA and over 18 million worldwide, you'd think that would merit a mention, at least.

The only thing I can think of, from a media standpoint, is that they didn't want to use the images without the music, and no one would release the music rights. I thought there was a provision in most music contracts that for something like a documentary or other news program, the makers could use a certain number of measures/seconds of a song before they had to get the licensing rights for it. But there may not be such a proviso in the Eagles' contracts. I just don't know. It would seem they would get a mention, for HC, certainly, and for the Greatest Hits Vol. 1 sales, which is the sixth best-selling pop album of all time. That's just a hugely careless omission, and I'd say that even if I weren't a fan.

When you think of the pop culture references alone they've contributed to the lexicon, that people use without even thinking... "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave" or the fact that "Desperado" was a plot point in a "Seinfeld" episode! The references are everywhere. I know Glenn always put up Steely Dan as a group whose lyrics they so admired, but let's face it: it's the Eagles' songs people remember.

I know I don't have to convince anyone here of that, but...

Here's an example. When the hubs and I were dating, his hobby was karaoke. He's a good singer and I'm a good fan. LOL. They also don't charge a cover on karaoke night. Anyway, no matter what music was popular in that particular bar, you could count on certain kinds always going over well (this is the South, remember. YMMV): Motown, Credence, Beatles, country, and the Eagles. No one ever griped about anyone singing Eagles songs. Ever. When you say "part of the fabric of the culture," for the USA, that's the Eagles.

Ehhh. We know quality when we hear it, and a good song is a good song for as long as people sing it.

[WalshFan88]

That really sucks. That's another show I won't be watching. :(

[WKMB55]

I seem to vaguely remember reading an article a few years ago that indicated the Eagles and management granted very few requests to use their images or songs for documentaries or other types of TV programs. (There is a You Tube video of David Letterman claiming he wanted Paul Shaffer and the orchestra to play Eagles songs but an agreement couldn't be reached.) That may or may not be part of the reason but it shouldn't prevent anyone from mentioning them by name.

[RudieCantFail]

I mentioned this before in the 'Eagles Mentions in TV Shows' thread. Here's the page on that thread where I mentioned it: https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?p=338657&highlight=documentary#post338657

No need to really look at it though, since I pretty much said the same thing as you.

I watched the music episode for "The Nineties" in the hope that maybe "Hell Freezes Over" and/or "The Dance" would be mentioned to indicate the resurgence of 70's groups coming back to life to become popular and mainstays in the live music circuit once again. But nope, no mention of the Eagles nor Fleetwood Mac. It was about the new music at the time: grunge, country (Dixie Chicks/Garth Brooks/Reba/etc), Alanis Morissette, and Hip Hop/Rap.

I don't remember what the music episode for "The Eighties" had, but I'm pretty sure that Don Henley wasn't mentioned b/c I probably would have said something if he were.

Also, the mention of Fleetwood Mac in "The Seventies" informed me that the person who sings "Go Your Own Way" was not a woman as I've thought, but it was a man, Lindsey Buckingham. Yep, I always thought the song was from a woman until I saw that bearded dude with an afro playing on a white Les Paul. And because of that, I've been on a Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham kick for about a year.


EDIT: Well, this is only marginally related to Henley as he has covered "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and that song plays at the end of "The Eighties" music episode. Yep, that's it.

[sodascouts]

I mentioned this before in the 'Eagles Mentions in TV Shows' thread. Here's the page on that thread where I mentioned it: https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?p=338657&highlight=documentary#post338657

No need to really look at it though, since I pretty much said the same thing as you.

I watched the music episode for "The Nineties" in the hope that maybe "Hell Freezes Over" and/or "The Dance" would be mentioned to indicate the resurgence of 70's groups coming back to life to become popular and mainstays in the live music circuit once again. But nope, no mention of the Eagles nor Fleetwood Mac. It was about the new music at the time: grunge, country (Dixie Chicks/Garth Brooks/Reba/etc), Alanis Morissette, and Hip Hop/Rap.

I don't remember what the music episode for "The Eighties" had, but I'm pretty sure that Don Henley wasn't mentioned b/c I probably would have said something if he were.

Also, the mention of Fleetwood Mac in "The Seventies" informed me that the person who sings "Go Your Own Way" was not a woman as I've thought, but it was a man, Lindsey Buckingham. Yep, I always thought the song was from a woman until I saw that bearded dude with an afro playing on a white Les Paul. And because of that, I've been on a Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham kick for about a year.

Rudie - ah, sorry to retread old ground! This was my first time seeing it - in fact, I didn't realize it was a CNN series.

(PS - LOL about GYOW!)


I seem to vaguely remember reading an article a few years ago that indicated the Eagles and management granted very few requests to use their images or songs for documentaries or other types of TV programs. (There is a You Tube video of David Letterman claiming he wanted Paul Shaffer and the orchestra to play Eagles songs but an agreement couldn't be reached.) That may or may not be part of the reason but it shouldn't prevent anyone from mentioning them by name.

The omission of the Eagles wasn't about images because when they mentioned Glenn and Don in their list of songwriters, they showed a quick clip of each playing.

Now, it is very possible CNN would not be allowed to use the Eagles' music. As you say, though, that wouldn't prevent them from talking about the Eagles. It would be the height of pettiness to not even acknowledge the existence of the biggest band of the 70s just because you couldn't play a clip of a song! I guess we can't rule it out, though.

[RudieCantFail]

No need to be sorry, Soda. I'm glad to talk about this, since it didn't get any traction back then.

I didn't think that the omission would be from legal issues regarding music copyright. It didn't come to my mind at all. (sorry that the previous sentence here was painfully repetitive.)

[Pippinwhite]

My guess is it had everything to do with the music licensing. Some groups would have either licensed their music happily, or just didn't care that CNN used it. (Any press is good press, right?) Some groups are not in that camp. And CNN may have thought, "Well, it's a music group. Without the music, what's the point? Moving on..." Because you have to be so careful about copyright/licensing. We dealt with it all the time at the newspaper where I worked. It can be a real minefield.

Still wish they could have worked out a mention.

[FreyFollower]

I think it is just downright poor reporting to do a show on 70's music and not include the Eagles, even if they couldn't include music clips.
But I agree with Houston Baby that this sort of thing has been going on a long time! I remember not mentioning them when talk turned to music, just to avoid the ugly remarks some people would make. All the undeserved criticism has been crazy. I hate to think what their kids have had to endure.
If it was a deliberate snub, we should put those responsible on the Eagles' "punch 'em on sight list" Glenn referred to!LOL. :steviesmack:

[chaim]

A lot of "history" writing seems to be about tastes of and decisions made by a rather small amount of people. We learn almost from the cradle which dead composers are genuises etc. Usually they were picked by someone along the way and put on a pedestal. (No women allowed!) However, the Eagles were so popular in the 70's (and still seem to be) that I think they will live on without the support of documentaries.

Having said that, I haven't watched the doc, but they can't include everyone. Fans of many bands will be upset whenever documentaries or - more often -"the best ever" lists are made. Were the Eagles the only huge band from the 70's that wasn't mentioned? Did they mention ELO? (another band that is cool to hate) I don't know how "serious" the doc is supposed to be. Anyway, being a Kiss fan I'm used to this. :-)

[UndertheWire]

It was a surprising omission. I can't remember much about it, but was there a narrative that they didn't fit into?

With the caveat that I wasn't there, I thought the episode of "The Seventies" on TV was pretty poor, too. It didn't reflect the kind of show that made its way across the Atlantic and they failed to mention that several of the "groundbreaking" shows they featured were based on successful british shows (eg "All in the Family").

[New Kid In Town]

Pippin - I think you are right about the music rights thing. Some times I don't get it. It would not kill the Eagles to allow a small tid bit of music to go along with a picture for music specials like the CNN one. I remember watching Letterman with the whole Eagles thing - they got torn apart for not allowing their music to be played. JMO, but they are too uptight when it comes to that kind of thing.

[Freypower]

A lot of "history" writing seems to be about tastes of and decisions made by a rather small amount of people. We learn almost from the cradle which dead composers are genuises etc. Usually they were picked by someone along the way and put on a pedestal. (No women allowed!) However, the Eagles were so popular in the 70's (and still seem to be) that I think they will live on without the support of documentaries.

Having said that, I haven't watched the doc, but they can't include everyone. Fans of many bands will be upset whenever documentaries or - more often -"the best ever" lists are made. Were the Eagles the only huge band from the 70's that wasn't mentioned? Did they mention ELO? (another band that is cool to hate) I don't know how "serious" the doc is supposed to be. Anyway, being a Kiss fan I'm used to this. :-)

That's what I would like to know. Were only American bands featured? If so, then the omission of the Eagles is wrong. If certain British bands who were as big if not bigger than the Eagles were featured, I can't say it bothers me that much.

[sodascouts]

Well, it was definitely geared towards American pop culture; the British bands that made it were the ones who were big over here (Led Zeppelin, Elton John, David Bowie all got some love). They also spent a segment on the solo careers of the former Beatles.

I'm sure there were many beloved bands that were omitted (ELO among them although I do believe they were ever quite as big a phenomenon in the States) but the Eagles aren't just a popular band, they were the most popular band.

The Eagles would have fit beautifully in the segment talking about California rock where they were showing Linda Ronstadt, JD Souther, etc!

The program often would do montages of several bands' images during a segment discussing a certain genre while not playing songs clips by every single band discussed simply due to logistics. Seems they could have done that with the Eagles.

[sodascouts]

This was just reshown on CNN and I felt my outrage all over again. NOT COOL CNN!!

[New Kid In Town]

Me too !!! I watched it last night and was pissed off all over again ! :scowl:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I've seen this CNN doc as well and had the same reaction as most of you did. I think it has to go back to the licensing issue. Although, I agree that CNN could have still done a segment on the band sans the music, I also think the band should lighten up about the use of their music in some instances. I guess it's hard for them to decide who and what are reputable when they do not have any control over the content. :shrug: