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It is nice, isn't it? I wonder if the guys have designated Don as the press contact on the tour, because he seems to be the one who does most of the advance PR when they arrive at each city.
Love the new av, soda--that pic is one of my all-time favorites.
Ah, yes, I love that avie. I call it "avieDonBeautifulEyes." And so people know what we're talking about once I change my avatar again...
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...utifulEyes.jpg
Here is a very interesting interview with Don in advance of the New Brunswick show. Along with his usual articulate and thoughtful responses, he gives some insight into the routine of the various band members:
NEW BRUNSWICK BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8-01-08, BY ALAN COCHRANE
Interview with an Eagle--
From the haunting tones of Hotel California and The Boys of Summer, his songs have chronicled the lives, loves, fears and heartbreaks of a generation.
Born in Texas on July 22, 1947, Henley has been the voice and thought behind many of the Eagles biggest hits and a driving force behind one of popular music's most enduring bands. He has also enjoyed a successful solo career as a musician and social activist. His lyrics are often the product of self-reflection in the glaring spotlight of fame.
In advance of the Eagles show at the Magnetic Hill Concert Site on August 2, the Times & Transcript requested an interview with a member of the band. Although telephone interviews were not possible, promoters asked the newspaper to submit questions that could be answered by e-mail. Henley answered our questions by e-mail from his laptop computer.
In this e-mail Q&A, he talks about his daily routine of life on the road, the legacy of the Baby Boomer generation, the trap of drugs and alcohol that has destroyed many talented young people, changes in music over the years and the Eagles' philosophy involved in writing, recording and performing songs that people can relate to.
ALAN COCHRANE: Congratulations on a new album and touring. How does it feel to be back on the road again together?
DON HENLEY: Thank you. We're very happy to be back on the road again. We have actually been touring regularly since we reunited in 1994. It's been going extremely well.
A.C.: Can you tell us about the set list/production for this show? Have certain songs included, or left out, for particular reasons? Do the songs reflect the Eagles history as well as the solo projects/hits by individual band members?
D.H.: Our set list is a mixture of classic Eagles hits plus songs from our respective solo recordings and, on this tour, we're including several songs from the new album. It's a good cross-section of material that spans the 36 years of our recording careers, both as members of the Eagles and as solo acts.
A.C.: Which songs bring the greatest crowd reaction?
D.H.: Well, it's a bit different every night, but you can always be assured that "Hotel California" will get a huge reaction.
A.C.: Do you see generations of fans coming together in their appreciation of your music?
D.H.: We have been very gratified to see a lot of younger people at our concerts in recent years. Obviously, baby boomers make up our core audience, but it appears that our fan base is becoming more cross-generational and we think that's great.
A.C.: The Moncton show is so far the only outdoor venue on the tour. What are the pros and cons of outdoor versus indoor shows? Have you ever been to this part of the country before?
D.H.: Weather is always a concern at outdoor shows, plus if our show starts before dark, then neither we nor the fans get the benefit of all of our high-tech lighting and video equipment. I just think there's more magic after dark. On the other hand, the music sounds just as good at any time of day and it's fun to be able to see how big the crowd is.
A.C.: Do you expect the tour to be mentally/physically draining? How do you prepare for it? What is the daily schedule like?
D.H.: Touring has always been mentally and physically draining, regardless of how it's done. That's just the nature of the beast. No matter how glamourous and exciting it may look from the outside, it's hard, gruelling work and it takes its toll. Still, it beats the hell out of a 9 to 5 gig. All of us in this band, even in our worst, weariest moments, are deeply grateful for what we have. We've been extremely fortunate - but we've also found that the harder we work, the luckier we get.
The daily schedule is a bit different for each of us. The goal, on the road, is to sleep in for as long as possible because we work primarily at night and we need our energy to peak then. However, no matter how late we went to sleep, most of us are up well before noon because of our other job - parenting. Also, there is a lot of band business that must be addressed in the daytime. I start my day with a good, strong cup of coffee and then go to my laptop where there are dozens of e-mails waiting. I initially check in with my own office and then I check in the with the Eagles' management office in LA. On a typical day, I will exchange 30 or 40 e-mails and phone calls with our manager, plus more e-mails to family, friends, my charities, etc. If we are on the road, I go to the hotel gym in the early afternoon and spend about two hours there doing aerobics, weights, stretching, etc. The band usually leaves the hotel at mid-afternoon to go to the venue. Soundcheck normally begins at 4 p.m. Dinner for band and crew begins at 5 p.m.
We all have our own, personal rituals that we do in our dressing rooms before every show. Timothy and Joe do voice exercises. I ride my stationary bike for half an hour and do a little more stretching. Glenn often takes a nap or watches a sporting event on TV to relax. He's very knowledgeable about sports; he's an avid golfer. Most shows begin at 8:15 p.m. because we like to wait until all the audience members have found their seats.
A.C.: Anything to say about the opening acts: John Fogerty, K.T. Tunstall or Sam Roberts Band.
D.H.: John Fogerty has long been one of my musical heroes and now I'm proud to call him my friend. I'm afraid I don't know much about the other two acts, but I wish them well.
A.C.: Much has been written about tension among band members in the past. Is everyone getting along?
D.H.: We're getting along just fine, thank you. But even when we're not getting along, even when there is turmoil within the band or the organization, we don't take it onstage with us. Our job is to give the fans the best performance that we are capable of, so we make every effort to leave our personal problems behind - at least for the three hours that we are performing. That's an important aspect of being a professional - not bringing your problems to work with you. The fans expect and deserve our best - every night. Our problems should never be their problems.
A.C.: The music of the Eagles has chronicled the ups and downs, loves, losses and heartbreaks of the Baby Boomer generation. What do you think are the generation's greatest achievements, and greatest blunders?
D.H.: That's a pretty weighty question. There's no simple answer. Being a Boomer myself, I can say with some insight that my generation, as a whole, didn't follow through on achieving or living some of the ideals it espoused in the 60s. We ended up becoming the first "Me Generation." At some point, we abandoned "Us" in favor of "Me." But the "Me" thing has gotten even worse with subsequent generations. It's totally out of control now, which, in my opinion, indicates a continuing cycle of bad parenting - bad and getting worse. Also, we have allowed our so-called leaders to place politics above science, especially in terms of the environment. So, we haven't made much real progress on that front, particularly during the last eight years. Speaking strictly as a citizen of the U.S., I think our biggest mistake was electing George W. Bush as President. I'm not sure that colossal blunder can be laid solely at the feet of the Baby Boom Generation, but we certainly played a large part in it.
On the positive side, there have been some encouraging breakthroughs in science, especially medical science. The mapping of the genomes is going to lead to some wonderful things in terms of cures for heretofore incurable diseases. Having lost several friends and family members to cancer and heart disease, I look forward to that day.
A.C.: So many musicians have fallen victim to their own excesses and the gruelling lifestyle. Do you have any advice for young players who want to make music but avoid falling into the traps of drugs, alcohol and self-destruction?
D.H.: I tend to refrain from giving advice to young people unless they ask me directly - except for my own kids, of course. I give them advice every day. Sometimes they listen; sometimes they don't. But to young musicians who want a career in music, I would say this: an enormous amount of time and talent was wasted by members of my generation doing things that were considered "cool" at the time. Many of those same temptations and distractions are still around.
Some say it comes with the territory, but it doesn't have to be that way. We have all read and heard about the jazz, blues and rock legends who had very self-destructive lifestyles, many of them meeting a tragic end at an early age. Young artists make the mistake of trying to mimic that kind of lifestyle because they believe it makes them and their work "authentic." I think that most artists - especially the younger ones - have a deep-seated fear that - to quote the great Paul Simon - they're just "Fakin' It." They know how fickle and fleeting fame can be, so they begin to self-medicate and many don't have the strength to break the cycle. The members of this band all went through that dark tunnel, but we made it out the other side. We all have strong survival instincts.
Also, young artists should work to have a strong group of friends and collaborators - people who will tell them the unvarnished truth about their work, their behaviour, etc. The same is true in terms of agents, lawyers and managers. It's often difficult to find business associates who are willing to risk their jobs in order to tell an artist what he or she needs to hear. They don't want to derail the gravy train. But it is possible to find honest, trustworthy guidance. It just requires a lot of digging and some sharp, gut instinct. We've had the same manager for 34 years and he has played a large part in our continued success.
A.C.: Music has undergone great changes over 30-some years, from country, hard rock and disco through punk, new wave, glam, big hair, the music video revolution, grunge, hip hop and beyond. Has popular music suffered or grown stronger from all these changes?
D.H.: Both, I think. There is an enormous amount of crap out there now - so much mediocrity and outright garbage. Of course, there always has been, but there seems to be so much more of it now, even in a declining business environment. Music, in terms of both art and commerce, is a cyclical thing. There are good years and bad years. The Internet - the digital revolution - has changed everything and soon there will probably be no more CDs - no physical product to hold in your hands. But music - the good, the bad and the ugly - will continue, although it appears that, in the near future, no one will get paid for writing and recording it. The only way a professional musician will be able to make a living will be in live performance - and that's certainly going to weed out a lot of the fakers. The teeny-bop acts and the talent-less rock bands will continue to come and go. They'll get their 15 minutes in the limelight, but eventually the public decides what is real and meaningful and what isn't. You can't fake it for very long.
A.C.: The music of the Eagles has continued to be an inspiration for young musicians and a favourite staple of radio airplay. What is it that people love about the Eagles?
D.H.: People seem to love groups. We have four distinct personalities, four different voices, four individual styles. We offer variety, both musical and personal. Fans have more to choose from in terms of who and what they like. But in the end, it's the songwriting and the musicianship that keep us around. We do honest work and we care about that work, and I think people sense that and they appreciate it.
A.C.: Some critics pass off the Eagles and other "nostalgic" bands as no longer relevant. Do you strive to be relevant, influence public opinion or be political, or just make music for people to enjoy? Do you think people want nostalgia, or cutting edge?
D.H.: If the opinions of the critics mattered, we would have been extinct long ago. We strive to write and record quality material that, first and foremost, meets our own criteria. Given the complications of the band dynamic, we don't always get there, but we try. We are all students of music history, both popular and classical, and we make a conscious effort to write and play in a variety of styles reflecting our numerous influences. We have a collective knowledge and a deep respect for all the great pioneers of blues, country, folk, jazz, soul and rock music and we draw creative water from that well. While love songs, of one kind or another, make up the bulk of our material, we do occasionally venture into socio-political territory, but we don't delude ourselves about influencing public opinion. We're just basically reporting; we're reflecting our culture and people can make of it what they will. We're not trying to tell them what to think or how to live their lives. We don't have that kind of influence.
At the end of the day, we want to make music that people can relate to; songs that make them feel like they are not alone but are part of a larger community that has the same desires, frustrations, hopes and regrets. For better or for worse, we're all in this together. It's not about nostalgia versus cutting edge. People of all ages just need to feel like their lives matter.
A.C.: Where do you look for inspiration these days?
D.H.: Books, music, films - there is so much stuff coming at us, these days, it's hard to cut through all the clutter, but a few times a year I will read or hear or see something that just knocks me out. Also, I look to my children, I look inside myself, I look at the world and, when I can find an unpolluted sky, I look up at the heavens. As battered and corrupt as it is, planet Earth is still a miraculous, awe-inspiring place, floating in an unfathomable universe. But I don't think people look up very much anymore. We all seem to be preoccupied with ourselves and our earthly issues, as petty as many of them are. I wish that every person on Earth could travel up to the International Space Station and look down at this little, blue planet. The human race needs a new perspective.
A.C.: What happens after this tour? Are more dates coming? More solo projects?
D.H.: After this tour - more touring. We will do this as long as people want to come and see us. There will be some solo projects, if time allows, but, right now, the Eagles come first.
A.C.: Anything else to add?
D.H.: We want our fans to know how much we appreciate them and how grateful we are for all the years of support. They are the reason that we continue to do what we do.
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Edited to add:
1- "After this tour-- more touring"--I'm glad to hear that!
2--Looks like we need to hang out on the hotel gym the afternoon before each show!
And at his quotable best. I just love the way he talks about finding inspiration:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ive always been a dreamer
"I look to my children, I look inside myself, I look at the world and, when I can find an unpolluted sky, I look up at the heavens. As battered and corrupt as it is, planet Earth is still a miraculous, awe-inspiring place, floating in an unfathomable universe. "
That certainly inspired me.
I totally agree with you DF!Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
Yeah - but you're so easy!!!! :D :wink: :twisted:Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
He sure does have a way with words though, doesn't he!!!
Oh, drats ! In Atlantic City we stayed at the same hotel as they did and had I known their schedule then, I could have hopped on a treadmill next to one of them. Although I would probably hyperventilate and fall off and make a fool of myself.
More touring, yay !
Thanks for posting the article. Don Henley is a very intelligent, articlulate guy. But he is very outspoken about his politics and I hope it does not turn off people who disagree with him.
The Times & Transcript printed this in a column yesterday about the New Brunswick T&T email interview with Don above:
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On the concert front, Sleuth can reveal that not only are the Eagles an all-time great band, but they've got class too! Any journalist can tell you how tough it is to get an interview with musicians of this stature (they've done so many through so many years, many of them just simply stop, having little more to be said and few questions left unanswered already). But journalists try anyway. So when T&T editor at large Alan Cochrane approached organizers about possibly interviewing one of the Eagles, he was not surprised by the "not likely" answer. But they did suggest that he send in questions by e-mail and maybe, just maybe, the band would reply. So he did, then went on vacation, not really expecting a whole lot to come of it.
His real surprise came upon returning from vacation to find an e-mail from the Eagles publicity company in Los Angeles. Attached to the e-mail were Don Henley's lengthy, thoughtful and detailed replies to each of his submitted questions. It was more than generous, must have taken Henley considerable time and effort to compose and made for a great "interview" (you may have seen it yesterday in this paper). Now that's class! It shows the Eagles to be a band that cares about and respects its fans. And should Mr. Henley be reading this, Ol' Sleuth passes on Mr. Cochrane's thanks.
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Since I am also a writer, I have often played this game myself--what questions would I ask Don if I were ever given the chance to interview him? I agree with "Sleuth" that the prospect is daunting, because they have been interviewed so many times over the years. The T&T interviewer came up with thoughtful and relevant questions, giving Don the chance to give excellent responses.
And yes, Dreamer, I am that easy! :wink:
I disagree with the majority of Don's politics in a major way.....but that being said.....he's still my fav. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by siny
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maleah
That's good to know. You must be very open-minded.
That was so nice of Don Henley to type up all those long, thoughtful answers while they are in the middle of the tour. So many other artists would give some standard answers just to get it over with.
Welcome to the Border, GL! It's good to have you here, and we will all look forward to your review.
DF, That was a wonderful email interview with Don, and thanks for finding it. He must have spent a good while thinking about his replies, and this bit is inspirational.
Maleah, at least here we have a chance to share our love of the Eagles and on occasions voice our politics without fear of being denigrated.Quote:
"I look to my children, I look inside myself, I look at the world and, when I can find an unpolluted sky, I look up at the heavens. As battered and corrupt as it is, planet Earth is still a miraculous, awe-inspiring place, floating in an unfathomable universe."
Jon Bon Jovi must be a DH fan. He said this in an interview about writing songs:
"Miss Fourth of July is a great song. That one and a song called Only In My Dreams that Tico [Torres] sang, very influenced [when I was] in my Tom Waits era. Tom was such an influence on me in those great ballads that he writes and the great picture lyrics. And I wrote songs like Bed of Roses because of Tom, but while I was knocking out songs like this, these didn't make it. But Miss Fourth of July is really a pretty neat song, something that perhaps I'd love to hear Don Henley sing, it really talks about the loss of innocence and youth and how at that point in my career, I was really dis-enfranchised by what the business of music had become."
Whaaa fabulous! :D Thanks DF!
What a compliment to Don. I knew JBJ had good taste. ;)
As I watched Hillary Clinton at the Democratic Convention last night, I thought about Don and the fact that he became close to the Clintons through his involvement with Walden Woods. I was wondering what he was thinking about the convention, and today I read this on www.cjfw.fm:
DON HENLEY CITES ELECTION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AS BABY BOOMERS' BIGGEST BLUNDER
By: Howie Edelson
Don Henley says that for the most part, the baby boomer generation failed to put its idealism into constructive practice, and cites electing President George W. Bush among its greatest blunders. When asked by The New Brunswick Business Journal to list his generation's greatest achievements and greatest blunders, Henley answered, "Being a boomer myself, I can say with some insight that my generation, as a whole, didn't follow through on achieving or living some of the ideals it espoused in the 1960's. We ended up becoming the first 'Me Generation.'At some point, we abandoned 'Us'in favor of 'Me.'(It's) gotten even worse with subsequent generations. It's totally out of control now, which, in my opinion, indicates a continuing cycle of bad parenting -- bad and getting worse."
He went on to throw partial blame for the blunders of both his and his children's generation on the current administration: "We have allowed our so-called leaders to place politics above science, especially in terms of the environment... Speaking strictly as a citizen of the U.S., I think our biggest mistake was electing George W. Bush as President. I'm not sure that colossal blunder can be laid solely at the feet of the Baby Boom Generation, but we certainly played a large part in it."
Although Henley has been politically outspoken against the Bush administration, he says that the Eagles try to keep their comments non-partisan on the stage: "We have found over the years that a concert is not necessarily the forum for one's political opinions. We do most of that work now separate and apart from our concert tours." The Eagles kick off their next series of dates on September 6th in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the BOK Center. The band will be on the road through the end of the month.
Intressting read..thanks DF!
"Blunder" is a overly polite way of describing the mess we are in right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
Really? It must of slipped my mind. :eyebrow: Yeah, right-AS IF???:partytime:Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
I'm so glad they have chosen to do that. I don't care who they're voting for, I just want to see them perform.
I agree, PM. I love to hear their thoughts and opinions during an interview. I love to hear them talk between songs at a concert too, but I have been to too many concerts where the slightest political remark has set off a firestorm of controversy, and irate fans can really disrupt concerts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prettymaid
I agree. I hate it when musicians stop a concert in order to preach to the masses about politics - especially when they become angry if the crowd doesn't agree with them. They hope for everyone to cheer and "rally 'round the rocker's political viewpoints" - a lovely feel-good moment. If they don't get it, it's "screw you, ignorant jerks. I'm disgusted that you people aren't as enlightened as I am."Quote:
Originally Posted by Prettymaid
They can sing political songs and communicate their viewpoints that way. I certainly understand why someone would want to write about things happening in the world today. Protest songs, or songs intelligently interrogating the way things are, can really have an effect on people. Even when one doesn't agree with the political slant, one can respect the effort to "make the world a better place," so to speak, and change things through music.
However, onstage, leave the partisan talking points and political evangelism to the politicians at their rallies. I don't need to be told what to think. I mean, has anyone ever really changed their mind about a political issue thanks to declarations by musicians against or for certain politicians during a concert?
I hope not. I hope people think for themselves.
Don's latest interview, from today's Houston Chronicle:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/5992391.html
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Two corrections--he was born in Linden, and that is where his mother's home is.
Two comments: One-Love the line about his Grammys sitting in his mom's curio cabinet beside the ceramic chickens--that sounds just like my mother's curio cabinets! It must be a prerequisite for all Southern mothers.
Two--I also hope CDs don't disappear completely in favor of downloads. I, too, used to turn those album covers over and over, savoring every word, every photo, and daydreaming about faraway places, other kinds of lives. Now many of those albums are framed on my wall, and now I read the booklets and info that come with CDs. I hope they continue.
To my knowledge, although Don grew up in Linden he was in fact born in Gilmer as the article states.
Interesting read - thanks for posting. For some reason, Don seems a little more negative in this Q&A than he has been in others recently. I hope all is well.
I didn't realize his mother had passed away, but it's sweet that he still keeps her house.
I know he tries to go back to his hometown of Linden, especially to see his buddy Richard Bowden, as often as he can; he just went back to go to Richard's theater, Music City Texas, to see Merle Haggard. I suppose he stays in his mother's house. She passed away about six years ago.
Interesting interview. Thanks for posting that, DF, and I am completely with you and Don on the album covers. Many a night was spent in our student rooms listening to music and studying the album art in depth!
I just wish Don would lay off the double album and egos must be fed aspect. I'd like to see him display a little more solidarity with Glenn's decision - after all it has made him a great deal of money.
This is the nearest any of the current band members has been to slinging a bit of mud back at Felder. Good on you Don!Quote:
The infamous tales of backstage bickering have been greatly exaggerated, both by the press and by disgruntled ex-band members trying to peddle their sour-grapes garbage.
Nice interview-love the part about his grammys. I agree completely with him, I hope cds don't disappear completely. I miss vinyl and the great album covers and artwork.
I agree that this was an interesting interview. I can also totally relate to what Don is saying. Back 'in the day', the album covers were just about all we had. There just wasn't nearly the exposure in all the different type of media that there is today. I would take every album cover and read every word and study it intensely. I have to admit I have also done the same thing with all of the CD/DVD booklets and concert programs that have come out since the HFO resumption. :wink:
Great interview! Thanks!
As far as this line
"I want to read the credits, liner notes. Those things used to be almost as important as the music itself."
Yes, Don. But they sure don't say much on LROOE. Why have you left so much out? :headscratch:
ZING! Good point!Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooke
So i dont know if this has been posted or not but im gunna take a chance and post it. It's called "Straight talk with Don" Its from the Fort Worth newpaper on Fri, Sep 12th. Enjoy!
Don Henley had a virtual chat with Star-Telegram pop music critic Preston Jones. What follows is the complete and uncut transcript of the interview:
STAR-TELEGRAM: With Long Road Out of Eden, the band seems to be aiming more explicitly at country listeners than rock, although the album doesn’t feel as though it’s deviating from that distinctive, SoCal country-rock template found on Desperado or Eagles. Does it speak more to the incredibly striated nature of music today, with its many splintered genres and seeming public need for easy classification, or is the shift attributed to the Eagles more fully embracing the country genre and literally going back to their roots?
HENLEY: We weren’t aiming at anyone in particular. There was some brief discussion about returning to our early style, but not for the entire album. In terms of style and content, the album has a pretty wide range. How Long, the first single from the album, was definitely a nod to our beginnings, but even that came about somewhat by accident. Glenn’s kids were surfing around on YouTube and found an old clip of us doing How Long on a Dutch TV show in 1973. That was only about a year after the song debuted on J.D. Souther’s first solo album. We’d forgotten that we used to sometimes include it in our set. Glenn thought it would be a good idea to record it for the Long Road Out of Eden album, so we did.
In this election year, the second half of Long Road Out of Eden stands out (particularly the title track) which is far more overtly politically charged than most of the Eagles’ catalog. Was injecting potentially divisive lyrical material into songs a point of debate within the band? Does the band share your feelings of urgency about speaking out on such issues as the war or the environment?
I think that all the members of the band are pretty much aligned in that regard. There was no debate. I think the other guys expect me to make occasional forays into territory that might be controversial. They’re fine with it as long as it doesn’t get too polemical. It adds another color to the work.
What continues to push you creatively?
Oh, a few things, I guess, but primarily a longing for community. That may sound sentimental or mawkishly idealistic, but I believe that a great many artists come from that same place, whether consciously or subconsciously. And when I say community, I mean it in both the most intimate and the most public sense of the word. The majority of our songs are about personal relationships but they are also about how those relationships are part of a much larger picture and how they are influenced by it. For example, in the middle of the album’s title song, the speaking role suddenly switches from the detached narrator to the protagonist and we see things from his very personal point of view — a young man who is caught up in a conflict that is more complex and terrible than he ever imagined. He is speaking, either in a letter or a phone call, to a loved one back home. He’s confused, frightened and homesick, but he’s just another cog in the machinery of war. We try to put the listener in this young man’s place for a just a moment, with the bombs, mines, mortars and gunfire going off all around him.
Creating, for me, is therapeutic. It’s a way of trying to make sense of a world that often doesn’t make any sense at all. The process can be painful and scary, but the end result is usually worth it. It’s a survival mechanism. It keeps me off the shrink’s couch; keeps me from climbing a tower with a rifle. Creating is a spiritual act, as well — a kind of meditation. A part of my mind is always writing, always processing what I see and hear and feel, even when I seem to be fully engaged in something else. It’s what some philosophers have called “invisible work.” I can’t keep from doing it. I believe that every human being has the creative impulse within them, but if it isn’t recognized and developed, then dysfunction and unhappiness is the result. I was lucky. I had great parents who encouraged me and helped my pursue my passion, even though it wasn’t exactly what they’d expected.
Are the inter-band relationships more easily sustained these days? Does it feel as though the Eagles are in a fragile place?
The band as a whole is in a pretty good place, right now, but things can still get volatile if we’ve been on the road for an extended time. When we’re traveling, there are all kinds of variables that we have to deal with. As professional and consistent as our operation is, every day requires some kind of adjustment. If all the band members don’t make a real and consistent effort to take care of themselves; if somebody, for one reason or another, isn’t getting enough sleep; if there’s an issue at home with one of our kids; if one of us is having voice trouble, then it becomes difficult to maintain a balanced perspective and moods can swing. Lately, things have been better, overall, but I’d say that there’s still room for improvement.
By choosing to initially release Eden through Wal-Mart outlets, the Eagles bypassed the troubled music industry. What’s your take on the state of the music industry and the near-constant mess they seem to be in? Is this the last throes or can the record business possibly get going in the right direction? Additionally, had the Eagles been able at the beginning of their career, would they have forged their own path from the first album?
The music industry, as we have known it, is almost extinct. The digital revolution changed everything and not all for the better. Of course, some parts of the business needed to change. I don’t think too many of us mourn the collapse of the major record labels. They did help to build the careers of many artists, including us, but they also took advantage of us in the process. And they took advantage of their customers. They got away with it for about 60 years, but things are changing now, thanks in no small measure to the digitization of music and to the Internet. The other side of the coin, though, is piracy. The record labels have always stolen from artists; now, music consumers are doing it, too. The only way for a musician to make a living anymore is on the road, because the Internet has just about succeeded in killing copyright. Writers and publishers are just out of luck. Since our last recording contract with a major label had expired, we were free to do whatever we wanted in terms of making and marketing an album. We gave the matter a lot of thought and ultimately decided to go with Wal-Mart. It turned out to be a sound, business decision — a “win-win” for us and our fans. We didn’t get screwed by some big record label and our fans got 20 new Eagles songs for twelve bucks. What we did has apparently created a new paradigm in the business. Scores of artists are now attempting to do the same thing. Had we been able to do something like this at the beginning of our career, I suppose we would have, but, like most young artists, we were pretty naïve and there was a steep learning curve. The music business is complex and it takes a number of years to figure it out. It’s a “Catch 22” — you can’t really call the shots until you’ve had a significant degree of success and, to obtain that success, you usually have to give away the store to a major label. Since we still have a large and loyal following, and since we really don’t have to heavily depend on radio exposure anymore, we were able to make the Wal-Mart thing work, but it will not necessarily work for new or unestablished artists.
Do you think the Eagles would have had success in a sound-bite-driven world, an era dominated by illegal downloads and YouTube?
We came up in an era when bands actually tried to avoid publicity except for what was absolutely necessary. Our generation of musicians also considered the visual media as something to be avoided in most instances. We tried to maintain an air of mystery, a little aloofness. We would hole up and write our songs, record them, reluctantly do a photo session, give a couple of interviews and then hit the road. The live performance was the thing and FM radio was king. There wasn’t all this silly celebrity culture, all these tabloid TV shows and rabid packs of paparazzi roaming the streets. There was no YouTube, no MySpace, no TMZ. In the ‘60s and early ‘70s, most artists weren’t willing to “ho” to get their fifteen minutes of fame. Peoples’ lives were not an open book, their foibles not public property. We did our fair share of debauchery, but there was nobody there trying to film it. Back in the day, there was no MTV or VH-1. That was the beginning of the end, I think — MTV. It forcibly turned an aural medium into a visual medium and, in doing so, killed the opportunity for the listener to use his imagination. Bob Pittman, the inventor of MTV, said: "Young Americans are TV babies. If you got their emotions going, forget their logic, you've got 'em." He went on to convince the struggling, major labels that MTV was the ultimate promotional tool — and, for a time, it was, enabling the majors to sell trainloads of absolute crap. During the MTV era, the number of one-hit wonders grew exponentially, and the music business has never recovered. As the song says, “Video killed the radio star,” and now the Internet is finishing the job.
I don’t know if we would have made it in today’s climate. I’m not sure that we would have wanted to.
Of all that you’re involved with (music, charity, family), what brings you the most satisfaction?
My family, without a doubt. I still get a great deal of satisfaction from the music, as well as the conservation and preservation work, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had. But none of that is quite as fulfilling as parenting — or as challenging.
Ultimately, what do you hope people get out of the Eagles’ music?
Oh, I don’t know — joy, comfort, a feeling of connection, food for thought. Something good for road trips.
Are there any plans for you to record and/or tour again as a solo artist?
I have several, diverse album projects that have been simmering in my head for a few years, now. The trick is finding the time to do them without shortchanging my family. Soon, I’ll be setting up a recording studio in or near my home in Texas, so I’ll be able to go home after work.
Is it possible to sum up the Eagles’ legacy, the band’s impact over the decades?
You’d need to ask somebody other than me. I don’t think about that legacy stuff. It is satisfying, though, to know that we have created a durable body of work and that it’s still growing. The odds in this business have never been good, and they’re even longer these days. One album is a career now. It’s rough out there. But, at the end of the day, I care much more about my legacy as a father than I do about the legacy of the band. I have my priorities straight.
Will the Eagles continue beyond this album and this tour? You’ve said previously that Eden is probably the last Eagles album you’ll ever make but is there a possibility or determining factors still being weighed? Does it matter to you whether the band continues to sustain itself or would you be perfectly happy ending things here?
I really don’t know what will happen after this touring cycle ends. I think it will probably take us another year or more to cover the remainder of the globe, and there is nothing planned after that. The band operates on a yearly cycle. Right now, we’re scheduled to work up until the day before Thanksgiving and then we’ll be off for the holidays. Come January, we’ll take stock and decide what we want to do in 2009. There has been no discussion about making another album. I’m not ruling that out, but it’s not something that I contemplate with any degree of enthusiasm, at least this point. I would, in fact, be perfectly happy to stay home, take care of my wife and kids and work on solo projects in my spare time. I own a hell-of-a-lot of books that I haven’t read. Some fishing and gardening would be nice, too. These past 37 years have been amazing and wonderful beyond my wildest dreams, and I am as thankful as I can be. But, I’m tired of packing and unpacking. I’m tired of airplanes and hotel rooms. I’m weary of the constant ringing in my ears. I wouldn’t miss the chronic, lower back pain that I’ve been living with since 1975. And I certainly wouldn’t miss the limelight. That part of the deal has morphed into something that is now, in many instances, more of a liability than an asset or an honor. I’m ready for a quieter, simpler life. Of course, I’ve been saying that for 30 years.
Linkage for anyone who wants it: http://www.star-telegram.com/388/story/903408.html
Thanks for posting that, LE. It was a good interview, but I don't like the sound of that last part very much. It sounding too much like Don is ready to hang it up. I don't want to hear any more! :cry:
Oh no, he's not ready to hang it up. Remember, he HAS been saying that for 30 years. :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ive always been a dreamer
That's a very interesting interview. Thanks for posting it, LE.
I hope you're right, DF!
That's true, DF. I remember the reason that I decided to fly to California for two show in 2005 is because I was absolutely convinced that it may be their last tour and one of my last chances to see them. :shock:
I thought much the same as you when I flew to California in 2005 too.
Plus, I had always wanted to go to CAL and the Eagles presented the perfect excuse.
From PEOPLE magazine archives, an article from October 1985 about Farm Aid. I love the comments about Don's participation:
A Harvest in Song, By Steven Dougherty
With Willie Nelson Pointing the Way, Country and Rock Stars Visit the Illinois Heartland to Express Solidarity with the Nation's Trouble-Plagued Family Farmer
The sight of the lady in white at the top of the backstage stairs was enough to stop new partners in power rock Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar dead in their boot tracks. Racing toward the Farm Aid stage where they were about to commit the wildest art heard during the 14½-hour marathon concert, these heaviest of metalists aw-shucksed like a pair of hayseeds upon encountering June Carter, the gracious first lady of country music. "We've been listening to your songs for years," Hagar gushed. With wild blond curls, yellow space boots and matching jersey, Hagar clutched a bright red electric guitar in his hand and said he had spent the day hanging out with John Carter Cash, June and Johnny Cash's 15-year-old son. June Carter described John as a guitar player and "big, big heavy-metal fan."
As the rockers resumed their dash to the stage, Carter said she was not surprised at how well flamboyant rock stars were getting along with traditional down-home country players. "I love rock 'n' rollers," she said. "We're all here for the same reason—for the farmers. We all have to eat. And we all have the same roots. Even city people have ancestors who had their hands in the dirt. And as musicians, country and rock aren't that far apart really. We all come from the same place."
Staged to raise funds and encourage public support for the American farmer, whose plight has stricken the conscience of the nation, Farm Aid picked up the spirit and format of Live Aid, the worldwide July 13 African famine relief benefit, and brought it all back home. Guiding force Willie Nelson (who with John Cougar Mellencamp and Neil Young organized the concert) says it was Bob Dylan speaking from the stage at Live Aid who sparked the idea for Farm Aid. Dylan may have mumbled the words—that it might be nice to divert some of the money raised in Philadelphia and London to American farmers—but for many listeners Dylan's words were a warning. Let the traditional caretaker of American soil—the family farmer—fail today, and tomorrow an American famine relief benefit concert might be staged on some other, more fertile continent.
Carole King compared the spirit backstage to an old-fashioned barn raising. "It's like getting together with your neighbors." And what a neighborhood: The largest gathering of country and rock performers in pop history, Farm Aid became a study in cultural and musical cross pollination. Exene Cervenka, singer for L.A. rockers X, trailed country stars around backstage filming them with her Super 8 movie camera. When she caught legendary singer-songwriter George Jones on camera, she nearly jumped out of her black leather jacket. "I got him in color—with sound!"
Exhausted by the marathon concert's 12th hour, June Carter traipsed alone on blistered feet to a tour bus parked far behind the stage to retrieve a stack of vintage Sun Records 45s that rocker John Fogerty had admired during a recent meeting in Memphis with Cash. "I thought young John should have these," Carter said, "but I can't find him anywhere." When blues great B.B. King finished his set, a roadie walked offstage with King's famous black Gibson guitar—"Lucille." Members of Willie Nelson's road crew quickly gathered round to admire King's longevity. "What, the man's 60 years old. He's got 50 albums. I'm only 45, and I'm ready to retire," said one.
Bridging the stylistic gap between hard rock and country, Maria McKee and Lone Justice gave the largely Midwestern crowd what was perhaps its first taste of L.A.-style "cow punk." Former Pure Prairie League vocalist Vince Gill, standing in the wings with Carlene Carter, said he thought McKee and Don Henley's band turned in the best performances of the day. But, he said, they both "went right over [the audience's] head."
If Farm Aid reminded rock of its roots, it also provided indelible moments when everyone seemed country cousins. It was former Eagle Don Henley, just another sex object to Debra Winger, who called him "the cutest boy on stage," quietly detailing facts and figures about the farm crisis offstage and saying, "The value of farmers is not only in the food they raise, but in the value system they nurture." It was country banjo great John McEuen commenting in awe on a particularly incendiary guitar solo by Van Halen: "I have never heard anything like that—ever!" And it was Hill Street Blues' Charles (Renko) Haid paraphrasing William Jennings Bryan: "You can burn down the cities and leave the farms, and the cities will grow as if by magic; but burn down the farms and grass will grow on the streets of your cities."
That brings back some memories for me. I went to Farm Aid in 1985. I didn't stay for the whole thing but I saw a lot of stars perform. I don't remember Don Henley, but to be honest, I don't remember a lot of it anymore!
You are very fortunate to have gone to Farm Aid, PM. I bet it was quite a show!
I do love my Google alerts on Don. This post is off someone's blog who was talking about the worst rock covers:
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6.) Another example of Midas gold that you don’t touch - Don Henley! Don Henley is to music what the ”Old Testament” is to the Bible, essential and necessary! I know I was in the minority at the time, but please..the Ataris’ version of “Boys of Summer” on speed was just a mess and where are the Atari’s now? I think that was a one hitless wonder! Stop making my ears bleed!
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I don't know about you, but Don is definitely essential and necessary to ME. I will think of that when I read the Old Testament at church Sunday.
:angel:
to me too! and yes indeed, I will also think of that!Quote:
Originally Posted by DonFan
Here is a mention of Don in an interview with a radio DJ in South Bend. Love it:
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Shelli Harmon is 1/3 of the Jack, Shelli & Bruce show at Sunny 101.5 in South Bend. The threesome with the playful camaraderie can be heard every morning from 5:30-9a.m.
Radio Philosophy
I go with the 3 Bs: Be prepared. Be yourself. Be fun!
Favorite Brush with Greatness
I would have to go with Don Henley. I was working in New York and lucky enough to go back-stage after a show. It was when he was touring for his monster album, Building the Perfect Beast. Don Henley was the kindest, most down-to-earth celebrity I’ve met. We sat and gabbed for about a half-hour. He wasn’t rushed or hurried and had the softest hint of a good ol’ boy Texas accent. He was just a lovely person. The framed picture commemorating that occasion still proudly sits on my desk.