Former Eagles

[Freypower]

You saw Glenn Frey and Don Henley with Timmy Schmit, Joe Walsh and Steuart Smith. I agree with Thrill. Not sure how old you are, but I attended my first Eagles concert in 1972, and that's when I became a fan, which is why the Eagles will always be the original four to me.

It is interesting that this question of how old someone is comes up again as it did at the start of the Lost Magic thread (in the Randy Meisner forum).

It does not matter in the final analysis how old you are, or how long you have been a fan, or which lineup you prefer. All that matters is; you are a fan. All viewpoints are valid. All perspectives are valid. The opinion of people who prefer the current lineup is as legitimate as the opinion of those who prefer the original lineup. I think it is time that this was made clear.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Yep - I'm pretty good proof of that point. I was a fan from the very beginning of the band and I don't have a favorite incarnation - I love 'em all. I happen to appreciate the talents of all the guys that were ever part of the band, and believe they all made their own unique contributions. But, as I have said many times before, I also happen to believe the change in musical direction and personnel that they made is very much responsible for the band achieving the legendary status that they did. If they had stuck with country rock and not diversified their sound, we may not even be here on this board talking about them now.

[UndertheWire]

It is interesting that this question of how old someone is comes up again as it did at the start of the Lost Magic thread (in the Randy Meisner forum).

It does not matter in the final analysis how old you are, or how long you have been a fan, or which lineup you prefer. All that matters is; you are a fan. All viewpoints are valid. All perspectives are valid. The opinion of people who prefer the current lineup is as legitimate as the opinion of those who prefer the original lineup. I think it is time that this was made clear.

Thank you for posting this. We are all allowed to have our own favourite era, line-up, band member, songs.

I returned to the fold after a break of nearly forty years. I may still prefer the original line-up and earlier albums but that's tied in with nostalgia and familiarity. I'm enjoying following through by listening to newer (and older!) material both from the band and the individual members. The occasional flight of fancy into what might have been is interesting but I can't change what happened and I don't think I would want to.

[Brooke]

You saw Glenn Frey and Don Henley with Timmy Schmit, Joe Walsh and Steuart Smith. I agree with Thrill. Not sure how old you are, but I attended my first Eagles concert in 1972, and that's when I became a fan, which is why the Eagles will always be the original four to me.

No, I saw the Eagles! I've been a fan of the Eagles since the very beginning (I'm 57 if that matters) and I have loved all the incarnations of the band and could not really pick a favorite. I have never stopped listening to their music, even during their 14 year vacation. I listened to their albums during that time and wished and prayed for them to get back together. And even when someone left the band, be it Bernie, Randy, or Felder, they always managed to replace them with someone I was satisfied with and sounded just as good. Glenn and Don H will always have to be there to be called the Eagles, for me, because their voices are the Eagles voices. Obviously lots of other fans feel the same way. They continue to sell out venues as the Eagles!

[randymeisnerrocks]

No, I saw the Eagles! I've been a fan of the Eagles since the very beginning (I'm 57 if that matters) and I have loved all the incarnations of the band and could not really pick a favorite. I have never stopped listening to their music, even during their 14 year vacation. I listened to their albums during that time and wished and prayed for them to get back together. And even when someone left the band, be it Bernie, Randy, or Felder, they always managed to replace them with someone I was satisfied with and sounded just as good. Glenn and Don H will always have to be there to be called the Eagles, for me, because their voices are the Eagles voices. Obviously lots of other fans feel the same way. They continue to sell out venues as the Eagles!

Opinions are like elbows, everybody has one. You think Frey and Henley are the Eagles and I say the Eagles are 'the sum of all the parts.'

We will never agree and we don't have to. There is room for everybody. 'Nuff said.

[UndertheWire]

I have two.

When I saw the Eagles this year (for the first time), I was thrilled to see three of the original four members. That's quite remarkable for forty years on. Even more remarkable was how good they still sound. So I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

[Freypower]

Opinions are like elbows, everybody has one. You think Frey and Henley are the Eagles and I say the Eagles are 'the sum of all the parts.'

We will never agree and we don't have to. There is room for everybody. 'Nuff said.

What Brooke actually said was that both Frey & Henley have to be in the band for it to be 'the Eagles'. She did not say Frey & Henley ARE the Eagles.

The current lineup of Frey, Henley, Walsh & Schmit is just as much 'the Eagles' as the original lineup was.

There is no argument that the band is also the sum of all parts. No disrespect AT ALL is meant to the former members.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I absolutely loved the original four, however I was a Joe Walsh fan before that, so when he joined my favorite group I was a very happy fan. Like others, I love all incarnations of the band, but I'd have to say that my favorite is the current line-up. I guess that's because I always prefer present over past. There will come a time, hopefully in the very distant future, that it will all be in the past, and so I'm enjoying the present while I can. The Eagles are here in the present and they are still freakishly awesome. Some might think they were more awesome in the past, but it doesn't take away from the fact they are still here, still relevant, still selling out arenas, and still have even more casual fans (those who don't live on message boards and Facebook pages) traveling to see them.

I like what JD says during the documentary, that through the Eagles, fans can remember a 70's they experienced or even never had. Our guys have always been very good at recognizing the imaginations of their fans and using it. Past or present, we all have the places we go to in our heads when their music is playing.

[luna65]

So true; with their ubiquitous presence on the radio, for example, they are literally the soundtrack to the lives of so many people.

[Eagles7]

It's interesting that one band, in its many different forms, could mean so many different things to so many.

I have to say my favorite combo is the magic five - Glenn, Don, Randy, Felder, and Joe. That was their most creative period, IMO, and that was the same group before and after the 14 year-long break.

This is just one we can agree to disagree on, cause it's very personal for each one of us. I guess we can all agree that the Eagles are America's greatest legendary band...no matter how it looks. The music has resonated for 45 years...and hopefully continues on forever...even if everyone is now a Former Eagle.