Celebration of "Randy Meisner" (1978)

[NOLA]

Thank you, NMB and Soda, for the recommendation. I'll definitely check out the video, too. On a side note, Randy was my favorite Eagle when I was a youngster. He was always the cleancut cute one, and I lost track of him when he left the band.

Anyway, Amazon had a package deal for both CDs, so I should have them in a couple of days. Prime is a good thing. Can't wait!

[Funk 50]

I can't remember exactly when I bought this album but I always considered it a bit too country for me. It's the most countryish of all the Eagles solo albums, including Bernies's imo. Maybe Cass County will pip it.

I really enjoyed it the last time I listened to it, I think it's due another whirl.

Well I have given it another whirl and it brought back memories of the first time I heard it and how disappointing it was. Randy's first solo album came only a couple of years after Hotel California but the gulf in quality is stunning. I immediately recognised the the genius of Frey and Henley after hearing this album.

The song writing is weak, only the covers, which aren't that well suited to Randy's voice, are memorable plus there is a major lack of direction. Every song screams 'filler' to me. Bad Man is a rocker with too many chord changes. Daughter Of The Sky is, one of many, pleasant but bland ballads. as is It Hurts To Be In Love. Save The Last Dance For Me, the old Drifters classic, is the only track to feature Randy on bass. Please Be With Me has a nice guitar motif. Take It To The Limit is a welcome addition to the album, Lonesome Cowboy is an uptempo, yee ha! country track. I'd really lost interest by this point. Though there is one later track that sounds like Already Gone before it goes off at a tangent.

Just as when it first came out, the stand out tracks for me are Take It To The Limit and Heartsong which is good enough to, maybe be a cover.

As a whole, it's a lousy platform for Randy's talent and, unless you want to listen to some inoffensive, uninspired, mildly interesting, country AOR, it's a lousy listening experience too.

[NightMistBlue]

Soda started an insightful thread about this subject a few years back. Like her, F50 and others, I wondered why Randy had seemingly taken such a passive role in his first solo album, why it lacked direction, etc. Someone posted an illuminating quote from Randy that was in the booklet enclosed in *some* copies (not mine) of the Live in Dallas CD:

"When I did the first 'Randy Meisner' album after leaving the Eagles on the completion of the Hotel California tour, what I really needed was a rest... However, Elektra Records had a 'leaving members' clause and I had to record an album for them before I was able to do what I wanted (emphasis added by NMB). I recorded the first solo album ... which I didn't really feel was conceptualized to its best at that time. I could have taken a bit more time and there was a lot of confusion over leaving the Eagles still going on."

[DJ]

Soda started an insightful thread about this subject a few years back. Like her, F50 and others, I wondered why Randy had seemingly taken such a passive role in his first solo album, why it lacked direction, etc. Someone posted an illuminating quote from Randy that was in the booklet enclosed in *some* copies (not mine) of the Live in Dallas CD:

"When I did the first 'Randy Meisner' album after leaving the Eagles on the completion of the Hotel California tour, what I really needed was a rest... However, Elektra Records had a 'leaving members' clause and I had to record an album for them before I was able to do what I wanted (emphasis added by NMB). I recorded the first solo album ... which I didn't really feel was conceptualized to its best at that time. I could have taken a bit more time and there was a lot of confusion over leaving the Eagles still going on."

Thanks NightMistBlue, I wondered what happened when you hear that first album. His heart was not in it, that is for sure.. He's so much more gifted.

[NOLA]

I've recently listened to this album, and I have to agree with you, DJ and NMB. In Randy's words, it was "scatter gunned." But, I have to admit it was refreshing to hear another version of TITTL, even though it seemed to be a pale reflection of the original.

I still have to play the album, "One More Song." I listened to the title track on YouTube and was a bit moved by the lyrics. What a way to say goodbye to his former self and move on.

[Delilah]

Once again, I'm wishing a Happy Belated Birthday to one of Randy's albums. I can't seem to keep up!

While it's not his best work, I don't have the disdain for his debut solo album that others have. For a shy unassuming guy to leave a super successful band and go out on his own shows a lot of courage. He took a leap, and I find that admirable.

The highlight of this album for me is his voice. It's in lovely form here. Tracks like the beautiful "Heartsong" and re-done TITTL show the pure beauty of his vocals.

As far as the others, in roughly my favorites to least favorites:
"Every Other Day"- sounds like "Already Gone" in the refrain but I really like it anyway. This should have been his single. I love the way he sounds here.

"Bad Man" - I didn't know till recently that it references a 15 year-old! Still I like it and will just choose to ignore that part and continue to think he's singing "tease." He just sounds so sexy here.

"Lonesome Cowgirl" - a fun and lively country track that sounds out of place on this album but I still enjoy it. There are some nice instrumental parts. It's cool that he was still performing this in his live shows at late as 1994 (with Meisner Swan and Rich).

"Daughter of the Sky" - another vehicle for his sweet but earnest vocal chops. The guitar work is nice.

"I Really Want You Here Tonight" - romantic ballad that's just a bit schmaltzy for me. This should not have been the single, IMO. I love the long note he holds toward the end of the song though.

"Too Many Lovers" - Not a favorite but man does his voice sound great. I love the subtle vocal flourishes and transitions he does in the song. The change to uptempo toward the end of the song is a nice touch.

That leaves the covers, which are the truly weak spots. I have long suspected he chose to cover "Save the Last Dance for Me" b/c it was a favorite from his Drivin Dynamic days. I figured they must have performed it back then. While it's a nice rendition, it was probably too old-fashioned even for 1978. I don't care for "It Hurts to Be in Love", even though he does a good job singing it. I know Glenn compared him to Gene Pitney and all but again, it just sounds out of date when played along side the other tracks. "Please Be with Me" has grown on me and I actually like it better than I used to.

Ok, so that's my review.

[NightMistBlue]

According to the 1978 press kit for the album, Irving Azoff asked Randy to cover "It Hurts to Be in Love." Apparently, Satan has a tender side

I love the whole album, Randy's vocals are pure wonderfulness.

[scottside]

I think the worst part of the album is the overall productions which is just flat. Some of the song choices are questionable also, but I agree that his vocals are excellent throughout. I haven't looked at the credits for a long time, but if my memory is correct, I don't recall that he played much of anything on the album either.

[NightMistBlue]

That is correct, Scott. Randy said the drummer and bass player had been playing together a long time and he didn't want to ruin their flow (my paraphrase).

Bless his kind heart, but he was either too deferential or just too darn nice. He should have taken the bull by the horns and really asserted himself over the entire project.

Easy for me to say though. Not so easy to do.

[Delilah]

I did not know Irving wanted Randy to cover that song. Interesting.

This 2015 radio interview of producer Alan Brackett gives more insight into the making of the album. B/c the interview is on podcast and it's hard to track the timing (at least for me), I'm transcribing it here. Plus who knows when and if the link expires. Also, several tracks (mostly by Alan's old band the Peanut Butter Conspiracy) are played through the podcast and so the whole thing is about 2 hrs long. The part about Randy starts about 1 hr 39 min.

Nick Black: And you produced an Eagle Randy Meisner's album.

Alan: Yeah in the 70s I was going to showcase at The Roxy. I had a really good band together. And we were rehearsing and then another friend of mine, Richie Walker, who was a friend with Randy, introduced me to Randy and...Randy wanted me to produce him. We went into my garage studio, did a few songs, just impromptu; actually did a couple of oldies that Randy sang and I did one of my country songs and he played on it and sang. And next thing I know he wanted me to produce him.
So he started coming into my rehearsal hall and start rehearsing with my band, and we did the album. It ended up my career took a back seat; I didn't follow through. He ended up taking my band on the road after the album was done and my plans went out the window.

Nick: He must have been a big Peanut Butter Conspiracy fan as well, too was he?

Alan: You know, I don't really know. He liked me, I mean I know that. He used to call me "Spector"--I guess that's thinking of Phil Spector. I hope it wasn't a "specter". (laughs)

Rick: (laughing) I hope so too.

Alan: I never really talked to him that much about the Peanut Butter Conspiracy or anything.

Then "I Really Want You Here Tonight" plays

The Purple Haze Archive presents Alan Brackett of Classic Psychedelic Band The Peanut Butter Conspiracy on Podcast, 88.3 Southern FM, May 2015