Discussion of Eagles Documentary "History of the Eagles"

[sad-cafe]

Stewart also plays the double neck on HC so I imagine there is quite a bit of difference in sound.

[sodascouts]

Yes, now I remember that being mentioned here on the board. They didn't address it at all in the documentary. But his band went out there, too.

Here's what I wrote up for Glenn's bio on GFO; I got the info from several interviews:

Glenn was dissatisfied, and began looking to the West for a variety of reasons. Glenn has joked that "the Life magazine articles about free love and free dope in California" made it look pretty appealing, and it didn't hurt that a change of address would enable him to put off the draft notice he received in Michigan. He went west with Jeff Alborell as well as another member of the Heavy Metal Kids, guitarist Larry Welker, high on dreams of success and then a couple days later, high on some drugs he got in Mexico on the way. A girlfriend of Glenn's had preceded him to L.A., and when he showed up in the city of angels, he had a nice warm bed waiting for him.

[Prettymaid]

Glenn changes the lyrics when performing TIE live, for example on the Live album he sings "Southern California" instead of "Winslow, Arizona".

Felder plays it on the double neck guitar so he can switch back and forth between the 12 string acoustic part and the lead guitar parts.

Thanks SL. So then, the double neck is necessary. I have to admit, I've never watched exactly what he does with it!

[Topkat]

PM" On Hotel California the top part of the guitar (the 12 string) is used in the beginning of the song, & then he moves to the bottom neck, so yes, both necks are used on the song. He also move back up to the 12 string mid song.
It's very clear & they show some close ups on the DC concert from '77

[Prettymaid]

Thanks TK!

I also wanted to address the VOL segment, or more to the point, Glenn's statement that he sang less and less..."It was intentional. We had Don Henley."

I've said this before, but one thing that I really enjoyed about the early Eagles is that they had more than one - yes, even more than two lead singers. I'd never heard of such a thing before, and I found it very refreshing that you put on an album and almost every song had a different lead.

I can understand Glenn's thought, that Don Henley is a great vocalist, therefor he should become the lead singer. But Glenn doesn't seem to understand that people love his vocals too. I'm sure there are people out there who love Don F elder's vocals too. Look at Tom Petty. Not such a great voice, but people love his songs. Same with Joe. I don't like hearing Joe sing LITFL, but I sure wouldn't want to hear Don Henley sing In The City either. Look at Carol King. Not the greatest voice, but people loved her Tapestry album. Sometimes even a not-so-great voice adds character to a song and makes it a favorite. Not that I'm comparing Glenn's vocals to Tom Petty's or Carol King's - Glenn has a great voice. I'm just saying that his way of thinking here is flawed.

[WalshFan88]

Here's a question for Austin. Does Don Felder's guitar part on HC have to be played on a double neck, or is that just for 'looks'?

Yes, he does that so he doesn't have to switch guitars as the 12 string and lead guitar go back and forth throughout the song when Felder plays the answer licks on the 6 string and needs to go back to 12 string for the 3rd verse.

On the recording, Felder used two separate guitars, namely a Martin 12 string with a soundhole pickup and also miced close through a Leslie and an EMT (echo unit). For the electric, Felder used the same '59 Les Paul that was used on One Of These Nights (title track) and used that through a Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier. He used the same amp on OOTN as well.

When you crank a Tweed Deluxe (and luckily I know first hand as I own an original 50s one too) all the way, it gets molten lava thick and very syrupy sounding. Hence the sound on OOTN that everyone mistakes for a fuzzbox pedal. Hotel wasn't as distorted as OOTN, but still cranked and very gritty. Not to mention it was on the bridge pickup where as OOTN was neck pickup on the guitar.

Joe played a 70s Telecaster on HC with yet another 50s Tweed Deluxe Fender amplifier. Also on the bridge pickup. Joe used a Phaser pedal (most likely thought to be a Script logo MXR Phase 90) in between the two for his swirly sound. AFAIK, Don didn't use any pedals.

Live Felder used the Gibson EDS-1275 doubleneck into a small pedalboard with some BOSS pedals for chorus and delay. He used to use a BOSS overdrive but now uses a Fulltone OCD for the dirt for the solo in his solo shows. His live amps have changed over the years but it's always been a Fender amp for HC.

Live Joe used various Telecasters through HFO, then in F1 used a Strat and now uses a Music Man guitar. Up through HFO it was Blackface Fender amps and a Dr. Z SRZ-65 (Dr. Z was HFO period) with BOSS pedals. He uses some BOSS pedals now and goes into some Vox amps (Night Train and AC15).

Hope this helps.

[Prettymaid]

Oh yeah Austin, that's clear as mud.

No really, thanks for the description. So is a double neck guitar always a twelve string and a six string?

[WalshFan88]

Oh yeah Austin, that's clear as mud.

No really, thanks for the description. So is a double neck guitar always a twelve string and a six string?

No, not always. There are some double 6's as well as double 12's and some other wacky configurations. But yes, that's the standard.

Steuart's doubleneck Music Man guitar is a 6 and 12 but with the 12 on the bottom as it's more comfortable I guess but that's pretty unusual. That guitar into a Menatone Red Snapper Overdrive pedal into some BOSS pedals into a Peavey Classic 50 is Steuart's rig for HC.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Thanks TK!

I also wanted to address the VOL segment, or more to the point, Glenn's statement that he sang less and less..."It was intentional. We had Don Henley."

I've said this before, but one thing that I really enjoyed about the early Eagles is that they had more than one - yes, even more than two lead singers. I'd never heard of such a thing before, and I found it very refreshing that you put on an album and almost every song had a different lead.

I can understand Glenn's thought, that Don Henley is a great vocalist, therefor he should become the lead singer. But Glenn doesn't seem to understand that people love his vocals too. I'm sure there are people out there who love Don F elder's vocals too. Look at Tom Petty. Not such a great voice, but people love his songs. Same with Joe. I don't like hearing Joe sing LITFL, but I sure wouldn't want to hear Don Henley sing In The City either. Look at Carol King. Not the greatest voice, but people loved her Tapestry album. Sometimes even a not-so-great voice adds character to a song and makes it a favorite. Not that I'm comparing Glenn's vocals to Tom Petty's or Carol King's - Glenn has a great voice. I'm just saying that his way of thinking here is flawed.

I'm wondering how many times I'll watch the documentary and 'boo' at the part where he says it was intentional before I stop? I just can't seem to help myself...

[Freypower]

Thanks TK!

I also wanted to address the VOL segment, or more to the point, Glenn's statement that he sang less and less..."It was intentional. We had Don Henley."

I've said this before, but one thing that I really enjoyed about the early Eagles is that they had more than one - yes, even more than two lead singers. I'd never heard of such a thing before, and I found it very refreshing that you put on an album and almost every song had a different lead.

I can understand Glenn's thought, that Don Henley is a great vocalist, therefor he should become the lead singer. But Glenn doesn't seem to understand that people love his vocals too. I'm sure there are people out there who love Don F elder's vocals too. Look at Tom Petty. Not such a great voice, but people love his songs. Same with Joe. I don't like hearing Joe sing LITFL, but I sure wouldn't want to hear Don Henley sing In The City either. Look at Carol King. Not the greatest voice, but people loved her Tapestry album. Sometimes even a not-so-great voice adds character to a song and makes it a favorite. Not that I'm comparing Glenn's vocals to Tom Petty's or Carol King's - Glenn has a great voice. I'm just saying that his way of thinking here is flawed.

Don't get me started.

The only part I have seen included the 'I sang less & that was intentional because we had Don Henley' part & also Felder saying that 'no-one' in the band was as good a singer as Don Henley, which was only to be expected of Felder. Shame about those Grammy awards, eh, Don?

Thank God for After Hours. I thank whatever for it every day, and it's been a year now. I thank Glenn for it. I thank him for finally realising that he is a singer to match anybody, Don Henley included.

The Eagles have two lead singers & that was reinforced by LROOE.

But PM I've suddenly seen your comment that you hadn't heard of more than one lead singer. There was this little band during the 60s... I believe that both you & I thought they were OK... remember?!