Music that stays with me for a lifetime. There is always a moment when the music of the Eagles fits perfectly. At home, in the car, and of course in De Platenbar. I have seen the Eagles perform live twice in a sold-out Ziggo Dome. Once dressed smartly (which I don’t really need) and once in lumberjack shirts with jeans. That’s how it should be, in my opinion. Eagles: you can’t check out but you can never leave.
Eagles
Eagles is an American rock band. The band was founded in 1971 and, with a 14-year break, still performs today. In 2019, they played twice more in a sold-out Ziggo Dome. The name refers to the American eagle, also the emblem of the United States. The album Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) was the best-selling album of all time until 2009, when it was surpassed by Michael Jackson's Thriller after the pop star's death.
The group formed in the early seventies in Los Angeles. Initially, they were the backing band for Linda Ronstadt, but soon they spread their own wings. Their earliest music is a mix of country and bluegrass, blended with the harmonies of Californian surf music. In this style, sensitive songs about relationships, cars, and a wandering life were created.
After the tour for The Long Run ended in 1980, the band was silent for a while and all members pursued solo careers with varying success. Don Henley had reasonable success with The Boys of Summer (1984) and New York Minute (1989), which took on a different meaning after 9/11 in 2001. Glenn Frey released the song The Heat Is On, which was on the soundtrack of the film Beverly Hills Cop. In the early nineties, the album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles was released in honour of the Eagles. One of the creators, Travis Tritt, insisted that all members of the Eagles appear in the video for Take It Easy. When the video was finished, the members decided (in 1994) to reunite the band.
This resulted in a live album titled Hell Freezes Over (named after a statement by Henley who said the group would only reunite 'when hell freezes over' – a popular American expression) and a single Get Over It which deals with the same subject.
On 10 March 2016, Henley said during an interview with Simon Mayo of BBC Radio 2 that the Eagles would probably never perform again, following the death of Glenn Frey two months earlier. Henley said during the interview: "I think it was an appropriate farewell. I don't think you'll see us performing again.
Despite Henley’s statement the year before, the band was on the programme twice in 2017 at The Classic festivals in Los Angeles and New York. The band appointed Deacon Frey, son of Glenn Frey, and country musician Vince Gill as replacements for Glenn Frey.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, the Eagles have the following rankings:
Sunday Morning Classic: Hotel California
On 6 December 2020, the Eagles were our Sunday Morning Classic.
Whether intentional or not, Hotel California came quite close to a true concept album by the Eagles. The songs each loosely share themes of lost or wasted paradise and the album is marked by geographical locations of such.
As the band’s fifth album, it was a transitional period in several ways, including musically and personnel-wise. Guitarist Bernie Leadon, a strong influence on the band’s early country sound, was replaced by funk-rock guitarist Joe Walsh. As a result, the band’s sound became a bit heavier without losing its pop sensibilities.
Although the lyrical content of the album is debated, the true beauty of Hotel California is the sound. The opening title track begins with a long acoustic/electric intro. This serves as a dramatic overture before the song starts with a quasi-Caribbean rhythm.
"New Kid In Town" is probably the best country rock song ever. It has a great chord structure and a beautiful mix of instrumentation. "Life In the Fast Lane" features a heavy guitar riff and is led by Joe Walsh, with somewhat daring lyrics.
The first side ends with "Wasted Time", a song that might be the perfect barroom ballad about broken relationships. The song is very slow and measured, with great vocals from Henley.
With the hard rocker “Victim of Love” the Eagles prove they can do more with two chords than any other band.
Walsh’s only effort is "Pretty Maids All In a Row", which is not a very strong display of his talents.
"Try and Love Again" was written and sung by bassist Randy Meisner, with his distinctive kind of voice.
The album closes with Henley's "The Last Resort", which on the one hand nicely follows the theme of "Hotel California", but on the other hand is a bit anti-Hotel California.
Hotel California is the absolute highlight of the Eagles’ career, more than any of their other successes.
Source: Jan Liebregts, NPO and Wikipedia
Photo: Steve Alexander and album cover
https://www.eagles.com/
