I never realized they were this way until I watched the documentary Frey and Henley left a bad taste in my mouth they had to much power and were assholes about
@@SusanL-xo2kjthe difference is leading and meisner were bought of of their partnership - Walsh and Schmidt are salaried - no partnership equality. Felder was full partner and the screwed him until suit forced them to settle
@@SusanL-xo2kj Randy was an immensely talented good guy stuck between two cutthroat alphas. One extroverted alpha and one introverted...but alphas nonetheless. He couldn't take the petty nonsense any more
@@Pedro91795 They expected Felder to keep quiet as to them they were more integral and did most of the heavy lifting in the band. Yes Felder was a full partner but to them a full partner maybe not as important as they were
I admit that it wouldn't be the Eagles without Frey and Henley, but on the same note, its not the Eagles without Felder. That guitar tone...wow. I will support his shows when he comes through definitely.
This video cuts the final clip of Felder short. He says "I miss the friendship and the music"...[pause]."ok." He has to get up and walk away because he's about to start crying. After he was gone the band was never quite the same. Felder played a bigger part than either Frey or Henley would ever admit. They really gave him the shaft.
Felder would have to be my favorite guitarist of all time. Such a clean player whether on a strat, tele or gibson and perfect switches between lead, rythm and fill all in the same song without any egotistical posing so he blended perfectly with the rest of the band without trying to dominate it. Also, as much as I like Timothy Schmidt, Meisner hasn't been beaten for those those high pitched vocals.
Felder came up with the guitar riff and melody for Hotel California. For which he was credited as a co-writer and gets paid royalties to this day. The lyrics were mostly written by Henley with help from Frey.
i wonder how genuine folks would become if they did not consider money as the measure of value. I admire Randy's decision, at the height of notoriety, to make those tough choices that suited the balance he sought in his life.
Felder was not stupid. He started asking too many questions about what was happening to the money when he was an EQUAL PARTNER. Fry and Henley did not like that. Now Felder has certain legal rights, like it or not. There is no doubt that Felder did very well in the settlement he had after he was sacked and sued the Eagles. He was one of the top earning musicians in the world in 2015...14 years after he quit. Felder always came across as a good guy..and he was easily the most talented musician in the band...period.
It's Frey, not Fry. Frey and Henley......they were greedy. The solo "albums" they came out with in the 80's (or careers as you refer to them) were just a way of feeding their EGO's. None of it was good music. Listen to it today, it's not timeless. In fact, its outright garbage. "All she wants to do is dance" has to be one of the worst songs ever recorded. My 15 year old Nephew has written much better songs. Felder didn't have that greed in him. Put it this way....if they weren't greedy, they would have been the eagles for much longer and this never would have been an issue.
"EASILY the most talented musician in the band....period" (emphasis added)So true. Felder is a master guitarist, and while Henley is a great vocalist, his ego is bigger than his talent.
Frey the asshole pretty much forced out Leadon, Randy and than Fingers, making Henley and himself the 2 remaining controlling members of the eagles. Joe and Timothy are just well paid hired guns, they have their names as members of the eagles, total facade as they don't have equal pay or say, and Stuart is just a hired musician, just above a roadie. Man I fucking hate Frey and Henley. Now they have Deacon Frey, Vince Gill as part of the eagles, FUCK YOU Henley!!!!!!
Glens passing is very sad, The Eagles were an awesome band, yes Don Felder with that white double neck with those magically sweet Californian tones with Joe Walsh with that awesome way of twisting around Felders tones with them looking at there screaming guitars like they were somthing that could be both heavenly and hellish that was flowing from them. Don and Joe were something you cant duplicate. Randy Meisner awesome vocals. Take it to the Limit, what a song. where is Randy? I guess hes all ready gone,, What a band. rest easy Glen.
I have no problem with Frey being out. I would like to see Leadon, Randy and fingers back in with walsh and timothy. I have no problems seeing an eagles concert without Henley and Frey. TImothy can sing Don's parts and Randy and Fingers can do Glens parts as well as randy's old parts. I can't believe they now have Vince Gill and Frey's son as part of the band. Disgusting!!!
Felder was great and extremely talented as a guitarist but at the end of the day its about songpower.And thats where he did not match GF and DH.Ever.Thats why it was not a 3 way equal split.Without a song you have nothing.And he rarely contributed in that sense.
When I moved to California I thought the Eagles would be over played. I was totally wrong. THE EAGLES CAN NEVER BE OVERPLAYED!! If all I had to listen to for ever it would be them. Thank you Old California. 👍🏼👍🏼🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Henley and Frey often needed more help with their lyrics, than they have acknowledged. They have several song lyrics by Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, J. D. Souther. And several more that were not credited to them.
That's a bit misleading by stating that they 'needed help'. As a songwriter myself, I can attest that many songs are written as teams. This is generally referred to as co-writing, and everyone shares in the songwriter splits that the work might generate. In fact, many of these writers are self-publishing so that they receive and share the publisher splits as well. Not everyone was a Bob Dylan.
Any interview I've ever seen with Felder, he always comes off as such a humble, classy and respectable guy. It's a shame that he was dealt a raw deal by those two ogres, Henley and Frey.
@@justinmcquaide4862 I mean Felder did A LOT of writing. He literally wrote all the music for hotel california by himself and when he brought the tapes to Frey he complained about having to listen to them. He signed a partnership with the band when he was brought on to Eagles. It would be one thing if they asked him to join for a percentage but the deal was 1/5th a piece and then Henley and Frey changed it.
@@the215sean I'm going by what I saw on the history of the Eagles it seemed pretty legit? Felder wouldn't be worth the money he has today if it wasn't for Frey and Henley they wrote all the songs.
@@justinmcquaide4862 It works both ways. The band became really big AFTER Felder joined. Before they were a countrysh band with some hits. Felder joined and gave them the rock sound that made them global stars, not to mention without him the biggest hit of the band wouldn't exist.
Sad how the other two founding members are always left out in the cold......Bernie Leadon and Randy Miesner. Bernie leaving because the band was moving away from it´s Blue Grass Roots (even though many of the pre Hotel California songs were used in the Eagles Live Concerts) and Randy Miesner being squeezed out as a Singer/Song Writer for the band and being drained by the constant fighting by Henely - Frey - Felder.
The irony is that "Hotel California" is 'the' trademark Eagles song. The opening guitar is unmistakable, not to mention the solo. Forget about the lyrics. The music is the signature piece and Frey/Henley can't lay claim to it.
The song was stolen from Jethro tull note for note the way we were .the eagles were on tour with Jethro tull so as Ian Anderson said its like owning a fake Rolex.
I noticed that Randy seems to get a bit emotional in between the lines of "it's so hard to change" @ 0:390:40. Being away from his family while constantly on the road was really hard. Just my observation. God bless them all. RIP Glenn.
Wow... seeing Felder break down there really broke my heart. Regardless of whatever happened between him and the band, his contributions to The Eagles and music can't be denied. He's a legend and deserves an extreme amount of credit for The Eagles' success. I know they are a sum of all its parts and I love everything The Eagles have ever done. After he left the band, or rather was ejected from the band, I always thought that situation would somehow resolve and he would be back... but it was never to be.
***** I wouldn't say he deserves an extreme amount of credit for their sucess becuz he didn't join up until several yrs later & also didn't sing or write most of their songs. But I do agree that he doesnt get the credit he deserves from Henley & Frey who seem to want to downplay his contributions.
Tobias Chance have we also noted that Leadon is also a HUGE contributor to early eagles success??? who remembers the intro to Outlaw man?? he can pick that bango like nobody business!! to me , the eagles are Don, Glen, Randy, and Leadon- Joe came later and so did Felder as well as Tim- but these great early tunes were done by those 4- yes Joe and Don were crit to the success of calif but remember that the eagles true success didnt come until after "one of these nights" was released- and I believe Henley wrote that one.
***** You can easily hear Felder's absence on Long Road Out of Eden-- The ONLY song on there that rocks was written in 72 or 73 (How Long). They instantly reverted back to their laid back country / pop sound. Don Felder is sorely missed by ANY true Eagles fan.
All well and good Glen (God rest your soul), but you signed a contract making Felder an equal partner and then proceeded to screw him over with side deals. The courts vindicated him.
Reguardless of what and when things happened Don Felder was still a full partner and was entittled to any monies that "Eagles Ltd" took in even after the band broke up. Just remember, it was Henley and Frey who went back to Felder to see if he was interested in getting back together with the "Eagles." Then as time went by the dynanmic duo tried to screw him a second time. Greed is a bitch. How many of you who were a full partner would settle for less then you were entittled to? None of you would unless you were totally stupid and would settle on the left over's.
@ martha Greer, I saw the doc, they tried to make frey and henley look as decent guys but those jerks still come out as assholes. And reading and watching Fingers side of the story, shows that Fingers was total right. The courts sided with fingers. Frey is a dick and a bully, he pretty much push Leadon and Randy out and he tried to do the same to Fingers which would give him and Henley all the power and money. Greedy asses.
yobpel a also in interviews Felder says but doesnt say how he basically won in court and he gets compensation so that says a lot. They basically paid him off to not make a bigger fuss. Cant say I blame him at that point, there was no going back. At least he gets royalties, as he should.
RANDY is THE man in the whole band, and NONE can touch his voice. The eagles were never the same after he left, that doesn't mean they were not great, just not AS great.
I sure do miss Randy as he was a great singer and nobody could hit those high notes like him. Sorry Tim but Randy's singing stands alone and nobody sings "Take it to the Limit" half as good as you buddy. Only wish you could be with all of us still sharing your gift. may you and your health be watched over by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Don Felder wrote the Eagle's theme song, Hotel California. He brought it to the rest of the band and they played around with it but it was Felder's creation. You see Frey and Henley in the writing credits but that is only about the money. Felder was the best guitarist in the Eagles. Huge massive mistake letting Felder leave the band.
Life without the music the Eagles would have been shitty. They gave more than any of us ever could have hoped for. They provided the sound track to our lives and food for our souls. God Bless everyone of them.
From Ireland in 70s never thinking in our wildest we would get to see you , to actually seeing you so many times in Toronto RIP and thank you for the memories.
Despite their differences, these guys who had a hard time getting along really made the most beautiful country rock music and the most unforgettable music ever. The Eagles really put country rock on the map! And I love every song!
The Eagles had the best harmony of any band that ever was and were a big part of my youth of the 1970s. My one regret is not seeing them in concert. Glenn Frey will be missed by many. Their last album "The Long Road Out of Eden" takes me back to those good ole' days. Take it Easy Glenn.....
Frey and Henley come off as complete control freaks, much respect to Don Felder, Bernie and Randy Meisner for walking, pretty clear it was hell not worth it after watching the doco.
Hi i just wanted to thank you again for being so supportive and following me on my Journey. I love inspiring and encouraging others. People like you help me to keep showing up! Hope you are having an amazing day.
Don Felder us a very genuine, humble and professional guitarist and artist. His level of musicianship surpasses Henley's and Frey's by light years. Those two have mega-egos and even fight with one another. The video interview of Don Felder on Sweetwater is fantastic. He is a true pro but unfortunately the two controlling clowns in the Eagles will probably never bury the hatchet and make peace with Don. Sad. Would love to see Felder back in the Eagles.
+Paul Kleban The lawsuit probably has a lot to do with it. Felder claims he just wanted to know the details of where all the money was going, and as the CFO (as he claims) and 'equal partner' in the band, he had the right to know. Frey on here claims he wanted more 'face time' and involvement in the song output, so they got rid of him. It cost them a lot of money to settle the suit, so I hope it was worth it to all of them.
+TheRubberStudiosASMR You are right. it would be nice to see Felder and Henley bury the hatchet. Felder's put an olive branch out in the past but to no avail.
Felder was an excellent studio musician and come if the songs he redid was somewhat entertaining such as Jethro Tull's version of Hotel California and Jefferson Starships version of Victim of Love but the simple fact is had he not been the guitar tech for Joe Walsh fell off the wagon he never would have been able to say he tuned Jie Walsh's guitar perfectly.
I agree, Don Felder is a special guitar player, something that a lot of people simply don't get. I've read all of the comments and I think some people don't realise how music happens. The most important thing in music is the song. The reason most brilliant sessions players are not successful is because they are not great songwriters. Most successful modern music involves a singer, and most sessions musicians are not great singers. But great bands have a distinctive sound, and that often is a product of many members of the band. In the case of the Eagles, there were three very fine lead singers, and the guitar licks are very distinctive. Don't kid yourself that Frey and Henley wrote the guitar licks, they probably knew when they heard something good, but you can be sure Leadon, Felder and Walsh were the creative forces behind the guitar parts. Meisner's bass playing is also creative and way better than most rock bassists. Henley is not Buddy Rich but his drumming is spot on and distinctive. The Eagles have left us music to cherish, it is very sad that they didn't get on too well, but that's reality in most cases. Music, like other art forms, is at its best, short lived. Bands only go on for decades because the music business knows that fans will buy anything their idols churn out and it's all about the money. We are very fortunate to have these videos of live performances that are possibly as good as it can get, the Eagles band of today is not a patch on the 1977 Washington concert where it was all about the music, no fancy sets, theatre dance etc
***** yeah, it's awesome. It explains in detail when he joined the band that both Glenn and Don said, "there are no sidemen in this band" everyone was to be an EQUAL partner.
+got2bharmony You wouldn't happen to know anything about Henley's solo work, would you? Boys of Summer and Dirty Laundry are classics but I wonder how much of those is Henley versus his writing partners and production team. Digging through iTunes, I noticed Henley write some great melodic singles but most of his solos stuff is forgettable. He put out albums with a couple of really good songs and the rest would be filler. Personally, I think Henleys always going to need song writing partners to make him appear great.
+Mike Rychlik DH's strength as a writer has always been the lyrics. His ability to compose music has never equaled his talent as a lyricist - but hey, he was mostly the drummer in his early years, and only played a little guitar. So naturally, he needed guys like Frey and Felder to help with the musical side of it. Given that he did most of his solo work during the 80's and early 90s, I don't think the more synthesized music of that period really suited his style. His voice and approach sound far better with guitars and other organic instruments. In any case, he and Glenn Frey were definitely good for each other as writers, and the Eagles surpassed what they did solo. Anyway, that partnership is history, now --- RIP Glenn.
Randy Meisner, what a gentle soul! Glen Frey, what an ass, its no wonder so many musicians had to leave the Eagles! Unless you are willing to suck up and do what you are told! I,ve seen Don Felder twice with his own band in Niagara Falls and it was awesome, his backing musicians are great, especially Frank Simes! Don Felder is much happier being away from the Eagles, he is also engaged to a very beautiful woman and former beauty queen so I think he is doing just fine without Henley and Frey!
People can take sides all day about who was more important to their success, Felder, Frey, Henley whatever. The bottom line on the whole legal thing is that Don Felder was/is a 1/3rd shareholder in Eagles Ltd, a legal incorporation. As such he was entitled to question the business and accounting practices of a company he owned shares in, and, to have an audit/review done. If the orginal agreement, entered into in 1974 or so, said equal shares, and there were no amendments to it, and he wasn't getting his equal share, Frey and Henley (and Eagles Ltd) were in an actionable position. Given that they settled out of court with Felder and he supposedly got a very lucrative financial deal, and still (I believe) owns a piece of Eagles Ltd...there must have been quite a fire behind all the smoke that their lawyer was throwing out there.
I just finished reading Felders autobiography. In it, he said that when he was fired in 2001, he called Joe Walsh, who had remained his friend through the Eagles off years, had been Uncle Joe to his children, and had slept at his house while he was in alcohol rehab. He said that Joe couldn't have acted more disinterested and that that day was the last time they spoke to one another. Felder really got screwed over
Sad when you learn these ins and outs ! They needed Felder when they asked him to join in the beginning and conveniently discarded him. He was and still is a BIG part of why they were so popular. Glen Frey you are not the man I thought you were !!!
There's a lot of crap talked about Henley and Frey being the songwriters and the driving force behind the Eagles - and Felder just being a guitar player. A few facts; *) Before Felder joined the band, the Eagles never had a no.1 album or single. *) Felder played on all 4 of the Eagles albums that reached no.1 in the charts.(a) *) When Felder wasn't in the band, the Eagles never had a no.1 album or single (a) *) Before Felder joined, the Eagles were a cowboy country rock band that only achieved moderate commercial success.The 3 Eagles albums prior to Felder becoming a full member of the band reached chart positions of 22, 41 and 17. After Felder joined the next 3 albums reached chart positions of 1, 1 and 1. *) Felder wrote the music for the Eagles biggest selling single (Hotel California) and played (with Walsh) one of the most recognized and popular guitar solos ever. *) Of the 5 no.1 singles that the Eagles had, only 1 was written by Henley and Frey on their own (b). The other 4 had co-writers from within the Eagles or who were non band members. / other artists. *) Of the 5 other top ten hits that the Eagles had again only 1 was written by Henley and Frey on their own.. The other 4 had co-writers from within the Eagles or who were non band members. / other artists. On a more general note, the fact is that when Felder was in the Eagles they produced great music .... and when he wasn't they didn't. Notes (a) I don't count Long Road Out Of Eden (2007) as an Eagles album because half the songs on it were written by or co-written by non band members.and much of the music was played by session/guest musicians) (b) A lot of the appeal of 'One of these Nights' was Felder's guitar playing and solo.
The same things could be said about Joe Walsh, who was a much bigger talent than Don Felder. The band grew and developed, and I have fond memories of Eagles' songs before Walsh and Felder joined. I also have fond memories of Joe Walsh's songs before he joined the Eagles. Felder, if he was really such a great influence on the Gainesville crowd he claimed to be, he would be welcome to work with several artists he claimed to have taught music, who have had bigger careers than Felder's solo work. No, it is my opinion, Joe Walsh was a much bigger impact on the success of the Eagles than Don Felder. They are all in a universe of talent and success that is beyond my wildest dreams, but Felder doesn't need pity, he needs to produce more stuff than the Spanish Progression, which was used by Tull when the pre-Felder and pre-Walsh Eagles were opening for Tull. Oh yeah, Bernie Leadon, Felder's friend who was convinced to leave Eagles was on tour with Tull. Then someone gave Leadon the idea to leave, which magically left the opening for Felder to try and step in. In my opinion, and you can have yours, Felder would not have been much if he had not been trying to play up to Joe Walsh's playing and writing skills. See, James Gang Rides Again, James Gang Thirds, and Joe Walsh as a Barnstorm artist. Joe Walsh was a up and coming guitar hero when Henley and Frey were backing Linda Ronstadt, hanging with JD Souther and Jackson Browne.
It takes all the men to build the castle- thats ALL of them NOT just Henley and Frey- My favorite album Still to this day is there first record- Take it Easy, Peaceful easy feeling, witchy woman, most of us are sad, train leaves here this morning- OMG- classic beautiful songs and NOT all written by frey and henley- I think browne and Souther had a huge part of that - where are their names in the credits to the Eagles???
TheSmithDorian The Eagles had 6 - No.1 hits and a total of 18 top 40 hits... You may note that Felder has credits on only one of these songs that being of course Hotel California. I am a fan of the song Victim of Love, however. :"Best of My Love," No. 1, 1974 "One of These Nights," No. 1, 1975 "New Kid in Town," No. 1, 1977 "Hotel California," No. 1, 1977 (Don Felder) "Heartache Tonight," No.1, 1979 "Love Will Keep Us Alive" No. 1 1994 "Lyin' Eyes," No. 2, 1975 "Take It to the Limit," No. 4, 1976 "The Long Run," No. 8, 1980 "I Can't Tell You Why," No. 8, 1980 "Witchy Woman," No. 9, 1972 "Life in the Fast Lane," No. 11, 1977 "Take it Easy" No. 12. 1972 "Seven Bridges Road" No. 21 1980 "Peaceful Easy Feeling" No. 22 1972 "Tequila Sunrise" No. 26 1973 "Already Gone" No. 32 1974 "Get Over It" No. 31 1980 It is also a fact that the Eagles Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) is the number one best selling album, which has no song that Felder has any credits to but many songs that Leadon had a big part of. Felder is often given this God status by many people because of Hotel California, which is hardly a "rock song" compared to Life in the Fast Lane co wrote by Joe Walsh. Although I am also a big fan of Leadon, It is my opinion and many others, that when Joe Walsh replaced Leadon, the true rock sound of the Eagles emerged.
Flynn Taylor Yes, it takes all to build a castle, but some do more than others. Sometimes some of the ones that do less think they should get the same pay as those that do more.
Just look at the pain in Don eyes and and the breakout of pain in his voice at the end and now I understand why I hate Glenn Frey, he really broke his heart
Don, as a musician myself, and I met you personally, via..Gary Carpenter, Colleen Carpenter, Gary passed in 2014, stroke complications, your employee,...thank you for Hotel Calif. mugs! WeddIng gift. I have a photo of you and Georgia O'Keef on your home in Beverly Glenn. May I sell it? ...Everyone knows that the drummer keeps the beat!!! You English major!!, me too. PLEASE contact @1-951-438-2443, or @ our daughters F.B., Tara Maura Carpenter. I love that picture Gary took of both of you. I'm so sad that the Eagle's fans don't recognize that you were the Leader & maker of the Eagle's from the get!! P.S. while on tour, you smashed a motorcycle with Kenny Rodgers and the 1st. Edition, lead guitar says ,hi.I HOPE you get this message, and All Eagle's fans know that YOU ran the show, without you there would be NO Eagles!!!!!, Colleen,...lol
I love Don Felder. Seems like a really good person..Now, I hate saying this but Henley & Frey really did seem like jerks. I watched the documentary two years ago and that's the way they come off to me. They lost two great ones ,Randy & Bernie. Such talent. it probably was pretty stressful.
They didn't seem like jerks...they actually were. With Frey carrying the torch. Even Don Henley said he was an asshole. This isn't a foot ball team, as Frey liked to compare it to (and so justifying his bigger cut of the money), it was a music group where they created, not followed a play book. Irving Azoff fed these two jerk's egos and was more responsible for the departures of the talented members than most think. So much of the Eagles signature sound is Don Felder's guitar. Frey and Felder were like oil and water, but the Frey was that way with nearly everyone.
Felder got top credit for Hotel California on the Hotel California album. On Hell Freezes Over, Henley and Frey listed themselves above Felder for Hotel California, even with Felder's awesome new intro. Proof of Henley and Frey seeking top credit and control. They screwed up the band with their greed.
Don Felder wrote "Hotel California"...the biggest hit The Eagles ever had, which included one of the greatest guitar solos of all time!!! Sure, Frey and Henley wrote some great tunes as well, but to minimize Don Felders contributions to the band and say he deserves less is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
I hate to defend Frey and Henley, but you need to look at a couple things. Felder isn't an original member, you would be hard pressed to find a successful band where a non-original member get the same money. The Eagles were successful before elder even joined the band, not as big as they would get of course with Felder, but they were successful without him. As you mentioned, they wrote most of the hits without Felder. Felder never wrote a song without them. Lead singers in any band usually get preferential treatment. No matter how good or bad you are as a singer, fans want to hear that voice. You can always get someone to reproduce a musical part. It comes down this: they still sell out stadiums everywhere without Felder, where they would lose a ton of business without Henley/Frey. Right or wrong, they're the irreplaceable members.
Trulysarcastic44 I've been playing guitar for 27 years , and I can tell you: that's strictly your opinion. You think a guitar player is "replaceable" ? Ha! Maybe to a non-musician / atypical music fan, but to a musician the difference is night and day. Don Felder and Joe Walsh had a chemistry that is 1 in a million. Search UA-cam for the 2014 Eagles shows of Hotel Cal. - the "new" guy and Walsh couldn't be more different. The phrasing is all off and sounds terrible with this new guy. They aint "The Eagles", they're a joke now, and Frey & Henley's voice have finally seen their day : they sound like shit now.....and it serves them right....time to retire.....
even if that was true, most people who are buying tickets either don't notice or don't care judging by their ticket sales, thus making Felder replaceable in their eyes.
The Eagles were, and will always be the best American rock band to ever play. (When it comes to Don Felder vs. Glenn Frey and Don Henley) Rock bands will always have disagreements, and nothing is ever perfect. As a true Eagles fan, the best thing to do is to not take sides in this matter. I agree that The Eagles without Don Felder (or even Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner) isn't the same as The Eagles now. However, they still sounded fantastic and I'm very fortunate to have gotten to see them twice. I will never take anyone's side over the other when it comes to Don Felder vs Don Henley and Glenn Frey. I would rather treat them all with the same respect and dignity they deserve, and thank them for the great music they created. I find that if I wasn't there to witness something that took place, I will not contribute to rumor mills and speculations. It is devastating that Glenn Frey has passed on. Without him, there is no more Eagles. He was the heart and soul (and the creator/founder) of The Eagles. I want to thank Glenn Frey for the great music and legendary rock band that he created. Without Glenn, Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy" would have never been as popular and/or existed. Only two people can sing lead on "Take It Easy" - that being Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne. Now that Glenn has sadly passed on, Jackson is the only one left. Also, I have to thank Linda Ronstadt, without her, there wouldn't have ever been The Eagles. Rest in peace, Glenn Frey. You will be forever cherished for your great musical talent and abilities. Loved your solo and Eagles work.
to me the Eagles were at their best when Don Felder and Randy Meisner were with them, I wish it was Randy Meisner who was invited to their 1994 reunion instead of Timothy B. Schmit.
Also is it just me or does Glenn Frey remind me of Scar from the movie "Lion King"? I always get that Scar vibe from Glenn Frey, I also wonder how he would feel if Tim Schmit and Joe Walsh were having a conversation about Don Felder and how much they miss him?
The nice part for Felder: He gets paid a percentage for everything Eagles. Merchandise, album sales, touring, you name it. He is one third owner of Eagles LTD. He doesn’t have to lift a finger and still gets paid.
The bigger they got the more Frey and Henley took control. It's a business, even though I really liked Meisner and Felder. So many bands got taken advantage of by management I guess I don't blame them. I selfishly wished they could have all stayed together longer.
Hi i just wanted to thank you again for being so supportive and following me on my Journey. I love inspiring and encouraging others. People like you help me to keep showing up! Hope you are having an amazing day.
gosh my hatred towards Glenn Frey and empathy for Don Felder became so strong that it helped me get over my feelings this pretty Hispanic girl who I've had a huge crush on, I do have to give major props to these two for helping me get over my feelings towards this pretty Hispanic girl and the best part is nothing bad has ever happened to this pretty Hispanic girl who I liked and I wish the same could have been said for Don Felder.
Felder gave them their best song "hotel California" and to think that Henley and Frey have to do it at every concert must make Felder smile. They may not have him anymore but they'll always have his great guitar solo's ...
I enjoyed the video "history of the Eagles"really enjoyed the video right up to the part where Glenn Frey says all the negative stuff about Don Felder, it left a really bad Tate in my mouth so much so that I almost don't want to listen to the Eagles again :(
You are NOT alone on those feelings. This is one of those bands that I really hate, HATE, what happened because of egos. I almost wish I never heard anything about the feuding. They were all musical geniuses, and that's why I hate it so much.
Matt Baumgarten I don't dislike Frey or Henley & despite their shortcomings, I think they are both very talented guys. But I also got a bad taste in my mouth when I saw how ugly Frey could be & how Henley supported his firing of Felder. That being said, I will continue to listen to & enjoy their music becuz I don't necessarily think that you have to really like a musician or actor in order to appreciate their art. It does make it alot nicer when they aren't pricks tho. Haha.
@@seanjoseph3813 and you are being nice with the term asshole. I hate what Frey & Henley turned the Eagles into. They sound like garbage now. After they forced out Meisner I was done (he and Felder took the talent with them).
Egomania run amok here. Don Felder and Randy Meisner were/are the back bone of the Eagles...and always will be! Put that in your pipe and smoke it Frey and Henley!
Sad that greed comes into play and ruins a great thing. Randy Meisner was a big part of the Eagles. They all sound so good together all 7. Sad it didn't work that way. Love Randy Meisner...
With all due respect, Irving, Don (Felder) had a third of the partnership. The fact he had to get a lawyer to find out the state of band finances reflects very poorly on you, Don (Henley) and Glenn. You are right, it's a not a hippie commune, it's a business. Usually, the books are open to partners in that situation. You have yet to challenge anything Don (Felder) has said with any authority. The fact you litigated it for six years shows there probably was something to hide.
The eagles were trying to get back to their "song power" of the seventies, when they reformed in the nineties. When they kicked Don Felder out for not taking a horse dick. They died. Even when they try and explain it here, it just makes them look worse and confirms everything. They made a walmart country album in 2007, and that is it. Other than that they lived off of the songs from the seventies that Don Felder helped create.
Wind Skywalker Felder was wrongfully terminated. He was under contract as a full partner. In business you cannot "fire" a partner, which is why Henley and Frey had to pay him BIG BUCKS in the lawsuit.
I love the eagles,,,,but it's still not the same without Don,and Randy....Don fielder was one of the best guitar players in the Eagles....put there differences aside and get over it.....
What people keep forgetting that the Eagles was Glenn Frey’s band. Even Don Henley has stated that. Frey was the one who asked Felder to join nearly three years after the band started.
The way I see it, Felder and Walsh didn't need the Eagles, the Eagles needed them. Other wise the Eagles would have been nothing but a two bit bar band going down the road where all bumpkin bands go, to palookaville.
The whole Eagles situation is tantamount to John Lennon and Paul McCartney telling George Harrison he was only a studio musician and didn't deserve an equal cut. Not lessening Randy Meisner or Bernie Leadon's roles in the band, as w/o them where would the Eagles have been before Don Felder arrived? Dead in the water, or spinning their wheels needlessly. Worst of all is Don Felder pulling Joe Walsh out of his drug addiction to rejoin for the "Hell Freezes Over Tour" only to get a big FU for his troubles. Don, Bernie, and Randy will always outclass Glenn and Don as real "human beings".
Felder’s one of the most underrated rock guitar players.
true, and he taught Tom Petty how to play
Totally agreed, but let's not leave Joe out. He is also absolutely talented and underrated
Don Felder is absolutely awesome !!!!
Felder and Meisner were two very talented musicians who greatly contributed to their overall success as a band.
Mark Flanigan and to their success as a brand. Henley is still making bank ft of the talents of people that he and Frey fucked over
As was Bernie Leaden!
Bernie was a misfit and a bully.
🙋♂️👍👍
Randy truly had the voice of an angel. The bands best true singer.
Don and Glen can spin it any direction they choose but everyone knows they did Don dirty.
Also Randy Meisner
and Randy and Bernie
Absolutely.👍
I won't go see the eagles without Felder because they're not the Eagles without him.
Henley and Frey really hurt their legacy, the way they did Don Felder.
Felder's guitar work set The Eagles apart!
The way they treated Randy Meisner too.
I never realized they were this way until I watched the documentary Frey and Henley left a bad taste in my mouth they had to much power and were assholes about
@@SusanL-xo2kjthe difference is leading and meisner were bought of of their partnership - Walsh and Schmidt are salaried - no partnership equality. Felder was full partner and the screwed him until suit forced them to settle
@@SusanL-xo2kj Randy was an immensely talented good guy stuck between two cutthroat alphas. One extroverted alpha and one introverted...but alphas nonetheless. He couldn't take the petty nonsense any more
@@Pedro91795 They expected Felder to keep quiet as to them they were more integral and did most of the heavy lifting in the band. Yes Felder was a full partner but to them a full partner maybe not as important as they were
I admit that it wouldn't be the Eagles without Frey and Henley, but on the same note, its not the Eagles without Felder. That guitar tone...wow. I will support his shows when he comes through definitely.
all said , Don Felder is the man --style and grace in his tone--YEP---eagle forever
This video cuts the final clip of Felder short. He says "I miss the friendship and the music"...[pause]."ok."
He has to get up and walk away because he's about to start crying.
After he was gone the band was never quite the same. Felder played a bigger part than either Frey or Henley would ever admit. They really gave him the shaft.
Felder would have to be my favorite guitarist of all time. Such a clean player whether on a strat, tele or gibson and perfect switches between lead, rythm and fill all in the same song without any egotistical posing so he blended perfectly with the rest of the band without trying to dominate it.
Also, as much as I like Timothy Schmidt, Meisner hasn't been beaten for those those high pitched vocals.
Item69 correct!!!!!
Yes, and not every guitarist sounds as equally strong on a Strat, a Tele or a Gibson!
200%, Felder is the GOAT.
Item69, I thought that Timothy B. Schmit was classy in giving Meisner his props at the Eagles HOF induction. Meisner definitely has a sweeter voice.
I Love Love Love Don Felder !!!
Amazing Talent he made The Eagles A Great Band.Tell the Trurh Glen Frey!
The Eagles were less of a band without Don Felder. Nuff said.
newfound respect for felder. He is a true star of the eagles and without him they would not have been as great
Felder came up with the guitar riff and melody for Hotel California. For which he was credited as a co-writer and gets paid royalties to this day. The lyrics were mostly written by Henley with help from Frey.
Felder and Walsh made that band ballsy both out classed Frey as a guitar player. And just because someone dies doesn't mean they weren't a dick
That is debatable. I entirely disagree with you.
He was a dick, but a talented one.
i wonder how genuine folks would become if they did not consider money as the measure of value. I admire Randy's decision, at the height of notoriety, to make those tough choices that suited the balance he sought in his life.
Don Felder is the man in the Eagles band.
And so is Randy Meisner
Love the way Don F and Joe played off each other . Eagles 🦅 are amazing. Rip Glenn Frey ❤️🖤🦅😢🎶
And in the middle of all the drama is cool Joe. Love that guy!
Felder was just important. It's that melody hook we hear that he put his name on a lot of those songs.
Felder was not stupid. He started asking too many questions about what was happening to the money when he was an EQUAL PARTNER. Fry and Henley did not like that. Now Felder has certain legal rights, like it or not. There is no doubt that Felder did very well in the settlement he had after he was sacked and sued the Eagles. He was one of the top earning musicians in the world in 2015...14 years after he quit. Felder always came across as a good guy..and he was easily the most talented musician in the band...period.
No he didn't. what did he do when the eagles broke up.
Fry and Henley tried to make a career while he held on to the eagles shirt tails.
It's Frey, not Fry. Frey and Henley......they were greedy. The solo "albums" they came out with in the 80's (or careers as you refer to them) were just a way of feeding their EGO's. None of it was good music. Listen to it today, it's not timeless. In fact, its outright garbage. "All she wants to do is dance" has to be one of the worst songs ever recorded. My 15 year old Nephew has written much better songs. Felder didn't have that greed in him. Put it this way....if they weren't greedy, they would have been the eagles for much longer and this never would have been an issue.
haha, ya. Sorry. I get carried away sometimes.
"EASILY the most talented musician in the band....period" (emphasis added)So true. Felder is a master guitarist, and while Henley is a great vocalist, his ego is bigger than his talent.
Frey the asshole pretty much forced out Leadon, Randy and than Fingers, making Henley and himself the 2 remaining controlling members of the eagles. Joe and Timothy are just well paid hired guns, they have their names as members of the eagles, total facade as they don't have equal pay or say, and Stuart is just a hired musician, just above a roadie. Man I fucking hate Frey and Henley. Now they have Deacon Frey, Vince Gill as part of the eagles, FUCK YOU Henley!!!!!!
I admire Randy ... he chose family over fame ...
Don Felder has his soul intact and is rocking the world to this day! The "Eagles"...not so much.
Um...aren't the Eagles playing multiple sold-out shows at the U2 Arena in London right now?
The rest of the eagles look so old and gross compared to Felder. Don Felder must live a really healthy lifestyle compared with the rest of the Eagles.
@@djosephj it's always about appearances with felder's fans.
Glens passing is very sad, The Eagles were an awesome band, yes Don Felder with that white double neck with those magically sweet Californian tones with Joe Walsh with that awesome way of twisting around Felders tones with them looking at there screaming guitars like they were somthing that could be both heavenly and hellish that was flowing from them. Don and Joe were something you cant duplicate. Randy Meisner awesome vocals. Take it to the Limit, what a song. where is Randy? I guess hes all ready gone,, What a band. rest easy Glen.
I miss Don Felder they need him back ☺
Without Don Felder they're just common birds!
You're absolute right, man...
It's not the Eagles if Don Felder is not there and I will never go see them in concert again.
add frey to your list
I have no problem with Frey being out. I would like to see Leadon, Randy and fingers back in with walsh and timothy. I have no problems seeing an eagles concert without Henley and Frey. TImothy can sing Don's parts and Randy and Fingers can do Glens parts as well as randy's old parts. I can't believe they now have Vince Gill and Frey's son as part of the band. Disgusting!!!
@@yobpela6867 Frey's son I can see, Vince Gill is a hard nope
move on!
Felder was great and extremely talented as a guitarist but at the end of the day its about songpower.And thats where he did not match GF and DH.Ever.Thats why it was not a 3 way equal split.Without a song you have nothing.And he rarely contributed in that sense.
When I moved to California I thought the Eagles would be over played. I was totally wrong.
THE EAGLES CAN NEVER BE OVERPLAYED!!
If all I had to listen to for ever it would be them. Thank you Old California.
👍🏼👍🏼🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I will add -- this is, in my opinion, the best band America ever produced. Hats off to you.
2nd to Aersomith
"..we may lose, or we may win...... but we will never be here again."
So true, so true.
I loveee that line SO much❤️✨
They were never there again.
Jackson Browne wrote those words.
Henley and Frey often needed more help with their lyrics, than they have acknowledged.
They have several song lyrics by Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, J. D. Souther. And several more that were not credited to them.
That's a bit misleading by stating that they 'needed help'. As a songwriter myself, I can attest that many songs are written as teams. This is generally referred to as co-writing, and everyone shares in the songwriter splits that the work might generate. In fact, many of these writers are self-publishing so that they receive and share the publisher splits as well. Not everyone was a Bob Dylan.
Any interview I've ever seen with Felder, he always comes off as such a humble, classy and respectable guy. It's a shame that he was dealt a raw deal by those two ogres, Henley and Frey.
If it wasn't for those two ogres Felder wouldn't be worth 60 million
Funny, any interview I have ever seen with him he comes of a whiny jealous self centered all about me Karen.
@@justinmcquaide4862 I mean Felder did A LOT of writing. He literally wrote all the music for hotel california by himself and when he brought the tapes to Frey he complained about having to listen to them. He signed a partnership with the band when he was brought on to Eagles. It would be one thing if they asked him to join for a percentage but the deal was 1/5th a piece and then Henley and Frey changed it.
@@the215sean I'm going by what I saw on the history of the Eagles it seemed pretty legit? Felder wouldn't be worth the money he has today if it wasn't for Frey and Henley they wrote all the songs.
@@justinmcquaide4862 It works both ways. The band became really big AFTER Felder joined. Before they were a countrysh band with some hits. Felder joined and gave them the rock sound that made them global stars, not to mention without him the biggest hit of the band wouldn't exist.
LOVED DON FELDER VERY TALENTED
Sad how the other two founding members are always left out in the cold......Bernie Leadon and Randy Miesner. Bernie leaving because the band was moving away from it´s Blue Grass Roots (even though many of the pre Hotel California songs were used in the Eagles Live Concerts) and Randy Miesner being squeezed out as a Singer/Song Writer for the band and being drained by the constant fighting by Henely - Frey - Felder.
Meisner was stressed about being able to hit his high notes
Frey would Keep Pushing
Meisner just couldn't take any more
The irony is that "Hotel California" is 'the' trademark Eagles song. The opening guitar is unmistakable, not to mention the solo. Forget about the lyrics. The music is the signature piece and Frey/Henley can't lay claim to it.
kamaboko1 Exactly. Henley Egotistical & Frey!!
The song was stolen from Jethro tull note for note the way we were .the eagles were on tour with Jethro tull so as Ian Anderson said its like owning a fake Rolex.
I noticed that Randy seems to get a bit emotional in between the lines of "it's so hard to change" @ 0:39 0:40. Being away from his family while constantly on the road was really hard. Just my observation. God bless them all. RIP Glenn.
Paradise i agree
Wow... seeing Felder break down there really broke my heart. Regardless of whatever happened between him and the band, his contributions to The Eagles and music can't be denied. He's a legend and deserves an extreme amount of credit for The Eagles' success. I know they are a sum of all its parts and I love everything The Eagles have ever done. After he left the band, or rather was ejected from the band, I always thought that situation would somehow resolve and he would be back... but it was never to be.
***** I wouldn't say he deserves an extreme amount of credit for their sucess becuz he didn't join up until several yrs later & also didn't sing or write most of their songs. But I do agree that he doesnt get the credit he deserves from Henley & Frey who seem to want to downplay his contributions.
Tobias Chance have we also noted that Leadon is also a HUGE contributor to early eagles success??? who remembers the intro to Outlaw man?? he can pick that bango like nobody business!! to me , the eagles are Don, Glen, Randy, and Leadon- Joe came later and so did Felder as well as Tim- but these great early tunes were done by those 4- yes Joe and Don were crit to the success of calif but remember that the eagles true success didnt come until after "one of these nights" was released- and I believe Henley wrote that one.
***** You can easily hear Felder's absence on Long Road Out of Eden-- The ONLY song on there that rocks was written in 72 or 73 (How Long). They instantly reverted back to their laid back country / pop sound. Don Felder is sorely missed by ANY true Eagles fan.
Flynn Taylor and Felder played the solo on the Title track... he gave them the edge they had been missing
Thats right, on the last few queen albums, all credits for songwriting were listed as Queen and not May-Mercury. A true band!
All well and good Glen (God rest your soul), but you signed a contract making Felder an equal partner and then proceeded to screw him over with side deals. The courts vindicated him.
that was the first time they broke up. while fry and Henley went on to get careers
he chewed on their tail skins
watch the documentation
So are you saying it's OK for them to screw somebody
Reguardless of what and when things happened Don Felder was still a full partner and was entittled to any monies that "Eagles Ltd" took in even after the band broke up. Just remember, it was Henley and Frey who went back to Felder to see if he was interested in getting back together with the "Eagles." Then as time went by the dynanmic duo tried to screw him a second time. Greed is a bitch. How many of you who were a full partner would settle for less then you were entittled to? None of you would unless you were totally stupid and would settle on the left over's.
@ martha Greer, I saw the doc, they tried to make frey and henley look as decent guys but those jerks still come out as assholes. And reading and watching Fingers side of the story, shows that Fingers was total right. The courts sided with fingers. Frey is a dick and a bully, he pretty much push Leadon and Randy out and he tried to do the same to Fingers which would give him and Henley all the power and money. Greedy asses.
yobpel a also in interviews Felder says but doesnt say how he basically won in court and he gets compensation so that says a lot. They basically paid him off to not make a bigger fuss. Cant say I blame him at that point, there was no going back. At least he gets royalties, as he should.
RANDY is THE man in the whole band, and NONE can touch his voice. The eagles were never the same after he left, that doesn't mean they were not great, just not AS great.
whatever
What a great voice. First number one song of the Eagles
I still have all their albums.
Agreed, the loss of that voice was huge, and man can he play that bass. Timothy can sing, but he's nowhere close to Randy.
Dream on
I sure do miss Randy as he was a great singer and nobody could hit those high notes like him. Sorry Tim but Randy's singing stands alone and nobody sings "Take it to the Limit" half as good as you buddy. Only wish you could be with all of us still sharing your gift. may you and your health be watched over by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He is in the right choir now. He always had the voice of an angel. the hairs on the back of my neck still go up when I hear him sing.
Don Felder wrote the Eagle's theme song, Hotel California. He brought it to the rest of the band and they played around with it but it was Felder's creation. You see Frey and Henley in the writing credits but that is only about the money. Felder was the best guitarist in the Eagles. Huge massive mistake letting Felder leave the band.
Felder wrote the whole Song and they wrote the words. Period.
Life without the music the Eagles would have been shitty. They gave more than any of us ever could have hoped for. They provided the sound track to our lives and food for our souls. God Bless everyone of them.
Yes Without Don is not complete
From Ireland in 70s never thinking in our wildest we would get to see you , to actually seeing you so many times in Toronto RIP and thank you for the memories.
So glad we got to see you so many times in Toronto.
Despite their differences, these guys who had a hard time getting along really made the most beautiful country rock music and the most unforgettable music ever. The Eagles really put country rock on the map! And I love every song!
I love Randy and Felder. There's no big ego need in sharing and making music in a band. Shame on Henley and Frey.
Somehow I have to think that Azoff was a big part of the problem.
i love Don Henley and glenn. never like randy and don Felder
Candy White i love meisner snd felder
I don't like greedy pricks...
I could watch this again and again, over and over for the rest of my life... AWESOME!!!!!! over 3 hours of Eagles stories... LOVE THEM!!!!
Lorna Howard although some sad Felder stuff
The Eagles had the best harmony of any band that ever was and were a big part of my youth of the 1970s. My one regret is not seeing them in concert. Glenn Frey will be missed by many. Their last album "The Long Road Out of Eden" takes me back to those good ole' days. Take it Easy Glenn.....
My all time favorite band. LOVE them!!!
The GOATS of music all seven members with immeasurable talent.
Frey and Henley come off as complete control freaks, much respect to Don Felder, Bernie and Randy Meisner for walking, pretty clear it was hell not worth it after watching the doco.
Hi i just wanted to thank you again for being so supportive and following me on
my Journey. I love inspiring and encouraging others. People like you help me to keep showing up! Hope you are having an amazing day.
Classy Randy Meinser!!
Indeed!
Nobody sang like Randy, he was simply the best.
Don Felder us a very genuine, humble and professional guitarist and artist. His level of musicianship surpasses Henley's and Frey's by light years. Those two have mega-egos and even fight with one another. The video interview of Don Felder on Sweetwater is fantastic. He is a true pro but unfortunately the two controlling clowns in the Eagles will probably never bury the hatchet and make peace with Don. Sad. Would love to see Felder back in the Eagles.
+Paul Kleban The lawsuit probably has a lot to do with it. Felder claims he just wanted to know the details of where all the money was going, and as the CFO (as he claims) and 'equal partner' in the band, he had the right to know. Frey on here claims he wanted more 'face time' and involvement in the song output, so they got rid of him. It cost them a lot of money to settle the suit, so I hope it was worth it to all of them.
+Paul Kleban I guess that won't happen now.
+TheRubberStudiosASMR You are right. it would be nice to see Felder and Henley bury the hatchet. Felder's put an olive branch out in the past but to no avail.
two sides to every story!!
Felder was an excellent studio musician and come if the songs he redid was somewhat entertaining such as Jethro Tull's version of Hotel California and Jefferson Starships version of Victim of Love but the simple fact is had he not been the guitar tech for Joe Walsh fell off the wagon he never would have been able to say he tuned Jie Walsh's guitar perfectly.
I shure miss Don! He was a wonderful gitarplayer!
Yeah! Steuart Smith is fantastic, but... I also miss Bernie and Randi. The best lineup i m o was on the albums On the border and One of these nights.
I agree, Don Felder is a special guitar player, something that a lot of people simply don't get. I've read all of the comments and I think some people don't realise how music happens. The most important thing in music is the song. The reason most brilliant sessions players are not successful is because they are not great songwriters. Most successful modern music involves a singer, and most sessions musicians are not great singers. But great bands have a distinctive sound, and that often is a product of many members of the band. In the case of the Eagles, there were three very fine lead singers, and the guitar licks are very distinctive. Don't kid yourself that Frey and Henley wrote the guitar licks, they probably knew when they heard something good, but you can be sure Leadon, Felder and Walsh were the creative forces behind the guitar parts. Meisner's bass playing is also creative and way better than most rock bassists. Henley is not Buddy Rich but his drumming is spot on and distinctive. The Eagles have left us music to cherish, it is very sad that they didn't get on too well, but that's reality in most cases. Music, like other art forms, is at its best, short lived. Bands only go on for decades because the music business knows that fans will buy anything their idols churn out and it's all about the money. We are very fortunate to have these videos of live performances that are possibly as good as it can get, the Eagles band of today is not a patch on the 1977 Washington concert where it was all about the music, no fancy sets, theatre dance etc
***** yeah, it's awesome. It explains in detail when he joined the band that both Glenn and Don said, "there are no sidemen in this band" everyone was to be an EQUAL partner.
+got2bharmony You wouldn't happen to know anything about Henley's solo work, would you? Boys of Summer and Dirty Laundry are classics but I wonder how much of those is Henley versus his writing partners and production team. Digging through iTunes, I noticed Henley write some great melodic singles but most of his solos stuff is forgettable. He put out albums with a couple of really good songs and the rest would be filler. Personally, I think Henleys always going to need song writing partners to make him appear great.
+Mike Rychlik DH's strength as a writer has always been the lyrics. His ability to compose music has never equaled his talent as a lyricist - but hey, he was mostly the drummer in his early years, and only played a little guitar. So naturally, he needed guys like Frey and Felder to help with the musical side of it. Given that he did most of his solo work during the 80's and early 90s, I don't think the more synthesized music of that period really suited his style. His voice and approach sound far better with guitars and other organic instruments. In any case, he and Glenn Frey were definitely good for each other as writers, and the Eagles surpassed what they did solo. Anyway, that partnership is history, now --- RIP Glenn.
Randy Meisner, what a gentle soul! Glen Frey, what an ass, its no wonder so many musicians had to leave the Eagles! Unless you are willing to suck up and do what you are told! I,ve seen Don Felder twice with his own band in Niagara Falls and it was awesome, his backing musicians are great, especially Frank Simes! Don Felder is much happier being away from the Eagles, he is also engaged to a very beautiful woman and former beauty queen so I think he is doing just fine without Henley and Frey!
People can take sides all day about who was more important to their success, Felder, Frey, Henley whatever. The bottom line on the whole legal thing is that Don Felder was/is a 1/3rd shareholder in Eagles Ltd, a legal incorporation. As such he was entitled to question the business and accounting practices of a company he owned shares in, and, to have an audit/review done. If the orginal agreement, entered into in 1974 or so, said equal shares, and there were no amendments to it, and he wasn't getting his equal share, Frey and Henley (and Eagles Ltd) were in an actionable position. Given that they settled out of court with Felder and he supposedly got a very lucrative financial deal, and still (I believe) owns a piece of Eagles Ltd...there must have been quite a fire behind all the smoke that their lawyer was throwing out there.
I just finished reading Felders autobiography. In it, he said that when he was fired in 2001, he called Joe Walsh, who had remained his friend through the Eagles off years, had been Uncle Joe to his children, and had slept at his house while he was in alcohol rehab. He said that Joe couldn't have acted more disinterested and that that day was the last time they spoke to one another. Felder really got screwed over
That is very sad to read. I thought Joe was a man of integrity.
Sad when you learn these ins and outs ! They needed Felder when they asked him to join in the beginning and conveniently discarded him. He was and still is a BIG part of why they were so popular. Glen Frey you are not the man I thought you were !!!
Just like Don Felder, Joe Walsh added greatly to the Eagles. The Eagles needed both of them to move out of the country bumpkin pit they were in.
There's a lot of crap talked about Henley and Frey being the songwriters and the driving force behind the Eagles - and Felder just being a guitar player.
A few facts;
*) Before Felder joined the band, the Eagles never had a no.1 album or single.
*) Felder played on all 4 of the Eagles albums that reached no.1 in the charts.(a)
*) When Felder wasn't in the band, the Eagles never had a no.1 album or single (a)
*) Before Felder joined, the Eagles were a cowboy country rock band that only achieved moderate commercial success.The 3 Eagles albums prior to Felder becoming a full member of the band reached chart positions of 22, 41 and 17.
After Felder joined the next 3 albums reached chart positions of 1, 1 and 1.
*) Felder wrote the music for the Eagles biggest selling single (Hotel California) and played (with Walsh) one of the most recognized and popular guitar solos ever.
*) Of the 5 no.1 singles that the Eagles had, only 1 was written by Henley and Frey on their own (b). The other 4 had co-writers from within the Eagles or who were non band members. / other artists.
*) Of the 5 other top ten hits that the Eagles had again only 1 was written by Henley and Frey on their own.. The other 4 had co-writers from within the Eagles or who were non band members. / other artists.
On a more general note, the fact is that when Felder was in the Eagles they produced great music .... and when he wasn't they didn't.
Notes
(a) I don't count Long Road Out Of Eden (2007) as an Eagles album because half the songs on it were written by or co-written by non band members.and much of the music was played by session/guest musicians)
(b) A lot of the appeal of 'One of these Nights' was Felder's guitar playing and solo.
The same things could be said about Joe Walsh, who was a much bigger talent than Don Felder.
The band grew and developed, and I have fond memories of Eagles' songs before Walsh and Felder joined.
I also have fond memories of Joe Walsh's songs before he joined the Eagles.
Felder, if he was really such a great influence on the Gainesville crowd he claimed to be, he would be welcome to work with several artists he claimed to have taught music, who have had bigger careers than Felder's solo work.
No, it is my opinion, Joe Walsh was a much bigger impact on the success of the Eagles than Don Felder.
They are all in a universe of talent and success that is beyond my wildest dreams, but Felder doesn't need pity, he needs to produce more stuff than the Spanish Progression, which was used by Tull when the pre-Felder and pre-Walsh Eagles were opening for Tull. Oh yeah, Bernie Leadon, Felder's friend who was convinced to leave Eagles was on tour with Tull. Then someone gave Leadon the idea to leave, which magically left the opening for Felder to try and step in.
In my opinion, and you can have yours, Felder would not have been much if he had not been trying to play up to Joe Walsh's playing and writing skills.
See, James Gang Rides Again, James Gang Thirds, and Joe Walsh as a Barnstorm artist.
Joe Walsh was a up and coming guitar hero when Henley and Frey were backing Linda Ronstadt, hanging with JD Souther and Jackson Browne.
It takes all the men to build the castle- thats ALL of them NOT just Henley and Frey- My favorite album Still to this day is there first record- Take it Easy, Peaceful easy feeling, witchy woman, most of us are sad, train leaves here this morning- OMG- classic beautiful songs and NOT all written by frey and henley- I think browne and Souther had a huge part of that - where are their names in the credits to the Eagles???
TheSmithDorian The Eagles had 6 - No.1 hits and a total of 18 top 40 hits... You may note that Felder has credits on only one of these songs that being of course Hotel California. I am a fan of the song Victim of Love, however. :"Best of My Love," No. 1, 1974
"One of These Nights," No. 1, 1975
"New Kid in Town," No. 1, 1977
"Hotel California," No. 1, 1977 (Don Felder)
"Heartache Tonight," No.1, 1979
"Love Will Keep Us Alive" No. 1 1994
"Lyin' Eyes," No. 2, 1975
"Take It to the Limit," No. 4, 1976
"The Long Run," No. 8, 1980
"I Can't Tell You Why," No. 8, 1980
"Witchy Woman," No. 9, 1972
"Life in the Fast Lane," No. 11, 1977
"Take it Easy" No. 12. 1972
"Seven Bridges Road" No. 21 1980
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" No. 22 1972
"Tequila Sunrise" No. 26 1973
"Already Gone" No. 32 1974
"Get Over It" No. 31 1980
It is also a fact that the Eagles Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) is the number one best selling album, which has no song that Felder has any credits to but many songs that Leadon had a big part of. Felder is often given this God status by many people because of Hotel California, which is hardly a "rock song" compared to Life in the Fast Lane co wrote by Joe Walsh. Although I am also a big fan of Leadon, It is my opinion and many others, that when Joe Walsh replaced Leadon, the true rock sound of the Eagles emerged.
Flynn Taylor Browne and Souther are mentioned in the album credits. They were also interviewed in this documentary.
Flynn Taylor Yes, it takes all to build a castle, but some do more than others. Sometimes some of the ones that do less think they should get the same pay as those that do more.
Don Felder had a southern accent when he was younger and a deeper voice...Strange phenomenon to hear him speak in later years and of course currently.
I really miss Randy. Timothy is great but it's just not Randy :(
same..
***** What was the reason he quit anyway?
***** Such a shame :(
M_Dutch97 same i dont like glenn singing take it to the limit and he was a damn good singer and bass player
pokemonlover132 I agree..I loved Glenn's singing, but nobody else can do Take it to the Limit but Randy❤
Dudes! Felder wrote Hotel California pretty much
Don wrote all the music for Hotel California not the lyrics.
Just look at the pain in Don eyes and and the breakout of pain in his voice at the end and now I understand why I hate Glenn Frey, he really broke his heart
And Randy's!
@@sanjamatsuri nobody did anything to randy. and he's fine. he's not like felder.
take it to the limit....one more time...best Group ever👍
Don, as a musician myself, and I met you personally, via..Gary Carpenter, Colleen Carpenter, Gary passed in 2014, stroke complications, your employee,...thank you for Hotel Calif. mugs! WeddIng gift. I have a photo of you and Georgia O'Keef on your home in Beverly Glenn. May I sell it? ...Everyone knows that the drummer keeps the beat!!! You English major!!, me too. PLEASE contact @1-951-438-2443, or @ our daughters F.B., Tara Maura Carpenter. I love that picture Gary took of both of you. I'm so sad that the Eagle's fans don't recognize that you were the Leader & maker of the Eagle's from the get!! P.S. while on tour, you smashed a motorcycle with Kenny Rodgers and the 1st. Edition, lead guitar says ,hi.I HOPE you get this message, and All Eagle's fans know that YOU ran the show, without you there would be NO Eagles!!!!!, Colleen,...lol
The Eagles are now the Beagles. Glenn was always greedy and got caught cheating and ultimately had to pay up Don Felder.
I love Don Felder. Seems like a really good person..Now, I hate saying this but Henley & Frey really did seem like jerks. I watched the documentary two years ago and that's the way they come off to me. They lost two great ones ,Randy & Bernie. Such talent. it probably was pretty stressful.
They didn't seem like jerks...they actually were. With Frey carrying the torch. Even Don Henley said he was an asshole. This isn't a foot ball team, as Frey liked to compare it to (and so justifying his bigger cut of the money), it was a music group where they created, not followed a play book. Irving Azoff fed these two jerk's egos and was more responsible for the departures of the talented members than most think. So much of the Eagles signature sound is Don Felder's guitar. Frey and Felder were like oil and water, but the Frey was that way with nearly everyone.
I'd forgotten about Azoff. Yeah, he was probably a jerk as well.
Well spoken!
Felder got top credit for Hotel California on the Hotel California album. On Hell Freezes Over, Henley and Frey listed themselves above Felder for Hotel California, even with Felder's awesome new intro. Proof of Henley and Frey seeking top credit and control. They screwed up the band with their greed.
Don Felder wrote "Hotel California"...the biggest hit The Eagles ever had, which included one of the greatest guitar solos of all time!!! Sure, Frey and Henley wrote some great tunes as well, but to minimize Don Felders contributions to the band and say he deserves less is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Amen, brother Don is an amazing musician and songwriter
Technically the three of them wrote if I recall correctly.
I hate to defend Frey and Henley, but you need to look at a couple things. Felder isn't an original member, you would be hard pressed to find a successful band where a non-original member get the same money. The Eagles were successful before elder even joined the band, not as big as they would get of course with Felder, but they were successful without him. As you mentioned, they wrote most of the hits without Felder. Felder never wrote a song without them. Lead singers in any band usually get preferential treatment. No matter how good or bad you are as a singer, fans want to hear that voice. You can always get someone to reproduce a musical part. It comes down this: they still sell out stadiums everywhere without Felder, where they would lose a ton of business without Henley/Frey. Right or wrong, they're the irreplaceable members.
Trulysarcastic44
I've been playing guitar for 27 years , and I can tell you: that's strictly your opinion. You think a guitar player is "replaceable" ? Ha! Maybe to a non-musician / atypical music fan, but to a musician the difference is night and day. Don Felder and Joe Walsh had a chemistry that is 1 in a million. Search UA-cam for the 2014 Eagles shows of Hotel Cal. - the "new" guy and Walsh couldn't be more different. The phrasing is all off and sounds terrible with this new guy. They aint "The Eagles", they're a joke now, and Frey & Henley's voice have finally seen their day : they sound like shit now.....and it serves them right....time to retire.....
even if that was true, most people who are buying tickets either don't notice or don't care judging by their ticket sales, thus making Felder replaceable in their eyes.
'Song power'? I'm sure Felder wasn't asking for a cut of Henley and Frey's songwriting royalties!
best band ever and we should remember all the eagles members past and current, all brilliant
The Eagles were, and will always be the best American rock band to ever play. (When it comes to Don Felder vs. Glenn Frey and Don Henley) Rock bands will always have disagreements, and nothing is ever perfect. As a true Eagles fan, the best thing to do is to not take sides in this matter. I agree that The Eagles without Don Felder (or even Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner) isn't the same as The Eagles now. However, they still sounded fantastic and I'm very fortunate to have gotten to see them twice. I will never take anyone's side over the other when it comes to Don Felder vs Don Henley and Glenn Frey. I would rather treat them all with the same respect and dignity they deserve, and thank them for the great music they created. I find that if I wasn't there to witness something that took place, I will not contribute to rumor mills and speculations. It is devastating that Glenn Frey has passed on. Without him, there is no more Eagles. He was the heart and soul (and the creator/founder) of The Eagles. I want to thank Glenn Frey for the great music and legendary rock band that he created. Without Glenn, Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy" would have never been as popular and/or existed. Only two people can sing lead on "Take It Easy" - that being Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne. Now that Glenn has sadly passed on, Jackson is the only one left. Also, I have to thank Linda Ronstadt, without her, there wouldn't have ever been The Eagles. Rest in peace, Glenn Frey. You will be forever cherished for your great musical talent and abilities. Loved your solo and Eagles work.
It stopped being the same before Don Felder left. It stopped being the same when Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon two of the founding members left.
I'm so glad I got to see these guys in 2008. Brilliant! I've been a fan since the seventies
It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see how amazing this group of guys was, and then what Frey and Henley did to the band…
you mean make it a success?
@@plasticweapon no, be greedy egomaniacs. i was surprised they invited felder to be in this documentary.
@@guitarplayer30001 felder is a greedy egomaniac too, the difference is he's not a professional and he's really insincere.
@@plasticweapon more of a professional than glenn frey and don henley. how would you say, exceptionally that he is insincere? he is a celebrity.
to me the Eagles were at their best when Don Felder and Randy Meisner were with them, I wish it was Randy Meisner who was invited to their 1994 reunion instead of Timothy B. Schmit.
Also is it just me or does Glenn Frey remind me of Scar from the movie "Lion King"? I always get that Scar vibe from Glenn Frey, I also wonder how he would feel if Tim Schmit and Joe Walsh were having a conversation about Don Felder and how much they miss him?
Felder sounded so sad when he was talking about missing the boys and the music, almost made me cry..
The nice part for Felder: He gets paid a percentage for everything Eagles. Merchandise, album sales, touring, you name it. He is one third owner of Eagles LTD. He doesn’t have to lift a finger and still gets paid.
RIP Glenn, God Bless you and thank you for the good times you brought into our lives...
The bigger they got the more Frey and Henley took control. It's a business, even though I really liked Meisner and Felder. So many bands got taken advantage of by management I guess I don't blame them. I selfishly wished they could have all stayed together longer.
Hi i just wanted to thank you again for being so supportive and following me on
my Journey. I love inspiring and encouraging others. People like you help me to keep showing up! Hope you are having an amazing day.
Fantastic job! nice playing guitars very cool.
gosh my hatred towards Glenn Frey and empathy for Don Felder became so strong that it helped me get over my feelings this pretty Hispanic girl who I've had a huge crush on, I do have to give major props to these two for helping me get over my feelings towards this pretty Hispanic girl and the best part is nothing bad has ever happened to this pretty Hispanic girl who I liked and I wish the same could have been said for Don Felder.
Felder gave them their best song "hotel California" and to think that Henley and Frey have to do it at every concert must make Felder smile. They may not have him anymore but they'll always have his great guitar solo's ...
Very True and every time they play HC they have to pay Felder a royalty....I'll bet he enjoys cashing those checks.
Yep and One of these nights as well!
I enjoyed the video "history of the Eagles"really enjoyed the video right up to the part where Glenn Frey says all the negative stuff about Don Felder, it left a really bad Tate in my mouth so much so that I almost don't want to listen to the Eagles again :(
You are NOT alone on those feelings. This is one of those bands that I really hate, HATE, what happened because of egos. I almost wish I never heard anything about the feuding. They were all musical geniuses, and that's why I hate it so much.
Matt Baumgarten I don't dislike Frey or Henley & despite their shortcomings, I think they are both very talented guys. But I also got a bad taste in my mouth when I saw how ugly Frey could be & how Henley supported his firing of Felder. That being said, I will continue to listen to & enjoy their music becuz I don't necessarily think that you have to really like a musician or actor in order to appreciate their art. It does make it alot nicer when they aren't pricks tho. Haha.
Glenn was such an asshole
@@seanjoseph3813 and you are being nice with the term asshole. I hate what Frey & Henley turned the Eagles into. They sound like garbage now. After they forced out Meisner I was done (he and Felder took the talent with them).
Needed to watch this video of Eagles before 2019 ends. So great!
idk all the history about the eagles all i know is they are one of my all time favs and felder is bad ass on the guitar
Egomania run amok here. Don Felder and Randy Meisner were/are the back bone of the Eagles...and always will be! Put that in your pipe and smoke it Frey and Henley!
Yeah and Joe was that funny guy who could play the hell out of the guitar
Amen Pete Sayeer. Will never purchase a new Eagles album or go to one of their concerts. Henley, Frey and Azoff were/are evil.
Sad that greed comes into play and ruins a great thing. Randy Meisner was a big part of the Eagles. They all sound so good together all 7. Sad it didn't work that way. Love Randy Meisner...
Randy and Bernie were the best. That's the history of the Eagles!
History of the Eagles...
1977, Don Felder joins the Eagles.
17 years pass and then
Don Felder leaves the Eagles.
And that's all folks.
With all due respect, Irving, Don (Felder) had a third of the partnership. The fact he had to get a lawyer to find out the state of band finances reflects very poorly on you, Don (Henley) and Glenn. You are right, it's a not a hippie commune, it's a business. Usually, the books are open to partners in that situation. You have yet to challenge anything Don (Felder) has said with any authority. The fact you litigated it for six years shows there probably was something to hide.
The eagles were trying to get back to their "song power" of the seventies, when they reformed in the nineties. When they kicked Don Felder out for not taking a horse dick. They died. Even when they try and explain it here, it just makes them look worse and confirms everything.
They made a walmart country album in 2007, and that is it.
Other than that they lived off of the songs from the seventies that Don Felder helped create.
Frey saying we won't be working with him anymore. Reminds me of David St. Hubbins from Spinal Tap saying that in the movie. What a joke.
He was fired in 2001.
Wind Skywalker Felder was wrongfully terminated. He was under contract as a full partner. In business you cannot "fire" a partner, which is why Henley and Frey had to pay him BIG BUCKS in the lawsuit.
Blows my mind how Henley can sing that falsetto tenor over top of Meisner's vocal which is way up there!
Glen Frey's voice stayed so true over the years. He sounds great!
I love the eagles,,,,but it's still not the same without Don,and Randy....Don fielder was one of the best guitar players in the Eagles....put there differences aside and get over it.....
greatest band of all time.
Luckily, I had a chance to see them ALL on tour in 1994, during 'Hell Freezes Over', so grateful!
What people keep forgetting that the Eagles was Glenn Frey’s band. Even Don Henley has stated that. Frey was the one who asked Felder to join nearly three years after the band started.
Getting rid of Felder was a power play ... they could have worked it out if ego's weren't out of control ... Sad.
classic kool ik felder was one of the best players and i mean him a joe could have done a whole song by themselves with just guitars
The way I see it, Felder and Walsh didn't need the Eagles, the Eagles needed them. Other wise the Eagles would have been nothing but a two bit bar band going down the road where all bumpkin bands go, to palookaville.
classic kool so sad . Don fedler is gracious about it all.
The whole Eagles situation is tantamount to John Lennon and Paul McCartney telling George Harrison he was only a studio musician and didn't deserve an equal cut. Not lessening Randy Meisner or Bernie Leadon's roles in the band, as w/o them where would the Eagles have been before Don Felder arrived? Dead in the water, or spinning their wheels needlessly. Worst of all is Don Felder pulling Joe Walsh out of his drug addiction to rejoin for the "Hell Freezes Over Tour" only to get a big FU for his troubles. Don, Bernie, and Randy will always outclass Glenn and Don as real "human beings".
tears tears so touching best classic band forever and Glenn youll be missed , take it easy and have a great easy feeling in heaven.
To You Glen, R I P
From a fan in Denmark..