Defending the indefensible: Don Henley

his current metier is the generalized societal complaint but his complaining is done to better tunes than most.

Wait...neither of those is a good thing.

(NB WORD are really testing my newfound loyalty)

Also -- better than Glen Frey!

Incidentally, the "dead-head sticker on a Cadillac" line totally perplexed me until recently when I found a site which said that it is a reference to the Grateful Dead, whose fans are called Dead-Heads. I must admit I still don't understand how it fits in with the rest of the song, but at least it takes away some of the mystery, as I had previously thought "dead head" was just a horticultural term ("I'm going to dead-head the roses").

He was also pissed nobody recognized him. Aging, drugs, and balding haven't been too kind to the man, let me tell you...

Custos wins.

The writer is a singer and drummer with the Eagles and a founding member of the Recording Artists' Coalition.

###

so much better than "new kid in town" or "take it to the limit" or "i can't tell you why"? i'm not so sure about that.

Why did critics always describe "End of the Innocence" as "intelligent"? I hated that song so much in Grade 5.

Oh wait, maybe that actually goes with the "Don't look back, you can never look back" part.

the solo songs you mentioned sound to me neither better nor worse than the typical eagles song; they sound exactly like eagles songs.

And I really like The Eagles

Glenn Frey totally sucks though

What's the consensus on "Heart of the Matter"? I though that was a good song when I was like 10. Should I download it or will I be disappointed?

SHE WANTS TO PARTY SHE WANTS TO GET DOWN

Down at the Sunset Grill?

CUZ THERE'S NOT ENUFF LUV IN THE WORLD

It's very rare that someone as widely loved as Don Henley is COMPLETELY indefensible. Vox populi vox dei.

http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2007/specials/grammy07/afterparty/sting.jpg

Gad, he's smug even when relaxing.

oh come on, you guys! desperado!? right? right.

Dirty Laundry is a good jam

Yeah, it really is.

i used to have the 7" of this:

I once had an argument with the guitarist in my band on a long road trip about whether the Henley song was called 'Boys of Summer' (my claim) or 'Poisoned Summer' (his claim). We even wagered $10 on it. I pretended to be hesitant when making the wager because I really wanted to win, because he was such a c*nt. So I went, 'Er, er, alright, $10'. He then said words to the following effect:

'See, moley, that's the difference between you and me. You'll always lose bets because you're jewish, you're nervous. That's why jews will never be good poker players. You jews don't have the pokerfaces to win on a bet like this, cos you're too neurotic. You give yourselves away'.

I made him pay the $10. The only real issue was what nickname to give him from that point on. The singer and I couldn't decide between 'Pokerface' and 'Poisoned Summer'. In the end we just sacked him.

!

"I made him pay the $10."

insert jewish joke here instead.

Every Don Henley solo album means fewer other Eagles were involved.

I read the Don Felder book about his days in the Eagles. I don't like their music, but I figured there would be some good dirt in there. It was pretty good, but Frey comes across as an even bigger asshole than Henley, if that's possible.

hope this isn't too tacky, but i can't let his words go to waste: http://tinyurl.com/cc6wrh

Ah, yes — Mr. Christgau, the self-proclaimed “Dean of American Rock Critics.” I have never found anything in his work that was constructive or illuminating. His rants are mean-spirited, pretentious drivel that often miss the mark entirely. His tastes are narrow, his views myopic and he writes primarily to impress other critics rather than to educate or enlighten the average listener. The guy is so caught up in his own prejudices that he usually can’t see the forest for the trees and his toxic screeds devolve into nonsense — like the one above, which, I assume, is supposed to be some kind of clever, semantical wordplay, but is so clichéd and daffy that it’s meaningless. Christgau is like the nutty, eccentric professor who tries hard to be hip, but can never get there because he is locked in the ivory tower of his pedantry. Because he’s so gone, so deranged, I could no more be offended by him than by a besotted bum who cursed at me on the street. As that old philosopher Joe Walsh once said, “You Can’t Argue With a Sick Mind.”

I have a special love of "The End of The Innocence" because it came out when I graduated from high school, and it seemed to fit that feeling of graduating. Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...he came from like very near my hometown...I think he recorded something very near my hometown. Yeah, he had some video with a bunch of basketball players from there or something. Not sure I really want to remember the details, but you know...

I only get to have three pieces of pride for my small hometown and they are:
1) Dave Matthews Band
2) Happy Flowers
3) Bruce Hornsby

That's it. That's all I get. I'll take the abuse, that's fine, but not unless you know Happy Flowers.

The line "Oh beautiful for spacious skies/Now those skies are threatening" is absolute shit.

i prefer "heart of the matter" ...

did Hornsby play the piano for the End of the Innocence? maybe my favourite thing he's ever done...

also I just got kicked in the stomach by "Last Worthless Evening"...

Much as I hate the smugness of the lyrics, "All She Wants To Do is Dance" is one helluva electro-groove.

From Wikipedia:

"The End of the Innocence" was the lead single and title song from Don Henley's third solo studio album, The End of the Innocence, in 1989. The song was written by Bruce Hornsby, with lyrics added by Henley, and both perform the song live in their respective concerts. The Henley version became his fifth solo Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, which is more than any of the other Eagles members, peaking at number 8. It also became his fourth number 1 single on the Mainstream Rock chart.

There are two political comments in the video by Henley. At the line "they're beating plowshares into swords, for the tired old man that we elected king", it shows a series of posters of President Ronald Reagan, and at the line "armchair warriors often fail" it shows a TV set showing scenes of the congressional testimony of Oliver North.

After George H. W. Bush became president, instead of the lyric "they're beating plowshares into swords, for the tired old man that we elected king" Bruce Hornsby began singing his version with the line " for the tired old man that is no longer king" since Reagan was out of office.

"The End of the Innocence" excerpt
Play sound
From the album The End of the Innocence. This sample includes a portion of chorus.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The music video for the song was directed by future film director, David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club) and earned Henley an MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video in 1990.

Don't really care about "All She Wants To Do Is Dance", but I haven't heard "Last Worthless Evening" in quite awhile, Drugs A. Money. Will listen again soon.

In other news, Alfred, I did end up downloading that Bryan Ferry song though about dance...what was it..."Don't Stop The Dance", yeah I did get that one on my iPod and enjoyed it very much. Thanks.

i dont know how good of a song LWE really is Bimble...it fits in with certain weird situations I am involved with right now...but the only reason I remember it is bcz it was on the first VH1 top 20 video countdown I ever watched...another song on that: Eric Clapton's "Pretending"

Eric Clapton can suck my...

Don't worry I'll be disappointed in LWE, Drugs. If I am, I promise I won't blame you. :)

Also let's not forget: John Peel called Eric Clapton a "nincompoop"

Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...Also the guy who played piano...Bruce Hornsby...

: )

LOLOLOLOL

80s Don Henley--all synthed out, political and super commercial--is a deeply weird aesthetic.

The song Building The Perfect Beast may be the most 80s sounding song ever recorded. But I have a soft spot for that record, I still love it. First one has some good songs too.

Building The Perfect Beast is a very defendable album, but I'm listening to The End of the Innocence and let me just observe:

5. "New York Minute" - 6:36

That's a pretty good depiction of what's wrong with this album.

I agree re Building The Perfect Beast; I'm fond of the less ambitious album tracks like "You Can't Make Love." Also: seek a cut found only on the Vision Quest soundtrack called "She's On the Zoom," a pretty good old-fart-goes-New-Wave track.

There's a lot going on in the low-end of "How Bad Do You Want It", metallic-sounding synth bass bits. Henley doesn't have enough sass in his vocals to pull this song off, though; the backup singers don't help. Axl, on "I Will Not Go Quietly", does help.

I will look out for the Vision Quest thing!

haha apparently Christgau already made my "New York Minute" joke years ago.

tha other Henley thread forced me to pick up a used copy of BtPB and i have to say "A month of Sundays" - holy crap what a song! and Don does a nice job of it, too. was listening to it on repeat for most of last week

Yeah, that album is pretty good -- I got a used copy a couple of years ago. "You Can't Make Love" is a nice one; it reminds me of Zevon's work from this period.

Ha -- and I said so in one of the last revivals.

And this is finally on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6HOqur1IHA

pick up a used copy of BtPB and i have to say "A month of Sundays" - holy crap what a song

Which wasn't even on the (actual, original, vinyl) album, fwiw. (Was just the B-side of the "Boys Of Summer" 45. Guessing it wound up showing up on a CD reissue, though?)

re: " A month of Sundays"- friend o' mine told me it was on the original cassette and cd, but not vinyl. (I don't see a reissue listed anywhere for anybody BtPB, which seems odd) This song seems like it would've made a **killer** Springsteen tune. "you can't make love" is indeed great, too, but the former has the power to paralyze me - (akin to the "desperado" episode of Seinfeld)

A Month of Sundays...wasn't even on the (actual, original, vinyl) album, fwiw. (Was just the B-side of the "Boys Of Summer" 45. Guessing it wound up showing up on a CD reissue, though?)

It was on the cassette.

"All She Wants To Do Is Dance" is a weird song. The music is all Weekend at Bernies sounding especially with the title and chorus, but then he goes all Iran-Contra in the verses. At least with say Bruce Cockburn, you are going to get an Iran-Contra sounding song to go with an Iran-Contra lyric you know.

"Boys of Summer/A Month of Sundays" charted on the P&J poll as a double-sided single, fyi.

Don Henley of the Eagles accuses Frank Ocean of ‘stealing’ his song.
4 DAYS AGO JUNE 02, 2014 2:14PM

ROCK legend Don Henley has slapped down hipster singer Frank Ocean for 'stealing’ the Eagles' Hotel California and has told him to get his own ideas.

Ocean sampled of the entire 1977 classic - minus the lyrics - for his song American Wedding. However Ocean sings his own brand new lyrics over the million-selling rock anthem.
Henley refused to allow Ocean to release the track, which has since leaked online.

I heard it," Henley said of American Wedding. "I was not impressed. He needs to come up with his own ideas and stop stealing stuff from already established works."

Ocean wrote on his Tumblr that Henley was "apparently intimidated by my rendition of Hotel California" and "threatened to sue if I perform it again."

Henley admitted his lawyers were involved.

"Mr. Ocean doesn't seem to understand US copyright law. Anyone who knows anything should know you cannot take a master track of a recording and write another song over the top of it. You just can't do that. You can call it a tribute or whatever you want to call it, but it's against the law. That's a problem with some of the younger generation, they don't understand the concept of intellectual property and copyright."

"(Mr. Ocean) was quite arrogant about it," Henley said. "We tried to approach him calmly to talk reason to him via his managers and his attorneys and he wouldn't listen. So finally we threatened to bring legal action against him. He was clearly in the wrong. I wouldn't dream of doing something like that. What kind of ego is that? I don't understand it.”

Henley also nixed a remake of his solo hit "The End of the Innocence" by US band Okkervil River, who had planned to release it online for free.

Okkervil River singer Will Sheff told The Music they "sincerely" loved the song and said Henley was an "old-fashioned guy who doesn't understand...it's not like I was making money, I figure that's all he f---ing cares about.

"It's not like I was making money off it, but he still made me take it down."

Henley said he was more concerned by the fact they altered his original lyrics.

"They don't understand the law either," Henley said. "You can't re-write the lyrics to somebody else's songs and record it and put it on the internet. I'm sorry, but it wasn't an improvement. We were not impressed. So we simply had our legal team tell them to take it down and they got all huffy about it.

"It's a different mindset. I don't know how they'd react if I took one of their songs and re-wrote the lyrics and recorded it, I don't know if they'd like that. Maybe they wouldn't care but I care. We work really really hard on our material. We spend months writing it and years recording it. You don't go into a museum and paint a moustache on somebody else's painting. Nobody would think of doing that.”

Henley said he did not see either remake as a tribute "If I were going to do something like that (as a tribute ) I'd get permission first. If you respect somebody you ask their permission to diddle around with their work. You don't just go and do it."

Henley has no problem with Eagles songs being covered by other artists, the most recent high profile cover was Michael Buble’s remake of Heartache Tonight.

"You can record anyone's song you like," Henley said. "It's called a compulsory license. That's not what Mr. Ocean nor Okkervil River did. They took the song and they changed it. they put their own stuff on it. Michael Buble did a totally legal cover, that's standard procedure.”

Frank Ocean has been contacted for comment via his Australian record company, Universal.

The Eagles tour Australia in February/March next year.

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/don-henley-of-the-eagles-accuses-frank-ocean-of-stealing-his-song/story-e6frfn09-1226941446957

Oh (Well?) yeah, we've been having fun with that over at A Good Day In Hell - The Official ILM Track-By-Track EAGLES Listening Thread

Thanks

don henley is NOT impressed

Well, no

Henley's mind might be blown when he becomes familiar with the concept of interpolations

is the song literally just frank ocean singing a new melody over the hotel california backing track?

yes. it's embarassingly bad.

btw don henley looking a lot like mike love these days

http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ln/20130425/250413_sundance_screening_eagles_3/don-henley-eagles-sundance-london-history-of-the_3628313.jpg

Can we be shown weirdoes + Don Henley?

http://gheorghe77.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/henleysting.jpg

No one will defend Frank Ocean's song, but everyone of us will defend the right of Frank Ocean to treat Don Henley like shit at the bottom of a shoe.

p much

don henley acts like the world treats him like shit whether or not it does, so we may as well treat him like shit

it's not like he can get any more ornery

What amuses me is it's HENLEY complaining and not Felder, who wrote the indelible hook and and who can chill in his garden w/out working for the rest of his life. It's possible Felder complained privately but we know there's no uh love lost b/w the Felder and Henley-Frey camps.

don henley acts like the world treats him like shit whether or not it does, so we may as well treat him like shit

― display name changed. (amateurist)

He will not stop. He thinks the world will fuck him over if he doesn't fuck over the smallest fish.

thing is that guys half don's age already bitch ahistorically about kids today, so...

though don's been doing that for half his life as well

He will not stop. He thinks the world will fuck him over if he doesn't fuck over the smallest fish.

It's true: after this photo was taken, Henley stole that poor bear's fish, fucked it*, and then proceeded to shit in the Walden Woods--once the province of the bear, but now the land of Henley.

*the fish, not the bear (GLENN: That came later.)

it was kinda exciting when Don himself showed up under the name "keefy" in 2006 (see above)

“We appreciate and respect what Mr. Henley has meant to music and we now see that our use of his name and an Eagles’ song title in our advertisement was inappropriate,” it reads in part. “For that we are deeply regretful and we apologize, not just to Mr. Henley, but to anyone else who took offense. We have learned a valuable lesson and thank Mr. Henley for helping us appreciate the importance that he and other artists place in their publicity rights.”

http://www.avclub.com/article/henley-manufacturers-apologize-don-henley-218208

“There aren’t any trucks or beer on this album. This is an album for grown-ups, for people that have done some living.”

The Boys of Summer is SO GOOD, and unexpectedly moving.

i cannot stand the rest of his stuff.

he gave us "Well, yeah." so, classic

During the holidays my phone started randomly playing I Can’t Stand Still every time I got into my car, despite the fact that I have no Henley on my Spotify playlists or on iTunes.

Abandon your car immediately

turns out the don henley we were looking for was inside us all along

eww

Been thinking about how most of my fave Henley jamz are duets. "No Mistakes," "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough." In certain moods I even welcome "Leather and Lace."

i can't quite put a dud on henley bc of boys of summer (incredible song, yeah he didn't write it but he sells it) and one of these nights (each eagle has one joint that rules - that's don's.) (see also in the city/joe, take it to the limit/randy, i can't tell you why/tim, journey of the sorcerer/whatshisname, umm can't remember my glenn one, sorry felder nothing for you)

didn't glenn write 'new kid in town'? that's the only Eagles song i love

uh yes Henley co-wrote "Boys of Summer" -- those are his lyrics.

Oh shit really? I thought it was completely written when they brought it to him

sorry felder nothing for you

Felder made up for it later w/"Heavy Metal (Takin' A Ride)"

C'mon, Let's All Groove...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02nAH_oAjeg

IDK I guess my imaginary version of felders ‘reggae’ home demo of hotel California is kind of my felder pick

New kid in town good pick for Roach.

Offer up your best defense!

I was much too, er, innocent back when I'd regularly listen to this song: the grossness that Henley's bio lends it didn't occur to me until I read your piece.

lol/wtf at the negative comments there from the don henley defence force

In the dozens of posts since last year the only two that have provoked so many comments have been Eagle-related.

sore with the eagles

According to one of the #MeTop sites (I can’t remember what it’s called at the moment), it sounds like Don’s 16 y/o girl (or her friend at the house that night) may now be married to a California politician and readying herself to come forward about this whole ordeal.

#MeToo =#MeTop

Here’s the piece: http://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2017/11/blind-item-1-he-made-millions-from.html

DON: Oh shit.

GLENN: I'm glad I kicked it before this whole #MeToo thing got rebranded to not be about threesomes.

DON: Well, yeah.

Great piece Alfred.

thank you!

it sounds like Don’s 16 y/o girl (or her friend at the house that night) may now be married to a California politician and readying herself to come forward about this whole ordeal.

That whole article is O_O, but the bit about Girl #1 (the 16 y/o) dying under mysterious circumstances a year later after getting clean probably takes the cake.

Yup. Also that Don’s public response to all this was to blame the media by writing “Dirty Laundry.”

Re-re-post: orig. from Rolling Country, then a little tweaked for xpost A Good Day In Hell, the notorious Eagles thread:

Henley's Cass County actually doesn't suck! Quite possible that this totally unexpected impression has led me to initial overrating, but here's what I said on Rolling Country (hearing npr's post of the deluxe edition, with those four bonus covers, really did help)
Don Henley's guest-star-laden Cass County turned out to be surprisingly painless, enjoyable, even. Starts with one of four well-chosen covers (all present on this deluxe edition, that is): Tift Merritt's "Bramble Rose," which he starts in relatively good voice---not just lack of the strain I remember; he actually seems to have a feel for the phrasing and pace---then hands it off to Miranda Lambert, who passes a verse to Mick Jagger---also good, even though he plays it straight. "Cost of Living" meets Merle Haggard, Martina McBride's good on "Old Flame," although the story gets cut short, probably because it's based on a real-life episode, according to him. Dolly Parton is excellent, duh, on the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," but she doesn't obliterate Henley vocal, so give points to both vox.
Some other voices are more in the background, like "two out of three Dixie Chicks," Vince Gill, Lucinda---though NPR streams aren't always as good as they should be, and my headphones are certainly not for audiophiles, but I like the way he melds near-subliminal yet unmistakable Lee Ann Womack to a chorus that would otherwise probably get monotonous.
Even at least one cratedigger's catnip find, at least for me: "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune," with a low-key, sneaky surrealism that surely suggested some Gram Parsons originals, and had me thinking that this presentation surely is the mature, generous Henley, since Parsons reportedly loathed the Eagles--but apparently it was written by one Jesse Lee Kincaid, and recorded by Nilsson, on his Pandemonium Shadow Show (also by the Dillards on Wheatstraw Suite).
Speaking of the Eagles, I never was a big fan, but the overall sense of radio-ready structures here even extends to up- and downtempo tracks that would improve several of their albums.
Catchiness etc. also gets past most editorial moments, so more points for not playing the old man card too much (trepidation of atmospheric "Train In The Distance" could be felt by anyone, most likely).
― dow, Thursday, October 1, 2015 1:09 PM (two years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Even at least one cratedigger's catnip find, at least for me: "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune," with a low-key, sneaky surrealism that surely suggested some Gram Parsons originals, and had me thinking that this presentation surely is the mature, generous Henley, since Parsons reportedly loathed the Eagles--but apparently it was written by one Jesse Lee Kincaid, and recorded by Nilsson, on his Pandemonium Shadow Show (also by the Dillards on Wheatstraw Suite).
---dow

Kincaid's original is on Rhino's LA Nuggets box, and it was also recorded by Hearts & Flowers, featuring future Eagle Bernie Leadon.
― Love, Wilco (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, October 1, 2015 1:15 PM (two years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Thanks! Will check out those earlier versions, and try to dig up something else re Kincaid too.
---dow

DON: As much pleasure as I feel today, I can't help but feel a bit sad and self-conscious about the fact that so many of my peers aren't with me.

GHOST OF GLENN: Remember how sad and self-conscious you felt in Topanga Canyon in '74 after the case of Bud and Annie from the valley had gone home to her parens?

DON: Well, yeah.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/4/4d/Celeb.henley.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20051215031911

DON: Listen here, Frog: Piggy's checking into the Hotel California with the Donster, ya dig?

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/4/4d/Celeb.henley.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20051215031911

It's Here: https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Don_Henley

He can sing and play the drums at the same time

C. Grisso/McCain), what are you hearing from Don?

DON: It's on this, the occasion of my 74th birthday, and as I prepare to return to road with the Eagles for our triumphant orchestral tour, that I find myself thinking of those who should still be here, growing older and reaping the rewards.

GLENN: As much as I would have liked to have made it as far as Don has, it would've been much nicer if I'd only made it two years further. Then again, back in the '70s, that was a milestone we reached again and again, if you know what I mean. And that was reward enough!

DON: Well, yeah.

Dethperado
Why don’t you come to your thenthes
Come down from your fenthes

Is that the Paul Stanley version?

The beat on "Hotel California" fucking knocks

so the testimonial posted above promised that DH would be taken down just as many were in 2018… and yet he's still high and dry. One must infer the likelihood that IA and DG (if he and DH can presently stand one another) made this go away just as they did in 1980…

I wonder if when the Donster finally kicks it (or at least can't perform on stage any more), will he also get replaced by one of his kids for "The Eagles Experience ft. Vince Gill"?

I got to wonder how many dusters that Don Henley owns.

I would believe a closet full, perhaps more. It definitely would be a plethora of dusters.

Duster with sombrero aesthetic

Stumbled on a podcast this morning trashing End of the Innocence. I actually like a few of its singles, but I was highly amused by their description of "If Dirt Were Dollars" as 'a finger-pointing message song about homeless people that ironically sounds like it cost a million dollars to make.'

They Will Not Go Quietly: The Official ILM Track-By-Track DON 'n' GLENN Listening Thread

Sweet Jesus, I can't even get through one album much less their entire solo careers. Even Actual Miles spoils the deal with crappy new songs and a mediocre Leonard Cohen cover.

The Eagles listening thread is ILM's greatest contribution to pop culture.

Well, yeah.

Do I need to see the documentary to get any of the jokes?

No, but you should make sure you've gotten your penicillin.

Exactly. IIRC, what sparked that thread were some 'reevaluating the catalogue' think pieces about the documentary, with the film itself not something the posters would see until it hit HBO (and then Netflix).

The urgent & key text at the time was Cameron Crowe's interviews w/Don & Glenn for the Very Best of... liners (https://www.theuncool.com/2011/06/28/eagles-track-by-track/) which inspired the "Well, yeah" stories here.

Man what a good time that thread was
I can’t remember where I finally noped out, it might have been the reunion era
As it transpired I was unable, in fact, to chug all night

The memoir by fingers felder was an invaluable supplement to the documentary for me

Henley solo >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Eagles

DON: Well, yeah.

Was debating whether or not Don deserved a place on the "a very stupid man convinced of his own brilliance and surrounded by lapdogs and yes-men" thread, but I suspect Don is so convinced of his own brilliance he has no lapdogs and yes-men. Well, maybe he has "well, yeah" men.

I'm not that familiar with him outside of his hit records, but his biggest and best-known hits rely so much on established contributors, I imagine he realizes he has to listen to other people to repeat that success, though I guess you can't expect Mike Campbell, Stan Lynch, Bruce Hornsby, etc. to be "yes men."

FWIW found this recently - Michael Fremer of all people interviewed Henley right about the time Building the Perfect Beast was released, back when he was still trying to attain the same audience as the Eagles. (I'm guessing the new album hadn't taken off yet.)

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/don-henley-finds-his-thrill-sunset-grill-0

This part's pretty key:

“I like to think of myself as a good casting director. One of the most joyous parts of recording for me is assembling the musicians and especially the singers. I mean, that’s the fun part at the end, after you’ve sweated the lyrics.” Henley called on Motel Martha Davis, Patty Smythe of Scandal, Go-Go Belinda Carlisle, and Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave) among others, to sing harmonies and background vocals.

“I have a lot of nerve. I’ll call anybody. I didn’t know Patty or Sam and some of the others. I was afraid some of those people were not going to be into an old guy from the mellow Seventies, you know? And Patty said, ‘Are you kidding?’ I used to sing ‘Witchy Woman’ when I was 15!” Don called bare-acquaintance Lindsey Buckingham, who would up singing and playing guitar on “You Can’t Make Love.” Sixteen year old guitar wiz Charlie Sexton played on “Man With a Mission,” and producer Jimmy Iovine’s suggestion that Don work with a young writer named Mike Campbell yielded “The Boys of Summer.” “It’s really unhealthy to just stick together in little groups.”

(FWIW, I think a lot of the album sounds terrible. The four A-sides and maybe the Sam Moore duet are pretty much the only things I'd listen to again, and even those have plenty of detractors, especially "All She Wants to Do Is Dance.")

it's really unhealthy to just stick with Don Henley

On the contrary: the album sounds great. The synths on "The Boys of Summer," of course, but also on "Sunset Grill" and "All She Wants to Do is Dance," Buckingham's harmonies on "You Can't Make Love," lots of other details. It's the lyrics that let it down.

He's a real well, yeah man
Stuck there in his well, yeah land
Making all his well, yeah plans for Don Henley

"A young writer named Mike Campbell"?

Huh? I would think that Campbell was already pretty well-established by that point. Dude had already cowritten "Refugee," "Here Comes my Girl," "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," "You Got Lucky," surely several other indelible songs.

Gotta say that I love the duet and duet-adjacent stuff. "Leather and Lace" is all-time. "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" is great. I suspect he is there but uncredited on "No Mistakes." Whoever is singing backup on "No Mistakes" is either Henley or someone doing a very good job of sounding like Henley.

I yakked whenever "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" came on for the seventh time that hour in fall '92; in retrospect it's one of the last times aging boomers scored a legit #2 pop hit.

De gustibus, your lordship. I think it's sweet.

Henley solo > Eagles, well yeah

But also Henley solo > Frey solo.

Walsh is a highly entertaining person with some very good records, but there is a limit to how much Walsh I need to hear in a sitting. I could probably fill a reasonably capacious cassette tape with just Henley and Henley-adjacent material and it would be listenable.

The goofiness of Walsh is so overstated, his albums are full of meandering moody Floyd-like epics

sorry, I wasn't clear: I can stand the Smythery now.

xp Not saying you were overstating his goofiness there, ymp

Glenn Frey needed more "You Belong to the City"s

Sax on the Beach 12” remix

He needed less sax.

I think he and Glenn had plenty of sax.

Oiled Up Sax Guy

"Josh, Jim, you don't get it, guys. Let me explain, man."

https://i.imgur.com/b6foObE.jpg

The deal with "Boys of Summer" was Petty passed on it, right? But Jimmy Iovine liked it and shopped it around.

Yeah, Petty passed on it (though he did try tweaking it a bit with Campbell first), and then Iovine sent word to Campbell that Henley was looking for songs and asked Campbell to send him some demos. Warren Hanes wrote about it his book - it culminates in Campbell and Petty going into a car to play a rough mix of "Don't Come Around Here No More." Apparently it wasn't a good mix, and as soon as they stopped it, the car switched to the radio and they heard the final seconds of "Boys of Summer," along with the DJ raving over it and saying it was going to be a huge hit. (In Campbell's words, "['Don't Around Here No More'] wasn't finished yet, but still, BIG difference.") Petty that congratulated Campbell, saying he wish he had the foresight to hold on to that song, and Campbell then expressed his relief that Petty didn't break his other hand.

Then he wrote "Runaway Trains," which gleefully pilfers the "Boys" sound.

birdistheword, a pity you weren't here for our epic Eagles listening thread. Those who have functioning cerebellums remember the experience as if we'd survived Omaha Beach.

That’s what a fool believes, Kenny

Speaking of yacht rock, TIL that on Patty Smythe's self titled album, one of the credited backing vocalists is Kipp Lennon.

Kipp Lennon later joined Ambrosia.

I find it backwards that steely mentioned the eagles first and then the eagles had to “volley” back a reference…wtf

Irving Azoff threatened to break their knees iirc

This photo is a pretty good litmus test for politics: do you regard these men with respect, or disgust? pic.twitter.com/i449hrbnzD

— haulin’ boss crude (@bosscrood) November 21, 2022

"We Saw You From Across The Bar And Really Dig Your Vibe...Would You Like A Drink?"

"Come join us at your local Big Daddy's!"

Drink your big black cow

Well, Hey 19

Dave’s on Canal st

I think you know what I mean

Fagen giving out some “just on a weekend fishing trip on the lake with my pal Don” vibes imo

What are the odds that Donald knows how to swim

I'd learn to swim if I shared a rowboat with Don Henley

We haven't had that spirit here since 1979

Warm smell of Sunny D rising up through the air

"We found a body."

if Don Henley fell in the woods, would he make a sound, and if so, would he record it, and if so, would you listen to it

He would probably smell like colitas

The Walden Woods

Holy fuck, that horn section play out on “Sunset Grill” is completely ridiculous. Is that Emulator or the real thing?

Guilty pleasure song, tho.

Also: Party Smyth’s ace chorus harmony, Pino Palladino’s burping fretless and the rolling Linndrum beat (credited to—checks notes—no one) while Don moans about working girls, “basket people” and auburn skies make “Sunset Grill” peak Henley.

In general I’d say the rolling Linndrum songs are the best things on this album by a mile. It would appear that Danny Kortchmar’s contributions are the worst.

Don’t be fooled: “sunset grill” sucks

I know he meant it compassionately but is there a better encapsulation of Henley's putrid us-vs-them ethos than this bit:

Maybe we'll leave come springtime
Meanwhile, have another beer
What would we do without all these jerks anyway?
Besides, all our friends are here

It sounds like a commercial for a competitor of Sizzler or Applebees

TGI Henley’s

You can check out the potato skins anytime you want but

"I'll have a Henley Burger with a side of Glenn Fries and a large Coke."

"Do you want to Full Monster that combo for an extra dollar?"

"Well, yeah."

The Footlong Run

lol @ Glenn Fries

"give me the 2 piece chicken"

"Felder leg or Felder thigh?"

Fingers please

gotta have something to Walsh it down with

"Someone place an order...?"

https://i.imgur.com/8iPrNJR.jpg

Witchy woman sauce = creamy balsamic peppercorn

Timothy B. Schakes

Building the Perfect (Chicken) Breast

I'm thinking of ordering the Desperadonuts(TM). They bake them to the limit.

There's gonna be some heartburn tonight, I know.

LMAO

Maybe they can start a chain of The Sad Café's while they're at it.

The Best of My Grub

order the New York Minute omelette, where what you get isn't what you ordered

you guys gave up on this shit too fast!

this thread motivated me to listen to Building… in total for the first time: in 85, the AOR station in Louisville played the SHIT out of "Sunset Grill," "Drivin' with your eyes Closed" and ""Not Enuff Love…" alongside the two legit hits, and so it was interesting to hear the other shit…

1.) on a bunch of cuts, he's singing way way way too high, straining his ability to hit the notes, 2.) it's very surprising that he had no hand in the writing for "All She Wants to Do is Dance" and it's all Kootch; one would think the conceit of trenchant geopolitical satire framed through criticizing women for enjoying dancing couldn't be more Henley…

he sounds almost queeny when he barks the line "That don't keep the boys from makin' a buck or two."

My grandson, he comes home from college
He says, "We get the government we deserve"
My son-in-law just shakes his head and says, "That little punk, he never had to serve"

Then at 2:30 Randy Newman comes up with a solo that's even more strained and less convincing.