The Eagles

For The Record...

Members include Don Felder (born on September 21, 1947, in Topanga, CA; joined group, 1975), guitar; Glenn Frey (born on November 6, 1948, in Detroit, MI), guitar; Don Henley (born on July 22, 1947, in Linden, TX), drums; Bernie Leadon (born on July 19, 1947, in Minneapolis, MN; left group, 1976), guitar; Randy Meisner (born on March 8, 1946, in Scottsbluff, NE; left group, 1977), bass guitar; Timothy B. Schmit (joined group, 1977), bass guitar; Joe Walsh (born in Cleveland, OH; joined group, 1976), guitar. Band formed by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, 1971; released The Eagles on Asylum, 1972; released Desperado, 1973; group broke up, 1981, officially dissolved, 1982; reunited for MTV special, 1994; released Hell Freezes Over, 1994; toured, 1995-96; performed at group's induction to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1998. Awards: Grammy Awards, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group for "Lyin' Eyes," 1975; Record of the Year for "Hotel California," 1977; Best Arrangement for Voices for "New Kid In Town," 1977; Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Group for "Heartache Tonight," 1979; inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1998. Addresses: Record company—Geffen Records, 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, website: http://www. geffen.com/.

Rock group

The Eagles were described to readers of Time magazine in 1975 as having been "conceived in the teaching of Carlos Castaneda and his ephemeral medicine man, Don Juan." As individuals they, like Don Juan, wandered—in and out of different groups including Linda Ronstadt's back-up band—until they found what guitarist Glenn Frey called their "power spot" as the Eagles. Singer-composer Jackson Browne brought the group—then made up of Frey, Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, and Randy Meisner—to the attention of impresario David Geffen, who advanced them $100,000 and sent them to Colorado to put together an act. A month later, they were signed to the newly created Asylum Records, and by the end of the decade they had become one of the top groups of the 1970s.

Combining their unique flavor of hard-rocking music with solid production, the Eagles' 1972 self-titled debut album quickly became a bestseller, staying on the charts the last seven months of the year. Browne, another Asylum artist, aided them in one of their first hits, co-authoring "Take It Easy" with Frey. The album also included successful singles "Witchy Woman" and "Peaceful, Easy Feeling." Repaying Geffen's advance with proceeds from their first three hit singles, the group went rapidly on to record another best-selling release in 1973. Desperado, considered by critics to be something of a conceptual album, cast the rock-and-rollers as Old West outlaws in songs such as "Outlaw Man" and the title track. Both songs, assessed Time, were "linked by loneliness, excess and self-destruction." Don Henley, the group's drummer, admitted, "the whole cowboy-outlaw rocker myth was a bit bogus. I don't think we really believed it; we were just trying to make an analogy…. We were living outside the laws of normality, we were out here in L.A., things were kind of Western, and we just decided to write something about it to try to justify it to ourselves."

On the Border (1974) continued in the successful trend already begun, yielding the group's first smash single, "Best of My Love." Social commentary also seeped into the group's work, with the title track a thinly-disguised piece about the troubles President Richard Nixon had gotten himself into, although, assessed Henley, "we weren't old enough or mature enough to make any sense out of it then." As the group rose in the ranks of popular music, internal tensions would eventually lead to founding member Leadon's departure and the replacement of producer Glyn Johns. Despite changes, by the end of 1974 the Eagles' three albums had been certified gold and the band continued to grow artistically.

The group's following two albums, One of These Nights and Hotel California, were their most successful, with hits including not only the title tracks but also "Lyin' Eyes"—which won them their first Grammy in the category of Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, "Take It to the Limit," "New Kid in Town," and "Life in the Fast Lane." "Hotel California," commonly thought to epitomize and denounce the decadence of Southern California lifestyles—of which the Eagles themselves were said to partake—became an especially popular song for the group and featured the distinctive guitar work of Joe Walsh, who replaced Leadon in the group. Henley was later to report, however, that the song was meant "in a much broader sense than a commentary about California. I was looking at American culture, and when I called that one song 'Hotel California,' I was simply using California as a microcosm for the rest of America and for the self-indulgence of our entire culture." The song garnered a Grammy in 1977 for Record of the Year; the same year Randy Meisner departed, his place filled by former Poco bass guitarist Tim Schmit. The group, busy in the recording studio and reluctant to endorse award shows, did not attend the Grammys. Said Frey, "I have reasonable doubt about how accurately any kind of contest or award show can portray the year in music." Nevertheless, the group was genuinely delighted by news of the award.

Over two years and $800,000 went into the group's long-awaited sixth album. The Long Run, a curious departure from the group's earlier work, had already reached double-platinum status (for sales of over two million copies) when it was shipped to stores. Hailed by Rolling Stone as promising "to be the Eagles' weirdest" record, the album included the slow ballad "I Can't Tell You Why" and such unusual titles as "Teenage Jail," "The Disco Strangler," and the college fraternity favorite "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks." The tone of the album was described by Henley as "tongue-in-cheek cynical. Most of the humor is so dry nobody will think it's funny." One single, "Heartache Tonight," won a 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

The Eagles' next effort came in the form of a double-live set in 1980 that included a major hit with "Seven Bridges Road," by Steve Young. Following the release, the band remained inactive for the next two years, and finally announced its break-up in 1982. Afterward, Frey, Walsh, and Henley went on to lucrative solo careers. Although the band turned down several rewarding offers for a reunion, Frey and Henley began writing together in 1990, and several dates were played with Walsh and Schmit. A rumored reunion, however, failed to materialize until four years later. In the early part of 1994, the Eagles taped a live show for Music Television (MTV) that broadcast in October of that year. The band also toured through 1995 and 1996 before once again taking a hiatus. A recording from the concert, Hell Freezes Over, climbed the album charts and produced the hit "Get Over It." In 1998 both the original and current members of the Eagles performed at the group's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Eagles were among the most successful popular artists in the latter half of the twentieth century. The Eagle's Greatest Hits 1971-1975 has sold twenty-five million copies, and vies with Michael Jackson's Thriller for the best selling album of all time. A handful of the group's songs including "Take It Easy," "Lyin' Eyes," "Witchy Woman," and "Take It to the Limit" continue to be mainstays on "Oldie"-styled radio stations, and new material like "Hole in the World" from 2003's The Very Best of the Eagles still reaches the singles chart. Even critical opinion, which has noted the group's sexism and generic brand of rock, has been kinder to the Eagles in recent years. Of their success and time together, Henley told Rolling Stone, "I don't think we had any delusions that we were creating history or changing culture or anything…. We just wanted to do the work and be good at it and be respected by our fellow songwriters."

Selected discography
The Eagles, Asylum, 1972.
Desperado, Asylum, 1973.
On the Border, Asylum, 1974.
One of These Nights, Asylum, 1975.
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), DCC, 1976.
Hotel California, Asylum, 1976.
The Long Run, Asylum, 1979.
Eagles Live, Asylum, 1980.
Hell Freezes Over, Geffen, 1994.

Sources

Books
Clarke, Donald, Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Penguin, 1998.
Nite, Norm N., and Ralph M. Newman, Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock 'N' Roll, Volume II, Crowell, 1978.
Stambler, Irwin, Encylopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul, St. Martin's, 1974.

Periodicals
Rolling Stone, April 6, 1978; July 26, 1979; November 5-December 10, 1987.
Time, August 18, 1975.


Online
"Eagles," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com/ (January 15, 2004).

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Biography

With five number one singles, fourteen Top 40 hits, and four number one albums, the Eagles were among the most successful recording artists of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of those albums -- Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and Hotel California -- ranked among the ten best-selling albums ever, and the popularity of 2007's Long Road Out of Eden proved the Eagles' staying power in the new millenium. Though most of its members came from outside California, the group was closely identified with a country- and folk-tinged sound that initially found favor in Los Angeles during the late '60s, as championed by such bands as the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco (both of which contributed members to the Eagles). But the band also drew upon traditional rock & roll styles and, in their later work, helped define the broadly popular rock sound that became known as classic rock. As a result, the Eagles achieved a perennial appeal among generations of music fans who continued to buy their records many years after they had split up, which helped inspire the Eagles' reunion in the mid-'90s.

The band was formed by four Los Angeles-based musicians who had migrated to the West Coast from other parts of the country. Singer/bassist Randy Meisner (born in Scottsbluff, NE, on March 8, 1946) moved to L.A. in 1964 as part of a band originally called the Soul Survivors (not to be confused with the East Coast-based Soul Survivors, who scored a Top Five hit with "Expressway to Your Heart" in 1967) and later renamed the Poor. He became a founding member of Poco in 1968, but left the band prior to the release of its debut album in order to join the Stone Canyon Band, the backup group for Rick Nelson. Meanwhile, singer/guitarist/banjoist/mandolinist Bernie Leadon (born in Minneapolis, MN, on July 19, 1947) arrived in L.A. in 1967 as a member of Hearts and Flowers, later joining Dillard & Clark and then the Flying Burrito Brothers. Singer/drummer Don Henley (born in Gilmer, TX, on July 22, 1947) moved to L.A. in June 1970 with his band Shiloh, which made one self-titled album for Amos Records before breaking up. Finally, Glenn Frey (born in Detroit, MI, on November 6, 1948) performed in his hometown and served as a backup musician for Bob Seger before moving to L.A. in the summer of 1968. He formed the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther, and the two musicians signed to Amos Records, which released their self-titled album in 1969.

In the spring of 1971, Frey and Henley were hired to play in Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Meisner and Leadon also played backup for Ronstadt during her summer tour, though the four only did one gig together: a July show at Disneyland. They did, however, all appear on Ronstadt's next album, Linda Ronstadt. In September 1971, Frey, Henley, Leadon, and Meisner signed with manager David Geffen, agreeing to record for his soon-to-be-launched label, Asylum Records; soon after, they adopted the name the Eagles. In February 1972, they flew to England and spent two weeks recording their debut album, Eagles, with producer Glyn Johns. It was released in June, reaching the Top 20 and going gold in a little over a year and a half on the strength of two Top Ten hits -- "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman" -- and one Top 20 hit, "Peaceful Easy Feeling."

The Eagles toured as an opening act throughout 1972 and into early 1973, when they returned to England to record their second LP, Desperado, a concept album about outlaws. Produced by Glyn Johns and released in April 1973, it reached the Top 40 and went gold in a little less than a year and a half, spawning the Top 40 single "Tequila Sunrise" in the process. The title track, though never released as a single, became one of the band's better-known songs and was included on the Eagles' first hits collection.

After touring to support Desperado's release, the Eagles again convened a recording session with Glyn Johns for their third album. Their desire to make harder rock music clashed with Johns' sense of them as a country-rock band, however, and they split from the producer after recording two tracks, "You Never Cry Like a Lover" and "The Best of My Love." After an early 1974 tour opened by singer/guitarist Joe Walsh, the band decided to hire Walsh's producer, Bill Szymczyk, who handled the rest of the sessions for On the Border. Szymczyk brought in a session guitarist, Don Felder (born in Gainesville, FL, on September 21, 1947), an old friend of Bernie Leadon's who so impressed the rest of the band that he was recruited to join the group.

On the Border was released in March 1974. It went gold and reached the Top Ten in June, the Eagles' fastest-selling album yet. The first single, "Already Gone," reached the Top 20 the same month. But the most successful song on the LP -- the one that broke them through to a much larger audience -- was "The Best of My Love," which was released as a single in November. It hit number one on the easy listening charts in February 1975 and topped the pop charts a month later.

The Eagles' fourth album, One of These Nights, was an out-of-the-box smash. Released in June 1975, it went gold the same month and hit number one in July. Moreover, it featured three singles that hit the Top Five: the chart-topping title song, "Lyin' Eyes," and "Take It to the Limit." "Lyin' Eyes" won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus, and the Eagles also earned Grammy nominations for Album of the Year (One of These Nights) and Record of the Year ("Lyin' Eyes"). The group went on a headlining world tour, beginning with the U.S. and expanding into Europe. But on December 20, 1975, it was announced that Bernie Leadon had quit the band, and Joe Walsh (born in Wichita, KS, on November 20, 1947) was brought in as his replacement. He immediately joined the tour, which continued to the Far East in early 1976.

The Eagles' extensive touring kept them out of the studio, and with no immediate plans for a new album, they agreed to release a compilation, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), in February 1976. The album's success proved to be surprisingly meteoric. It topped the charts and became a phenomenal success, eventually selling upwards of 25,000,000 copies and dueling with Michael Jackson's Thriller for the title of the best-selling album of all time in the U.S.

It took the Eagles 18 months to follow One of These Nights with their fifth album, Hotel California. Released in December 1976, the record was certified platinum in one week, hit number one in January 1977, and eventually sold over 10,000,000 copies. The singles "New Kid in Town" and "Hotel California" hit number one, and "Life in the Fast Lane" made the Top 20. Meanwhile, "Hotel California" won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year and was nominated for Song of the Year; the album itself was nominated for Album of the Year and for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus. The Eagles embarked on a world tour in March 1977 that began with a month in the U.S., followed by a month in Europe and the Far East, then returned to the U.S. in May for stadium dates. At the end of the tour in September, Randy Meisner left the band; he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit (born in Sacramento, CA, November 20, 1947), formerly of Poco, in which he also had replaced Meisner.

The Eagles began working on a new album in March 1978 and took nearly a year and a half to complete it. The Long Run was released in September 1979. It hit number one and was certified platinum after four months, eventually earning multi-platinum certifications. "Heartache Tonight," its lead-off single, hit number one, and "I Can't Tell You Why" and "The Long Run" became Top Ten hits. "Heartache Tonight" won the 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The Eagles toured the U.S. in 1980, and at a week-long series of shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, they recorded Eagles Live. (Also included were some tracks recorded in 1976.) Released in November 1980, the double LP (since reissued as a single CD) reached the Top Five and went multi-platinum, with the single "Seven Bridges Road" reaching the Top 40.

The Eagles were inactive after the end of their 1980 tour, but their breakup was not officially announced until May 1982. All five released solo recordings. (Walsh, of course, maintained a solo career before, during, and after the Eagles.) During the rest of the 1980s, the bandmembers received several lucrative offers to reunite, but they declined. In 1990, Frey and Henley began writing together again, and they performed along with Schmit and Walsh at benefit concerts that spring. A full-scale reunion was rumored, but did not take place. Four years later, however, the Eagles did reunite. In the spring of 1994, they taped an MTV concert special and then launched a tour that ended up running through August 1996. The MTV show aired in October, followed in November by an audio version of it, the album Hell Freezes Over, which topped the charts and became a multi-million seller, spawning the Top 40 pop hit "Get Over It" and the number one adult contemporary hit "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

The Eagles next appeared together in January 1998 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when the five present members performed alongside past members Leadon and Meisner. On December 31, 1999, they played a millennium concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that was recorded and included on the box set retrospective Selected Works: 1972-1999 in November 2000. All was not well within the band, however, and Felder was expelled from the lineup in February 2001. A protracted legal battle ensued as the Eagles soldiered on as a quartet, releasing The Very Best of the Eagles in 2003 and achieving minor success with the single "Hole in the World." Felder's case was settled out of court in 2007; that same year, the Eagles returned with the band's seventh studio album, Long Road Out of Eden, a double-disc album that quickly went multi-platinum. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi