Eagles Article

Hotel California Affected So Many: Joe
Author: Nicole Dastur
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 15, 2007

Abstract: A brief interview with the band about Long Road Out of Eden and their legacy.

Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy Schmit and Glen [sic] Frey, more popularly known as the Eagles, the popular American rock band of the 70s, have re-united after 14 years, with their album ‘Long Road Out of Eden’. They talk to BT about what makes them tick, even after their three-decade journey

What made you’ll [sic] ‘disband’ for 14 long years? Was it an actual break-up or as you’ll put it, ‘just a 14 year vacation’?

Don: It was several things, actually. When we were young, in our 20s, we didn’t have families to take care of. All we thought of then was about songwriting and girls. So we could do albums quicker. But we’ve always been more the tortoise than the hare when it comes to making albums. Yes, we had personal problems too, there has always been turmoil in this group.

Things got so bad at the end of the 70s that we broke up, but we got back together in ‘94. I wouldn’t say that all is forgiven and everything is rosy, but I would say that we have learnt to work around it.

Hotel California has become an iconic song. What is it about the song that makes it so popular, even today?

Joe: When Hotel California came up, we had no idea it would affect so many people on the planet! Honestly, we didn’t have a clue about what we were doing. It was like we were starting with a blank canvas and ended up with a nice painting.

How did the transition from country rock to hard rock take place?

Don: I was strumming through the Oxford dictionary of American poetry and came across a poet that I had never heard of before. His stuff was vague and obtuse. And I thought ‘I can make a song out of this!’

How did you’ll manage so many creative clashes?

Don: The most agonising differences of opinion came in terms of what songs to put on the album, because we record so many songs. But clashes are a part of every group.

Are you’ll happy about the reunion?

Don: We know each other like the back of our hand and we know what to expect from each other now. There had been times during the reunion when I wanted to kill people. But in the back of my mind, I knew I would get over it.

Timothy: I thought the Eagles were dead; but I’m glad that we’re still very much alive. It feels great.

Glen: I have learnt through the course of the Eagles that any worthwhile relationship is going to have its peaks and its valleys. Anyone can deal with the peaks, but the test of your metal is how do you deal with adversity. We have always been a very volatile group of guys. We’re creative, passionate and not short on opinions. But now, we’ve learnt how to accept each other.

 


 

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