Members of the Eagles group. Eagles, history, line-up, current line-up, former members, timeline, discography Eagles line-up in 1976

Members of the Eagles group.  Eagles, history, line-up, current line-up, former members, timeline, discography Eagles line-up in 1976
Members of the Eagles group. Eagles, history, line-up, current line-up, former members, timeline, discography Eagles line-up in 1976

THE EAGLES - EAGLE ROCK NEST

The group is considered the most "American" of all American bands, as well as the third most popular and the number of sold records after Led Zeppelin.

Is this not enough to retire after forty-odd years? But no, they are not going to leave the stage and put the instruments in a corner. They still (albeit rarely) successfully tour, gathering halls of fans.

California - Cradle of The Eagles

They went through all the stages on the path of their success - the unknown, playing on small venues, the appearance of their first hit single, an album. Then came fame, and with it money, alcohol, drugs ... They had it all. “I don’t know exactly how we will remain in people's memory. But, probably, someday people will say that we had very good songs. We are proud of ourselves only because all the members of our group are still alive, unlike many musicians of our generation, ”said Don Henley.

Experts in the history of rock music are unanimous - the members of the future group were lucky to get together at the right time and in the right place. It was the city of Los Angeles, it was the end in the yard 1960s. Music lovers are already tired of psychedelics, they are fed up with other popular directions, they are drawn to simpler rock, which will be understandable without "degree" or "doping".

At this time, fate brought guitarists Randy Meisner, Bernie Lydon, Glenn Frey and drummer Don Henley to the capital of California. It is noteworthy that each of them had strong vocal abilities and by this time already had musical experience in other groups.

Eaglets learn to fly

At first, they positioned themselves only as accompanists and performed with Linda Ronstadt. But already in the first year of their joint work, ambitions prevailed, and the future "eagles" left the nest in search of their own path. And so, in 1971, a new rock band appeared in California, one of many. History has not left us a name who exactly came up with the name of the group, apparently the musicians were overwhelmed with the desire to take off and soar, watching how other bands unsuccessfully try to reach their top.

It almost happened. The rockers were taken under his wing by manager Linda Ronstadt. He signed a contract with them and at the beginning of 1972 sent them to England to record the album. The debut was amazing. Three songs from the disc were in the top twenty hits at once - “Take It Easy”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “Witchy Woman”. Such a success was never dreamed of.

This victory was not accidental. Yes, their work coincided with the demands of the audience and the spirit of the times, the producer also tried, but the musicians themselves made every effort to break out into the people. Their rehearsals are held far from prying eyes and ears. During this time, the band members practiced every movement, every chord and vocal intonation, perfecting their own sound. There is no improvisation at their concerts, and nothing can force the musicians to deviate from the notes. They have been following this rule for over forty years. There can be no amateur performance on stage, everything is learned and rehearsed in advance, brought almost to the point of automatism. Because of this, the music does not lose its liveliness, on the contrary, this is the highest level of professionalism - none of the band members allows themselves liberties on the stage, unexpected turns, disrupted concerts or fake sound. Perhaps that is why, long before the legendary Hotel California, they became an iconic American group.

In search of color

After the debut album, music critics considered the "eagles" to be another typical country band, of which there were already enough in the vastness of America. But the guys did not give up and decided to try themselves in a more serious direction of country opera. In the work on the second album, the author's duet of Glenn Frey and Don Henley was formed. The new disc gave the world such hits as "Tequila Sunrise" and "Desperado", yielding in popularity to the debut disc. The collective badly needed exclusivity, especially music, in order to become the first, and not one of the many.

In this case, helped a new manager and producer, as well as the 1974 album "On the border", which became fateful. For the recording of this disc, the "eagles" invited guitarist Don Felder, who brought a double-neck instrument made with his own hand, and impressed the musicians with the skill of the performance. This is how Felder's fresh blood and golden hands helped to find that missing unique sound and become an original group.

The colorful album became “gold” in three months, reached the Top 10 and sent three compositions “The best of my love”, “James Dean” and “One of these night” to the top of the charts. Even skeptical a minded Europe opened its arms to, let alone the Americans themselves. The concert halls were filled to capacity and demanded a "hit" continuation.

The new album turned out to be the crown of their success. The disc "One of these nights" went platinum and deservedly won the title of the best collection of the 1970s. The popular TV series took the song "Jorney of sorcerer" as a splash screen, the hit "Lyin 'eyes" won a Grammy award, and guitarist Randy Meisner was ranked among the hitmakers after the song "Take it to the limit". One Bernie Lydon was, as it were, out of work, and after the world tour he left the group.

Golden Age of The Eagles

The band members wanted to see in their ranks not just a talented performer, but a creative creator of things that would be a new word in music. Such a productive member of the group was the musician Joe Walsh, who had several solo albums and work in popular bands under his belt. It is not known for what reasons he decided to join, but such a connection gave unsurpassed results. For a whole year, the group went on tour, abandoning studio recordings. The commercial success of the concerts delighted not only the musicians, but also the managers.

During the year of concerts, the sound of which, according to critics, began to resemble more hard rock, the group has accumulated a lot of material. Gathering all the best together, the "eagles" recorded the legendary album "Their greatest hits", which became the disc of the year. Just imagine, this disc became "platinum" three times and to this day holds the leadership among the best-selling, ahead of even "Thriller".

And then there was 1976 and the album, which became a visiting card for all times and for all continents. After the release of "Hotel California" the band was no longer associated with anything else, although almost all the songs from this album became hits. Five tracks were written by drummer Don Henley and became the unofficial leader of the band. This rare occasion, when the drummer is also a great vocalist, and besides, he writes songs, added originality to the group.

This year, the United States of America celebrated its 200th anniversary, and the musicians compared their homeland to a large comfortable hotel where anyone can stay, but not everyone can be at home here. The song "Hotel California" sounded in all music broadcasts, became a symbol of the 1970s and for a year hit all the charts. But sadly, it was she who became the swan song of the great rock era. This is how the group had a chance to stand at the origins of the rock movement and close the door to it.

Popularity pay

The decline of the golden age in rock music also affected the work of the "eagles". Randy Meisner flew out of their nest, creating a vacancy for Timothy Schmidt. A wave of experimentation began, the use of new instruments and the search for fresh sound. Long-term tension, constant concerts, exhausting rehearsals made themselves felt, and the second side was certainly manifested - not the best side of fame and popularity.

The group, like many, was not spared by problems with the law and harmful addiction from drugs and alcohol. At the same time, the "eagles" did not deny themselves anything and lived, as they say, on a grand scale. Sometimes the musicians used their private plane for such trifles as if it was a taxi car.

Fights, illnesses, clashes with law enforcement officers - all this was commonplace for the participants. Glenn Frey was nicknamed "The Cant" for his love of marijuana. Don Henley was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine. He was fined, given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to visit a narcologist. At a certain point, the band's musicians simply began to hate each other.

After a new "platinum" album and a tour of the United States, the musicians made, perhaps, the only right decision for themselves and announced in 1982 that they would cease to exist. This prompted each of them to take up their own solo projects, but none of them could achieve overwhelming success.

New Age

Having rested from each other for several years, while never losing touch, in 1994 the "eagles" flew again with its golden composition. During this time, they managed to get rid of destructive habits, rethink a lot and correctly prioritize. It must be admitted that the recorded album "Hell freezes over" did not become a breakthrough, although it was commercially successful. The next disc entitled "Long road out of eden" had to wait for 15 years. In parallel, the musicians continued to work on their solo albums and perform singly.

Their last tour ended in 2011 and was recognized by Forbes magazine as the second in terms of financial collection. And here the musicians have something to think about. If the audience still goes to their concerts, it means that they still expect something grand and worthwhile from their idols.

FACTS

In the city of Winslow, Arizona, there is a statue in honor of the group. The city authorities decided to pay tribute to the musicians for immortalizing the name town in one of its hits - "Take it easy". A bronze statue of a man with a guitar adorns one of the central streets of the city.

Hotel California was ranked 37th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of Greatest Compilations. The song of the same name was at the top of the Billboard charts and was awarded the Grammy, but the musicians did not go to the awards only because Don Henley was convinced of the opacity of the award itself.

Updated: April 9, 2019 by the author: Helena

We say "Eagles" - we mean "Hotel California". And vice versa. For the authors, the song became the most fatal, pushing other merits so far that it was believed that the group did not create absolutely anything else. Meanwhile, it is extremely unfair to classify them in the second echelon. Moreover: even before "Hotel California" it was believed that the group had passed its peak and it would be time for her to retire. But an imperishable composition ... Read all

We say "Eagles" - we mean "Hotel California". And vice versa. For the authors, the song became the most fatal, pushing other merits so far that it was believed that the group did not create anything more. Meanwhile, it is extremely unfair to classify them in the second echelon. Moreover: even before "Hotel California" it was believed that the group had passed its peak and it would be time for her to retire. But the imperishable composition overturned all ideas about the rock hierarchy. It not only symbolizes the seventies - it is called the swan song of rock in general. Not in the sense that there were no good songs later. There was nothing fundamentally new, milestone - and the forecasts for the future are also disappointing. A masterpiece is a masterpiece to bulge abruptly out of the Procrustean bed of stable quality factor.

The group was conceived in the right place at the right hour. By the end of the sixties, people had grown tired of abstruse psychedelia and conceptual polyphony, and the "flower revolution" began to fade. I wanted something simpler, more comfortable. On the other hand, America's largest state leaves a kind of magical seal (and Randy California from Spirit, and a cute namesake group, and, finally, the world's most common hotel is not a set of letters). Everything from rockabilly to bluegrass has fused in the musical palette. The future "eagles" managed to gain experience in different teams, professing folk traditions. The most famous were The Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco, which featured bungee guitarist Bernie Lydon and bassist Randy Meisner, respectively. At the same time, one can trace here how inscrutable the ways in rock are. Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, to which Lydon joined back in school, is the base Chris Hillman, now known from the Byrds, and in Four Of Us, along with Glen Frey, he plucked Ace Frehley on the eve of the coming of KISS. Most importantly, at these crossroads those who brought the Frisco sound to a new level, without much ado, dubbed West Coast Rock - the rock of the West Coast - converged.

The band owes its birth to Los Angeles - the same capital of everything progressive as San Francisco. The City of Angels with its contrasts, luxury of Hollywood and hippie communes, like a magnet attracted desperate seekers of happiness. (By the way, Jackson Brownie started there at the same time as our heroes). Perhaps the Eagles became his main paradox: none of the group that best praised California was Californian. Lydon came from Minnesota, Meisner came from Nebraska, and Glenn Frey and drummer Don Henley came from Michigan and Texas, dropping out of college for a paltry earnings in amateur bands for nothing). Frey was the most active and successful: he was the first to compose songs and release an album at the tiny studio "Emos" in a duet with Jay Sather (who will sometimes act as his co-author in the days of the Eagles). He was fortunate enough to meet David Crosby (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young), and through him with his manager David Geffen. Actually, Frey was counting on a solo career, but Geffen advised not to rush. The latter had his own considerations: he was going to "promote" the country singer Linda Ronstadt and he needed talented and not arrogant accompanists. At the local Troubadour club, Frey bumped into Henley, whose next band, Shilon, had just fallen apart. Then Lydon met with Meissner. They were already quite famous session musicians, and Geffen bombed both of them for Linda's recordings. Thus, the "queen of country" can be considered their unwitting godmother. They worked for a year as an escort group and, feeling that they had grown to independence, they honestly warned about leaving. By mid-1971, a quartet called the Eagles appeared in sunny California. One of many thousands.

The team relies on a leader. Although everyone knew how to sing, the indefatigable Frey acted as the frontman. His songs brought initial success - in particular, Take it easy, written together with the aforementioned Brownie. The song was included in the debut album "The Eagles" (1972), which Geffen released at the newly created studio "Esylum" (he soon became its president). The disc was recorded in England under the production of Glynn Jones, who worked with rollings, zeppelins and the like. Despite strong support, the vinyl pancake fell under the first pancake rule. The listeners agreed that the band looks better at concerts. A more cordial welcome was in the South - the local residents fell in love with Lidon's Witchy woman and Peaceful easy feeling of the famous Jack Tempchin. Critics unanimously called the quartet "another typical country band". This prompted the creation of something epic, like a country opera.

The second LP Desperado (1973) tells the story of the historical gangster Doolin Delton and his gang operating in the Wild West. The recording was made in the same place. Apparently because everyone wrote the songs, the whole disc did not work. But Henley's hatched composer's gift drew attention to himself; he owned the title composition. Hit can also be called Tequila sunrize and Doolin Dalton - they are forever included in their arsenal of strikes. The main thing is that the author's tandem Freya-Henley has developed. Remained a mere trifle - to find your own, one of the millions of sound.

The new album On the border (1974) became a turning point in the biography. Several factors overlapped. The musicians changed their manager and producer - Irving Azoff and Billy Zhimchik came. Keys were included in the toolkit. Guitarist Don Felder also took part in the recording. All four were so bewitched by his double-headed "Gibson" that they offered to become a permanent member of the group (by the way, he was not a Californian either - he came from Florida). The new sound merged with the old, crystallizing a much-needed individuality. The disc brought the first "gold" and three hits No. 1 in "Billboard" - James Dean, Best of my love and One of these night (the third immediately replaced the second). It is noteworthy that even at this stage they did not abandon the borrowed material, interpreting Tom Waits' ballad Ol "55. The audience flooded to the concerts. The unyielding Old World obeyed. Elementary logic demanded a new hit disc, which was brilliantly implemented the following year.

Album One of these nights collected "platinum", it is still called the best collection of pop songs of the seventies. Without Hotel California, it would have remained the crown jewel of the Eagles. Lyin "eyes received a Grammy, Jorney of sorcerer became the screensaver of the super popular television series" The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "(based on the novel by Douglas Adams). The" hot five "included three songs, including Meisner's first hit Take it to the limit. Until the end of the year, this was not so noticeable, because to consolidate the success the team undertook a world tour, recording Live in Sidney in Australia along the way (the most gratifying visit was a visit to Japan, where the audience sang along with the original language! ) But it has long been known that success has a downside in the form of the question “Who is the boss in the group?” Tired of concert marathons and tensions within the band, Lydon left his comrades. a donkey in the role of a seishman (for those who are especially curious, we can add that around the same time his romance with the daughter of Ronald Reagan, who was just about to run for president, ended) ...

In place of Lidon, Asof brought another of his charges - Joe Walsh. Well-established in the James Gang, with great solo albums, he agreed to share his talent with other talents. With his arrival, the Eagles felt a tilt towards hard rock. This was especially vividly manifested again at concerts, for the group left studio work for almost a year - not to miss the avalanche commercial fees. However, enough material has accumulated for the collection Their greatest hits, which has become three times platinum and recognized by the National Recording Association as the disc of the year. It is possible that a long break allowed the release of a reference album, where you-know-what-song sounded.

Hotel California has been recording for over half a year in several studios. Almost all songs became hits - New kid in town (again "Grammy"), Life in the fast lane, Victim of love, The last resort ... But the joint creation of Frey - Felder - Henley was distinguished by everything. Hanley wrote five songs personally - and the reins of leadership passed to him. A singing drummer is a rare and time-consuming phenomenon (Phil Collins, for example, calls on a drummer-backup during the tour), which added an extra original facet to the band. As for the mega hit, the whole environment was refracted here. 1976 was a jubilee year - 200 years for the United States. The musicians compared their country to an international comfortable hotel, where any emigrant can find shelter, but not home. Some will find similarities to Angie, released by the Rolling Stones three years earlier. Really, how many people remember Angie and how many millions have the Eagles fans grown? Does the first have cover versions and how many of them does the second have? In short, the winners are not judged. Throughout the year, the song topped all imaginable charts, and there was not a moment on earth when it did not sound anywhere on the air. It's not surprising that she was chosen as the final chord of the golden era of rock: the crisis of the genre has already emerged, and in the structure of the song, lyrics, vocals, in the final dialogue of guitars, one can hear a longing for something that is irrevocably gone ... In the end, someone has to complete the performance ... The group was lucky with a place in history - they grabbed the step of the departing train. Remember the first and the last.

Alas, the peak is not only the peak, but also the beginning of the descent. It looks like the Eagles are convinced that they can do anything. The next disc had to wait for two years. During this time, Meissner left the group and returned to Poco. Interestingly, Timothy Schmidt came to replace him, replacing him at Poco for six years. Following the lead of fashion, the musicians began to experiment with might and main. High-timbral guitars, synthesizers and saxophones appeared. The quintessence of this is the song Sad cafe, recorded with David Sanborn. But ... either personal age affected, or time itself. Something important is missing. Well, on the crest of Hotel California, the album was doomed to platinum. Although in itself, he did not disgrace the reputation. Schmidt also did not disappoint, containing the hit I can tell you why. At the concerts, however, the audience frantically clamored for their loved one. It’s not out of place to say that the Eagles never saved a signature number for dessert, and often opened the program for them. Maybe this also played a role - great joy to turn into a group of one song? As a result, the group gave the last grandiose tour of the States, released an Eagles live double, which acquired the traditional "platinum" (Hotel California again topped the charts "live") and dispersed peacefully. Pragmatic managers officially announced the breakup only in May 1982. The California Hotel has finally turned into a myth.

The life of musicians did not end there. They took up solo projects, sometimes played along and even produced each other. Henley's work turned out to be the most fruitful, he worked with colleagues as eminent as they are so different. Its pinnacle can be considered the song Heart of the matter, dedicated to the Eagles (it was supposed to be the name of their album, which was never recorded). Suddenly emerging from oblivion Meisner, long gone from Poco, joined the World Classic Rockers - a team of half-forgotten “stars”, along with Danny Lane and Spencer Davis. True, their music bears little resemblance to the classical Eagles, which is entirely consistent with the general change in the degree of perception.

More or less, Walsh remained faithful to his tough funk - take at least his latest album Little did he know (1997). It is no coincidence that he was invited to the inauguration of Bill Clinton - this is another confirmation of the status of the symbol of America. As often happens, individual works are significantly inferior to those done together. As happens even more often, after many years the "eagles" were drawn to their native nest. In 1994, the quintet assembled as part of 1978. A full-length album and the same tour were planned. But as always, hopes were not justified. The disc Hell freezes over (at the Geffen studio - the same one) presented only four new songs, and the tour boiled down to almost a few concerts. You cannot trample against the laws of nature, you cannot turn back youth. Humanly understandable: this is the last thing older rockers can get out of life. But since time is inexorable - is it worth it to engage in self-destruction? Who will understand these complexities ... One thing is certain: we say Eagles - we mean Hotel California. And vice versa.

In 2007, the Frey-Henley-Walsh-Schmidt band recorded a full-length studio double album Long Road Out Of Eden with new songs ....

Discography

Eagles ____________1972

Desperado_________ 1973

On the Border_______1974

One of These Nights__1975

Hotel California______1976

The Long Run_______1979

Eagles Live_________1980

Hell Freezes Over____1994

Live In The Fast Lane_1994


The mood now is Beautiful

(born November 6, 1948 in Detroit; guitar, keyboards, vocals). One of the founders of the "Eagles" group. Frontman of the ensemble.
http://m-adler2009.narod.ru/GF.htm Frey's meeting with Henley took place in 1970. Glenn was 22, Don was 23. The native of Texas was just in a serious shallow, so the proposal of the native of Detroit - to play in Linda's band Ronstadt came in handy. Then, in 1971, they founded the Eagles, and Frey is still one of the leaders of the group. "Take it Easy", co-written with Jackson Brownie and opening the first album, together with "Peaceful Easy Feeling" have become classics over time and have been included in numerous compilations. It is worth mentioning the performing style of Glenn Frey. Oddly enough for a rocker, but, in my opinion, he has a restrained style of singing, behind which an inner dignity is visible. This style is more common among country singers. Glenn's voice is pleasantly smallish, but, unfortunately, there is no pronounced timbre that distinguishes it from other vocalists. Based on these features, Frey is best at calm lyrical ballads. The peculiarity of the "Eagles" is, or rather the dignity, that a group always comes to the aid of the soloist - everyone picks up either the chorus or creates a musical background. And that is how expression is created. The group vocals present in almost every song to one degree or another is the trademark of the Eagles, which creates the unique face of the ensemble. Examples include the mass, for example "Lyin Eyes". One of the hits on the "Hotel California" album is "New Kid in Town". I read the opinion that the song "Heartache Tonight", from the subsequent album, was written in the tradition of old-fashioned rock and roll. In this case, they did not see the forest behind the trees, because the style of the era of the birth of rock music is extremely modernized here, and the new, as you know, is the well-forgotten old. We hear an extremely harsh rhythm section with additional drums, riffs, a powerful juicy solo with a unique timbre, intense vocals, as always, the harmony between text and music as a result - an accurate and genuine expression of feelings. After the collapse of "Eagles" Glenn Frey took up a solo career and even tried his hand at American cinema. Since childhood, he was crazy about James Dean, to whom he dedicated the song of the same name on the album "On the Border". The theme of cinematography continues in the composition "King of Holywood" (1979). After the disbandment of the group, along with the release of solo albums, he wrote music for films, starred in some films as an actor, but did not achieve much success. I would venture to suggest why. It is extremely difficult to wedge into another sphere, even for a rock star, without sufficient theoretical training and experience. In the cinema, do what you have suggested. If you refuse, there may be no offers at all. Glenn Frey's solo career is considered the second most important among the band members after Don Henley. The most successful, in my opinion, the debut solo album "Allnighter", released in 1984, the compositions "Sexy Girl", "Lover" s Moon "," Smuggler "s blues" are especially good. Glenn showed right away that he had an independent creative potential. The next two albums, released every four years, "Soul Searchin" "" (1988) and "Strange Weather" (1992) were also not bad. In addition to a passion for music, cinema, Frey carried an interest in the fair sex, to their souls. , you know, rock'n'roll images of women as bearers of morality. Almost in the spirit of the classics of Russian literature. Which is not bad at all in the era of the ever-increasing rampage of non-traditionalists. All the years after the band was disbanded, Glenn Frey did not forget that he was one of the leaders of the "eagles" At the first rally of "noble predators" in 1994, the already known creative tandem Henley - Frey performed the most down-to-earth song "Get over it." And the composition "How Long" is considered one of the best on the last double album "Long Road Out Of Eden" (2007) The guitar and voice of Glenn Frey merged into a rock and roll melody and somewhere in the distance you can hear the echoes of country.

Glenn Frey(Glenn Frey, 06.11.1948 - 18.01.2016) - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Bernie Lydon(Bernie Leadon, born 07.19.1947) - guitar, banjo, mandolin, vocals
Randy Meisner(Randy Meisner, born 03/08/1946) - bass, guitar, vocals
Don Henley(Don Henley, born 22.07.1947) - drums, vocals

The band owes its birth to Los Angeles. The Eagles became his paradox: none of the group that best praised California was Californian. Lydon came from Minnesota, Meisner came from Nebraska, and Frey and drummer Don Henley came from Michigan and Texas, dropping out of college for a paltry income in amateur bands.
The future "eagles" managed to gain experience in different teams, professing folk traditions. The most famous were the Flying Burrito brothers and Poco, with guitarist Bernie Lydon and bassist Randy Meisner, respectively. Frey turned out to be the most active and successful: he was the first to compose songs and released an album at the tiny studio "Emos" in a duet with Jay Sather. He was fortunate enough to meet David Crosby ("Crossby, Stills, Nash and Young"), and through him with his manager David Geffen. At the local Troubadour club, Frey bumped into Henley, whose next band, Shilon, had just fallen apart. Then Lydon met with Meissner. They were already quite famous session musicians, and Geffen brought in both of them for the recordings of country singer Linda Ronstad.
They worked for a year as an escort group and, feeling that they had grown to independence, they honestly warned about leaving. By mid-1971, a quartet called the Eagles appeared in California. Although everyone knew how to sing, the indefatigable Frey acted as the frontman. His songs brought initial success - in particular, "Take it easy". The song appeared on the debut album "The Eagles" (1972), which Geffen released at the newly formed studio "Asylum". The CD was recorded in England with producer Glynn Jones, who has worked with the Rolling Stones and Led zeppelin. Despite strong support, the record suffered a commercial failure. The listeners agreed that the band looks better at concerts. Critics unanimously called the quartet "just another typical country band."
The second album, Desperado (1973), tells the story of the gangster Doolin Delton and his gang in the Wild West. Apparently because everyone wrote the songs, the whole disc did not work. But Henley's gift as a composer, who owned the title composition, drew attention to himself. Hit can also be called "Tequila sunrize" and "Doolin Dalton" - they forever entered their arsenal of shock. The main thing is that the author's tandem Frey - Henley has developed. The new album, "On the border" (1974), became a turning point in their biography. The musicians changed their manager and producer - Irving Azoff and Billy Zhimchik came. Keys were included in the toolkit. And also the guitarist Don Felder (born 09.21.1947) took part in the recording, after the recording he remained in the group. The new sound merged with the old, crystallizing a much-needed individuality. The album earned the first gold and three # 1 hits on the Billboard charts - "James Dean", "Best of my love" and "One of these night".
The audience went to the concerts in bulk. Elementary logic demanded a new hit disc, which was brilliantly implemented the following year. Album "One of these nights" (1975) collected "platinum", five weeks topped the American charts (in England the disc rose to 8th place). If it weren't for Hotel California, it would have remained the crown jewel of the Eagles. The song "Lyin" eyes "received a Grammy, and" Jorney of sorcerer "became the splash screen for the hit TV series" The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. "The Top 5 included three songs, including Meisner's first hit" Take it to the limit. " the success of the team embarked on a world tour.But tired of concert marathons and tensions within the group, Bernie Lydon left his colleagues in 1975.
In place of Lidon Azoff brought another of his wards - Joe Walsh (born 20.11.1947). His appearance in the lineup coincided with the triumphant success of the group's compilation "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975", which again topped the charts in America (# 2 in the UK), collected triple platinum and was recognized in 1976 by the National Association of Recording Companies America's best album of the year. With the arrival of Walshaw, the Eagles felt a tilt towards hard rock. This was especially pronounced again at concerts, tk. the group retired from studio work for almost a year. "Hotel California" (1976) was recorded over half a year in several studios. Almost all songs became hits - "New kid in town", "Life in the fast lane", "Victim of love", "The last resort". But the joint creation of Frey - Felder - Henley overshadowed everything. Henley wrote five songs - and the reins of leadership passed to him. Throughout the year the song "Hotel California" topped all imaginable charts (in England - 8th place), and there was not a moment on earth when it was not played anywhere on the air. Alas, the peak is not only the peak, but also the beginning of the descent. It looks like the Eagles are convinced that they can handle anything. The next disc had to wait two years, during which time, in 1977, Randy Meisner left the group, returning to Poco. Instead, Timothy B. Schmit came (born 30.10.1947). Following the lead of fashion, the musicians began to experiment with might and main. High-timbral guitars, synthesizers and saxophones appeared. The song "Sad cafe" can be considered the quintessence of this. But something important is missing. Well, on the crest of "Hotel California" the album was doomed to "platinum", although in itself it was not bad. At the concerts, however, the audience frantically clamored for their loved one.
The band's next studio album, "The Long Ron" (1979) took longer to record than its predecessor, and even before its release, the Eagles had released the 1978 Christmas single "Please Come Home For Christmas" - it was the author's version of Charles Brown's classic blues. the single was not included in "The Long Run"). The first official single from the new album "Heartache Tonight", like most of the previous ones, became a millionaire, topped the national charts (in England it reached only 40th place) and received a Grammy, "The Long Ron" also took first place in the album charts (in England - 4th place), and the title track and "I Can" t Tell You Why "entered the American Top 10.
The group gave a grandiose tour of the States and by the end of 1980 released a double live album "Eagles Live", received the traditional "platinum", but the musicians decided to disband the group. In early 1981, the last single "Eagles" from the live album "Seven Bridges Road" also hit the US charts. Pragmatic managers officially announced the breakup only in May 1982.
The musicians took up solo projects. Henley's work proved to be the most fruitful. Its peak can be considered the song "Heart of the matter", dedicated to the "Eagles" (that was the name of their album, which was never recorded). Suddenly emerging from oblivion, Meisner, long gone from "Poco", joined the "World classic rockers" - a team of half-forgotten "stars", along with Danny Lane and Spencer Davis. Walsh alone remained faithful to his tough funk - take at least his album "Little did he know".
In 1994, the quintet assembled in 1978 to record a commercial video clip, and then gave several concerts, in the end, recorded the album "Hell freezes over" (1994). The live DVD "Hell Freezes Over" (which finished on the Billboard 200 at number three) now tops the list of the best-selling DVDs in the world. In 1998, the Eagles were inducted into the emblematic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the very end of the 90s - with the transition to the new millennium - the Eagles embarked on a world tour (with visits to Russia, 2001), as a result of which the group again took the leading position in its league (two collections of the group "Greatest Hits" and " Eagles Selected Works 1972-1999 ", firmly established themselves in the Top 100 best-selling albums" of all time and peoples ", with the first collection being the most replicated album of the 20th century).
In 2001, guitarist Don Felder left the band. In 2003, the band released the single "Hole In The World", commemorating the victims of the 9/11 attacks. The band embarks on a tour of Australia (Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena), the band's performances on November 14, 15 and 17, 2004 formed the basis of a video released in 2005 titled "Farewell 1 Tour - Live from Melbourne", the concert includes all the best hits of the "Eagles".
In November 2007, the Eagles' new studio album "Long Road Out Of Eden" was released, the first full length album since 1979. The fans did not regret the long wait, the two-disc album includes 20 completely new tracks, on which the group has been working for almost six years. “Long Road Out Of Eden” debuted at # 1 in the US, became one of the best-selling albums of the year and reached triple platinum status, and brought the band 2 Grammy Awards for “How Long” and “I Dreamed There Was No War ”.
Today the band is performing live with Don Henley, Glen Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmidt, inviting session musicians. For four decades of concert and studio activities around the world, "Eagles" have managed to maintain public interest in their work, thanks to a high level of professionalism, which earned special respect from fans.

Based on materials from "Rock Encyclopedias"

We say "Eagles" - we mean "Hotel California". And vice versa. For the authors, the song became the most fatal, pushing other merits so far that it was believed that the group did not create anything more. Meanwhile, it is extremely unfair to classify them in the second echelon. Moreover: even before "Hotel California" it was believed that the group had passed its peak and it would be time for her to retire. But the imperishable composition overturned all ideas about the rock hierarchy. It not only symbolizes the seventies - it is called the swan song of rock in general. Not in the sense that there were no good songs later. There was nothing fundamentally new, milestone - and the forecasts for the future are also disappointing. A masterpiece is a masterpiece to bulge abruptly out of the Procrustean bed of stable quality factor.

The group was conceived in the right place at the right hour. By the end of the sixties, people had grown tired of abstruse psychedelia and conceptual polyphony, and the "flower revolution" began to fade. I wanted something simpler, more comfortable. On the other hand, America's largest state leaves a kind of magical seal (and Randy California from Spirit, and a cute namesake group, and, finally, the world's most common hotel is not a set of letters). Everything from rockabilly to bluegrass has fused in the musical palette. The future "eagles" managed to gain experience in different teams, professing folk traditions. The most famous were The Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco, which featured bungee guitarist Bernie Lydon and bassist Randy Meisner, respectively. At the same time, one can trace here how inscrutable the ways in rock are. Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, to which Lydon joined back in school, is the base Chris Hillman, now known from the Byrds, and in Four Of Us, along with Glen Frey, he plucked Ace Frehley on the eve of the coming of KISS. Most importantly, at these crossroads those who brought the Frisco sound to a new level, without much ado, dubbed West Coast Rock - the rock of the West Coast - converged.

The band owes its birth to Los Angeles - the same capital of everything progressive as San Francisco. The City of Angels with its contrasts, luxury of Hollywood and hippie communes, like a magnet attracted desperate seekers of happiness. (By the way, Jackson Brownie started there at the same time as our heroes). Perhaps the Eagles became his main paradox: none of the group that best praised California was Californian. Lydon came from Minnesota, Meisner came from Nebraska, and Glenn Frey and drummer Don Henley came from Michigan and Texas, dropping out of college for a paltry earnings in amateur bands for nothing). Frey was the most active and successful: he was the first to compose songs and release an album at the tiny studio "Emos" in a duet with Jay Sather (who will sometimes act as his co-author in the days of the Eagles). He was fortunate enough to meet David Crosby (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young), and through him with his manager David Geffen. Actually, Frey was counting on a solo career, but Geffen advised not to rush. The latter had his own considerations: he was going to "promote" the country singer Linda Ronstadt and he needed talented and not arrogant accompanists. At the local Troubadour club, Frey bumped into Henley, whose next band, Shilon, had just fallen apart. Then Lydon met with Meissner. They were already quite famous session musicians, and Geffen bombed both of them for Linda's recordings. Thus, the "queen of country" can be considered their unwitting godmother. They worked for a year as an escort group and, feeling that they had grown to independence, they honestly warned about leaving. By mid-1971, a quartet called the Eagles appeared in sunny California. One of many thousands.

The team relies on a leader. Although everyone knew how to sing, the indefatigable Frey acted as the frontman. His songs brought initial success - in particular, Take it easy, written together with the aforementioned Brownie. The song was included in the debut album "The Eagles" (1972), which Geffen released at the newly created studio "Esylum" (he soon became its president). The disc was recorded in England under the production of Glynn Jones, who worked with rollings, zeppelins and the like. Despite strong support, the vinyl pancake fell under the first pancake rule. The listeners agreed that the band looks better at concerts. A more cordial welcome was in the South - the local residents fell in love with Lidon's Witchy woman and Peaceful easy feeling of the famous Jack Tempchin. Critics unanimously called the quartet "another typical country band". This prompted the creation of something epic, like a country opera.

The second LP Desperado (1973) tells the story of the historical gangster Doolin Delton and his gang operating in the Wild West. The recording was made in the same place. Apparently because everyone wrote the songs, the whole disc did not work. But Henley's hatched composer's gift drew attention to himself; he owned the title composition. Hit can also be called Tequila sunrize and Doolin Dalton - they are forever included in their arsenal of strikes. The main thing is that the author's tandem Freya-Henley has developed. Remained a mere trifle - to find your own, one of the millions of sound.

The new album On the border (1974) became a turning point in the biography. Several factors overlapped. The musicians changed their manager and producer - Irving Azoff and Billy Zhimchik came. Keys were included in the toolkit. Guitarist Don Felder also took part in the recording. All four were so bewitched by his double-headed "Gibson" that they offered to become a permanent member of the group (by the way, he was not a Californian either - he came from Florida). The new sound merged with the old, crystallizing a much-needed individuality. The disc brought the first "gold" and three hits No. 1 in "Billboard" - James Dean, Best of my love and One of these night (the third immediately replaced the second). It is noteworthy that even at this stage they did not abandon the borrowed material, interpreting Tom Waits' ballad Ol "55. The audience flooded to the concerts. The unyielding Old World obeyed. Elementary logic demanded a new hit disc, which was brilliantly implemented the following year.

Album One of these nights collected "platinum", it is still called the best collection of pop songs of the seventies. Without Hotel California, it would have remained the crown jewel of the Eagles. Lyin "eyes received a Grammy, Jorney of sorcerer became the screensaver of the super popular television series" The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "(based on the novel by Douglas Adams). The" hot five "included three songs, including Meisner's first hit Take it to the limit. Until the end of the year, this was not so noticeable, because to consolidate the success the team undertook a world tour, recording Live in Sidney in Australia along the way (the most gratifying visit was a visit to Japan, where the audience sang along with the original language! ) But it has long been known that success has a downside in the form of the question “Who is the boss in the group?” Tired of concert marathons and tensions within the band, Lydon left his comrades. a donkey in the role of a seishman (for those who are especially curious, we can add that around the same time his romance with the daughter of Ronald Reagan, who was just about to run for president, ended) ...

In place of Lidon, Asof brought another of his charges - Joe Walsh. Well-established in the James Gang, with great solo albums, he agreed to share his talent with other talents. With his arrival, the Eagles felt a tilt towards hard rock. This was especially vividly manifested again at concerts, for the group left studio work for almost a year - not to miss the avalanche commercial fees. However, enough material has accumulated for the collection Their greatest hits, which has become three times platinum and recognized by the National Recording Association as the disc of the year. It is possible that a long break allowed the release of a reference album, where you-know-what-song sounded.

Hotel California has been recording for over half a year in several studios. Almost all songs became hits - New kid in town (again "Grammy"), Life in the fast lane, Victim of love, The last resort ... But the joint creation of Frey - Felder - Henley was distinguished by everything. Hanley wrote five songs personally - and the reins of leadership passed to him. A singing drummer is a rare and time-consuming phenomenon (Phil Collins, for example, calls on a drummer-backup during the tour), which added an extra original facet to the band. As for the mega hit, the whole environment was refracted here. 1976 was a jubilee year - 200 years for the United States. The musicians compared their country to an international comfortable hotel, where any emigrant can find shelter, but not home. Some will find similarities to Angie, released by the Rolling Stones three years earlier. Really, how many people remember Angie and how many millions have the Eagles fans grown? Does the first have cover versions and how many of them does the second have? In short, the winners are not judged. Throughout the year, the song topped all imaginable charts, and there was not a moment on earth when it did not sound anywhere on the air. It's not surprising that she was chosen as the final chord of the golden era of rock: the crisis of the genre has already emerged, and in the structure of the song, lyrics, vocals, in the final dialogue of guitars, one can hear a longing for something that is irrevocably gone ... In the end, someone has to complete the performance ... The group was lucky with a place in history - they grabbed the step of the departing train. Remember the first and the last.

Alas, the peak is not only the peak, but also the beginning of the descent. It looks like the Eagles are convinced that they can do anything. The next disc had to wait for two years. During this time, Meissner left the group and returned to Poco. Interestingly, Timothy Schmidt came to replace him, replacing him at Poco for six years. Following the lead of fashion, the musicians began to experiment with might and main. High-timbral guitars, synthesizers and saxophones appeared. The quintessence of this is the song Sad cafe, recorded with David Sanborn. But ... either personal age affected, or time itself. Something important is missing. Well, on the crest of Hotel California, the album was doomed to platinum. Although in itself, he did not disgrace the reputation. Schmidt also did not disappoint, containing the hit I can tell you why. At the concerts, however, the audience frantically clamored for their loved one. It’s not out of place to say that the Eagles never saved a signature number for dessert, and often opened the program for them. Maybe this also played a role - great joy to turn into a group of one song? As a result, the group gave the last grandiose tour of the States, released an Eagles live double, which acquired the traditional "platinum" (Hotel California again topped the charts "live") and dispersed peacefully. Pragmatic managers officially announced the breakup only in May 1982. The California Hotel has finally turned into a myth.

The life of musicians did not end there. They took up solo projects, sometimes played along and even produced each other. Henley's work turned out to be the most fruitful, he worked with colleagues as eminent as they are so different. Its pinnacle can be considered the song Heart of the matter, dedicated to the Eagles (it was supposed to be the name of their album, which was never recorded). Suddenly emerging from oblivion Meisner, long gone from Poco, joined the World Classic Rockers - a team of half-forgotten “stars”, along with Danny Lane and Spencer Davis. True, their music bears little resemblance to the classical Eagles, which is entirely consistent with the general change in the degree of perception.

More or less, Walsh remained faithful to his tough funk - take at least his latest album Little did he know (1997). It is no coincidence that he was invited to the inauguration of Bill Clinton - this is another confirmation of the status of the symbol of America. As often happens, individual works are significantly inferior to those done together. As happens even more often, after many years the "eagles" were drawn to their native nest. In 1994, the quintet assembled as part of 1978. A full-length album and the same tour were planned. But as always, hopes were not justified. The disc Hell freezes over (at the Geffen studio - the same one) presented only four new songs, and the tour boiled down to almost a few concerts. You cannot trample against the laws of nature, you cannot turn back youth. Humanly understandable: this is the last thing older rockers can get out of life. But since time is inexorable - is it worth it to engage in self-destruction? Who will understand these complexities ... One thing is certain: we say Eagles - we mean Hotel California. And vice versa.

In 2007, the Frey-Henley-Walsh-Schmidt band recorded a full-length studio double album Long Road Out Of Eden with new songs ....

Discography
Eagles ____________1972
Desperado_________ 1973
On the Border_______1974
One of These Nights__1975
Hotel California______1976
The Long Run_______1979
Eagles Live_________1980
Hell Freezes Over____1994
Live In The Fast Lane_1994
Little did he know ____1997