Hidden Treasures Tribute to Glenn Frey

[Scott]

So far this year we’ve lost a handful of significant Classic Rock influencers, song writers, and innovators, and it's still only January. Unfortunately it’s likely something we need to get used to. The jolts will keep coming wether we like it or not. Our heroes are aging and in many cases their past lifestyles aren’t helping them grow old gracefully – except for Keith Richards of course. So I would suspect a few more expected/unexpected losses will come our way this year and a few more the next etc…. etc…


It’s made more difficult when the artist is so entrenched in your musical life. For me, this is the case with Glenn Frey. I don’t recall a first listen, or when The Eagles became part of my musical lexicon, they just did. I tend to think it was the album “One Of These Nights” that thoroughly did it though, and more specifically that title track. But I do clearly recall hearing the album On The Border from my brothers collection previously. And obviously "Take it Easy" and the radio hits were on, a lot, "Best of My Love" was huge… but the whole album of "One Of These Nights" really worked for me. Then "Hotel California" blew up massively. And I do have a distinct memory of hearing the radio station play the leadoff single, "Heartache Tonight", from "The Long Run" one night cruising the town with my friends. I remember sshh-shing everyone and turning it up. We all dug it! Still do… Then Eagles Live, which we also got into. Then *poof* nothing… And the amazing thing is, this small amount of music these guys made was enough to last. Maybe that’s the biggest testimony of their influence. So while we deal with our Heartache Tonight, Theres a New Kid in Town out there somewhere... Take it Easy Mr. Frey!!


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/a1j5w3f8

	Eagles Desperado 1973 1 - Doolin-Dalton Henley had begun co-writing with Glenn Frey, and they contributed the album's strongest material, which included the first single, "Tequila Sunrise," and "Desperado" (strangely never released as a single). But where Eagles seemed deliberately to balance the band's many musical styles and the talents of the band's members, Desperado, despite its overarching theme, often seemed a collection of disparate tracks -- "Out of Control" was a raucous rocker, while "Desperado" was a painfully slow ballad backed by strings -- with other bandmembers' contributions tacked on rather than integrated. Randy Meisner was down to two co-writing credits and one lead vocal ("Certain Kind of Fool"), while Bernie Leadon's two songs, "Twenty-One" and "Bitter Creek," seemed to come from a different record entirely. The result was an album that was simultaneously more ambitious and serious-minded than its predecessor and also slighter and less consistent.
	Eagles On The Border 1974 2 - On The Border Glenn Frey and Don Henley, wanted to take more of a hard rock direction. They reconvened with a new producer, Bill Szymczyk, who had produced artists like B.B. King and, more significantly, Joe Walsh. But the resulting album is not an outright rock effort by any means. Certainly, Frey and Henley got what they wanted with "Already Gone," the lead-off track, which introduces new bandmember Don Felder as one part of the twin guitar solo that recalls the Allman Brothers Band; "James Dean," a rock & roll song on the order of "Your Mama Don't Dance," and "Good Day in Hell," which is strongly reminiscent of Joe Walsh songs like "Rocky Mountain Way." But the album also features the usual mixture of styles typical of an Eagles album.
	Eagles One of These Nights 1975 3 - One of These Nights Intro from the box set titled "Selected Works 1972-1999" Anticipation had been heightened by the belated chart-topping success of the third album's "The Best of My Love"; taking a little more time, the band generated more original material, and that material was more polished. More than ever, the Eagles seemed to be a vehicle for Don Henley (six co-writing credits) and Glenn Frey (five), but at the same time, Randy Meisner was more audible than ever, his two lead vocals including one of the album's three hit singles, "Take It to the Limit," and Bernie Leadon had two showcases, among them the cosmic-cowboy instrumental "Journey of the Sorcerer" (later used as the theme music for the British television series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Nevertheless, it was the team of Henley and Frey that stood out, starting with the title track, a number one single, which had more of an R&B -- even a disco -- sound than anything the band had attempted previously, and continuing through the ersatz Western swing of "Hollywood Waltz" to "Lyin' Eyes," one of Frey's patented folk-rock shuffles, which became another major hit.
	Eagles Long Road Out Of Eden 2007 4 - No More Cloudy Days The Eagles burrow so deeply into their classic sound that they sound utterly disconnected from modern times, no matter how hard Don Henley strives to say something, anything about the wretched state of the world on "Long Road Out of Eden," "Frail Grasp on the Big Picture," and "Business as Usual." These tunes are riddled with 21st century imagery, but sonically they play as companions to Henley's brooding end-of-the-'80s hit The End of the Innocence, both in their heavy-handed sobriety and deliberate pace and their big-budget production. That trio fits neatly into the second disc of Long Road Out of Eden, which generally feels stuck in the late '80s, as Walsh spends seven minutes grooving on "Last Good Time in Town" as if he were a Southwestern Jimmy Buffett with a worldbeat penchant, Glenn Frey sings Jack Tempchin and John Brannen's "Somebody" as if it were a sedated, cheerful "Smuggler's Blues," and the whole thing feels polished with outdated synthesizers.

[Niels (Mod)]

1. If I'd seen that single(or albumcover) when I was a kid, I would had though, that these dudes were playing bad-ass music, and not boring country-ballads or whatever. Sorry, but

2. A little bit better, but I'm still bored. I still wonder, why they want to appear as bad boys, and play this kind of music. Oh, another clap-song. Nice ending to the song....no, not really.

3. I remember this song from back then. It was played a lot on danish radio. I liked it, and still do, even though it's slow, it's a good song. (It's probably one of the fastest and heaviest Eagles-songs). I'm not talking about the intro, though. I've always liked a good riff, and that bass-riff is among the best. Classic song! Nice guitar-solo.

4. I see small adorable rabbits and lot's of flowers in differnet colors, and.....no, this is definitely not for me at all.

Sorry, that you've lost one of you heroes.

[Scott]

Thanks Niels,  Kinda makes me wanna post a SHT list about Poco as a follow up, but that would annoy you even more..  LOL!  I kid.... or do I?

[Jon]

That preview of OOTN was funny as SHT. I actually laughed out loud.

I do like the song OTB because it rocks. That's probably why I like The Long Run because it's more rock-oriented. Plus I like the rocky stuff on Hotel California. 

The first and third racks are ok, I've heard them before.

As for Long Road Out Of Eden, it's mostly mellow and I have listened to it maybe twice in my lifetime. This song really doesn't do anything for me, but that makes no difference since it's all about Glenn Frey.

"Sounds great if I could only hear it".

I'm listening to that geetar solo again, and it's as funny as before.

[Scott]

I thought that was hilarious too...  Clearly it was back when they all got along.  I think Hotel California gave them all big egos, and probably rightfully so.  But it caused friction.

I know I am in the minority of those who like the Long Road Out Of Eden release.  Its really very good, although I would concede that the songs sound like they do not fit as well together as they did on other albums.  Its more like Henley cut some solo tracks and gave them to the band and then Frey, Schmidt and Walsh did the same without everyone coming together/  I know its not the case for all tracks but the finished product does sound that way.  Taken individually though, the songs are strong.

Thanks!!

[Jon]

Thanks??? For what?

[Scott]

For listening and responding!

[Jon]

Oh. That's what I do, so no thanks are needed. 

http://classic-rock-bottom.ning.com/forum/topics/lost-forgotten-alb...

[RJhog (Admin)]

My basic introduction to the Eagles was Hotel California.  I was 10 when it came out, so I certainly didn't own it, but somewhere along the line somebody I knew, most definitely a cousin, had it.  And I certainly liked it (my feelings about it since have grown to love), but then came The Long Run.  Again, somebody I knew had it, but I really liked it.  

I've since gone back and purchased all of the albums.  And where I've always thought I liked Henley's songs better, I don't think I can say that anymore.  Of late I've realized how great Frey's songs are.  He had such a smooth voice, I can tell you I'm very sad that he is gone.  I firmly believe that the Eagles are most definitely finished.  I just can't see them doing anything without Frey.  

Doolin' Dalton and On The Border are both freakishly amazing songs.   And I had never even really noticed them before until a week or so ago.  

One Of These Nights is definitely one of the best Eagles songs.  No questions about it. And that intro was great.  I was in a closing cd store in December of 2009 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  They had about twenty of those box sets and they were marked down to 12 dollars.  I'm still kicking myself today for not buying a couple of them.

No More Cloudy Days was a surprise.  I've heard it, but never given it much thought.  But that smoothness in his voice really shines here.  Now I've got to spin LROOE.

Great post Scott...Rest In Peace Mr. Frey.