History of the Eagles
Posted on July 23, 2013
My wife is a big fan of the Eagles, which is pretty cool, because I am a big fan of the Eagles too. It’s always nice to have spousal agreement on big issues like Eagles fandom.
My wife Kerry and I at the “History of the Eagles” concert last night
We went to the “History of the Eagles” concert last night, and I must say, it was just a ton of fun.
I kind of wished that they played outside, until we went outside and it started raining right after the concert. At that moment I saw the wisdom of keeping the venue indoors.
It never rains in Southern California, the state where the Eagles really made their bones, so watching the Eagles outside in California would be really cool. I have to put that on my bucket list.
The Eagles have been such a big part of my life.
When I was in high school, I danced my first slow dance to an Eagles song. (Of course, it was Desperado). We were on a school trip my junior year to, of all places, Washington D.C. and the school hosted an dance party on one of the last night of the trip.
I wasn’t a particularly good slow dancer back in my junior year of High School, but it was nice to get that first slow dance out of my system, and the Eagles helped to make that happen.
I remember distinctly when Hotel California album came out, and with it, the iconic song “The New Kid in Town.” My family was going through some difficulties (divorce and all of the detritus that comes with it), and “The New Kid in Town,” sticks in my mind as a song that helped to sustain me.
The Eagles had a western feel to their music, with a bit of country thrown in.
Their songs tell stories that stick with you, their harmonies are flawless (ala Crosby Still Nash and Young).
Even forty years ago, their songs had an emotional maturity to them. They sang about limits, and fleeting fame, about taking it easy, and peaceful easy feelings. They warned about being prisoners of our own device and the perils of life in the fast lane. Life is a marathon (or a long run), not a sprint.
Of course, Joe Walsh had other ideas, but even he admitted that he couldn’t drive is fast car anymore.
Being built for the long run is perhaps why they looked so fit when they climbed up on stage last night.
The Eagles are cross-section of America settled in California. Glenn Frey is from Detroit, Don Henley is from Texas, Joe Walsh is from Kansas, Randy Meissner is from Nebraska, J.D. Souther was from Detroit, and Bernie Leadon is from Minnesota.
But they all moved west and created a distinct California sound.
And back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, California was the place to go to achieve your dreams.
The Eagles got their start by playing backup to Linda Ronstadt, and Ronstadt was once hot and heavy with Jerry Brown, the once and current governor of America’s most interesting state.
They lived hard back in the day, but what didn’t kill them seems to have made them stronger.
All of these huge rock stars are in their mid to late sixties. Don Henley turned 66 yesterday.
And they all looked great, much younger than many of the 65 year olds who crowded into the Verizon center last night.
It was shame that they broke up for the 14 years they did, but I am glad they got back together.
They were awesome last night. Just plain awesome.