Choose one.
Last night I made the mistake of watching the last 2/3 of a new Eagles documentary that’s been running on Showtime. It put me in a real bad mood.
Who am I kidding? I knew I was going to watch this thing at some point, and I’m sure I’ll catch the first hour at some point. I actually watched the final hour on the band’s long, painful (for me, at least) reunion activities just so I could hear what the final straw was in our friend Don Felder‘s participation. How pathetic is that?
I knew this documentary was going to drive me into a deep, dark mood. I hate the Eagles. Hate. Even as I calculated the couple of songs by them that I can appreciate/enjoy to some extent, the bile churned.
What was most remarkable was seeing how, after all these years, Glenn Frey and Don Henley‘s take on the band’s importance to Western Civilization has grown by leaps and bounds. These guys never lacked confidence and cockiness, but any time their modern-day selves were on camera and speaking to the band’s legacy I had to hit the Program Guide button to make sure I wasn’t actually watching a Beatles documentary.
Have any of you watched this thing yet? It’s time we determine, once and for all, the Biggest Asshole in [the] Eagles. This is a 2-horse race.
SHOWDOWN (choose one): Once and for all, who's the biggest asshole in the Eagles, Don Henley or Glenn Frey?
- Frey. (63%, 31 Votes)
- Henley. (37%, 18 Votes)
Total Voters: 49
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My FBook post, 2/16/13, about 6:00PM: “Okay, gonna try to sit through part two of the Showtime Eagles doc. See how long I can take Glenn Frey’s interminable striving to strike the Perfectly Cool Pose.”
My FBook post 2/16/13, 6:02PM: “Barely made it through his opening remarks
My FBook post 2/16/13, 6:06PM: “O Joy! Glenn re-visiting “No Fun Aloud.” Six minutes. OUT.”
aloha
LD
I am with you 100%, RaoulG! At least Henley has the Walden Pond stuff going for him, if you can’t respect anything else about the guy.
This will be a barn burner poll. I was going to click on Henley and then RaoulG has to bring up “No Fun Aloud” . . .
I’m dying to see this for all the wrong reasons — just because it fulfills a certain Rock aesthetic for me that I dig. The whole Southern California Feathered-back-hair-Western-shirt-too-cool look. This is a look a Jewish kids from New Jersey could never ever touch, even back in my more younger days.
This is a foreign land to me. And maybe why I’m fascinated with Russ Kunkel so much and went through my Dan Fogelberg stage in high school.
Is this soo wrong of me? I hate the Eagles and everything they stand for. Except maybe the mirror sunglasses. I’m sure Mr. Mod can respect this fashion adulation as it comes up in the Hall often.
And as for who I dislike more I’d have to go by their solo output. BOTH are HORRIBLE, but I think Henley has the most objectional solo material. I mean Frey had the horrible Heartache tonight song … but Henley committed way too many rock crimes with Dirty Laundry. And don’t get me started on All she wants to do is dance!!!! C’mon!!!
I saw a chunk of this as well. I tuned in some time around Jackson Browne (who would be asshole competition for the winner of this here contest) and quit at Hell Freezes Over. You know, Frey, thinks he’s a bad ass but he’ll back it up bit. Henley was such a smug prick the whole time.
Good points, k. See, I would be tempted to simply mix it up with Frey and kick HIS ass as soon as possible. This is not a good reflection on my own character, but I would venture an effort to get Henley off by himself and get some enjoyment trying to be a smug prick alongside him.
I’m going to go in a positive direction and say…
Joe Walsh is the only non-asshole in The Eagles.
For shame, sammy, for shame!
Yeah, I’m down with the mirrored sunglasses. I see where you’re coming from, but in terms of solo output, I know Frey didn’t have as many horrible hit songs drilled into our songs, but don’t forget this “overlooked turd”:
I love the 2:05 mark in the following, when he makes eye contact with a beautiful woman while cursing out a taxi driver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yUmhsy3KuY
On the other hand, if the following is actually a 1967 song by Frey’s first band then the guy showed some early promise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXSaUn1NBV8
Quick addendum: Last time (the) Eagles came through HNL Mrs LD asked me if I wanted to go. I ran through my diatribe (“F them! F Henley, f Frey! F Joe too! No Don Felder, no me! F them!” rinse mouth with soap, repeat), so she found some girlfriends willing to grab some nosebleed seats. The six of them hit a restaurant near the arena for some pre-show beverages and this guy approaches with a story about how “I can’t make the show but would you lovely ladies like my tickets, no strings,no charge, I just want them to go to folks who will enjoy them?” The girls said sure and ended up in the front row, Joe’s side of the stage.
And I’m still happy I didn’t go. Fuck them!
aloha
LD
Whichever of the two that did Smuggler’s Blues.
I am going to cop out. By claiming one is the bigger asshole it somehow elevates the other to second biggest asshole. For me it’s one of those riddles in life that I simply can not solve. OK, which ever one wrote HOTEL CALIFORNIA may get my vote…I used to fling myself at the radio dial to change it when it came on.
Here’s an interesting question: Which song is the best post-Eagles effort by the two? I expect Boys of Summer to walk away with this but the Bruce-Hornsby-lite (if that’s even possible) vibe of End of Innocence is the dark horse here.
I always liked Henley’s The Last Worthless Evening.
I have a soft spot for “Dirty Laundry” mostly due to Pat Burrell.
That question gave me an ear-bleed.
aloha
LD
Frey is definately the leading a-hole for me after watching the first part of this on demand last night.
Overall, it’s pretty enteraining (my wife even watched it) but some of it strains credibility. I mean Randy Meisner quits because he can’t hit a high note at the end of a song consistently? Cripes — re-work the freaking song like every other rocker does who can’t hit the notes anymore.
I did enjoy the vintage Linda Rondstadt stuff and didn’t know the Seger connection with Frey. My wife was fascinated by Timothy B. Schmit’s “Look.”
Meisner looks the worse for wear out of this bunch.
Did anbody ever listen to his solo record? I kind of felt sorry for the dude after watching this.
Confession: I used to listen to “The of the Innocence” — a lot.
I know I’m really late to the party on this, but I have to say Frey’s a way bigger asshole–and considering what a monumental asshole Henley is, that’s really saying something. At least ol’ Don had several truly good songs as a solo artist, and has an absolutely phenomenal voice (even if he is the least good drummer of any major rock band ever), whereas Glenn as a solo artist did absolutely nothing of value whatsoever.
So both assholes, but at least one has a great voice to give at least a tiny bit of backup to his assholedom, whereas Frey’s an asshole ‘cuz he’s rich and famous. (And physically large.)
I just hate-watched some of this last week for the first time. So entertaining and not for the reasons that the band intended.
Pithy or insightful comments don’t seem to come naturally to Glen Frey, so watching his interview sections is like watching a really bad community-theater actor trying to do Shakespeare. And he very well may have invented the prototype of the alpha-bro-fratboy-douche.
On the other hand, Henley is so pompus and so humorless, that he got my vote in the poll.
I can’t wait to watch the rest of it.