What's up with dissing Don Henley?

My wife told me today she was listening to WXPN in Philly, and they were doing some sort of feature on artists from Texas. Don Henley was mentioned, and someone commented "Maybe he should have stayed in Texas", followed by some listener comments dissing Mr. Henley. She asked me why.

I didn't have an answer. I'm used to hearing artists like Sting dissed for attitude, activism, MOR success, etc., but I don't know why Don Henley is a target. Other than Mojo Nixon's "Don Henley Must Die", of course.

Any info and/or opinions?

 

probably either cause he's a dem and you were listening to a consv radio show, or because of that "after the boys of summer" song. can't say i care though, never was a big eagles fan. although hotel california kind of rocks (the song, not the album so much).

 

I wonder what Robert Christgau thinks of Don Henley?

 

He's considered a curmudgeon of the highest order who cares only about suing people and perpetuating his own wealth.

Personally, I think he's very talented and has a golden voice. He's just supposed to be a brooding jerk. I've never met him so I can't say for sure.

 

A friend of mine likes his music, but will no longer play it because he is an active member of a wildlife organization based in Colorado that tried to sue the Army in order to shut down the military base here. Stevie Nicks is supposed to be a member of it too. I wish I could remember the name of the organization.

Some people don't like Henley's social commentary in his song lyrics.

Some people remember that in the 80s, he had an "incident" with a teenager on quaaludes, and "parties" with teenage prostitutes, all documented by the news media.

 

I've never heard a nice word out of his mouth, and he always looks sour and unpleasant. He's fine as an artist, but by reputation he's not a terribly good person.

 

We're not supposed to talk about politics here.

 

He comes across a bit pompous and bitter doesn't he? Did he write the lyrics to Life in the Fast Lane? Jeez just listen to that song. Hotel California? Someone in that band had a pretty dim view of humanity.

 

Wasn't he interviewed on Sixty Minutes in the last year and, as you say, he looked sour and unpleasant?

I've gotten the impression he is a control freak. Can anyone substantiate that? And do some blame him for breaking up the Eagles, or at least for running off some of the Eagles, such as Don Felder?

 

In spite of being an activist, he's an ***.

 

IIRC he was pushing for royalty payments on the sale of used albums and discs. Also the Eagles under his direction were the first to break the $100 per ticket barrier.

Thanks Don.

 

That is what brought about the song Dirty Laundry I assume??

 

Good question

I Can't Stand Still [Asylum, 1982] B+
Building the Perfect Beast [Geffen, 1984] B
The End of the Innocence [Geffen, 1989] C+
Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits [Geffen, 1995] Bomb
Inside Job [Warner Bros., 2000] C-

 

I remember that. It was pretty shocking at the time to have a face value that high.

 

From what Felder says in his book, it seems more likely Glenn Frey was the catalyst in getting him removed from the band, though Henley certainly supported it and ultimately the decision was more about money than personality conflicts.

 

Ask Rusty Young from Poco.

 

I don't have any problem with Don despite many stories I've heard involving greed.

The fact is he hass used his money to help conserve a great deal of the beautiful Walden Woods.

Oh yeah... and he's got some good tunes under his belt.

 

Yeah it seems like Felder had a pretty good relationship at times with Henley but that his major conflict with with Frey.

 

Henley may not be the nicest guy in the world but he's a terrific artist and has a golden voice.

 

Which is funny because to me, Frey always came off as the "nice guy" to me while Don seemed to be a little ticked off all the time.

Oh, I do miss Don Felder in the Eagles line up.

 

Personality and good or bad deeds aside, which I know nothing of, I'm not a big fan of his voice or lyrics but I do try very hard to refrain from 'dissing' those who I do not enjoy.

 

the "incident" I recall was a party involving drugs, where a 16-year old was running naked in Don's house as the police busted the party; however, Don was not there, and while it was his house, he didn't reside there; and Don is almost radical in his politics, and has performed free shows for leftist political candidates, as fundraisers...so, in short, he rubs a lot of people the wrong way

 

In Felder's book both Frey and Henley come off as greedy, manipulative assses. Randy Meisner was apparently the only nice guy in the Eagles. The band comes across as a miserable uptight bunch of guys who hated each other from day one and largely didn't even enjoy what they were doing.

 

I like his solo work...not interested in his personal life...

he entertains me so he is doing what he's paid for...

 

As Don Henley & Co. once sang, "Get Over It".