What's up with dissing Don Henley?

I always liked the song "Don Henley Must Die" by Mojo Nixon. Just for fun, here's the lyrics:

He's a tortured artist
Used to be in the Eagles
Now he whines
Like a wounded beagle
Poet of despair!
Pumped up with hot air!
He's serious, pretentious
And I just don't care
Don Henley must die!
Don't let him get back together
With Glenn Frey!
Don Henley must die!

Turn on the TV
And what did I see?
This bloated hairy thing
Winning a Grammy
Best Rock Vocalist?
Compared to what?
But your pseudo-serious
Crafty Satanic blot
Don Henley must die!
Put a sharp stick in his eye!
Don Henley must die!
Yea yea yea

Quit playin' that crap
You're out of the band

I'm only kidding
Can't you tell?
I love his sensitive music
Idiot poetry, swell
You and your kind
Are killing rock and roll
It's not because you are O L D
It's cause you ain't got no soul!
Don't be afraid of fun
Loosen up your ponytail!
Be wild, young, free and dumb
Get your head out of your tail
Don Henley must die!
Don't let him get back together
With Glenn Frey!

Don Henley must die!
Put him in the electric chair
Watch him fry!
Don Henley must die
Don Henley must die
No Eagles reunion
The same goes for you, Sting!

 

The most interesting story in Felder's book was about all those benefit shows for liberal causes. Felder said they had done so many of those that he had an idea to do one benefit show for their road crew and give the earnings to them. He felt these guys had worked hard for them for many years and it would be nice to do something in return. The idea was apparently not well received by Henley and Frey and never happened.

 

It's the money thing isn't it. Henley and Frey make no bones about being businessmen and wanting to make as much money as possible. It doesn't sit well with a lot of people, as musicians are traditionally viewed as artists who should care more about their art than commerce. Henley and Frey come across a lot of the time as guys who don't really care passionately for music that much and view it as a job to furnish their millionare playboy lifestyles.

 

I can't believe people who don't listen to music they like anymore because they don't like the artist as a person.

I know a lot of people (including many artists themselves) see that differently but to me art is absolutely free of such profane things as politics / ideology / the artist's private life or character.
I couldn't care less for political relevance and social commentary in art. I think people miss out on a lot of things if they let their P.C. sensitivities intermeddle with something as deeply emotional and irrational as music.

To contribute to the topic: I don't know anything about Don Henley's private life and I couldn't care less.

 

I’m not fussed about the guy and what he’s like. I really enjoy The Eagles music although refuse to pay the vast fortune required to buy a ticket to one of their live shows.

I have been entertained by listening to a few different podcasts Don Felder has recorded over the past 6 months whilst out promoting his book. In fact i’d quite like to read a copy. Sounds a fascinating tale…………..although I’m sure the un-edited edition, i.e. the book BEFORE it had gone under the gaze of Henley/Frey and their lawyers would be a much more interesting read.

Henley’s image, along with Frey’s has never been great. They haven’t exactly made themselves popular with their drive for money and control so I can see how some would dislike them.

But as has been said already, the music sounds great to me and beyond that I’m really not that fussed.

 

Boys of Summer is a CLASSIC. Yeah, I've heard he can be a jerk, but the guy is pro-eco, and he wrote some great songs. Until he starts exploding small animals in the microwave, he gets a pass from me.

 

Lowenbrow

I remember hearing Henly interviewwd about his ecology committment years ago on VH-1.
It was like listening to Roger McGuinn if he had about 30 less I.Q. points...

 

I could be wrong, but wasn't it Frey that had the run in with Rabdy Meisner?

 

Pretty much...

 

Yup, that was the story! And, yes, I think you hit it on the head. But, you do realize that the word "leftist" is used by right-wing extremists to make them sound worse than they really are.

But, the thing about the three teenage prostitutes also made news.

You know what? he's HUMAN! He, like all of us, has done things they may not have been proud of.

 

He certainly was there. In fact, he called the paramedics when one of the underage prostitutes in his presence started having seizures from the cocaine he had given her. That led to his arrest for contributing to the delinquency of a minor as well as possession of marijuana, cocaine, and Quaaludes.

 

If I recall, he did not give her the drugs. But, you know that at those types of parties, especially in those days, the drugs would flow freely. They were around.

The second incident was when he allegedly had three girls lined up in a row...if you know what I mean. So, the man had needs.

 

You hear these stories about how it's written in to the Eagles' concert rider that no one is allowed to make eye contact with Henley backstage before the show, and he does seem to have a rather arrogant, grouchy streak while preaching about the environment and his pet causes. That really shouldn't keep anyone from recognizing the guy's genuine talent, it just means that you probably wouldn't want to hang around with him very long.

 

Maybe it's all the drugs he took in the 70s...

 

who's don henley?

 

A really nice guy. Just misunderstood.

 

Why don't people just listen to the music. I'm not an Eagles fan, they are "o.k.", but if
I judged music by what people are like outside of performing, I probably would not like
anybody. What comes out of my speakers, that's what matters.

 

You're saying Felders' book had to undergo Henley and Freys' scrutiny before it was published?
Doesn't sound likely.
I own and have read Felders' book, and it doesn't seem to pull many punches, imo.

 

I like the Eagles' music also, but the thing is Henley and Freys' personalities and personal and professional practices intrude, whether you want it to or not.
It's impossible to ignore the absense of Felder, and knowing the reasons that brought about his "departure" only make it harder to like H and F.

 

He's a legend in his own mind. Overrated in my book.

 

Agreed-
those guys are wrong for how they treated Felder...

 

Does anyone know how to find a copy of the unedited book? There are some of Don Felders book's on ebay, but how do you tell them apart? -Thanks, Bruce

 

That whole thing really made him a sourpuss. As I recall, someone who was living in his shouse while he was in Europe raped an underage girl and as the case snailed through the courts all the headlines kept saying was 'in Don Henley's house' with the fact that henley was away being printed in lower case type later in the article.

The smoking gun had his contract riders posted which really sealed it for me. After he arrives, the backstage area is to be cleared of everyone but his people and security. If he sees anyone that is not with him or security, he reserves the right to cancel the show immediately at no cost to him. Also, no one is to speak to him before the show for any reason or else the show may be canceled.

 

There are a lot of artists who are unpleasant people that just happen to make great music. The struggle is finding the tipping point where their personal lives override whatever enjoyment might be gained from listening to their records.

While I enjoy The Eagles recordings a great deal, I'm afraid my enjoyment is tempered by knowing about the band politics and the personal dispositions of some of the band members.

I found it remarkable that Frey turned out to be the greatest force of negativity in the band (although Henley certainly collaborated w/Frey in more than just songwriting).

Sure music is a business, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to be successful financially, but when you start putting money before your fellow man, that's when the rot sets in.

I also find it hard to see Henley's sour countenance and attitude in interviews and not inject that into the music and see the contradiction at hand.

While my enjoyment of an artist's work is almost always enhanced by knowing more about the person and their life, there are sometimes cases where knowing too much can have a negative impact.

 

Back in 2005, their ticket prices actually took a decent dip - they even offered $25 tickets for a bunch of shows that spring!

Looks like the prices have crept back up - the cheapest tickets for some upcoming shows tend to be in the $65 range. To be fair, though, the Eagles charge no more than other big acts - it's not like they're alone in their high prices...