The question is about his skills as a guitarist, and people are responding about his singing abilities and the qualities of his solo albums...
He had the Heavy Metal thing, and then kind of disappeared to count his money and occasionally emerge to sue Don and Glenn.
Well I wasn't responding to whether the Eagles were underrated. I'd happily never listen to that song again, but if you do a quick Youtube under their name, chances are you'll find more than Just Hotel California on the first page. See what comes up if you put in Don Felder. I'm betting it will be 95% vids of him playing it.
That may be, but I'm not a guitar player myself and just based on the 1977 concert I watched, it is Felder (not Walsh) playing the solos on most of songs. Walsh does play some piano and sings too, so he is the more talented overall musician obviously.
Probably, but the 70’s was full of guitar hero’s. He was a key part of one of the biggest bands...that is all that is important!
Reading Felders book he doesn't seem like the kind of guy that is into busting off hot riffs. Hotel California aside, most of his playing is laid back. Kind of like the Eagles music. I think his playing fit The Eagles for what they were doing, and in that context, he is really good. Outside of that context, while certainly a capable guitar player with a nice tone, he is kind of average.
1. Interview on his book 2. Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride) 3. Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride) 4. Hotel California 5. A rehearsal clip of the Eagles jamming Witchy Woman with Felder and Walsh - 1977? 6. Hotel California 7. interview 8. interview 9. commentary 10. Hotel California 11. All of You 12. All of You 13.American Rock n Roll 14. guitar solo with the Eagles (not playing Hotel California, BTW) 15. Heavy metal (Takin' a Ride) 3/15 = 20%
Is Don Felder underrated guitarist? I think anyone familiar with his time with the Eagles knows he is a talented musician. Also a seemingly nice guy who probably got a raw deal. But there was not much of a next phase, so there may be legions of latter day music fans who are simply unfamiliar with him. Show them some vintage clips and they would probably be impressed.
It might also be worth noting that they also play 3 of 4 Joe Walsh solo or James Gang major/hit songs, or at least they used to. Felder may be a more refined guitarist, but Felder never really had any hits outside of the Eagles. Not that you need to be a great songwriter to be an elite rock guitarist - Eric Clapton comes to mind - but Walsh is certainly ahead of Felder in that category.
Ok I was wrong. Still, the rest of it at least to my mind, mostly forgettable. If Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride) is one of his most prominent offerings it's not really adding to the case that he's under rated. He was a good guitarist in the right place at the right time, who has done little noteworthy since leaving the band he's most known for.
Great guitarist that added an edge to the Eagles sound that came in handy. He and Walsh made a fine guitar duo. He may not have done much since then, but he did help write Hotel California, which insures his place in music history.
Don't worry about Don financially..... the out of court settlement he had,I'm sure helped pay for a new roof on his home.......his Mexican reggae tune has forever cemented him in the category of "The last song that will be playing just before the Sun comes to the end of it's life".
His last two albums were quite good (significantly better than the one with Takin’ a Ride). But nit astonishingly good. Solid. Good music. Tasteful. Rocking in a few key spots. Talented guy but not one of the key 70s dudes. From his book, I get the opinion that he did not like the “to the left” direction that Frey and Henley wanted to take the band around 1979. Not as if Don was far right, but he just wasn’t comfortable with the overt politics. That appeared to start a wedge that never really went away.
Victim Of Love - he co-wrote it and plays great guitar on it. If you're looking for something other than Hotel California to judge his talent.
I disagree. Don Felder brought a nice rocky edge to the band and Joe added to it. I think they would have gone that way regardless of personnel because that's what Glenn Frey, in particular, wanted.
That is exactly the point of my thread and I completely disagree with you. Have you seen live footage from late 70s?
A personnel change needed to happen to achieve that harder edged rock sound Frey was looking for. Leadon was ready to move on and with him left the country side of the band; in came Walsh and now they had two compatible guitarists to conquer the world for a couple of albums. Felder probably got the accolades he deserves as a guitarist; his solo albums suck, but then again IMO all solo albums by past & present members of the Eagles suck. They had an incredible run between 1972 and 78 with a couple of acoustic reinventions in 94 - but that was it. Everything since is subpar or repackaged.
i saw him live about 10 years ago. he played all eagles songs and 'heavy metal', which was very disappointing to me. his guitar playing was (then) and is stellar. his songwriting is, to put it nicely, a bit weak. that intro to 'hotel california' is his millions dollar ticket. to address the post i quoted. he really is just not a very good singer at all, and his solo show with him on lead vocals and without the harmonies of the eagles was fair to good. the vocals were poor, at best. his solo albums are also fair to good, better when he doesn't sing. and his first solo album from years ago is head and shoulders better than his last 2. he rally really needs a band badly to show case ho playing ability, maybe call his old buddy stills and join up with him and kenny wayne shepard and make a n electric guitar smorgasbord. and BTW, i agree he got real bad deal form the gods (henley and frey)
