connection: What do you think
made the Eagles so successful in the 1970s?
joe: At the time, it looked as though we
knew what we were doing, but in reality we
didn’t have a clue. It just happened to be a
very creative period for each person in the
band. We all had diverse musical influences
and roots that worked well together.
Another factor I’ll cautiously touch on is
drugs. When my generation was young, drug
experimentation was prevalent. As a generation, we wanted something different. There
was a very unpopular war going on that
fueled our angst. People were looking for
leadership. So, when I joined the band, there
was all this stuff happening in the background and we just happened to have the
tape recording during a creative period for
us. I don’t know if it’s about being in the right
place at the wrong time or the wrong place
at the right time, but there was a lot of stuff
going on. A lot of really great music never
even got recorded. A lot of people who were
just a valid as the Eagles never got a hit.
hotel between tour dates
to discuss his life and
times as an Eagle and a
recording artist.
c: Was it tough at first being an Eagle after
years of being a solo artist?
jotalkin’
with
wet
a alkin’
with
wea lsh
JAMES MINCHIN
j: I was busy that first year. I had to learn
probably 40 songs, exactly as they did them; was 11 years ago. were probably the best real music then.
all of Bernie’s [Leadon] guitar parts, which As a band, we reached a level of success All this just made it tough for the Eagles
are not easy. They also dumped all the hard we had never even dreamed possible. But on to continue doing our thing. But people
singing parts that no one wanted to do on the other side of that, there’s a bit of a let- weren’t done listening to us. So, radio sta-
me. And I don’t blame them! [laughs] But, down. You can really lose your perspective. tions started playing classic rock where they
artistically it was a good move. Don and You see, I’m just a dumb guy from Ohio. I did- could play music from our generation. That
Glenn took me under their wings. They’re n’t have all this figured out. It gets tricky trying became the new format. And it got us
both great vocalists. I learned tons of stuff to keep up with who you really are as opposed through the ‘80s. We were in heavy rotation
from both of them about how to sing har- to who people think you are. You know, it’s on the classic-rock stations, even though we
mony and other vocal things. easy to lose yourself when all the fame and had shut down as a band. And Don and Glenn
It was great for my ego to have a suc- fortune goes away if you’re addicted to it. and myself pursued solo careers. All I know is
cessful solo career and all, but, as a solo Aside from our personal reasons for shut- that things started speeding up during the
artist, I was the boss. As such, I was in ting things down, two other factors con- ‘80s, and now they’re screaming.
charge of a lot of nonmusical stuff that tributed to our extended break.
came with the title. Eventually my ego was First, technology began to take off. All of c: How do you feel about the Eagles’
satisfied and I wanted to get on with being a a sudden you had primitive cell phones and career now?
musician. While all this developed on my computers. And you had the primitive con- j: During the ‘70s, the Eagles got going so
end, Bernie Leadon, the Eagle I replaced, cept of digital recording. And the amount of fast, and we were so busy, we kind of lost
was making indications that he was stuff you had to know to make records control. You know, it’s easy to overdose and
unhappy with the band. The timing was right began ramping up. become a rock legend. It’s much harder to stay
and it has worked out quite well I think. Second, the record business started to turn alive. I am grateful that I survived. And I’m also
into an industry, whereas before it had been grateful that for some reason our fans have
c: How did you cope with life when the more of a tool for an art form to express itself. stuck with us and now their kids even like us.
Eagles’ career began to cool off? Toward the end of the ‘70s, the record compa- It’s a very special thing when your music
j: It’s hard to explain what happened to us nies didn’t care at all about quality, just dead- breaks through and reaches another genera-as a band. Creative juices sort of run their lines. And all of a sudden here comes disco, tion. It makes you feel like you’re going to be
course and then you’re on the other side of and formula records. It was boring. The best around for a while. It’s a good thing too,
the wonderful chemistry I was just talking stuff happening then wasn’t about technology because we don’t know what else to do.—WF
about. Personally, I got really dependent or following music-industry formulas. Groups
on alcohol and drugs. Getting off them was like the Sex Pistols, where the guy that was
the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. That least stoned remembers to push “record,” ARTICLE FEEDBACK
