I lost my rock fan innocence to the late Glenn Frey’s band the Eagles. Up until 1995, I swore I would never pay more than $100 for a concert ticket sounds ridiculous now, but at the time it was a promise I believed I could keep.
Then the Eagles – the biggest-selling American band in history, responsible for five number-one singles, six number-one albums and winners of six Grammy Awards – reunited for their Hell Freezes Over tour. I’d missed their famous 70s appearance at Maple Leaf Gardens, when Frey endeared himself to the crowd by wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, and every other show before the band broke up in 1980. So I caved: I forked out $125 to see them play the hits.
And there were a ton of them. The band, co-founded by Frey with Don Henley, charmed America with their country-rockin’ tunes – spiced up by the occasional bad boy lyric, usually associated with their success with women – and their glorious vocal blend.
When guitarist Joe Walsh joined the outfit, their sound got grittier and they released the iconic album Hotel California, one of the best-selling LPs of all time.
Naysayers scoffed at the theme of what a bummer it is to gain fame and fortune, Rolling Stone famously dismissed the follow-up, The Long Run, headlining its review Motel California, and there are still those who credit the Eagles and the white-bread California sound they promoted, even more than disco, for giving punk a reason to live.
But there was soul in the Eagles catalogue – consider Desperado (that’s Frey on piano), Lyin’ Eyes and New Kid In Town, written with J.D. Souther (admirers doubtless have their own lists). At one point I re-imagined Already Gone as a kiss-off to a woman abuser (“and you’ll have to eat your lunch all by yourself”). And once the group moved to the harder stuff, very few other bands kicked into a guitar solo with such blistering power. I’m guessing the solo on One Of These Nights has been one of history’s most popular for air guitarists.
When the band broke up in 1980, both Henley and Frey pursued solo careers, but while his former partner’s tunes grew increasingly whiny (The Heart Of The Matter – ick), Frey found new energy, hanging out with the cool kids in the TV show Miami Vice and penning hits like The Heat Is On.
Frey died in New York City while recovering from abdominal surgery. Here’s hoping he’s got a peaceful, easy feeling in rock ’n’ roll heaven.
susanc@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto
