Say something charitable about the Eagles.

that's the best that i can do!

That's not a good thing, though....well, that charity part seems spot-on.

they had enough sense to hire joe walsh, who provided comic relief when glen and don were snorting coke in their hottubs.

that SNL uses them as a butt of jokes=I am right

I think they're pretty decent. I never turn them off when they come on classic rock radio. Well, except for "Take It To the Limit". I really just think it is not a very good song, it's just very sluggish and bathetic.

But The Long Run is a fantastic album, especially the second side - it's pretty flawless. I'd always loved "The Long Run" and "Heartache Tonight" from growing up with 'em, and then during a high school summer break trip to Florida a buddy brought the Long Run cassette. We played it constantly. Wow - "In the City" is great, I love Joe Walsh. Woah - "Those Shoes"! Eric B. sampled that cut! Wow - "The Greeks Don't Want no Freaks" - that's a pretty funny song!!

Not liking the Eagles makes me a robot? I don't like Steely Dan either....what does that make me?

"Dirty Laundry," not to be pedantic, is Henley SOLO, not The Eagles. But, calling it Punk Rock is a bad call.....decrying the media for hounding celebrities and stirring up gossip is hardly punk.

What does this have to do with their music, though? (I never said I'd wannna invite them over to my house for DINNER for crissakes....Well, maybe I'd invite Joe Walsh. He'd be FUN to eat with!)

ps) They rock harder than most metal (and punk) bands, by the way.

Also, there was a pretty funny Onion story based on 'Take it Easy'

No, not that, just that your response was soooo patently "Alex in NYC." It's cool, though... it was funny!

the eagles were even more robotic than kraftwerk or their progeny, FWIW.

I was thinking of a way to lambast their whole aesthetic. It's not just their style that bugs me (which it does), but their music doesn't really speak to me. I can't really empathize with "Life in the Fast Lane" or any of that shit. Also, their little morality tales lamenting the hollow shenanigans of Californian celebrity culture rings a bit false when you examine their own excesses.

They rock harder than most metal (and punk) bands, by the way.

Seems like you've been partaking in a bit too much of the "warm smell of colitas", Chuck my friend.

*By "Christians" I don't mean all Christians, just the kind who get their information about rock'n'roll from pamphlets distributed at church youth group conferences. One of my friends in college had one of these pamphlets, and it remains one of my favorite pieces of music criticism. I wish I had stolen it from him.

workin on the dreams he planned to try,
the days go by....

Metal and punk bands tend to sound LOUDER than the Eagles. But to rock HARD, you need a rhythm section, Alex. (And right, Motorhead and AC/DC and the County Bishops and Guns N Roses and Turbonegro and Nazareth and etc etc etc have rhythm sections. I didn't say the Eagles rock harder than ALL metal and punk bands. Just MOST of them.)

Anyway, I think you proved what I've always suspected: People hate the Eagles because of what the Eagles supposedly STOOD for. But I don't CARE what they stood for. I care about their SONGS.

I'm agreeing with JBR lately that In The City is a standout awesome song among many duds.

"Those Shoes" and "Disco STrangler" are superbly fuckwithable sample-sources. (But they'll surely sue your ass if you ever try to deprive 'em of royalties.)

I still may check out On The Border or Desperado next time I find 'em for a buck.

amazing how the 70s era east coast rock crit hate for these dudes had such a long lasting influence. i don't own any of their records but it's funny how i rarely change the station when their tunes come on my car radio, i think that is the best context for their stuff.

James Gang's "Rides Again" album is so, so awesome.

There comes a point once or twice a year where it's somehow the right time to listen to the Eagles. It's right time for the peaceful, easy feeling.

Also, Joe Walsh did a song called 'I like big tits'.

"Those Shoes" and "Disco STrangler" are superbly fuckwithable sample-sources. (But they'll surely sue your ass if you ever try to deprive 'em of royalties.)

"Never Let Her Slip Away" followed by "Heartache Tonight" to thread.

They harmonize well. I only like a few of their songs. What really bugs me about this band are their fans("The f---g Eagles, dude!") and their inflated self-image (from reading interviews with the band).

Not to mention Radio 2's unending fixation of them as the apex of all popular music.

whereas in reality they were the Bachman-Turner Overdrive to the Burritos' Guess Who.

How could the Eagles possibly be the apex of all popular music?!?

. . . maybe the nadir.

what's with the eagles hate?

i've noticed that lately, my dislike of all things played to death on the radio, has now been replaced with nostalgia for things i simply don't hear much living overseas (eagles, boston, van halen etc) which gives me a new understanding of why everybody likes this stuff in the first place. i mean, nostalgia (usually for middle american soundtrack to drunken tailgate parties and fumbling teenager sex after the high school football game, but whatever) plays such a big part in the continuing popularity of your classic rock fodder, now i think i'm beginning to finally get it.

anyway, charitable thoughts towards the eagles:

good songs! what on earth are you guys dismissing all those fantastic tunes for?
great harmonies
what's wrong with their lyrics? if you can't relate you can't relate, but really, i don't think that makes them sucky, i think most of their lyrics are very well writen, and work perfectly at what they're trying to get accross
the afore-mentioned 27-gazillion-selling best of album doesn't have a weak song on it
pisses off trendier-than-though critic types, and hipsters in general

granted, i can see how having to listen to them constantly on classic rock radio at the job site or whatever might turn anyone off.

"Desperado" is a GREAT album!

Then I am a sucker for most anyone with that kind of wonderful vocal harmonies. Surely, they were not Queen or ELO, but they were still great at that bit.

Whenever they attempted to "rock out" they usually failed though.

They make the worst Flying Burrito Bros. songs sound a bit less worse.

They were friends with Warren Zevon.

They pissed off David Crosby

Then I am a sucker for most anyone with that kind of wonderful vocal harmonies

They did have great vocal harmonies, I admit.

I remember reading that Bernie Leadon was a big reason for the harmonies. He whipped the others in shape, vocally speaking, and worked on the arrangements. That said, they're good harmonies, but they've got nothing on the Dillards!

They played the only bluegrass songs I ever heard at a Yes show. What they were doing opening for Yes I'm not too sure.

Felder's book is pretty hilarious.

http://arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/Image/eagles08.jpg

Eagles - Get Over It lyrics
I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' "Don't blame me"
They point their crooked little fingers ar everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat

Funny but kind of damaging to the Eagles' legacy. They did it to themselves by stooping to that level.

You gotta let somebody love you

Also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JowmXbaGSoU

f--k the eagles.

good harmonies, tho.

I think The Eagles are great but the fact that they have come up with poo like this makes me suspicious of them.

http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/story/q-a-don-henley-opens-up-about-the-history-of-the-eagles-at-sundance-20130120/1000x600/130120-don-henley-600-1358703786.jpg

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-don-henley-opens-up-about-the-history-of-the-eagles-at-sundance-20130120

^^would watch

yeah I hate the Eagles but I kinda want to see that.

Somje of them had interesting pre-band histories like Gene Clark affiliations etc.
1st lp isn't quite as bad schlock as later stuff, and there are some decent live sets from around that time apparently.

paved the way for punk? Even if they were one of the things it was reacting to.

did some good backing vocals on other people's records is about as generous as i can get

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/dam/assets/130116134311-chip-kelly2-single-image-cut.jpg

http://upperwetside.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/joe-walsh.jpg

did they inject New York strippers into their faces?

Don Henley is now David Bowie.

https://twitter.com/extranapkins/status/234520243924516864

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlOSWRZ4bl0

Beastie Boys sampling "Those Shoes" on "High Plains Drifter" effing rules.

The interludes on their forthcoming live album have titles.

https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/eagles-live-from-the-forum-mmxviii-preview-take-it-easy/

2. Joe Walsh: “How ya doin?”
5. Don Henley: “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen”
9. Timothy B. Schmit: “Hey, everybody, that’s Joe Walsh”
12. Don Henley: “Just want to thank all of you…”
14. Deacon Frey: “Hello, everybody…”
19. Vince Gill: “How about a nice hand for California, man…”
24. Joe Walsh: “Is everybody OK?”

Bonus track: Don Henley: “Well, yeah”