World Famous Comics: Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)
Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)
By: Don Felder Publisher: Wiley Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Wiley Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 352 Publication Date: April 21, 2008
Product Description: The inside story can finally be revealed
The Eagles are the bestselling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever, and Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 is the bestselling album of all time in the United States. Through breakup and comeback, arguments and lawsuits, their popularity has continued to soar for more than three decades. Now band member and guitarist DonFelder finally breaks the Eagles' years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes— -where drugs, greed, and endless acrimony threatened to break up the band almost daily.
In Heaven and Hell, Felder shares every part of the band's wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms where he, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley had their ultimate confrontation. Yet, beyond the mayhem and clashing egos that have become standard-issue in rock-and-roll memoirs, Felder also remembers the joy of writing powerful new songs with his bandmates; the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans; and the hard work, dedication, and creativity that each band member brought to the music, even in the worst of times.
Offering even-handed and perceptive portraits of every member of the Eagles, Heaven and Hell is a thrilling and thoughtful, raucous and bittersweet tale about the love of music and the price of fame.
An Honest Even Handed History of the Eagles I couldn't put this book down. Don Felder captured perfectly, the innocence and cultural changes of 70's coming of age experience through his personal Eagles journey.
Don writes honestly about the clash between musicians and corporation's need to make a profit, with greed, excess & egos growing out of the band's success. In a Rock & Roll band, the experience of working with a talented group of musicians unfolds much like any group that experiencing sudden wealth or power. Today it could be a team in software development. The pitfalls, tensions and self importance are similar. This story is told first hand and honestly in beautiful shades of grey.
I enjoyed this book more than To The Limit (which is excellent book and reaffirms the same Eagles' story Don Felder tells). A great read for a summer day. Kudos to Wendy Holden for her prose.
Essential Reading For Music Fan This book came to my attention just before Memorial Day while I was staying in the Sierras at a lodge close to the Strawberry Festival. Went out for a walk and was stopped by a guy wearing an "Event Staff" outfit and reading this very book with its most unique license plate cove while he was guarding access to the grounds. The Strawberry Festival is an annual music festival held in the Sierras and it spans a wide spectrum - from folk and bluegrass to roots and more. Anyway, I asked about the book and was given a brief summary. When I got home, I bought the book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I have a much better understanding of the history of the Eagles, the music business and music politics. The book can be further enjoyed by watching YouTube videos of the author and the band, the Eagles.
An Inside Look at the Eagles We always new that Glen Frey and Don Henley were a couple of insecure jerks didn't we? Well Don Felder confirms it with lots of details in this book. There are a couple of things that I like about this book. First of all, it feels honest. Felder speaks about how he, Joe Walsh, and the other members of the group (with the exception of Bernie Leadon who didn't take any of Frey's crap) more or less cowered before the two people they called "The Gods" in order to preserve the music. I also enjoyed Felder's story of growing up in Gainesville, Florida, and his interaction with his family and other future rock and roll musicians (such as a young Tom Petty). I'm usually disappointed in these type of books (such as the Clapton biography), but this one is worth reading!!!!
The "Other" Side To Hell Freezing Over Don Felder spends the majority of the first half of the book telling the story of his life as a poor, Gainesville, Florida boy who married young and rode his guitar-playing expertise to the top of the music world.
Felder's friendship with original-Eagle Bernie Leadon and his lean years with fledgling bands make his unlikely membership in the Eagles an enjoyable success story. His energetic, rock-edged guitar playing helped re-invent the Eagles sound, and launched them to greater heights.
While a number of previous reviewers dismiss Felder as being bitter for suing the band to maintain his just and contracted equal share of the Eagles' profits, I think he does a fair job of stating the facts in a non-whiny manner. Message to all: Save all paperwork related to business!
It is evident that manager Irving Azoff's desire to divide and conquer was successful in dividing the Eagles. I had hoped to see Don Felder return someday to the Eagles; it may eventually happen, now that his lawsuit has been settled out of court.
Don Felder examines the tapestry of his life... even the frayed edges Don Felder is very forthcoming about his life, and his place among the Eagles. Burdened by his self doubts and insecurities about his guitar skills, these traits haunt him even today. These inner demons kept him in Gainesville longer than he should have stayed; kept him from ending low paying, deadend jobs in Boston; prevented him from trying to make the scene on the West coast; perpetuated his own disillusionment with the Eagles; and ultimately played a starring role in his unfavorable demise from the group.
He tells the story of a different time in music, and the gifts he was given by knowing so many talented musicians who just loved making music. The guys jammed together, and filled in for each other in a pinch, and even taught one another to play different instruments. I mean, we're talking Chris Hillman, Duane Allman, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, the Beegees, the Blues Brothers, Tom Petty, Gram Parsons, and the list goes on! The book would be a great read just to get a glimpse of a magical era in rock and roll music itself.
Once he joined the Eagles, Don "Fingers" Felder became a work-a-holic on a listing ship which became increasingly difficult to get righted. As he spent his life at the beck and call of the Eagles' success, his wife Susan took complete care of him. She was his emotional rock night or day, raised their four children single-handedly, and stuck by him through drug abuse, infidelity, and years on the road. He is blatantly honest about being non-supportive of Susan when it came her turn to make her mark in the world. Instead of taking care of her, their home, the kids (although the hard part was over), and reciprocating her 30-year commitment to him and his career... he divorced her. And he discusses the woman he shares his life with now, and how she is there for him, because he still can't stand up emotionally for himself.
So Don Henley is anal, and Glen Frey's sense of self-importance is only surpassed by that of the Greek god, Narcissus? Old, old news. But it was interesting to gain a bit of insight into two entities who worked hard to propel the Eagles straight into rock history, only to destroy the Eagles by sacrificing them to feed their own insatiable inner beasts. While Don Felder grew increasingly frustrated with the inner mechanisms of the band, he just didn't have the confidence to stand up for himself. He never seemed to understand why Tim and Joe were caught in the middle. They had much more to lose, in many ways, than Don Felder. As Joe tried to explain... it's hard as hell on the mind, body and soul out there going solo, with the work load, the hours, and the responsibilities. But it is something one must experience to understand. Never having experienced it, he was not able to recognize it and support Susan while she built her company... solo. And he humbly acknowledges this shortcoming in himself.
Despite the soaring highs and sweeping lows in his life, it sounds like Don Felder has found peace. I appreciate that for him in his life.
My strongest regrets about the way things ultimately transpired among the members of the band are sheerly selfish: 1) I will never get to see the Eagles perform with Don Henley, Glen Frye, Don Felder, Timothy Schmit and Joe Walsh. (The hope of seeing them perform, including Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, died decades ago.); and 2) I can play hell getting a guitar or photo signed by all 7 members of the Eagles. Ahhh. Thank God for CDs!
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