It is not required of any musician to harbor fond memories of their former bandmates. Groups split up for a reason, and occasionally a few strained egos prevent people from getting back together over a beer and working things out. Don Henley acknowledged that former guitarist Don Felder had been attempting to damage his reputation for years, even though he was able to lead the Eagles through some of their last performances together.
It’s not as though Felder didn’t hold some authority within the group during his tenure. Even though he only provided guitar lines and no lyrics for the majority of their best songs. Nevertheless, he wrote the chord progression for “Hotel California.” Playing the blistering solo is something no one can take away from him.
Felder was always at Joe Walsh’s side when they recorded a record. However, in the background, he was more often kept apart from the other members of the group. Although he wanted to be more involved in the group and approach things democratically, he knew that was unrealistic. The band had recorded their version of “Victim of Love” behind his back.
Felder couldn’t let go of the pay cut he would be taking in the group. However, he was willing to let go of some things when they reunited for the Hell Freezes Over tour. Glenn Frey eventually called him “the only asshole” in the band when they were negotiating their contracts. The only sensible thing to do when you can’t get a word in with a band that big is to tell your story to the general public.
While the Eagles were recording albums such as Long Road Out of Eden, Felder wrote his autobiography, detailing every issue he had during his peak. The guitarist didn’t hold back either. He discussed how Henley and Frey didn’t want to release their second-greatest hits. He also explained why he felt the group pushed him out instead of giving him a chance to voice his opinions.
Henley told The Guardian, “A lot of people on the outside believe a lot of the bullshit in Don Felder’s book.” He also mentioned that people believe he and Glenn Frey are some kind of tyrants. The band attempted to spin a story about how brutal and merciless their leaders were. We bear much of the blame for this band’s success and longevity. Felder decided to write a nasty little tell-all because he was upset about being kicked out of the group. In my opinion, this is a low-key and cheap shot.
Although Felder’s invincible guitar skills are no longer a part of the Eagles’ repertoire, Vince Gill and Steuart Smith could be a good substitute. Smith is one of the best aspects of watching the group perform these days, although it’s easy to view him as a hired gun. He can match Walsh’s intensity while also filling in as needed.
Even though Gill has a successful country music career of his own. His guitar playing is so good that it almost makes up for the gaps left in the 1970s. Bernie Leadon left the group after “One of These Nights.” Don Henley can rest easy at night, knowing that his band is still going strong while their peers have fallen. Regardless of who is playing guitar these days, their legacy endures.
