Peaceful Easy Feeling - Stereophile Obit - Glenn Frey - Lacking Class?

[baddog]

Wow, talk about a rather classless good bye.

 

Peaceful Easy Feeling | Stereophile.com

[new_media]

Wow, talk about a rather classless good bye.

 

Peaceful Easy Feeling | Stereophile.com

 

Very tacky indeed.

 

More of a good riddance.

[wgscott]

I was never a fan. But wrong time, wrong place.

[esldude]

When this fellow started writing reviews of albums for Stereophile I stopped reading that section. Looks like a wise move.

 

Right out of the gate, what does he mean, more studio than live rockers? I saw them a few times live way back when and they put on a hell of a show, did not disappoint, and did not appear to be just phoning it in by any means. Maybe later as I didn't see those, but not at the time. Not in my opinion the greatest big time rock band live, but not someone with anything to be ashamed of in that department.

 

So not only classless, but stupid. Does he thinks he will get some recognition for great taste by trashing perhaps the most popular band ever? I suppose when someone dies in Fleetwood Mac he can do another hatchet job on a big time 70's rock band. Also at least for me personally, when they turned away from country flavoured rock it was an improvement.

 

I did think some of the over-production that was possible from being such a big name hurt them. Apparently they thought so too as they soon stopped playing as a group for a long time.

[baddog]

(deleted - still confounded by Mr. Baird)

[DMW86]

71-75 greatest hits is aural torture? To borrow from the Elvis reference : "42 million fans can't be wrong."

[REShaman]

When I was a young copywriter in advertising at McCann-Erickson, six months out of college and just promoted out of the mailroom, the agency sent me to a workshop sponsored by Advertising Age, where Norman B. Norman, one of the founders of Norman Craig Kümmel, another successful agency was the keynote speaker. One of the many insights he offerred about the influence of thought forms and the power of the media during his keynote address had a profound impact on me. Paraphrasing, he said, (essentially verbatim), "...given an unlimited budget, I could sell poverty to the people..." I immediately comprehended the validity and the power of his statement with that insight. Perhaps, that's one of the reasons many billions of dollars are being spent by those running for the Office Of President of these United States.

 

I just read Mr. Robert Baird's (not a sign of respect) "Peaceful Easy Feeling" commentary at Stereophile.com and reader's comments on his commentary that followed the piece. I am a former criminal trial attorney (retired) and respect the power and scope of the First Amendment. I am a subscriber to the magazine having just recently renewed my subscription. I am left with the feeling that I don't want to buy what Baird is selling in that commentary. And I believe I am ready to start reading about a hobby I enjoy somewhere else.

 

It's not because I am a fan of The Eagles, love their songs, own just about every album they released with multiple editions of many of their albums, regard Mr. Baird's treatment of the passing of Glenn Frey with such an insipid, craven arrogant, elitist affect that I am taking this tact. Perhaps, my reason is about not feeling welcome there and no longer enjoy keeping company with the magazine. I hope Glenn Frey's family doesn't take Mr. Baird's critique to heart.

 

I feel better already.

 

Richard

[Audio_ELF]

An article that should have been cut down to the first 13 words...

 

The old adage "if you can't write something nice, don't write anything at all" goes double for obituaries! I'm not saying we should be worshiping everyone who lived; everyone has likes and dislikes. But don't piss on his grave!

[AlainGr]

While reading that article, all I could think is that he was assigned a subject he did not want to write about. He was totally out of line.

 

I just can't imagine why he would do this on purpose. Maybe he is at some crossroads - that would be the most polite way to put it...

 

But even so, why didn't someone in the team did not foresee the reactions it would trigger...

[realhifi]

Disappointing and classless.

[Melvin]

An article that should have been cut down to the first 13 words...

 

The old adage "if you can't write something nice, don't write anything at all" goes double for obituaries! I'm not saying we should be worshiping everyone who lived; everyone has likes and dislikes. But don't piss on his grave!

 

+1 .. 13 and done! I've never been much of an Eagles fan, saw them live in the 70's with Joe Walsh, but even now can appreciate who they are in rock 'n roll history. Glenn Frey deserved much better than this tasteless garbage piece.

[bluesman]

Wow, talk about a rather classless good bye.

It's really a retrospective review of the band rather than an obit. I think he simply used Frey's passing as a reason to criticize the Eagles, a band I've always liked musically. But the music in isolation is not enough for many, and there are more than a few pieces allegedly on Frey's passing that are just like Baird's, e.g. Gersh Kuntzman's from the NY Daily News on Tuesday, which begins: "No disrespect to Glenn Frey — whose death this week is a cause for genuine mourning — but the Eagles were, quite simply, the worst rock and roll band...".

 

But the Eagles have had a love-hate relationship with the music press and the public since they got together in 1972. It started with a shot across the bow from Robert Christgau in Newsday: "Another thing that interests me about the Eagles is that I hate them". But if you keep reading, you discover that it wasn't about the objective quality of their music or their performance - it was about what he and others saw as hypocrisy. This level of dislike of the Eagles has always been more social than musical, and Glenn Frey was certainly at the heart of the Eagles' most dramatic and contentious social issues. He and Felder famously spent most of the famous 1980 Long Beach concert (the last before their 14 year "vacation") threatening each other with physical violence. Peaceful, easy feeling" my @ss!

 

Christgau and the many who followed in his critical footsteps blamed the industry, with specific credits to David Geffen and Glyn Johns, for supporting what many saw as a phony facade in the Eagles. They and their music did turn hard life issues into soft, gutless songs much as white cover artists turned the blues into pop pap. From Christgau's original article, "It is the custom of affluent liberals to let others do their dirty work--that way they can continue to protect the illusion that they are not harming a soul by doin' what they please. It's no accident, either, that the Eagles' hip country music excises precisely what is deepest and most gripping about country music - its adult working-class pain, its paradoxically rigid ethics--and leaves sixteen tracks of bluegrass-sounding good feelin'. After all, there's nothing to be gained scaring our young people. The music, the lyrics, and the distribution machine are all suave and synthetic. Brilliant stuff--but false."

 

Right or wrong, it's a valid point of view that takes little from Frey's value as an artist or a person. I think I'll crank up Long Road Out of Eden and have an espresso.

[master]

Classless and gutless too, taking pot shots at someone who has passed away.

 

I like the Eagles, not the best or the greatest, but definitely good music.

 

I'm just thinking, if the Eagles get this kind of bad rep for their music, which was/is pretty good…

 

How would one describe the likes of Justin Bieber, One Direction, and a myriad of other talentless hacks who cannot write or compose their own music, much less deliver it without the help of Auto-Tune?

[Paul R]

i do not connect much with Robert Baird - his ideal of great music and mine don't match up, but - different strokes, you know.

 

I agree this article was rather mean, and should not have been published. I do admit, I rarely listen to the Eagles anymore, but I remember hitting a few of their concerts, and they were grand, fun, well played events.

 

Think it is rather sad, and just tells me that there is a reason I have not connected with this guy's articles and opinions.

 

-Paul

[wwaldmanfan]

Does this even need to be said? The guy died a painful death, and relatively young. It's dispicable to criticize him or the band right now.

My own appreciation of the Eagles boils down to about a dozen songs which I care to listen to, but no one can deny that they had lots of loyal fans who loved their music, and the fact that they were "commercial" or financially successful is not a bad thing. Critics who find fault with that, or attack musicians on a personal level for their behavior offstage need to get a life.

I can think of at least one musician who actually murdered someone else. Short of that, no one deserves to be dissed right after they have passed away.

[kilroy]

I'ts not about Glenn Frey, it's about his dislike for the band. Poor timing indeed.

 

I agree HC was not their high point, and still enjoy listening to the earlier works, up to One of These Nights.

 

BTW, the HD Tracks release of these albums is great.

[bluesman]

I'ts not about Glenn Frey, it's about his dislike for the band.

And that dislike has much more to do with social, economic and philosophical issues than it does with the music. When he says that they "...took Gram Parson’s vision of country rock and diluted it beyond recognition for fame and profit", Baird's simply repeating a 40+ year old theme. Someone he respects should tell him that fame and profit are neither evil nor destructive in their own rights, and they are certainly not a priori indications for scorn or ridicule. But I don't think he meant to denigrate Frey in his half-baked effort to appear socially responsible - he's just insensitive and hasn't anything more clever or creative to say.

[Jud]

I'ts not about Glenn Frey, it's about his dislike for the band. Poor timing indeed.

 

I agree HC was not their high point, and still enjoy listening to the earlier works, up to One of These Nights.

 

BTW, the HD Tracks release of these albums is great.

 

I think the SQ of the hi res Hotel California is only fair.

 

Back on topic, it's not even about his dislike of the band so much as that "classic rock" radio stations have massively overplayed The Eagles. (That, and the fact they had a drummer as one of the lead singers bothers him. WTF?) How is this the fault of the songwriter? Simple solution: Don't listen to classic rock stations. Overplaying old hits is what they do.

[wgscott]

What is this radio thing you speak of?

[REShaman]

Wow, talk about a rather classless good bye.

 

Peaceful Easy Feeling | Stereophile.com

 

I won't be reading any further Baird articles in print or any other print articles at Stereophile as of March 2016. Good-bye! I now return to my peaceful easy feeling already in progress.

 

Best,

Richard

[The Computer Audiophile]

What is this radio thing you speak of?

So good :~)

[Audio_ELF]

What is this radio thing you speak of?

Streaming killed the radio star?

[wwaldmanfan]

I think the SQ of the hi res Hotel California is only fair.

 

Back on topic, it's not even about his dislike of the band so much as that "classic rock" radio stations have massively overplayed The Eagles. (That, and the fact they had a drummer as one of the lead singers bothers him. WTF?) How is this the fault of the songwriter? Simple solution: Don't listen to classic rock stations. Overplaying old hits is what they do.

 

I didn't even read the article, only the backlash here, but if that is the case, this guy sounds like a total jerk. Singing drummers are not cool? What does he say about Levon Helm?

[Balcy]

Wow. I read the article after seeing this thread and most of the comments. I graduated high school in 1977 with The Eagles my favorite band (I saw them live in 1978). Some 39 years later that hasn't changed one bit. With Glenn Frey's passing a part of me has died, as I identify with that generation and its music. I suspect it is the same with Elvis fans from the 50s and 60s. This guy taking shots at one of the most successful bands ever is ridiculous. I was never a fan of The Rolling Stones but would not try and trash their success. That would make me sound like an idiot. Well Mr. Baird, you sir sound like an idiot now. Were they overplayed on the radio? Yes. Was it because people liked listening to them? Yes. How is that now their fault? I probably replaced Their Greatest Hits cassette 3 or 4 times over the years due to excessive wear. Thank goodness for the digital revolution as that is no longer a problem. RIP Glenn Frey. You will be missed.

[christopher3393]

Beautiful! Thanks.