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

[petaluma]

Wow a pretty harsh summation of Glen and the band. I remember the first time I heard them was on a New Year's Eve show on TV in 1970 or 1971, can't remember exactly, a long time gone. Hooked at 11 years old. I think the thing that put them in the top echelon of Pop/Rock/Rockabilly groups were their harmonies. I believe the human voice is still the best instrument. In my mind they were in the rarified air of Paul and John, Brian and the Beach Boys, and CSN. The first scene in "History of the Eagles" when they are harmonizing as a warm up prior to heading on stage is staggering, hair on the back of your neck stand up staggering. Being commercially successful does not mean your music sucks. It just makes the "Hip" critics need to do some actual work and go look for another talented group to advertise their self importance........RIP Glen. Frankly the loss of my music icons tends to make me understand I have more days behind me then in front of me. Crap.....

[esldude]

I think people forget what is expressed in the old Moody Blues song.

 

 

I am just a singer in a rock and roll band.

 

The Eagles were no Moody Blues, but they didn't need to be.

[TubeLover]

The completely ill chosen, unfortunate, and misguided commentary by Mr. Baird does, I think, say a great deal more about him than anything else. Rest in peace, Desperado. You deserved far better.

 

JC

[Balcy]

That is the beauty of music. Everyone may not like the same stuff but most can appreciate the talent needed to succeed. I think what made the Eagles so special is they weren't just singers in a rock and roll band. Every one of them had written/co-written several hit songs with lyrics that actually said something. It certainly wasn't just the Henley and Frey show (although they were the main stars). The longtime conflict between Henley wanting to go more hard edge rock and Frey sticking to their country roots certainly pushed both to be better song writers. It was truly magical when they collaborated and now that magic is gone forever making many in my generation very sad. I think what really bothers me most about this article from Baird is there are those who can do in this world and those who can't, but they often criticize those who can probably out of jealousy. He seems to fit into the later category. His opinions were certainly ill-timed at best.

[esldude]

As I have said, I stopped reading album reviews in Stereophile because of Robert Baird. I subscribed for more than 20 years and he was a significant reason I dropped subscription to the mag. Could we perhaps come together to demand they dump this stupid useless reviewer? Trying to be as diplomatic as I can. Regardless of his ill chosen ideas on the matter his classless, insulting timing is simply beyond forgiveness. He should be hounded out of the business altogether.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Here is a well written post about Glenn and the Eagles- http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2016/01/20/glenn-frey/

[bluesman]

Here is a well written post about Glenn and the Eagles- http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2016/01/20/glenn-frey/

This is beautiful, Chris. And hidden within is a grain of the truth by which we all live: "None of us want the pain. We’re self-medicating every day." Most of us who are fortunate enough not to be afflicted with the pain of chronic, debilitating disease have some other kind of pain, much of which is self-inflicted. We self-medicate by distracting ourselves with music, toys, food, drink, sex, etc. And this seems to me to explain quite nicely why many are driven to acquire things that seem to offer little or no objective benefit over what they already have.

 

The Georgia Satellites are cetainly no Eagles, but their tune "Can't Stand the Pain" paints this picture well:

 

Well, I'm lookin' for you baby and I don't know why

Everything about you makes me wanna cry

I can't lose, I can't win, livin' in the middle once again

Yeah, again and again

 

Glenn Frey had to take immune-suppressant medication because his arthritis was so bad that the risks of infection were less important to him than better control of his primary disease. I'd do the same thing if it were me. But I also appreciate how insignificant my personal "pain" is compared to his. I can live with it, just as I can live with $100 speakers - neither my stress nor the imperfections in my equipment / car / guitars / stuff are bad enough to require any attention at all.

 

We'll never know what pain Frey was self-medicating with his aggressive and disruptive behavior leading up to 1980. But my bet is that his disease helped him realize that whatever was bothering him before wasn't worth the trouble he let it cause. And this may well explain his reconciliation and the subsequent creation of more wonderful music before his unfortunate passing. At least he's free of pain now.

[michaelD]

Yes I agree this article is much more balanced and so much better then the stereophile article that started this whole thread. The Eagles are one of my most favorite bands now for decades. I saw them twice in concert and they were awesome. I also marvel how well their recordings sound to me they just sound so much better then most. Not sure if it was the mixing or just their attention to detail but to me they did it right. Even in concert even though they played from their long list of great music they were always adapting with brass and string instruments to make the songs even better. To me even the solo hits of individual members sounded even better when the Eagles played them.

 

I'm a little disappointed in the media there was a lot more coverage of David Bowie who was from about the same time period. To me Glenn and his band made much more impact then Bowie ever did but the media surely did not see it that way.

[Paul R]

Here is a well written post about Glenn and the Eagles- http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2016/01/20/glenn-frey/

 

That''s a great essay - clear, to the point, and really giving you a feel for what this guy meant to the writer. Much better, and it made me laugh a bit in places.

 

I do remember 1972, but only as a kid in Jr. High.

[Balcy]

Here is a well written post about Glenn and the Eagles- http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2016/01/20/glenn-frey/

 

Excellent article. Thank you!!!

[baddog]

I thought this was a nice letter that Bob received in regards to his article on Glenn.

 

 

 

Bob, It was 1981 and my band, Jack Mack and the Heart Attack was playing every Thursday night at the Club Lingerie on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Even though by law the place held 325 people, we packed it with 900 hot sweaty bodies all of which were grooving to the great Soul Music played by this amazing powerhouse band.

 

It's strange how unfortunate circumstances can turn out to be fortunate. I was in a car accident on Dec 31, 1981, breaking 7 ribs in half. One of the band members good friend Josh Leo subbed for me while I was recovering. As it turned out Josh was playing on Glenn Frey's solo record at the time so one night he brought Glenn down to the club to check out the band. Most people thought of Glenn as a country rocker but he was deeply rooted in Soul music having grown up in Detroit. Glenn loved the band and decided instantaneously that he wanted to produce a record on us. Soon after, he called a lunch meeting with our lead singer Max Carl, myself and his manager, Irving Azoff. Glenn basically, over a salad, told Irving to sign us and so Irving said of course and put us on his Full Moon /Warner Bros. label. Within one week we were at Wilder Bros Recording Studios in Century City making our first album, Cardiac Party which we released in 1982. tinyurl.com/zhxl78e. The record contract had not even been drawn up yet but with Glenn a handshake was good enough. Glenn even paid for all of it out of his own pocket until the record label money kicked in. He brought in his Eagle guys, Norton, Tommy Nixon and Alan Blazek to be there every day and made sure the studio was stocked with cases of long neck Budweiser's and a complete array of Deli food and beverages.

 

He was a very regimented guy. Every day we would start recording at exactly 1pm. He would say, "1 for 2", meaning get there at 1 and start playing at 2. We had written 10 original songs and we had been performing them every Thursday night so it wasn't a matter of learning them It was more about getting the right performance. Glenn always wanted a first take on each song so he wouldn't let us play the songs more then once. After each take we would go out back and shoot hoops or eat or something before attempting another take. I still have a weird knuckle from jamming a finger in one of those games. He would never let us record with any echo or reverb, everything had to be super dry and so if you listen the record you will hear how dry it is. He had his way of doing things and there was no bending the rules.

 

One day our trumpet player John Berry (JB), was recording a track with our infamous Heart Attack horns and his horn was falling apart so Glenn, knowing we were broke musicians, offered to buy him a new horn. When JB came in the next day with a beautiful new trumpet Glenn realized the rest of us might be resentful so Glenn announced that we should each go out and buy an instrument of our choosing and he would pay for it. I found a 1959 Fender Stratocaster which to this day is still my favorite guitar. In another act of generosity, at the end of the 6 weeks of recording Glenn tossed me the keys to his house in Kauai and said, "go have a good time". He really did have a big heart.

 

Glenn was like no other. He was a sport fanatic. He gave all of us what he called our monster names. I think mine was Dave. Your monster name was your alter ego. It was who you became when you were mind was slightly altered. Glenn had several; Duane, X and probably a few more. X Came out after midnight. He was super smart and funny guy but man you didn't want to be around him when he was pissed off. He loved to get high and had everything timed. One thing at 2pm another at 5pm another at 11pm.

 

I will never forget something Glenn told me. He said, "every song should have a hero, someone to route for". I still think about that when I write. I will never forget those 6 weeks in the studio with Glenn. I learned so much from him. I think of him every time I pick up my 59 Strat which he bought me. Glenn was generous, and gave us a shot when no one else would. He left the world too soon. His legacy will be his timeless, great songs

 

Andrew Kastner

[bluesman]

Bob, It was 1981 and my band, Jack Mack and the Heart Attack was playing every Thursday night at the Club Lingerie on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Even though by law the place held 325 people, we packed it with 900 hot sweaty bodies all of which were grooving to the great Soul Music played by this amazing powerhouse band.

Andrew Kastner

Wow! Let me urge.....no, insist.......that you all go out & find a copy of Cardiac Party. Then crank up the title track and celebrate Glenn Frey' s life.

 

I bought the vinyl when it first became available. The owner of Madd's Records in Ardmore PA recommended it because I bought & loved most of the new stuff he thought was worth bringing in. I fell in love with the band & their music from the first needle drop. I had no idea that Glenn Frey was so instrumental to their career - but they were the cream of the studio crop individually when they first got together, and their sound is truly amazing. I think of them as the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra of soul. This is one fabulous band, and this story really elevates GF to a whole new level for me.

 

BTW, they were the band playing on stage at the Atlanta Olympics when the bomb went off.

 

EDIT!!! I just pulled out the album, and I'm embarassed to say that I either never read the jacket carefully enough or forgot that Glenn Frey was both the producer and a background singer!

 

[esldude]

 

You can get a taste of the Cardiac Party on youtube.

 

Or you can get yourself a copy at Amazon.

 

Robot Check

 

Streams free for Prime members.

[baddog]

@bluesman - great story, thank you for sharing, it is interesting how interconnected life experiences can be. I have enjoyed many of the other postings as well, and @esldude, thanks for the additional links to the band.

[Audio_ELF]

Singing drummers are not cool? What does he say about Levon Helm?

And then there's Phil Collins... Oh just a minute :-)

[Paul R]

Wow! Let me urge.....no, insist.......that you all go out & find a copy of Cardiac Party. Then crank up the title track and celebrate Glenn Frey' s life.

 

Wow! Just listened to that from Apple Music - darn cool! I bought the album.

[TubeLover]

Wow! Just listened to that from Apple Music - darn cool! I bought the album.

 

Me too. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

JC

[TubeLover]

And then there's Phil Collins... Oh just a minute :-)

 

Now Eloise, to be fair, Phil did some great work, seriously, with Genesis, and even when he took over lead vocals after Gabriel left, on Wind and Wuthering.

 

 

JC

[Sal1950]

I first subscribed to Stereophile when JGH numbered his volume in the single digits but I have responded the only way I can. I made the public post that JA and Stereophile will never see another penny of my money,, on this statement I swear.

[esldude]

I first subscribed to Stereophile when JGH numbered his volume in the single digits but I have responded the only way I can. I made the public post that JA and Stereophile will never see another penny of my money,, on this statement I swear.

 

Good for you Sal.

[baddog]

+1 Sal, and based on John Atkinson's reply, he clearing is missing the point, so much so that I am not even going to comment on it, I am done with them as well.

 

"But while I am responding, let me clarify: 1) This opinion piece may have been triggered by the death of Glenn Frey but was not about Glenn Frey;..."

 

[Sal1950]

" I think of him every time I pick up my 59 Strat which he bought me. Glenn was generous, and gave us a shot when no one else would. He left the world too soon. His legacy will be his timeless, great songs

 

Andrew Kastner"

 

 

That's a very good story and nice read, Thanks!

[skolis]

+1 Sal, and based on John Atkinson's reply, he clearing is missing the point, so much so that I am not even going to comment on it, I am done with them as well.

 

+++++1 and absolutely won't be renewing my subscription - they are totally clueless!

[REShaman]

My earlier post wherein I gave notice of my call to the subscription department and cancelled appears that I am not alone in the repugnant behaviors of the Stereophile clan in response to Mr. Robert Baird's review. Without having the benefit of Mr. Atkinson's response to the reaction, I made an executive decision, after consulting with myself, and cancelled my subscription. I wasn't even asked for a reason. Nor did I volunteer one.

 

All the more reason for feeling justified that I took action that is justified by the response from the biggies at Stereophile. They may not care that I am gone. But I care that I am gone in the sense that I feel I was proactive and not reactive. I do not feel welcome at Stereophile. C'est la vie!

 

Best,

Richard

[Butch]

I thought I would also chime in here as I found the Stereophile article to also be in very poor taste, poorly written and the responses from people associated to the magazine to be disturbing. The article ENDS with the below sentence.

 

 

"And let’s not even talk about the 29 times platinum Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), the second largest-selling record album of all time, which plays like aural torture to anyone who lived through the '70s!"

 

 

Yes, that is how the article ends. How's that for sensationalism! So the people who actually bought the album in the 70's and made it the 2nd biggest selling album of all time, now consider it aural torture? Huh?

 

 

Stephen Mejias (former Stereophile employee and current advertiser via Audioquest) posted a comment referring to the article as "art" and "inspiring". Nice attempt at damage control and a PR spin if I have ever seen one. I'm not sure how that article inspires someone to listen to the Eagles music? To each their own I suppose. Both Stephen and John Atkinson have posed the question to readers about when would be an appropriate time to publish this article? Maybe they should ask the question - when would be the most inappropriate time to publish this article? I think most would agree that immediately following someone's death, ranks right up there. I'm in my late 30's and I'm going to guess I fall outside of the typical Eagles and Stereophile demographic. The Eagles certainly aren't in my regular rotation, neither is Bowie, the Beatles, Stones etc but I have an understanding and respect for their impact on so many. How Stereophile, a magazine I started to subscribe to only a few months ago (regrettably), doesn't understand how this article might rub people the wrong way is astonishing. The way they have responded (or not responded) to their readers is also concerning. The fact that Mr. Baird doesn't care for the Eagles music is really irrelevant to me. My wife and I don't agree on the same music either. It is the fact this article came out immediately following the death of someone many cared for is what is relevant to me.

 

 

I'm sorry to the many Eagles fans. I'm sorry that my money might of helped pay for that.