Millions of music fans around the world are mourning the loss of Eagles rocker Glenn Frey. Other drama followed the group: After getting a brutal business ultimatum from Frey, Don Felder left the reunited group; guitarist Bernie Leadon poured beer over Frey’s head as he exited the band; and there’s bassist Randy Meisner leaving when he didn’t want to sing “Take It to the Limit”, his signature song. It breaks your heart when someone leaves and you don’t know why ” Glenn Frey”, wrote One Directi-on singer Niall Horan.
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Bandmate Don Henley said, “He was like a brother to me… TAKE IT EASY (written by Glen Frey & his good buddy Jackson Brown) is now and always will be, the pinnacle of a “classic rock” hit song”.
The rock band sold over 150 million albums worldwide, with “Hotel California” being their best-selling hit in history. “We lost one of the greatest songwriters ever today…”
Charlesworth interviewed some of the biggest names in music as a rock journalist in the 70s, including Glenn Frey, who died yesterday at the age of 67, and fellow band member Don Henley. They were together in the Eagles from 1974-80 and again from 1994-2001, trading guitar solos on songs like “Already Gone” and “Visions” while co-writing “Hotel California” and “Victim of Love”. Frey was 67 years old.
During the Eagles’ 2014 concert at the Forum, in fact, Frey compared the legacy of two uniquely Californian bands: “The Beach Boys were pioneers”. Its six Grammys include Record of the Year for Hotel California and best country performance by a vocal duo or group for How Long, from the 2007 album Long Road Out Of Eden, another No. 1 seller.
Frey, known for his muscular jaw, big grin and wavy dark hair, loved music, girls and the rock “n” roll life.
The bandmates harmonized memorably on stage and on record but fought often otherwise.
Henley released his own statement following the news of Frey’s death, calling him “the spark plug” to the Eagles and “the man with a plan” and “funny, bullheaded, mercurial, generous, deeply talented and driven”. Read HENLEY’s full tribute to FREY here.
Simon Warner, a music lecturer at Leeds University, says few bands come close to the level of popularity enjoyed by the Eagles.
Henley said Frey was like a brother to him, and even though they experienced some dysfunction – like the breakup that lasted for 14 years – the bond they forged was never broken.
But I digress. Rest in peace, Glenn Frey.
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AP with contributions from RockShot Magazine.
