Conversation with Jess Album #9

JESS:I couldn't wait until I got the opportunity to talk to you about this one - you picked one of my two favorite bands of all time!   

ME:Well I do have exceedingly good taste.

I remember when I first heard the Eagles - I was 14, and had just gotten my first walkman cassette player.  No, I'm not old, or anything.  Anyway, my sister made me a tape of "Greatest Hits Volume 1" of theirs.  One listen, and I was hooked.  The sheer precision of their performances was amazing to me, and the tight vocal harmonies instantly captivated me.  The song "Best of My Love" especially got me - the ending harmonies were so sublime.  How did you discover them?  And what first got your attention?

I first heard of them because the country stars at the time did a tribute album of their works which was incredible poplar. I instantly hated the Eagles and that album, why you asked, because I was in Jr. High and hated anything that was really poplar. You know, because I was a “REBEL”. Then after the “Hell Freezes Over” album came out a was chatting up a girl at a party who really like them. So in my suave Jr. High way I told her, “Oh yay! Me too!”. I'm not sure if that helped, but I got to second base that night, so it didn't hurt. Later I listen to the album without any pre-prejudices, and found them incredible.

Hitting on girls - expanding teenagers musical interests since the dawn of time. "Gregorian Chant? I LOVE Gregorian Chant! Have you heard that one about 'Dies Irae'?"

The Eagles changed dramatically throughout the 70s - beginning as a Country/Folk/Rock group, with Don Henley being mainly a songwriter, to their later incarnation as a Southern Rock group, with Don Henley being the quasi-lead singer, and Timothy B. Schmidt and Joe Walsh giving a very urban edge to their sound.  What period of their music do you like the most, and why?  Or do you even have a favorite?

I don't have a certain favorite. I do, however, love the way they changed. The best bands I know change the way they do things. The Killers change their style ever album, Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Muse, all have a way to change their identities over and over again. IT is a true mark of a great band.

I agree. Stagnation is a mark of the creatively challenged. 

Now, we know that Hell Freezes Over is something like a Greatest Hits compilation - of their original albums, do you have a favorite?

Desperado... I know, I know... It's a sin not to say Hotel California, but you asked the question.

Not a bad choice at all. That one is my favorite of their early period. If it weren't for "Last Resort" and "Wasted Time," it would easily top "Hotel California" for me, as well. 

The Eagles began when Glenn Frey and Don Henley met while working as backup singers for Linda Ronstadt.  Within a week they wrote two songs - Tequila Sunrise and Desperado.  Desperado is obviously the more famous of the two, but Tequila Sunrise is more interesting to me as a musician.  I noticed that you picked it as perhaps your favorite.  I wanted to ask whether the changing of perspectives ever stood out to you: it starts in third person, talking about a boy.  Then it changes into talking about his woman.  Then it changes to first person, where he's unsuccessfully hitting on this same woman. I can't think of another song that changes subjects that much in such a short time (Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" does, but it's something like 9 minutes long, and it's basically a medley of three unrelated and unfinished songs).  You get a definite glimpse into this world, and it feels familiar, but you also feel like there's far more left unsaid than spoken.

Or am I reading far more into this than you think is really there?

I don't think writing a song in a shifting perception like that is as hard as you think. I just think it's something no one ever thinks to do. Your average writer of something short isn't think, “let me look at this from all angles” just, “here is a point of view”. Which is to bad because it does pull me into the world completely. And no I don't think you're reading to much into this.

Hotel California is musically interesting to me for completely different reasons.  Everybody thinks of it as having this awesome, unmistakable melody.  This is actually not at all true.  There are only three or four notes in the verse, and just a few in the chorus.  If I played them for you on a piano, you might not even be able to distinguish what song it is.  What makes it so interesting is the very unusual chord progression going on behind it, and the way that progression changes the sound of the unchanging melody.  The structure is also interesting - extended intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse - extremely extended guitar solo.  I can't think of another song with that form.  Do you think its unusual composition helped it to be so successful, or was it a hit despite its strange structure?

I think it's one of those rare beautiful arts in the world. One of the few that ascends the art in which it's in.

As much as people complain about it, things like structure, and non-originality are used because it is what works. Every now and then something will be different but not BAD. Usually when someone steps outside the structure it is horrible. However, every once in a blue moon you get a masterpiece, like Hotel California,

You know me; I love structure. It's one reason I think Toby Keith's songs fade in popularity so fast; he writes a perfect hook, but has no structure to his songs. That said, if an artist can transcend the rules, that's when you find greatness. I think of the great Classical and Jazz composers; they spent years learning all the rules, so that they'd know how and when breaking them would be the most effective. 

Great call on this one. Now I'm not sure if I can put one of my favorite two bands on my top ten list. Damn you, Caleb Baccus! But yeah, great choice.