Last Christmas, I had a number of biographies on my list, ranging from Vincent Price to Jack Daniel. I was surprised when a family member gave me a book titled “Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles” by Don Felder (with Wendy Holden). I’ve been a bit of an Eagles disciple for as long as I’ve been playing music, and JWP hasn’t gone a gig without playing an Eagles tune for the last three years, at least.
If you don’t know the off-stage story of The Eagles, let’s just say it’s more than a little hectic. Felder wasn’t an original member of the band, but he wrote the music to one of the best-known rock songs of all time, “Hotel California.” Felder opens by recreating the feeling of standing on a stage in front of thousands of screaming fans, playing those signature chords on the 12-string guitar.
The Eagles may have one of the most storied, and convoluted, paths to success. The band was made up of insane amounts of instrumental and vocal talent, though turmoil was never far from tearing them apart. Felder does a great job of relaying both his personal experiences, and those of the band members who were in the Eagles before him. Randy Meisner was the original bassist, and the versatile Bernie Leadon was Felder’s predecessor on guitar, petal steel and other stringed instruments.
Felder was always close to the band. He discusses his early years teaching guitar in Florida before heading out to California for better opportunities. (Pay close attention to some of his students who you might have heard of!) Leadon bought him a chance to play for Jackson Browne, and Felder bluffed his way into success, for instance. Eventually, the Eagles became a segmented battle of players vs. singers, with Glen Frey and Don Henley really putting their stamp on the band’s sound. Meisner left, and was replaced by Timothy B. Schmidt, and Leadon quit, opening the door for Felder to become an official Eagle. He was joined by Joe Walsh on guitar, leading to the absolute climax of the Eagles’ success.
The Eagles are one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and they are an absolute case study in the music business during the 1970’s. Felder’s stories of cocaine, groupies, road trips, and recording studios provide great insight into what made the Eagles tick. (The Joe Walsh chainsaw stories are worth the read alone. The lyrics to “Life’s Been Good” definitely come from real experiences!)
Other highlights include the historic “Hell Freezes Over” concert performance, where Felder was tasked with writing a new introduction to “Hotel California” THE DAY BEFORE the concert, Frey’s birthday party, Walsh’s off-hand comment just before the band started “Hotel California”, and Felder’s final legal departure from his band mates. In all, the book is a terrific memoir from a very talented and often overlooked player who many of us know, but don’t know this deeply.
“Heaven and Hell” only offers Felder’s point of view, and there are probably a few portions where he won’t fully admit the extremes of his, or the band’s, behavior, but it’s a fantastic account of life on the roller coaster of highs and lows that the Eagles represented for decades. This is a must read for all die-hard, and most casual fans of the Eagles.
nK