This documentary is currently on
BBC iplayer for those who can receive it, but it was
originally released in the USA earlier this year.
Running to nearly 2 hours, it is actually part one, but there is more than enough here to keep both fans and the uninitiated interested until that appears.
As with any biography there will be a few surprises, although their drawing inspiration from the Beatles is not one of them, nor perhaps is their relationship with their contemporary Jackson Browne, who appears on the front cover of their
Desperado album (for those of you who are old enough to remember
albums).
As might be expected, this documentary covers a lot of ground including creative tensions, "tensions tensions", inspirations, run-ins with management, and sex an' drugs an' rock 'n' roll. The programme makers talk to all the major players including drummer and vocalist Don Henley; Joe Walsh (who joined in 1975), and Jackson Browne.
One thing you won't find here is the explanation of their most enigmatic song,
Hotel California, but the
man from SongFacts has this and many other Eagles' songs in
his database.
If there has to be a bad guy in the story it is guitarist Don Felder who shared the lead with Joe Walsh on
that epic track. Needless to say, Felder himself doesn't see things quite like that, but wherever the blame lies, we should be grateful the Eagles happened. This is
where they live.
The cover of the mega-selling album 'Hotel California'. The title track has been the source of endless speculation since its release in 1977.
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