Heaven And Hell: My Life In The Eagles, 1974-2001
Don Felder
Sep 2008 · Hachette UK
4.6star
51 reviewsreport
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352
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About this ebook
The Eagles wrote the soundtrack to the Seventies and Eighties - and even now their albums top the charts. But backstage, there were no peaceful, easy feelings...
Don Felder was just a poor boy from Florida, but when he joined the Eagles he soared into the stratosphere. Alongside former bandmates Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Randy Meisner, and Felder's childhood friend Bernie Leadon, he sold tens of millions of records (Eagles: Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975 is the bestselling album of all time), performed before countless adoring fans, and co-wrote the renowned hit 'Hotel California'. His guitar-playing ability lifted the band from mere popularity to iconic status. And now Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles' decades of public silence to take fans behind the scenes - where drugs, greed and endless acrimony threatened to tear the band apart almost daily.
"Maybe there was too much talent. Maybe the personalities clashed with the egos. Whatever the reason, there were always these explosive arguments going on while I sat silently in a corner. I never expected it to survive. Never once did I feel, 'Hey, I got it made. This thing's gonna last for years.'"
Felder was wrong about that, but he was also right: the band split up in 1980, only to reunite for 1994's mega-selling 'Hell Freezes Over' album and tour. But tempers continued to flare, and in 2001, after 27 contentious years as an Eagle, Felder was summarily fired by the 'board of directors': Frey and Henley. Lawsuits and counter-suits followed. In 'Heaven and Hell', Felder takes us inside the pressurised recording studios, the trashed hotel rooms and the tension-filled courtrooms, where he, Frey, and Henley had their ultimate confrontation.
Don Felder was just a poor boy from Florida, but when he joined the Eagles he soared into the stratosphere. Alongside former bandmates Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Randy Meisner, and Felder's childhood friend Bernie Leadon, he sold tens of millions of records (Eagles: Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975 is the bestselling album of all time), performed before countless adoring fans, and co-wrote the renowned hit 'Hotel California'. His guitar-playing ability lifted the band from mere popularity to iconic status. And now Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles' decades of public silence to take fans behind the scenes - where drugs, greed and endless acrimony threatened to tear the band apart almost daily.
"Maybe there was too much talent. Maybe the personalities clashed with the egos. Whatever the reason, there were always these explosive arguments going on while I sat silently in a corner. I never expected it to survive. Never once did I feel, 'Hey, I got it made. This thing's gonna last for years.'"
Felder was wrong about that, but he was also right: the band split up in 1980, only to reunite for 1994's mega-selling 'Hell Freezes Over' album and tour. But tempers continued to flare, and in 2001, after 27 contentious years as an Eagle, Felder was summarily fired by the 'board of directors': Frey and Henley. Lawsuits and counter-suits followed. In 'Heaven and Hell', Felder takes us inside the pressurised recording studios, the trashed hotel rooms and the tension-filled courtrooms, where he, Frey, and Henley had their ultimate confrontation.
Ratings and reviews
4.6
51 reviews
A Google user
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June 12, 2012
I've always loved the eagles music and never thought I'd get to see them live, then they reformed for their HFO tour. I got to see them in Auckland, New Zealand and was flawed at how crisp and clear they sounded. I sat in a sweet spot. Center, 8 rows back, but paid top dollar for it. $140 at the time was a lot, but worth it. The farewell 1 tour would have cost me $560 to sit in the same area. I thought that was being a bit greedy, so I passed. After reading this book, the greed was confirmed. Cheers.
Andy Carruthers
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September 26, 2013
Definitely a must-read for anyone who appreciates The Eagles' music. This chronicle of the self-destruction of one of the world's most popular bands is told with honesty and humility. Such a contrast to the bombastic documentary that was clearly designed to take the edge off Felder's revelations. Great read.
David Rubie
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April 1, 2014
If you ever wondered why the stage dynamics on the hell freezes over laserdisc were so strange, this book has all the answers.
About the author
Don Felder was born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1947. He joined the Eagles in 1974 and composed the music to their groundbreaking hit 'Hotel California'. Still widely considered one of the most gifted guitarists in the music industry. Felder lives in Los Angeles and has four grown children.
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