Posted on 01/14/2022 10:57:04 PM PST by nickcarraway
Interesting gossip out of the classic rock world today: apparently Steely Dan producer Greg Katz once had to fire the Eagles’ Don Henley from tracking vocals on Steely Dan’s 1977 hit “Peg.” And it’s still awkward. Musicians Review 2021: Billionaires' Race To Space Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock, Katz talked about how both Steely Dan and the Eagles were tight, as they were both managed by Irving Azoff. “In the chorus, the backgrounds are sort of the lead,” Katz said. “It wasn’t like a [usual] background part.” And while the song was originally coming together, Katz and Donald Fagen talked about how they “both liked Henley’s singing. ‘Why don’t we call Henley and Linda Ronstadt? Maybe that would be cool and something different.’ So, I called Irving … Linda wasn’t feeling well, so Nicolette Larson came.”
But when Henley went to learn the part and sing, it sounds like the chemistry just wasn’t there. “There wasn’t patience as much as instant reaction of the realities of the moment,” Katz said. “We didn’t jerk people off by letting them think it was going to work and have them sit for two hours. When we knew it wasn’t going to be OK, Fagen would tell me to end it. So they sang it again, and it was no good.”
Soon after, Fagen apparently went to go get a sandwich with bandmate Walter Becker, before which Fagen told Katz: “Oh, fire them.” Recalling the experience, Katz said, “Which I did — and have heard about for 35 years since, in various ways.”
Katz added: “The last time I saw Henley, he sidled up to me … and he said, ‘Are you going to fire me again today, Katz?’ But he didn’t smile when he said that.”
It was “a difficult day at the office,” Katz added, “because, like [Fagen and Becker], I was part of that inner-circle crowd. We were all in the same little area. We lived in the same place and had the same manager. It was always Eagles and Steely Dan for a long time in L.A.”
Anyway, Michael McDonald was brought in to do the backing vocals, and “Peg” became what it is today. Henley would later join Steely Dan for “FM (No Static at All)” (along with Glenn Frey and Tim Schmit), so I guess it’s safe to assume that Fagen and Becker remained on good terms with Henley in the end.
Right but I heard Felder was actually the straight family man of the group who didn’t party like the others.
Hotel California was a ripoff of Jethro Tull’s “We Used To Know.”
Exceedingly well. They are one of the few recording acts from that era that still sound fresh today and not dated at all. They were perfectionists in the studio and it showed.
Now some are going to groan when I say this but I put Toto in that same category. They don't get much respect from the critics but they too were studio perfectionists and their music never gets tired (at least not to me).
Then add the Alan Parsons Project, another great studio act.
Dang! I just listened to “We Used to Know.” You’re not kidding. “Hotel California” is definitely a straight up ripoff of that and I never knew that before. They don’t even try to hide it.
I never was a fan of “Hotel California,” the song or the album. But I learned something new today.
Wow.
Just listened to it again.
Almost cord for cord.
Hey, but the words are different.
5.56mm
Ian Anderson said that he considered Hotel California to be a tribute, “like this tribute Rolex I’m wearing.”
You'd be amazed how many songs Steve Lukather has played on, he was the "Wrecking Crew" of the 80s.
Saw them live twice
Once with Becker, and once since he passed
While both were great shows, Dan was better with Becker
Always been a Dan fan.
They were better when they were a real band with Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter.
Concur.
Alan Parsons was a favorite..big fan of toto, too. Especially the old stuff
From Don Henley?
8^)
5.56mm
Trivia Time, what "One Hit Wonder" band from the 70s formed the core of the Alan Parsons Project?
Yes, they certainly were
Not alot of opportunities back in those days to see them live.
Glad I finally did get the chance before Beckers passing
“ Hey, but the words are different.”
We Used to Know is a better song than Hotel California because of that…less pretentious and, obviously, far more honest!
they covered it nicely :)
I've seen them live 4 times in the past 6 years or so. I wish I saw them in the 70's or 80's or 90's.
The Eagles backed up on Seger’s Fire Lake.
Jimmy Buffett (and others) back up on the Eagles The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks off The Long Run album as the Monstertones.
Don Felder WAS Hotel California. He wrote the music while away with his wife and daughter while on vacation. Of course Frey and Henley co-opted the fame.
Glenn Frey is a bit dubious, but Henley is a Grade A POS.
The Eagles were the Fathers of country rock with Bernie Leadon being the driving force.
Great memories, and those are my favorite songs on there, too. The closest thing I’ve found to that sound is the original America album, often referred to as the Indians album because of the Indians on the cover. They were both released about the same time. I’m assuming you’ve heard that, but if not, you should check it out. Thanks.
I used to like listening to "We Used To Know" on a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair.
I only know that because I'm a 70s music fanatic.
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