I don't know whether to laugh or spit...is this not a Spinal Tap-esque scenario? Mega-rich Malibu-Revolutionaries railing against 'The War', the 'Tabloid Media', the 'Religious Right', and 'Big Business' (my, how creative and iconoclastic) in their usual self-pitying, sanctimonious, humorless fashion...and then banking an deal with the world's biggest retailer - a retailer embroiled in dozens of worker's rights law suits and known for exploiting poor-country labor forces with near-slave wages, a company known for attempting to censor artistic content that they find objectionable, (and based in the middle of the Bible-Belt to boot) - for EXCLUSIVE distribution rights.

If the cringe-inducing irony is lost on these Elay Icons of Navel-Gazing Self-Importance...or anyone else...more the pity to them. Truly a farce...

So how'd you like the CD ?

What ever gave you the idea that the Eagles were were revolutionaries? To me they have allways been a commercial entity period.

Honestly, it is just too damn slick for me. The musicianship is impeccable, but it seems like a continuation of The Long Run's soulless perfection...which robs the music of spontaneity and freshness. It is as if every track has been polished within inches of its humanity...and hence, the tracks sound like vacuum-packed Elay-country-rock for the Baby Boom masses. I can't get by the production values...no grit. Not to mention the fact that I cannot get around the hypocrisy of their sanctimonious politics...

I may have missed it but I don't remember the Eagles making any political statements. Can you fill me in?

keithfan64 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I may have missed it but I don't remember the
> Eagles making any political statements. Can you
> fill me in?

Listen to the album. Go to Wal-Mart and pick it up. Or do like me...I downloaded it from their website.

If you cannot see the politics infused in tracks like Busy Being Fabulous and many other tracks which are high-handedly sanctimonious, and then smell the hypocrisy of signing an EXCLUSIVE deal with Wal-Mart to distribute this music (couldn't they have simply gone exclusively-digital, like Radiohead - with the physical product to be in general distribution later? Or sold to ALL retailers?) then there's nothing more I can say to you. We simply disagree.

They could have done this more in keeping with their supposed values, then their self-righteous sanctimony would at least have the patina of validity.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-11 21:06 by Turd On The Run.

I agree, Turd, and the problem with visible schmucks like the Eagles is that they provide easy targets for Limbaugh-type commentators to criticize "the liberal Hollywood elite," thereby doing damage to otherwise worthy causes. Henley's activism for Walden Pond is one thing but lame sloganeering another. Don't they realize they're not helping?

Interesting, I never thought of them as "liberal Hollywood elite"

And think Alec and Babs fullfil the role of that ilk, quite nicely.

I buy for pure entertainment. Not for nitpicking to death lyrics or content.

Give me something to enjoy, and fill a mood niche.


cc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree, Turd, and the problem with visible
> schmucks like the Eagles is that they provide easy
> targets for Limbaugh-type commentators to
> criticize "the liberal Hollywood elite," thereby
> doing damage to otherwise worthy causes. Henley's
> activism for Walden Pond is one thing but lame
> sloganeering another. Don't they realize they're
> not helping?

I haven't even heard the album, so I'm hardly nitpicking the lyrics to death.

sorry, that line was meant to be a generality, not aimed at you...

keithfan64 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I may have missed it but I don't remember the
> Eagles making any political statements. Can you
> fill me in?

The Eagles have expressed views on many political issues, the environment being one ( dons private plane runs on hot air), maybe workers rights ( against artists rights) isn't one of their concerns.
I have no problem with musicians having views on any issue and expressing them, indeed its an important part of any art. likewise it's difficult for all of us not to seem to go against our own vies in today's society, especially the carbon footprint issue. thing for me is though when acts like the Eagles (and coldplay chris martin) seemingly live lifestyles that are the polar opposite of their expressed views it not only sets them up as an easy target (and pssibly justifiable one) for cynics but it also runs the risk of damaging the very cause the want to support.

I am absolutely enjoying the delicious irony of these Lear Jet liberal hypocrites sleeping with the "enemy." I've BEEN laughing since they made the announcement last winter.

It's a damned good 14 song album, actually, once you excise the tedious Henley harangues.

Nanker Phlegm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> thing for me is though when acts
> like the Eagles (and coldplay chris martin)
> seemingly live lifestyles that are the polar
> opposite of their expressed views it not only sets
> them up as an easy target (and pssibly justifiable
> one) for cynics but it also runs the risk of
> damaging the very cause the want to support.

exactly. And for an example of such cynics, see R's post below yours.

You also are correct to note that complaining against the Eagles, Alec Baldwin, and others brings with it more problems: should their celebrity mean they can't express any views? It shouldn't, but why must they be so clumsy.

thanks, button, for clarifying.

Its a difficlut tightrope to walk for the celeb, to use their celebrity in a postive way, without seeming to be a hypcrite. The recent gore fest at wembley may have had many a sincere act but I'm sure a few acts were there for other reasons.
As for Gelfof, I reall ahve no faith in the man, he lies on tiny silly things like when and where he saw bob dylan as a wee kid in dublin ( he must have been 8 and NO that famous scene with ginsberg from dont look back was not shot in dublin) where he's only benifit was "OH LOOK AT ME", I'm sure we've all meet the type but not on the potential scale of Sir Bob.

"dons private plane runs on hot air"

That's fer sure!



The music and harmonies on the new CD are classic Eagles - if ya love them (I do) it's wonderful. If ya don't, you won't.

The love/party songs are great, BUT, after about the 4th or 5th Bush (a buffoon) bash, it gets old.

BTW, "Busy Being Fabulous" is a relationship song, not political. Kinda like a female version of "King Of Hollywood".


Yeah, I'm a Walmart shopper - so are you.

"No Anchovies, Please"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-12 03:33 by Elmo Lewis.

It's FUN to shop at Wal-Mart!

I guess I'm lucky, I don't shop at Wallmart or buy Eagles albums.

Elmo Lewis Wrote:

> The music and harmonies on the new CD are classic
> Eagles - if ya love them (I do) it's wonderful. If
> ya don't, you won't.
>
> The love/party songs are great, BUT, after about
> the 4th or 5th Bush (a buffoon) bash, it gets old.
>
>
> BTW, "Busy Being Fabulous" is a relationship song,
> not political. Kinda like a female version of
> "King Of Hollywood".
>
>
> Yeah, I'm a Walmart shopper - so are you.

Too Busy Being Fabulous is a relationship song. You are, of course, completely right. What I meant was the title track, and others like I Dreamed There Was No War, Business As Usual, and Frail Grasp On The Big Picture. And whether you think the American President is a buffoon (and if he's a buffoon then he is followed closely behind by the Liberal Democratic leadership in their clown costumes) or not, the relentless and gratuitous (and overly obvious) bashing is suffocating.

Yet their harmonies ARE gorgeous...and the tunes often irresistible. That's The Eagles stock in trade...analgesic for the harmony-hungry masses. I appreciate thier talents and owned every one of their albums as a youngster...but I somehow look for (and expect) a little more moral nuance and grittier production at this stage of their adulthood. And more consistency in their values...if they rail against conformity and the dumbing down of Amerikkka, then why get in bed with the very symbol of Conformity For The Masses? Self-Righteous hypocrisy makes for a very bum note.

And no...I do not shop at Wal-Mart.