 | | |
| Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001) | 
 enlarge | Author: Don Felder
Creator: Wendy Holden
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $14.41
You Save: $11.54 (44%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $14.41
Avg. Customer Rating:  (45 reviews)
Sales Rank: 47
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 0470289066
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42166092
EAN: 9780470289068
ASIN: 0470289066
Publication Date: April 21, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The inside story can finally be revealed The Eagles are the bestselling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever, and Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 is the bestselling album of all time in the United States. Through breakup and comeback, arguments and lawsuits, their popularity has continued to soar for more than three decades. Now band member and guitarist DonFelder finally breaks the Eagles' years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes— -where drugs, greed, and endless acrimony threatened to break up the band almost daily. In Heaven and Hell, Felder shares every part of the band's wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms where he, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley had their ultimate confrontation. Yet, beyond the mayhem and clashing egos that have become standard-issue in rock-and-roll memoirs, Felder also remembers the joy of writing powerful new songs with his bandmates; the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans; and the hard work, dedication, and creativity that each band member brought to the music, even in the worst of times. Offering even-handed and perceptive portraits of every member of the Eagles, Heaven and Hell is a thrilling and thoughtful, raucous and bittersweet tale about the love of music and the price of fame.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 40 more reviews...
 An Inside Look at the Eagles July 14, 2008
We always new that Glen Frey and Don Henley were a couple of insecure jerks didn't we? Well Don Felder confirms it with lots of details in this book. There are a couple of things that I like about this book. First of all, it feels honest. Felder speaks about how he, Joe Walsh, and the other members of the group (with the exception of Bernie Leadon who didn't take any of Frey's crap) more or less cowered before the two people they called "The Gods" in order to preserve the music. I also enjoyed Felder's story of growing up in Gainesville, Florida, and his interaction with his family and other future rock and roll musicians (such as a young Tom Petty). I'm usually disappointed in these type of books (such as the Clapton biography), but this one is worth reading!!!!
The "Other" Side To Hell Freezing Over July 11, 2008
Don Felder spends the majority of the first half of the book telling the story of his life as a poor, Gainesville, Florida boy who married young and rode his guitar-playing expertise to the top of the music world.
Felder's friendship with original-Eagle Bernie Leadon and his lean years with fledgling bands make his unlikely membership in the Eagles an enjoyable success story. His energetic, rock-edged guitar playing helped re-invent the Eagles sound, and launched them to greater heights.
While a number of previous reviewers dismiss Felder as being bitter for suing the band to maintain his just and contracted equal share of the Eagles' profits, I think he does a fair job of stating the facts in a non-whiny manner. Message to all: Save all paperwork related to business!
It is evident that manager Irving Azoff's desire to divide and conquer was successful in dividing the Eagles. I had hoped to see Don Felder return someday to the Eagles; it may eventually happen, now that his lawsuit has been settled out of court.
 Don Felder examines the tapestry of his life... even the frayed edges July 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Don Felder is very forthcoming about his life, and his place among the Eagles. Burdened by his self doubts and insecurities about his guitar skills, these traits haunt him even today. These inner demons kept him in Gainesville longer than he should have stayed; kept him from ending low paying, deadend jobs in Boston; prevented him from trying to make the scene on the West coast; perpetuated his own disillusionment with the Eagles; and ultimately played a starring role in his unfavorable demise from the group.
He tells the story of a different time in music, and the gifts he was given by knowing so many talented musicians who just loved making music. The guys jammed together, and filled in for each other in a pinch, and even taught one another to play different instruments. I mean, we're talking Chris Hillman, Duane Allman, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, the Beegees, the Blues Brothers, Tom Petty, Gram Parsons, and the list goes on! The book would be a great read just to get a glimpse of a magical era in rock and roll music itself.
Once he joined the Eagles, Don "Fingers" Felder became a work-a-holic on a listing ship which became increasingly difficult to get righted. As he spent his life at the beck and call of the Eagles' success, his wife Susan took complete care of him. She was his emotional rock night or day, raised their four children single-handedly, and stuck by him through drug abuse, infidelity, and years on the road. He is blatantly honest about being non-supportive of Susan when it came her turn to make her mark in the world. Instead of taking care of her, their home, the kids (although the hard part was over), and reciprocating her 30-year commitment to him and his career... he divorced her. And he discusses the woman he shares his life with now, and how she is there for him, because he still can't stand up emotionally for himself.
So Don Henley is anal, and Glen Frey's sense of self-importance is only surpassed by that of the Greek god, Narcissus? Old, old news. But it was interesting to gain a bit of insight into two entities who worked hard to propel the Eagles straight into rock history, only to destroy the Eagles by sacrificing them to feed their own insatiable inner beasts. While Don Felder grew increasingly frustrated with the inner mechanisms of the band, he just didn't have the confidence to stand up for himself. He never seemed to understand why Tim and Joe were caught in the middle. They had much more to lose, in many ways, than Don Felder. As Joe tried to explain... it's hard as hell on the mind, body and soul out there going solo, with the work load, the hours, and the responsibilities. But it is something one must experience to understand. Never having experienced it, he was not able to recognize it and support Susan while she built her company... solo. And he humbly acknowledges this shortcoming in himself.
Despite the soaring highs and sweeping lows in his life, it sounds like Don Felder has found peace. I appreciate that for him in his life.
My strongest regrets about the way things ultimately transpired among the members of the band are sheerly selfish: 1) I will never get to see the Eagles perform with Don Henley, Glen Frye, Don Felder, Timothy Schmit and Joe Walsh. (The hope of seeing them perform, including Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, died decades ago.); and 2) I can play hell getting a guitar or photo signed by all 7 members of the Eagles. Ahhh. Thank God for CDs!
Much better than expected... July 3, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I tend to assume that celebrity bios are ghost-written, and this one at least credits the co-author. Given that, it's a much better read than I expected, well put together and coherent. Don Felder makes a good "unsung hero", and for an unsung hero getting his chance to speak, he does a good job of taking the high road. He makes a noticeable effort to be fair to all the members of the Eagles with whom he played, and as a result he doesn't come off as petty or whining. I have always enjoyed and admired his guitar playing, and now have a sense that he may also be a pretty decent person. Worth reading.
Eagles dirty laundry July 3, 2008
Great book, everybody mentioned in this book are geniuses in their own right, ego's are always a huge factor in any group, and without a defined leader, people naturally push to get things done the way they feel is best, the Eagles were no different. Entertaining to see how their music and personal lives evolved over the years, Felder writes from the heart, and his personal experience in the band sheds a light on how power and money changed the environment that was once totally music driven, to one that tried to maintain the music standard, and add the big business aspect.Great reading, enjoyed it all.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| | |