Don Henley, “Is not a spectacular drummer by any means but He is a spectacular songwriter & Singer

[@kevinfisher5492]

I wish Don would stop shutting down people on KZbin who are just covering his music out of love.

[@longtallshorty5791]

Yeah. All this from the guy who wrote "Get Over It".

[@jrnyman78]

Henley is as greedy as they come. He won't stand for anyone profiting from anything related to him without him being compensated. It's ridiculous how much time and effort he puts into blocking those that cover his contributions to the world no matter what form it takes.

[@sammydavis991]

Not going to happen

[@67marlins]

​@@jrnyman78Agreed. It's a shame, because I'd say almost all music fans respect and admire their idols EVEN MORE once they find that that musician is a nice, humble and approachable person. In Henley's case, he's simply alienated people, and it has cost him, and continues to cost him.

[@remoskins1437]

There's no need to be a spectacular drummer in any band. As long as people like the songs you're writing or playing. (drummer 50 years).

[@devinjeffrey275]

Don’s music with the Eagles and on his own is epic. Thanks John. You’re a class act man! 👊🏻

[@stevebird6632]

Listen to the hi-hat work on "One of these nights", the title track, tic tic tic tititic tissss-it, so precise & unique, just one example, the man played with a love for the craft , no sonic bombast needed 👍

[@chrissharkey9644]

As a pro bass player I have to say his time and feel on the kit is incredible and in the pocket

[@Christopher-jk9bj]

If you have ever seen Don in concert or on early Boot leg vids he really is good

[@brianshaffneraclc]

It always struck me that he approached drums very much as a songwriter/arranger, which isn't surprising. His accents and fills were right where they needed to be, and always just enough for the kind of music they made.

[@timsears951]

Don is not great drummer per se but he gets the job done ...this is really the point

[@platterjockey]

As a drummer, I have to disagree. Don Henley's drumming is rock solid, and his timing is impeccable. That's what makes a spectacular drummer.

[@danlovepeaceunity]

I just read he played behind the beat, now going back and listening it's totally true but it works.

[@rllapte]

I'll start by admitting that I was never a big fan of The Eagles. However, when Boys of Summer came out I had loosely defined sense that it was a gateway to something way beyond the ordinary. As a body of work, I can think of few if any that were better song writers. The range of subject matter, the wordplay, skillful and unique composition and the emotional intensity just about unparalleled.

[@ronniek7748]

I agree with Bill’s comments about Don’s drumming. As a fellow drummer, I will say that the Eagles music did not require a spectacular drummer. He played what the music required as did Ringo. Neither bands would be the same without them.

[@GrantTibor]

He had a signature voice. Plain and simple. Not alot of those.

[@richardalderson7603]

Don is an exceptional drummer playing within the music.. not over playing or crowding those stellar vocals. Not too mention playing while singing flawlessly even now.

[@blueshawk5649]

It's such a shame that apparently, those guys just could not get along. Such success , such great songs, great vocals and the Ego's to match. After watching the Eagles Documentary, it's a wonder anyone could stand to be around Henley and Frey for any length of time.

[@JimmyPlato1]

Don Henley's strength and greatness as a performing drummer is with his work in the studio. Don was great at laying down studio drum tracks that worked exceptionally well for the songs.

[@kc0lif]

one of these nights my favourite eagles song.

[@mdturnerinoz]

Henley is NOT Steve Gadd, but then, Steve Gadd cannot write songs and sing like Don Henley. I love both for their respective talents BTW. Great video, John!

[@jasonbone7033]

Give Don Henley his due. To harmonize and or sing lead while drumming is no small feat.

[@tjrox]

No different then playing any instrument and singing.

[@jasonbone7033]

Are you a drummer?

[@CWS1963]

​@@tjroxI beg to differ. Its 5 way independence. Guitar is 3 piano, 3 etc. As a singing drummer I speak with experience.

[@Christopher-jk9bj]

Everything Henley sings is Superb. I think one of his best vocals is his singing on leather and lace with Stevie nicks in 1981

[@patriciaf.2574]

Don Henley: Incredibly talented songwriter, vocalist and musician. 🎶💖😊

[@67marlins]

Add to that:greedy person who needlessly alienates fans and didn't stop Frey from being a bully.

[@boogingtonthunderwood8969]

Tell ya what, though… His time and the feel of those hits were coz of him. No chops to speak of, but as Steve Gadd says,… “Fills bring the thrills but grooves pay the bills.”

[@darrylsmith-hu6fy]

I think that Don Henley is an exceptional drummer,singer and songwriter despite what the critics say or think.He had a distinct voice,love his music 🎵

[@claireelias7044]

You got that right 👍. I love his voice and his songs. Never get tired of playing their music when driving.

[@CWS1963]

He is a spectacular "Singing drummer" , and I say that as a singing drummer.

[@devinjeffrey275]

Love this John. Thanks so much for keeping this stuff alive… 😎👊🏻

[@danweaver6053]

He was a solid drummer, I respect the hell out of that.

[@Christopher-jk9bj]

@@danweaver6053 I got the bootleg from 76 at the Kingdome in Seatle ..he beats the skins big time

[@mrmisfit635]

Don's drumming was adequate, it served the songs well.

[@mattofafnir5654]

Don is a talented drummer and vocalist but Phil Collins was the pinnacle!

[@MillerGenuineDraft1980]

Absolutely correct!

[@XyzXyz-mm9vq]

I’m with you on this 100%!

[@thedukeofno]

Don gets the job on the drums done, and serves the music well. The best pure singer the Eagles had was Randy, but Don has a far more distinctive voice. Don's greatest contribution is the songwriting.

[@kimjoan212]

So I had to hear don’s essentials before listening to this … and I agree with the thumbnail 100% ..❤

[@paulfisher3181]

He I indeed.may have been Golden Throat and was good at what he did but it didn’t stop Gary Katz firing him from The background vocal sessions for Steely Dans Peg after 3 attempts. It just makes him human. 😊 Mike McDonald took his p,ace and that vocal is what’s on the track,now.

[@The_Music_Sanctuary]

I don't think Henley will be remembered for his drumming as much as he will his voice.

[@XyzXyz-mm9vq]

@@The_Music_Sanctuary Agree. For some, he will even be remembered more for the controversy he created around himself.

[@mattlynn2866]

Levon Helm, greatest of them all

[@randomname3715]

Henley has to be top 5. When you listen to an Eagles album the drum parts stand out because of their uniqueness and how it helps the song.

[@beachbumsailordude]

Don is one of those guys who's speaking voice sounds NOTHING like his singing voice. I think you underestimated Joe a bit there. He was a success in his own right BEFORE the Eagles. As far as being a studio sideman he outshines the rest of them put together. He may come off like an idiot but that's part of his game. He's an amazing talent and Hotel California would have probably benn back in the discount rack like another can of beans without him.

[@blazeeisner9620]

Brother John! My father was also a sonar man on at his billet in San Diego at ASW school during the Cuban missile crisis. It was a very scary time for our family. Great job my friend. God bless. Blaze

[@gerriivie610]

Don Henley has a heart melting voice, when he speaks he has a lower voice but when the time comes he can definitely hit higher notes, no one can come close

[@rick8295]

John, when are you going to interview Don Felder?

[@newavatar2947]

That would be a good interview. Sometimes Don has to be careful what he shares. The band has a fast acting great legal team behind them

[@stevejohnson1397]

It'd be nice to hear Don Felder side to how he got screwed by Don Henley and Glenn Frey Don Henley is one of the biggest assholes in the music business

[@claireelias7044]

If you are are better than Don.. can you share some of the hit song that you may have. Don have lots😝.

[@lynnturman8157]

The thing that makes Henley such a great singer, IMO, is this: Think about Lennon & McCartney as singers. They both had different strengths & weaknesses that complimented each other. Lennon wasn't the greatest singer technically but he had a voice that was completely singular. Nobody else sounded like him. You knew it was John Lennon two seconds into a song. McCartney's strength was he had amazing versatility (he could sing a rocker & a ballad with equal skill) & amazing technical prowess. Well, Henley combined the strengths of BOTH Lennon & McCartney: singularly identifiable & amazing technical skill at the same time.

[@darknagaadventures7884]

Golden Throat makes him sound like a Bond Villain.

[@claireelias7044]

Did they just removed Dirty laundry song ( Melbourn tour)on you tube? My grandson love to dance and play drum when I am playing it.

[@chrisnieto5547]

As a pro baritone singer , it’s pisses me off that I can sing none of his songs in the original key. Glens are doable but Dons voice is an incredible instrument.

[@misfit2022]

I am not a big Eagles fan but I am a big Douglas Adams fan so to me Journey of the Sorcerer by Bernie Leadon is a classic and clearly the best Eagles song. DH is a solid drummer but if you want a top tier drummer who can sing very well then you want Levon Helm.

[@HarrisonGelles]

The Eagles are my favorite band, and I love Don, but Glenn is just as good a songwriter and vocalist in my mind.

[@snacklofter]

I sometimes think Don Henley and Bryan Adams and also the singer from ZZ Top can sound a little similar...

[@walleyeman50]

As big of a jerk that Henley can be and has been at times, he’s one of the best lyricists in music history. His over-the-top liberal views, his penchant for taking content off you tube and the insanity of having cell phones confiscated at concerts( yes I know from experience) doesn’t stop him from being one of the greatest singers in rock history.

[@gerriivie610]

From what I’ve heard him say about cell phones and people standing during the concert is out of respect for the other people that paid for their tickets that gets distracted by all of the flashing cell phones and blocking other people’s view, it was more consideration for all of their fans than him being a jerk

[@WrayEllis]

Great stuff.

[@jamesdean1143]

When Glyn Johns recorded The Eagles, he wasn’t impressed with Don Henley’s drumming. He told Don to hit the drums hard, like John Bonham, or Keith Moon. Don admitted that he couldn’t do that.

[@pamr4040]

♥

[@WineSippingCowboy]

The 1 drummer who surpasses Don Henley in Top 40 hits is, drum roll 🥁, Phil Collins. 🇬🇧 The late Levon Helm, RIP, Kelly Keagy, Jimmy Marinos, Sheila E are other drummers who can sing lead.

[@MillerGenuineDraft1980]

Peter Rivera from Rare Earth, Gil Moore from Triumph

[@BrandonCrapo]

I love that bill points out that Don was less than spectacular about drumming. He was fundamentally sound and nothing more. Did nothing as a drummer to make the music more interesting which is what I feel a drummer should do. Granted he had to sing but I always felt like he could have done more as a drummer

[@normatible9795]

I strongly disagree on being said that he is not " spectacular drummer" .he drums according to what song needs. We can not put stewart copeland or dave grohl or even Santana's drummers who are SPECTACULAR to put percussions on desperado. Let us be REASONABLE AND LOGICAL guys. Or bill simpson can TRY DRUMMING for the eagles

[@marcscarvalli7524]

Just out of curiosity can you tell me when Henley ever said he was a great drummer. Most of the time he admitted that his was average.

[@pal4597]

Try playing Take it to the Limit on drums. Try to capture that feel. Don might not be Mr. Chops, but he has a great feel. Saying that, not a fan of Don as a person. Lol

[@user-mx9cc3ib2b]

??? Henley is a very solid drummer!

[@drfreud65]

@John, the keyboard player from The Kinks passed today (John Gosling)

[@angelicamichel9392]

But ..I Love ❤ The Eagles 🦅

[@LowCountryMack]

Yeah, but it fits the song and he sings and drums.

[@davidberman7990]

Good enough to back Linda Ronstadt

[@jeffreyjacobs390]

Why not TWITTER ?

[@timeportal8937]

Let’s see you sing and play drums simultaneously It’s harder than singing and playing guitar

[@randomname3715]

Eagles will kill any other band with their musicianship.

[@rirchardrubio5621]

I think Don was a good drummer but not Spectacular, yes but he did do some good fills. Just listen to Victim of Love.

[@actionimagesphotography]

Don is like the Home Depot of drummers. He does everything well but not great.

[@DrTomoculus]

How "weak" he is as a drummer is evidenced anytime the Eagles did a Joe Walsh song. Well, the whole band really. It's so soft rock, anything they did that Joe Walsh wrote on his own, live or in the studio, sounds like a tamed down, sterilised piece of elevator music. Henley just has no power, whereas someone like Joe Vitale is pure power.

[@dickcnormis1444]

Difference is , Henley has a great voice , Springsteen doesn’t.Springsteen always sounded like he was taking a dump while singing.

[@marviveedee7198]

Not a spectacular drummer,yeah but he didnt have to be .What he played was perfect for The Eagles.

[@1rwjwith]

I agree, just my opinion but his drumming was pretty boring. Playing country rock he was passable but he was very stiff to me ,no swing. I liked his solo singing better than the Eagles stuff. It seems he always was at the top of his range with them by choice apparently. That’s my opinion. Well I am not just a big Eagles fan.

[@t2dev]

The most selfish band that shuts down musical education content on KZbin. I've seen three of their concerts and own all of their vinyl. I've stopped listening to them, took them off my playlists. 😮Same for my kids and their friends. The world moves on. They will soon be forgotten.

[@erikrichards5072]

Ha ha. Your loss. The fact that John is posting these interviews from the past would disprove any notion Eagles will be forgotten any time soon. Getting hooked on Eagles in HS led me to check out everyone's solo work, collaborations, etc. I did it by buying the albums. Maybe I'm the only person that purchased Joe Walsh's Got Any Gum? Felder's Airborne?

[@Christopher-jk9bj]

The Eagles will never be Forgotten..they are on the internet,,Your comment was just forgotten

[@yearginclarke]

The Eagles will be "forgotten"? Yeah, right.

[@candelise]

​@@Christopher-jk9bjHa! That's telling 'em!

[@claireelias7044]

I don't think so ..my grandchild is only 2 yrs old and love to dance and drum when I am playing Dirty Laundry haha.

[@jimhan8490]

I'm a singer, songwriter and musician. Don Henley is not an incredibly talented singer either. He has a limited baritone range with an ok tone. The rest of the band made those songs great.

[@guitarman73]

Knocking Don for his talent, because you're a singer and songwriter? Number one. Don is not a baritone, he's a tenor and he sings in that range. Second, may we inquire as to your songwriting, like how many hits have you sung on, and/or written?

[@MrTomengle]

Hell my Grandmother is a better drummer than him and she has been dead for 30 years.

[@vox1966]

Just never liked him singing and drumming. Always straining his voice like Springsteen

[@sammydavis991]

Lol.

[@edbigtruck]

Henley's drummig is nothing special.