Recording "Hotel California" Producer Bill Szymczyk, Did He Know Randy Meisner Was Leaving?

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lp.constantcontactpages.com/s... Don Henley, “Is not a spectacular drummer by any means but He is a spectacular songwriter & Singer
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[@Christopher-jk9bj]

AM Radio wanted to shorten it so it would play on AM radio and Henley said no keep it the way it is

[@kc0lif]

randy meiser seemed like a cool guy.

[@lilmelvin11]

He had Character, a rare occurrence among musicians. I know, because I'm a musician myself 😎

[@user-pz6ge7hf4x]

Indeed,he was! RIP Randy!

[@mikeyohe4750]

He seemed to be based and true to himself.

[@wanderingrenegade771]

Agree,hard to respect others who act like spoiled brats most of the time.

[@jcm78]

Back in the early 90s my school mates were going ga ga over nirvana and Pearl Jam. Meanwhile I had the eagles catolog on constant rotation. I listen to all kinds of different music but the one guitar solo that raises the hairs on the back of my neck is “One of These Nights” Don Felder playing his Les Paul burst through a Fender tweed deluxe amp. Pure magic! Long love Eagles!

[@jimhansen1183]

I find this stuff so interesting. I was a listen , hold the album and read it inside and out guy.

[@gerry1620]

Me too!

[@debiruggles6561]

Love your show! The Eagles and Randy Meisner are my all time favorites 💙

[@jzzfan1]

Same here.

[@michaelwills1926]

That was back in the day when all you really had from any band was whatever you could glean from the album sleeve. In some ways it was better than having gigs of info at your fingertips and not having to wonder. Good times

[@mccloysong]

I saw Don Felder say 1:58 he and Walsh were jamming improvised guitar parts in the studio to Hotel California and Don Henley came in and said "why are you changing it? do what you did on the demo" so that's when he called home and had the maid play back what he had over the phone.

[@mattstickle2725]

You are a great interviewer. In every way. The ebb and flow. Keep up the great work.

[@cherylb2008]

Bill is a treasure. I’m hanging on his every word- he was there. It’s too bad Felder didn’t get a chance to sing. I think Glenn felt Don F could not sing, however, Don F was very good looking and I had to wonder if jealousy was ever present in these talented musicians and savvy business men.

[@ddt3831]

The truth is - if you listen to Felder's vocals on his solo stuff - especially live - his vocals aren't nearly on par with Henley, Frey or even Meisner. He's "passable" at best.

[@philovance1940]

I alway felt GF grudgingly accepted DF In the band because he was the necessary guitar muscle .

[@leonperry7452]

Glenn was right - Don F could not sing at anywhere near the level to meet band standards.....just like Glenn and Don couldn't play the solos in Hotel California. That Felder couldn't get that says a a lot about his judgement.

[@unknownkingdom]

Felder was NOT up to the band's standard andshould never have been allowed to join. But schedules and commercial pressures prevailed and they took the wrong guy.

[@donlavette7523]

Felder is a great guitarist, but he is not a good vocalist. However, he thinks he is and that was always part of the problem.

[@davidteague5461]

I’m loving this . Thanks .

[@gayhendrie84]

Love llove love the Eagles especially Randy

[@wayneo1269]

Be good if you could interview Don Felder

[@mdturnerinoz]

I was in a recording session at Sun Records in 1969 (it never went anywhere, sadly), and the sound engineer cut out just part of a bridge back-to-verse drumroll that made it should like the song got out of time. Blew my doors off. After the splice sounded like it never happened! We do this with ease digitally, but 1" tape!

[@scottarivett496]

Some of those old tape engineers were pretty amazing with their skills.

[@kingcormack8004]

This was a standard skill for audio engineers, nothing with which to be impressed. I once worked with a guy at a cheap 4-track studio, he was an expert at it. I've done it with open-reel tape myself. It was a requisite skill everyone had.

[@jamesc9925]

Love your show man don't stop ever you get the stuff I really enjoy

[@sofieweb]

Go see Don Felder in concert if possible. I saw him at Ironstone Amphitheater, Murphys. He was great, played and sang all Eagles songs, But had backup singers, which helped to sound like the original band.

[@kjking3087]

grewup in denver when Bill was at KMYR

[@crockettsmile]

Awesome job John, I love all your interviews. I hope to see them all! All the best to you, from Dave Sutherland

[@cherylb2008]

Are you J.D.?

[@chrisbergonzi7977]

Loving th8s series...thanks man...

[@thomasnegovanonline]

John, you’re the best! Great interview, One Of These Nights has always been a favorite, I had no idea about all these great stories! (I realized I am referring to the video I watched right before this one, I’m clicking through all of these!)

[@ddt3831]

"Visions" was really more of a duet with Glenn Frey, and Frey's vocal pretty much drowns out Felder's. I never even knew Felder sang on that song.

[@CREATEDMINISTRIES]

Dude, this is so awesome, I wouldn't be who I am without the eagles!!

[@hankd18]

From all published info it sounds like Glen was a tool...

[@wildscreenwriter]

He was. It's not coincidence that he had physical confrontations with Leadon, Meisner and Felder. Two of them quit, but Felder refused. That is why Eagles broke up. He couldn't get Felder to leave like the other two.

[@babylemonade2868]

Henley is a tool as well.

[@GaryHelle]

Felder fan as well. If you listen to both the Long Run and Hotel California, it sounds like Walsh’s guitar was always a little louder the Felders. I don’t attribute it to tone or rhythm vs lead.

[@ronherrera8327]

Joe Walsh seemed to play a little more aggressively than Don Felder did.

[@gungadin164]

According to Don Felder, the reason he had to call his housekeeper and get her to play his demo of "Hotel California" on a boombox over the phone is that Don Henley insisted that Felder and Joe Walsh reproduce exactly the original guitar lines that Felder had improvised at the time and subsequently forgotten. It wasn't that he couldn't remember the chord changes!

[@LinYouToo]

That’s definitely what he wrote about in his book. And that Don Henley wanted it played exactly note for note as the demo which was recorded over one year prior.

[@daisy5170]

I never got to see the Eagles when they were big years ago. It would be so wonderful to see a whole concert on a big screen like they did the MJ one. Hoping, wishing, maybe...🤞

[@edwardml75]

Yes, he gives minimal details to the questions and many of the subjects have already been covered in various books/biographies about the Eagles. I wonder as part of his involvement in the recording of those albums if he is legally or professionally prohibited from disclosing inside information about the band, writing and recording of the music.

[@walshnormandy1605]

yeah, he's not very expansive in his answers - seems a combination of his personality *and* being careful to not "anger the monster" because (as he clearly states in another clip) he's still getting paid.

[@stanleygillum9436]

MY NUGGETS 24K AND 925K LOVE IT DAM RIGHT DAM RIGHT 👉 THE GREATEST STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD 💯 AGREE MY NUGGETS LOVE ALL THE DAYS LONG 💯 DAM RIGHT

[@pamr4040]

♥

[@MAgaSUXX]

I love the Eagles but have an ISSUE with all the bullshit.

[@dannyschneider553]

Did you ask bill about wishbone ash ?

[@RockHistoryMusic]

Yep... kzbin.info/www/bejne/epapiIGCeMaVjKs

[@billdollar7011]

Let's be honest....Don Felder was the best thing that happened to the Eagles, but he's not a great singer. I wouldn't pay money to hear him sing, but I'd throw dollars all night to hear him play...

[@cchavezjr7]

Damn, I always knew his name from the album sleeves and would think he'd be full of great information but damn, he really does suck in interviews. He doesn't expand on questions and acts like he doesn't really know much of the in depth details. Pretty disappointing honestly.

[@normatible9795]

I acknowledge don felder writing the riff of HC but please, that is not everything to HC. He did not write the lyrics that really fit the song and he did not sing. In short, HC is each and evryone's contributions of tbe all members. I can nit imagine felder singing it and becoming #1

[@cchavezjr7]

He did more than just the riff. He wrote both leads and the bassline as well.

[@cecilia_mackie]

Absolutely fantastic! Shall we be friends?