Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)

Publisher's Summary

The Eagles are the bestselling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever. Now band member and guitarist Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes. He shares every part of the bands wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms, and from the joy of writing powerful new songs to the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans.

©2008 Don Felder (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Don Felder is an interesting dude

Where does Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001) rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This probably makes it in my top 10.

What did you like best about this story?

Felder's story is fascinating especially for an Eagles fan. I like the Eagles a lot, but I'm strictly a "hits" fan and had no idea about the beginnings of the band and all that they went thru. When the story finally gets to the Eagles years, then it really takes off. Up to that point, many chapters are about Felder's pre-Eagles years and they don't really do much other than give us a history of him. The most notable exceptions are stories about Stephen Stills, Tom Petty, Grahm Nash, and Duane Allman.
When he joins the Eagles, Felder is transparent about the ups, downs, drugs, sex, money and excess that the band enjoyed.
The wheels occasionally fall off for me when Felder seems shocked that his drug use, infidelity and time away from home had an adverse affect on his family and marriage. Also, as an outsider and fan, the Eagles ARE Henley and Frey. Felder SHOULD have signed the papers (significant plot point) but he had a self-inflated view of his own importance and value to the band especially after they had hit their creative zenith and were coasting on their massive hits.
In many ways, the last third of the book seemed like sour grapes from the guy who soured the grapes in the first place. Rather than acknowledge and own his role, though, he tries to come across as the one wronged and as the victim. Sorry Fingers, but that just doesn't fly or ring true based on what I heard in your telling of the story.
Credit where credit is due though, Hotel California is an amazing song...music AND lyrics. Wouldn't have been the same without Don Felder.

Have you listened to any of Dennis Holland’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to Holland before and found his delivery to be too sing-songy. His cadence was predictable and at times distracting. I will give him credit though for conveying Felder's words and thoughts pretty well. He even pronounced some tough brand names (mics and guitars) correctly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to 2/3 of the book on an 8 hour drive and found myself looking forward to hearing more.

Any additional comments?

I'm glad Felder took the time to write his memoir. I didn't know much about him or his contribution to the band. I finished it feeling like it wasn't just Henley and Frey who had huge egos in the Eagles. It was all of them...except for maybe Meisner and Schmit. I'm still a fan. Oh and I'm watching the History of the Eagles that recently came out and am happy to report that some of the stories are exactly as Felder conveyed them so kudos to him for historical accuracy!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Fascinating and revealing...

What did you love best about Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)?

This book confirms all those rumors of discord that always swirled around The Eagles. It is a fascinating story of growing and outgrowing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listen to audio books in the car and with this one I found myself sitting in the driveway at home, unable to stop listening!

Any additional comments?

Warning: After you finish this book you may be struck with an overwhelming desire to go to your iTunes and delete all the solo Don Henley stuff!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Gave me a whole new perspective on the Eagles

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book would be highly recommended for any Eagles fan.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the first person narrative. You actually felt like you knew Don after reading the book.

Have you listened to any of Dennis Holland’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

See a different perspective from a musician that lived, worked, and played with the Eagles.

Any additional comments?

I told my daughter another serious classic rock fan, that I'd never look or feel quite the same way about the Eagles. I still love their music, but feel, I sort of have a fly on the wall's point of view of some of the goings on. I know it is one participant's perspective, but very interesting all the same.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Thank you for the "soundtrack of my life"

Would you consider the audio edition of Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001) to be better than the print version?

Haven't read the print version

What did you like best about this story?

It gave insight to not only the Eagles and their journey, but shined the spotlight on the quietest of Eagles.

What didn’t you like about Dennis Holland’s performance?

His voice is just humdrum. He makes every quote sound very mundane instead of a conversation. He made the book hard to listen to as he is very monotone.

Any additional comments?

Thank you Mr. Felder for pulling back the curtain not only on your own life, but that of the Eagles. I was impressed that Felder's musical childhood was surrounded by so many of the Rock n Roll giants that the 70's would produce. If California was the springboard to so many 70's rockers, then Gainesville florida must have been the ladder to get there.

I find myself most disappointed at the actions of Henley and Fry. And in some cases I was disappointed in Felder for just "going along". Being a pacifist in such a situation rarely leads to anything good. As far as the timeline, its interesting to note that for myself, a fan of the Eagles since childhood, my interest in the band wained about the time that they let Mr. Felder go. The last Eagles Album really only had one good song, and no good ones.

And lastly as a native of Amarillo, TX and a musician in that area, It was great to hear more about JD Souther who hailed from that town and drove so much of the Eagles. Good Read!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Pretty good read from ONE of the Eagles

What did you love best about Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)?

Besides Felder's account of the band's career, the inside look at how the music business worked during its heyday.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)?

The description of how the members of arguably the most popular rock band in the world were unable to stand each other offstage, let alone socialize.

Have you listened to any of Dennis Holland’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to Dennis Holland before, and frankly had never heard of him before listening to this book. I don't make as big a deal about narrators as does Audible. As long as they're intelligible and modulate their voices pleasantly, I couldn't care less about this aspect of my purchases.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction. I've read a great many rock biographies, and there are always similarities among them. At least this one didn't sound like a fan-zine.

Any additional comments?

A very good listening experience, highly informative (if also highly subjective), and written with warmth and humor.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

not the greatest narrator.

narrator could've been allot better. no emotion or conviction. very bland. but I guess, all in all, it was good.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Argh!! So hard to choose sides!

Going into this book, I was not a big Don Felder fan. I guess I decided to listen to this book because I wanted to know what it was like to be a musician during one of the most interesting periods in rock music. I had seen the documentary History of the Eagles that had glorified Henley and Frey and slightly vilified Don Felder but I thought it only right to get his point of view too. I halfway expected him to deflect and attack the others like some bitter washed up drug addict but that is not this book at all.

Felder starts with his childhood, which I have to admit, was so slow that I started the first have of the book at 1.5x speed thinking that I wouldn't be able to finish the whole thing. It's not that Felder's life pre-Eagles is dull. It's just that the writing and the narration felt a bit flat and as a result, I felt like all I wanted to do was fast forward to the good parts.

After reading the book, I totally appreciate and respect Don Felder and his contributions to the Eagles. At the same time, I do kind of understand the "gods'" viewpoint that no one would see the Eagles without Don Henley and Glen Frey (although I think Joe Walsh is equally as important.) As long as they're still allowed to play Hotel California, Felder isn't all that missed unfortunately.

Congrats to Don Felder for writing a tell all that doesn't make him come off like a petty jerk. He is a truly talented gentleman.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great story! Great life!

Any additional comments?

Great story! Very hard to turn off. I was completely engrossed! I saw a documentary on cable about the Eagles a couple of months ago so when i stumbled across this audiobook i had to give it a listen. I'm no hard core Eagles fan either, its just a great story and the narration was good as well. Hard to find an audiobook that keeps me as interested as this one. Great job, Fingers!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Don & Glenn effed over Felder

Felders contribution to the band throughout 70s was equal that of Henley and Frye. They screwed him on royalties. Listening to this book is pretty convincing that Frey & Henley were greedy bastards who wouldn't share evenly with the band member (not a side show)
responsible for much of American Rock history. Felder gave as many compliments to Don & Glenn as he did criticism of their dictatorship. And they were also basing the split

Frey and Henley got 2/7ths on Hell Freezes Over proceeds.
Felder, Schmidt, and Walsh only got 1/7th. Felder should have gotten more. If not for him, Hotel California would have never had the world reach it had.

based on Henley & Frey 's solo work. Henley put out some excellent music. Frey's solo work really sucked compared to Henley.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Ingaging writing and narration.

While I understand this is one person's view of a complicated band, it is a very engaging view. It certanily appears to fill in, and give another viewpoint, as well as punctuate, the 2013 documentary History of The Eagles.