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| 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: $14.40
You Save: $11.55 (45%)
New (43) Used (19) Collectible (4) from $13.78
Avg. Customer Rating:  90 reviews
Sales Rank: 1740
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
Condition: BRAND NEW
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| Customer Reviews:
 The quiet Eagle has his say at last April 23, 2008
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
While this is superbly written, I can only recommend it as a companion piece to Marc Eliot's "To the Limit," which provides a more well-rounded portrait of The Eagles as a whole. But that book's strength - the fact that Eliot was an outsider and relatively disinterested in the he-said-she-said world of rock and roll - is also its weakness. Felder makes up for that unavoidable shortcoming and then some.
It is important to note that the book's subtitle is "My Life In The Eagles." That's exactly what you get: Felder's perspective on the wild ride that was The Eagles in their heyday. The other Eagles (with the exception of Bernie Leadon, who was already an old friend of Felder's when he came on board) are for the most part presented as shadowy bit-players in the saga, which is why I recommend Eliot's book if you want a more well-rounded portrait of the band as a whole. What Eliot could not offer is an insider's look at what life inside the band was like. It is probably impossible for any of us to appreciate that fully without actually having actually partied with a best-selling band in a drug-infested hotel suite circa 1976, but Felder's vivid descriptions offer a remarkable look at the wonderful-yet-terrible experiences he had in that era. While one can tell that it's tempting to gloss over the excesses he himself went to in that time, he resists that temptation - albeit barely - and deals honestly with what life as an Eagle was really like.
Even more vivid are Felder's heartfelt memories of growing up in Florida in the 1960s, poor but determined to succeed, rubbing shoulders with future superstars like Stephen Stills and Tom Petty along the way, and surviving the pitfalls of the Woodstock era. Once his persistence and talent lead to his joining The Eagles literally on the eve of their emergence as the biggest band of the 1970s, there are plenty of great behind-the-music stories to share. I have read numerous other accounts of how "Hotel California" came to be, some of them essentially verbatim transcripts of interviews with Felder, but the one presented here is the most detailed I've seen. He also shares interesting stories I had not heard before about the emergence of classics like "One of These Nights" and "Victim of Love," but has surprisingly little to say about "Visions," the only Eagles song he ever sang lead on. (Tellingly, he does admit that he doesn't care for it all that much.) There is also a surprisingly candid insider's take on the frequent criticism of the Eagles sound as being too slick.
And then there is all the dirty laundry (sorry, couldn't resist) about The Eagles' last few years and the aftermath of the breakup. It is undeniably one-sided, but it also fits in well with most of what the public already knows about Don Henley and Glenn Frey and their less-than-charitable outlook on who and what The Eagles were (not to mention on each other). One comes to understand all too well why their name became synonymous with the term "corporate rock" and to see a classic divide-and-conquer story at work. It's a tale as old as rock and roll itself and then some, but in light of most of their solo works compared to the best Eagles material, it is all too clear that Felder has a point: Glenn and Don did not build the empire on their own.
At least he - and we - will always have the memories. If those memories include blasting "Already Gone" on the morning after a nasty breakup or putting on "Hotel California" and dancing both to remember AND to forget, you've got to read this. For fans of Scotty Moore, George Harrison, Mary Wilson, Richard Manuel, John Cale, John Paul Jones - or for that matter, if you even know who they are - this will tell you what you already know about the music business. Read it anyway!
 He was the "New Kid in Town"-Memoir provides fascinating insight into Eagles May 7, 2008
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Don Felder rose from near poverty to become guitarist in one of the most popular bands in the 70's. His new book HEAVEN AND HELL chronicles how he became a guitarist, met Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green, Duane Allman and other important guitarists, developed his skills and ultimately became one of the guitarist/songwriters in the Eagles. Felder was first introduced to Henley & Frey by his future and former Eagles bandmate Bernie Leadon who was a friend. Interestingly, Felder also played at one time in a band with Stephen Stills although he never tried to use that connection when he got his first big break backing David Blue and, later, Crosby & Nash.
Felder's book is surprisingly even handed given the recent bad blood between Don Henley & Glenn Frey and Felder over his firing from the band. Felder ultimately had to take his former bandmates to court since he was a part owner of Eagles, Ltd. the company the band set up to pay out their royalities and handle merchandising. While there's no doubt that "The Gods" (as Felder refers to them when, later in the band's career, they suddenly became perfect and untouchable in their own eyes)are talented, they gave Felder a raw deal considering how much he did contribute to the band. Nevertheless, Felder manages to be fair balanced and brings up both the good and bad times. Ultimately, he feels that his sacking from the band was a benefit because, as his estranged wife pointed out, he was locked in an abusive relationship at the end of the band's rein.
Felder provides details about the creation of many of the band's classics, how the band really was a "one for all and all for one" at first when he joined but that the fighting and bickering had already begun as well. He also chronicles how the Eagles managed to bruise and damage his friendships with former bandmates Joe Walsh and Tim Schmit.
Kudos to the book's co-author as well for helping Felder create a breezy memoir about his life in the fast lane. The book does have some flaws for example when referring to "On the Border" the book states that Henley & Frey wrote or co-wrote 9 of the 14 songs on the album (there were only 10 songs on the album and Henley co-wrote 5 while Frey co-wrote 4). I suspect that during the galleys this got overlooked but there are bits and pieces that have minor inconsistencies. The authors also thank Marc Elliot for his book TO THE LIMIT which was written with participation of Don Henley to clear up some issues as well. Elliot's book, along with this one, provide a good clear idea about the band's rise and fall from the heights of rock stardom.
It's a pity that Felder was sidelined as he is a talented guitarist and songwrite but this book does address some of the questions that lingered around his dismissal.
This truly is Felder's inside perspective on being in one of the most popular bands of its time. I would have liked a complete discography on Felder's career and, perhaps, to have also heard a bit more about his post-Eagles life but those are minor issues in the context of the thing.
My Life With the Egos May 2, 2008
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
I read about "Heaven and Hell" in a British magazine before the book was published in the United States, and I knew I had to pre-order it. It was worth the wait. As mentioned by another reviewer, this book makes an excellent companion piece to Marc Eliot's "To the Limit." I've read all four Eagles biographies that I know of, but those two are the best.
"To the Limit" gives a great overview, and "Heaven and Hell" gives an inside look from Felder's point of view, plus later details not covered in "To the Limit."
Once the book picks up speed, it's hard to put down, even if you've read the other Eagles biographies. Felder seems like a nice guy; of course, I guess most people would present themselves as such in their autobiographies. However, since he's pretty frank about himself and others, he may indeed be as decent as he seems.
I think Felder is an immensely talented guitarist, and he does have the right to stick up for himself and the other lesser-known Eagles -- and he seems to really be the one member who most transformed them into a rock band (right in the middle of "On the Border").
Still, I'm not sure why he doesn't seem to realize why Henley and Frey demanded and got top billing when the reunion rolled around. Not only did they have the most successful solo careers, they were the primary songwriters, the primary singers on the hits (except for "Take it to the Limit" and "I Can't Tell You Why"), and they are the only two members of the band to be there from the beginning to the present. That said, it's a shame they carried on without him, and none of the Eagles books paint Henley or Frey in a very favorable light. With Henley's gift for writing and reputation for speaking his mind, you have to wonder if he'll ever decide to tell his version of the Eagles' story.
From a writing standpoint, the book is well written, except for the occasional times where it drifts from practically perfect prose to occasional profanity. When those instances occur, the reader is reminded that there are two people writing this book -- Felder and Wendy Holden. Better are the majority of moments in the book when the writing seems neither poetic nor profane -- just telling it as Felder remembers it. That's when you forget it's a book and you just become immersed in the storytelling, which to me is the mark of a great autobiography.
From Great American Band to Corporate Greed Band May 1, 2008
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
This was a very interesting read, albeit one-sided, of the inner workings of the Eagles. I have been a fan since they first broke, and enjoyed the music of every lineup change over the years as the band evolved.
I felt compelled to read this both out of pure curiosity as a fan,and sheer disappointment after hearing the new album "The Long Road Home." I listened and wondered why they would bother releasing such a trite and sterile album. The album has one good track, written by JD Souther, not Henley or Frye. The Long Road Home reminds me of Spinal Tap. After reading Don Felder's book, I can venture a guess why.
This is a must-read for Eagles fans from the perspective of a 25 year member of the band. It takes you into the studio, backstage, into the hotels during the 70s. It's both fun and disheartening, definitely an interesting read
Illuminating Read May 14, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)
I really enjoyed reading this book--in fact, I am now reading it for a second time. It has really been amazing how little has been known about the inner workings of the Eagles--particularly the firing of Don Felder.
In reading the book and listening again to the Eagles recordings, it becomes more apparent how important Felder's guitar work was to giving the Eagles their edge. It is a band with great vocals, lyrics, and songs, but Felder's guitar work made them something special. This is notably true on "The Long Road Out of Eden." The edgy guitar work is missing, particularly Felder's slide work.
What is particularly appalling, however, is the confirmation that Henley and Frey are such dispicable people. Felder was fired because Henley and Frey wanted more money. It wasn't enough for them to have nearly all of the songwriting royalties, they wanted the lion's share of everything. Schmidt and Walsh caved to them, Felder started asking uncomfortable questions, which he was right to do. The Eagles were a partnership--with two of the partners effectively stealing from the others.
Henley's reputation as an outspoken critic of corporate greed makes all of this even more heinous. It is a shame, but sometimes bad people win. I'll bet the lawsuit cost them plenty....
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