Long Road Out of Eden: Eagles Final Chapter

I watched the excellent documentary “History of the Eagles” for the second time this week. Originally released in 2013 it is now available on Netflix. The documentary is an official account of the history of the band.

The documentary is divided into two parts. The first part is around two hours long and covers the early period to their breakup. The second part is about one hour long and covers the subsequent periods. The documentary combined archive footage of the band with interviews with all the band members. Additionally other people involved in the band’s history or who knew them were interviewed. Included were  Kenny Rogers, Bob Seger, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, J. D. Souther, David Geffen, and Stevie Nicks. In the DVD release, a further third disc with songs from the band’s concert at the Capital Centre in March 1977 is included.

Part One : Eagles Beginning Through Breakup

Part one of the documentary traces the beginning of the band to the breakup in 1980. It chronicles the early life of band members and the founding of the band. Next it discusses the making of their albums and their rise to success. Finally we hear about the subsequent conflicts between band members, concluding with the break up of the band.

Part Two: After Break Up

Part two of the documentary begins with the period following the breakup. It begins with brief accounts of the careers of individual members of the band and the reunion of the band in 1994. Finally the documentary follows the 1990s and 21st century phases of the Eagles. It shows that Frey was resistant to the idea of a reunion until they joined Travis Tritt for the making of the video of his cover of “Take It Easy“. Continuing with their successful tours, the dispute with Don Felder and the period after his dismissal. It concludes with the band members looking back assessing their actions and career, with contributions from other people who knew them.

Long Road Out of Eden

Long Road Out of Eden is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Eagles, released in 2007 on Lost Highway Records. Nearly six years in production, it is the band’s first studio album since 1979’s The Long Run. In between that time the band recorded four original studio tracks for the live album Hell Freezes Over (1994), “Hole in the World” for The Very Best Of(2003) and the Joe Walsh-penned “One Day at a Time” for the Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne DVD (2005), which Walsh later re-recorded for his 2012 album Analog Man.

It is the band’s first album released following the dismissal of Don Felder in 2001 as well as their final album with Glenn Frey before his death in 2016.