Glenn Frey’s death was a terrible shock. Does his passing mean the continuation of the Eagles on hold—or is is it over?
My answer is... I have no idea. I just don’t know… Sorry.
You seemed almost ‘custom-made’ to fit in with the Eagles. I liken it to Ronnie Wood and the Stones.
Yes, I think you’re right. I’ve often said that it was a great fit, all around. And you are the second person that’s compared that move to Ronnie’s.
Really?
Only two. I thought about it a long time ago…”
You’ve said that Glenn phoned you to offer you the job. Did you have any idea that might happen?
I did. The reason was because of my neighbour across the street from me in the Hollywood Hills. It was JD Souther. And he’s literally across the street, you know? Right there. I could see his house from mine, and we used to hang out a lot. One time I was over there, and he said, ‘I’m not supposed to tell you this, you’ve got to keep it quiet. But I think you’re going to get a call, that Randy [Meisner] is quitting, and I’m pretty sure you’re going to get the call.’ So I was like, going, ‘Okay, that would be nice. How do I not be excited about this?’ I can’t remember how much time passed, it wasn’t that long— maybe a few days, maybe a week or two. And I did get the call, I got the call from Glenn.
What did he say and how long did it take you to respond?
I can’t remember exactly how he couched it. But it was, ‘Randy’s quitting, and we’re wondering if you’re interested?’ Something like that. You know, I was pretty much ready to just stop everything, and start, and I let him know that. But as it turns out, they wanted… I had to keep a lid on it. And we had already had… Poco already had another tour planned. I had to go out on this tour with them, but not tell them. And then we came back, and we were going to start our next whatever it was. Maybe we were going to tour. And I called up Irving [Azoff, manager of the Eagles], and I said, ‘I’ve got to tell these guys. I can’t pretend like I’m going to do this, when I’m not.’ So I was allowed to tell them, then.
I suppose the members of Poco [the band Timothy was in at the time] would have been both pleased and mortified...
The important thing to me was not to have management do it [tell them]. That happened to me once before. Where somebody left the group and they didn’t talk to me personally, I didn’t like that. I thought it was odd, actually. So I told management that I was going to go tell them, and I went to everybody’s house and told them.
When you joined the Eagles, did you have a great deal of input in the writing process?
Or did they want you to play specific parts? No, they never said that… Because when we started the record, we had no songs. That seems strange, doesn’t it? It kind of was. But we worked them out, and we worked them out together. And they didn’t say, for instance, ‘This is how the song goes, and we want you to play these notes.’ It wasn’t like that. It all came naturally. Comments and suggestions, maybe: ‘Leave this out, don’t do that, don’t do this.’ But basically, I didn’t feel that constricted.
Did you have to do much trying to get songs in the band?
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
Jason Newsted
Jason Newsted was born in 1963 in Battle Creek, Michigan, and learned bass after becoming a fan of Gene Simmons of Kiss.
In 1968, Cream say goodbye... for now, anyway
I WAS THERE! A historic moment in bass world—recalled by those who were there to see it
JOHN MYUNG DREAM THEATER
The acclaimed prog-metal bassist shares essential tips that will help you become a better player
STANLEY CLARKE SIGNATURE PREAMP INBOUND
EBS launches an acoustic pre in collaboration with the jazz icon.
HELP US, RHONDA
Current Jeff Beck and former Prince bassist Rhonda Smith is a force of nature, even faced with a pandemic. Listen up as she reports from the front line of the low end...
GROOVE MASTER
“I don’t care if you can solo. Make people groove,” says the great Etienne Mbappé. Alison Richter digs into the philosophy behind the bass-lines
BLACKSTAR Unity Elite U700H Amp and U410C Cab
The Unity amp and cab range from Blackstar has got people talking. Mike Brooks finds out if it’s a contender...
FLOWER POWER
The Dead Daisies is a supergroup with a stellar line-up, in which the great Glenn Hughes brings a career’s worth of songwriting, singing and playing bass to the table. “I’ve fallen in love with bass again,” says our hero, looking back at his days with Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, and more...
BEST BASSISTS REVEALED!
You voted for the Bassist Of 2020... and the results are in.
THREE'S A CHARM
Sir Paul McCartney returns with his third self-titled album
DIAMONDS - A Luxury Gem Steeped in Fact & Fable
The diamond is one fabled gemstone! For example, google “Hope Diamond” to see all the legends associated with just this one stone said to bring misfortune to its owners.
Mr. Jones beats Washington again, and Eagles-Giants, 70s-style
If you were Daniel Jones, you would probably wish that there were only two teams in the NFL: the New York Football Giants, and the Washington Football Team. After all, four of Jones’ five career wins have come against Washington. It got me wondering if other Giants quarterbacks had such luck to start their careers against division rivals:
It may be time to move on
Engram and the Giants may benefit by parting ways
Judgement Day in the City of Brotherly Love
WEEK 7: GIANTS AT EAGLES
MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS
There are more than 10,000 species of birds. They range in size from birds that weigh less than an ounce to birds that weigh hundreds of pounds and can inflict a deadly kick. They live on land or water; in tropical rainforests or in the Arctic tundra; they climb trees or dive into water. So it’s not surprising that birds have many different types of feet capable of performing amazing feats.
GSA Upended In Semifinal Overtime Thriller
Bangor—The George Stevens Academy boys basketball team’s post-season run was ended in a 58-60 overtime thriller against the No. 1-ranked Central Aroostook Panthers in the Class C North semifinals on February 21 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
Second half surge lifts Eagles over Fort Fairfield
BANGOR— The George Stevens Academy Eagles used a 41-point second half to upend the Fort Fairfield Tigers 67-39 in a Class C quarterfinal contest at the Cross Insurance Center on February 18.
Second half surge lifts Eagles over Fort Fairfield
BANGOR— The George Stevens Academy Eagles used a 41-point second half to upend the Fort Fairfield Tigers 67-39 in a Class C quarterfinal contest at the Cross Insurance Center on February 18.
Eagles, Mariners rock GSA gym in overtime game
Both teams headed to playoffs
Eagles, Mariners rock GSA gym in overtime game
Both teams headed to playoffs.