SEATTLE — KING 5 Evening's Saint Bryan interviewed Joe Walsh of The Eagles over Zoom recently to discuss the upcoming concerts at Climate Pledge Arena, the newest members of the band and his favorite lyrics from his most famous song. The show can't help but be a tribute to one of the Eagles co-founders, frontmen and songwriters, the late Glenn Frey who died in 2016. Here's a transcript.
SAINT: I'm hearing great things about this concert. It sounds like no fan is going to walk away disappointed. What can we expect?
JOE: First, we perform Hotel California the album in sequence just like the record. And we've ever done that. There are songs in there we've never played before so we had to do a bunch of homework. That turned out to be profound for us. And then we basically play everything we know (laughs) and it's a long show.
SAINT: You've got Glenn Frey's son Deacon on the stage with you. What's that like?
JOE: It's wonderful. I have to say that it is very healing. I'm kind of an uncle to Deacon. Most of Glenn's friends are. We have his back. I've known him since he was a kid. He's just starting to blossom as an entertainer. He was scared to death at first he's really confident now he's got some moves. And he's got the grace of his dad it's so nice for me to look over and see Deacon.
SAINT: And Vince Gill best known as a country artist who fronted Pure Prairie League is also on stage with you. We know he has a tremendous voice but what kind of guitar player is he?
JOE: Well pretty good! He can rip it. He always knew how but he never had to apply it and he knocks my socks off.
SAINT: More than 40 years later I'm wondering if there's a favorite line of yours from "Life's Been Good"(US#12, 1978). One that still just makes you chuckle.
JOE: Well a couple of them make me chuckle yeah." I live in hotels tear out the walls." I don't do that anymore but I know how. (laughs) And "It's hard to leave when you can't find the door". That was funny at parties when I was maybe a little too high, but it's starting to happen more and more I can't find my car keys. It comes along with getting old.
SAINT: I got it. I'm getting there myself.
JOE: But actually my favorite line is "Life's Been Good". That says it all.
SAINT: What is it like for you to look out and see all these fans that have been following you for all of these decades?
JOE: It's profound. This is the beautiful thing, OK? In this day and age it's a little complex. People who normally would not get together, people who normally would probably get in a big argument if they discussed what's going on. None of that matters. Everybody comes. They all sit down and we have an evening together and everybody goes home really happy. And man if we can do that right now for everybody that makes a big difference and I am so grateful to be in this band and so grateful that we can still go play and...come and see.
The Eagles play two nights at Climate Pledge Arena, Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021.
