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Don Henley Chats America Online 1995
OnlineHost: The verdict is in on Don Henley's new song, "The Garden of Allah," which advances his album ACTUAL MILES: HENLEY'S GREATEST HITS, which was released November 20 on Geffen Records. OnlineHost: Calling the song "a tale in which the Devil visits a large western city and finds that he has become obsolete," Henley's wry wit weaves an epic story about a devil in a seersucker suit who "decides to have one last hurrah by appearing as an expert witness at a local trial." OnlineHost: Henley continues, "The devil sarcastically repeats the credo of the modern age which is not necessarily 'doing the right thing,' but rather 'winning at any cost.' Modern society has almost completely blurred the line between right and wrong." OnlineHost: With ACTUAL MILES, one of America's most articulate songwriters revisits an extraordinarily successful solo career: one gold and two multi- platinum albums, eight Top 40 singles and nine Grammy nominations. At the same time, with "The Garden of Allah" and a second newly-penned song, "You Don't Know Me at All," Henley reflects on our society today and looks to the future with a perception -- and bite -- that is his hallmark. Welcome, Don! AOLiveMC10: Welcome to Center Stage, Don Henley! DHHenley: Greetings from Melbourne Australia. It's good to be with you. Question: Hello Don! I am a huge fan of yours. Do you have any plans to tour with your latest album? DHHenley: I will probably not tour until I make another album of all new material. Question: What is your opinion about videos as a medium? DHHenley: Like most of my peers, I was not thrilled about videos in the beginning, but they have become an integral part of releasing a record, so we have all gotten used to it. I rather enjoy making videos now. Question: Any new Eagles albums coming? DHHenley: There are no definite plans for recording a new Eagles album, but it is not out of the question in the future. Question: Don, what prompted you to release a greatest hits album? DHHenley: A contractual obligation! Question: Don, I know you collaborate a lot when you write. With whom did you work with to write the two new songs on "Actual Miles"? DHHenley: I collaborated with Stan Lynch (formerly of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and John Corey, who is a member of my band. Question: Hi, Don. Thanks for joining us from "down under." I am wondering how you think your reunion with the Eagles has affected your solo work on ACTUAL MILES? DHHenley: Only in that the reunion and all the related activities made it difficult to find the time to write and record my solo work. But, I managed to get it done just in time to go on this tour. Question: Do you feel that you are less inspired to write songs in the 90's then in the 70's when you began? DHHenley: I am just as inspired to write songs as I ever was. There is a great deal to write about. Question: Hello, Don, from Washington, DC! I would like to know how the "14-year vacation" has affected the chemistry inside the Eagles? DHHenley: Very positively. We have all grown up a lot and have learned not to sweat the small stuff. We are singing and playing better than ever. Question: Did you use another drummer on the new tracks on Actual Miles? DHHenley: We used Vinnie Colaiuta, one of the best drummers on the planet. Question: At what age did you begin song writing and are you still planning on doing a Blues album, solo.? DHHenley: I began song writing at about age 18, but my attempts then were pretty awful. I am still planning to do a blues or a blues/country album sometime in the next two or three years. Question: Mr. Henley, What is your new song, the "Garden of Allah" about, and why did you choose this title? DHHenley: We don't have time or space here to get into a complete answer to your question, but the song is basically about the growing inability of people to recognize evil. It is about the age of Cultural Relativism that we are living in. The title is taken from an old Hollywood apartment/hotel that existed from the late 20's until the late 50's. You might contact the publicity department at Geffen Records if you would like more detailed information. Ask for Roy Hamm. Question: Which Eagles song means the most to you, and why? DHHenley: That's like asking a parent which of his or her children he or she loves best. I can say that "Desperado", "Hotel California" and "The Last Resort" are among my favorites. Question: Who were your influences (musical or otherwise) and what would we find in your record collection? Thanks for being here! DHHenley: My influences are many and include Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Everly Brothers, Ray Charles. The Beatles, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Faulkner, Thomas Hardy and, of course, my parents as well as some outstanding school teachers and college professors. You would find everything from Chopin to Hank Williams in my record collection. Question: Can you tell us about some of the social issues that are most important to you, such as conservation? DHHenley: I am deeply concerned about all facets of the global environment and currently I am particularly focused on the Western United States and the debate on public lands. According to a great many of the world's leading scientists, every living natural system on Earth is in a state of decline. We are in a state of global crisis but there are still many who remain in denial. We can no longer afford to rape and pillage our remaining natural resources. The world has become too small. Write your elected officials. Make your voice heard. All of us working together can, in fact, make a difference. Otherwise, we will be leaving a terrible world for our children and grandchildren. Question: Hi Mr. Henley!!! I would like to ask you a questions about the song Desperado...I thought that I heard you say that when you were originally writing the song you had another title for it. Would you mind telling me what the original title was? DHHenley: I don't recall. Question: Don is there a good reason why Eagles tickets were so expensive for the US tour, considering you toured stadiums? DHHenley: Ticket prices were a decision made by committee. If you want my personal opinion, write to me in care of Scoop Marketing, 3701 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600, LA 90010. This requires a somewhat lengthy response. AOLiveMC10: We have time for one final question. Question: What do you consider your five must have records or CDs ? DHHenley: I don't know if I can narrow it down to only 5, but I'll try. Chopin's Concerto No.2, Ray Charles' first country and western album, Rubber Soul, Abbey Road, Al Green's "Greatest Hits", and Otis Redding Anthology. There, that's 6! AOLiveMC10: Don Henley, thanks so much for joining us tonight in Center Stage! AOLiveMC10: Thanks again. Audience, thanks for sticking with us tonight, and for all of your thoughtful questions. AOLiveMC10: Good night! OnlineHost: Our thanks to Geffen Records for making Don's visit to America Online possible. If you arrived late, you can get a souvenir transcript of this event by keywording: "CenterStage" at this time tomorrow. Thank you for joining us and good night!
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