Glenn Frey's and Christopher Cross' music is like the blue sky over California.

By Mitchiko Suzuki

The two best known West Coast rock bands are the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers. They have something in common: from their founding till the breakup they have changed a lot. The Eagles come across as laid-back and fresh what may be caused by the carefree atmosphere that Glenn Frey's looseness induced during the initial years.

Glenn is no native Californian. He has already been active as a musician in Detroit before he went to California in the second half of the sixties. In Detroit Mitch Ryder was well known at that time. Like Glenn says there were only a handful of good bands, according to him the rest consisted of "lousy copy bands". In his eyes the only real talent was Bob Seger.
Day after day at sunset Glenn swore again and again to go to California. After finishing high school he moved to LA though he also had often considered to move to San Francisco. The reasons for his final choice were very simple: "many record companies, a lot of sunshine, and beautiful women."

During the eighties Christopher Cross re-established the faded image of California's blue sky. With his transparent voice he lifted the listeners' feelings higher and higher. Christopher Cross is from Texas. With his father being an army physician they moved together through a lot of countries. At the age between 5 and 9 he lived in Washington Heights in Yoyogi in Tokyo. With his stately build and with self assurance and dynamics he impersonated the characteristic Texan type.  He started his musical career in Texas, however moved to LA after his debut and recorded two hit albums ("Christopher Cross", "Another Page"), supported my Michael Omartian. He also got a lot of praise as a guitarist for the new song "Every Turn Of The World".  Another big influence was Joni Mitchell. Nowadays he's also interested in Pat Metheny and other jazz music. His enthusiasm for cars increased so much by the time that in the end he became a race driver himself

After the Eagles disbanded Glenn was the first to record a solo album with the title "No Fun Aloud". He himself played lead guitar and the beautiful keyboard melodies. With the Eagles he had mainly been busy with song writing (most of the time Don sang lead while the other two played guitar). Some songs of his solo album remind the listener of Eagles songs but after a while he returned to his Detroit roots that are strongly influenced by Detroit Soul & Motown. After the hit "The Heat Is On" from the movie soundtrack to "Beverly Hills Cop" also his second hit "Smuggler's Blues" from his second album "The Allnighter" found its way into a soundtrack for film and TV. In this case into the popular TV series "Miami Vice".
Also as an actor Glenn managed to inspire his audience. In "Let's Get Harry" he played the main character and composed the soundtrack's main theme.

At last I want to write about Glenn Frey's meeting with Christopher Cross. It was in June 1980. In spring Chris had released his debut album that made him very popular. However Glenn was on his farewell tour in the US. Back then Chris opened up for the Eagles and their relationship started.


Interview

This is your fist visit after three years. How are you doing?

Glenn Frey: I enjoy myself every time I'm in Japan. I have big expectations. The Japanese audience takes my concerts serious and they are very nice. Apart from that the Japanese team is perfect, therefore I don't worry at all.

Can you please introduce the band for this tour?

Glenn Frey: Hawk Wolinski plays keyboard, Prairie Prince is on drums, and the electric guitars are played by Duncan Cameron and Al Garth. Those two were also part of the band three years ago. And then I also brought some musicians from LA.

Did you meet Christopher Cross before?

When he became famous with his first hit he opened up for the Eagles (1979 or 1980). During our tour I also became acquainted with his band members. He had a lot of Texan friends and we all got a long very well. I think his music is brilliant and as a guitarist I can only praise him as well. Most people know too little about this.

This time it is and open air concert. Would you like to try this also in the US?

On July 24 I will play a concert in Aspen with the Aspen Festival Orchestra. And a few others will still follow.

I thought you were living in LA?!?

I live in Aspen since 1977. I have played there before I moved to California with the Eagles. It's a beautiful place. "When we are rich we sure will move there", I decided together with Don Henley back then. And that's what we did. Don and I bought houses in Aspen where I also live since then. However Don stays in LA most of the time.

Can you tell me how the "Miami Vice" deal came about?

The producer of "Miami Vice" saw my video of "Smuggler's Blues" and asked me to play in an episode including the music. So I happened to act in this film.
"Let's Get Harry" was filmed in Mexico. Acting was a new experience for me and I enjoyed it, but in a movie the director makes all the decisions and all people of the film crew have to work accordingly. You barely have any artistic control. Therefore my main activity will remain with music.

So you plan more movie appearances?

Not right now. I still have to finish my new album. It's about halfway done but I have to work hard to get it ready till Christmas.

What tendency has the new album? And what's the title?

The title isn't decided yet. But what I already can tell you now is that the contents isn't as exigent as on "The Allnighter". With my songs I want to catch a little bit more of the working class' energy.

Do you work together with Jack Tempchin again this time? How do you approach song writing?

Yes, also this time I write the songs together with him. We always meet in the afternoon, he with a coffee, me with a beer - and we listen to the melodies we brought along. If we already have lyrics we talk about how to combine them. We meet about four or five times a week and usually after one week we have the basics to a song worked out. We don't have any specific procedure.


Yankee Guy

By Hiroyuki Aida

Glenn Frey's appeal is nothing else but the fact that he's a yankee. Regarding his looks as well as regarding his music. Since the Eagles he always came across in that way. Through his music we felt America. There are certainly many who have seen the promotion videos for "Sexy Girl" and "Smuggler's Blues". These songs are like he is himself ... funny and laid-back. He also bears the image of a carefree boy who gets weak facing a pretty girl. But you can as well imagine him as a drug dealer. These sides have an essential meaning to him.

Only for five years now Glenn works as a solo artist. After "No Fun Aloud" in 1982 "The Allnighter" was released in 1984. Eventually he had a hit record with "Sexy Girl". With "The Heat Is On" his success continued, "Smuggler's Blues" and "You Belong To The City" were part of the soundtrack to the Miami Vice cinema version.

His Detroit roots provided his musical fundamentals, especially for the R & B genre. With the Eagles he did an elegant interpretations of the songs with his exceptional voice. He gave an exotic touch with the atmosphere of the "border line" to the Eagles' songs. Don Henley who also was very successful after the Eagles' breakup writes serious songs like before and sings them with most empathy and sensibility. Like Don Glenn keeps using his particular musical characteristics in his solo career, and with no longer feeling the burden of weight and pressure as a member of the Eagles he enjoys his "Rock 'n' Roll life". That fits with him like the song "Take It Easy" that will be heard on America's highways for forever.

When the Eagles appeared on Japanese ground on February 2, 1976, in Butokan Glenn's first words were "Hello, we're the Eagles from LA". Back then the Eagles fans were very impressed. In 1982 Glenn wrote the following about the Eagles' breakup: "I have founded the band and now I'm sick of it. That's why I quit". There could've been no clearer comment than that. Lately he also discovered acting and has played now in "Let's Get Harry". He is developing his talents and appeals. In the promotion video for "You Belong To The City" he superbly plays a lonely vagabond.

In contrary to his last tour he will treat us to his new hit songs this time. We will see a more mature Glenn. Since his time with the Eagles he never betrayed the American dream. We expect a lot from him and from his music which offers a broad variety from easy rock 'n' roll to romantic ballads like "Lovers' Moon".

Return to Memorabilia