Last Saturday I spent a evening in a local park listening to an Eagles tribute band called Hotel California. The place was packed. We were sitting so far away that the music was mostly background to our conversation but the band was very good although the lead guitars were mixed too low for my taste. Two of the band members wore cowboy hats which did not seem authentically Eagles but accentuated their Country aspect. As I’ve said in the past I’m not an Eagles fan although I love their Desperado album as I’m a longtime fan of concept albums. It’s funny how musicians today deny that their old concept albums are in fact concept albums but I believe concept albums are in the mind of the listener.
Whenever I think of The Eagles I think of Country Rock and when I think of Country Music I think of the B - Bender. This is a customized guitar, usually a Fender telecaster or a Strat that has lever connected to the top peg that attaches to the guitar strap. When you pull down on the neck while playing the strap pulls the lever which in turn is attached to the B string and bends the string. It’s amazing how bending the B string while you’re playing, even just cords, gives you an instant “Country” sound. Almost a pedal steel effect.
One more comment about the Eagles tribute band, Hotel California; when we were leaving the park after the show we pulled out behind the band’s tour bus. I’ve never known a tribute band to have a full size tour bus. It was huge. I guess these guys do all right. It is funny to think how big the counterfeit live band industry has become.
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