Eagles – One Of These Nights (1975)
A behind-the-scenes and song-by-song look at the Eagles’ fourth studio album, ONE OF THESE NIGHTS, released in 1975.
“Coming Into Los Angeles: The Story Of The Eagles” by Pete Frame
This article from the British music magazine, Zigzag, includes a lengthy interview with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner (mostly Bernie) by Zigzag‘s founder and editor Pete Frame. The piece also includes one of Frame’s famous “family trees,” charting the origin of the Eagles. Randy is referenced in another of Frame’s family trees charting the history of Poco (Zigzag, December 1971). See it here.
The article is not without a few discrepancies and some liberty-taking with quotes. But it is a nice, early introduction to the band from its original stars, Bernie and Randy.
Good Vibrations From Central Park
The Eagles, along with Melissa Manchester, The Temptations, John Sebastian and Sly & the Family Stone performed at the Schaefer Music Festival in New York City’s Central Park on August 1st & 2nd, 1973. Both nights were filmed for a TV special called ‘Good Vibrations from Central Park,’ which aired on August 23rd, 1973.
The Eagles at Santa Monica Civic, June 1973
The Eagles appeared at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on June 21st, 1973 where they performed their entire DESPERADO album in sequence.
Earlybird: The Story Of The Eagles’ 1972 Debut Album
A detailed look at the making of the Eagles’ 1972 debut album and the importance of Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon in the Eagles’ early success.
Eagles
Regis College, Denver, CO
April 1, 1974
The Eagles played the Fieldhouse at Regis College (now Regis University), a Jesuit Catholic college in Denver, on April 1st, 1974. The Talbot Brothers opened.
Article about the show from Regis’ Brown & Gold newspaper. A couple of band member’s names are misspelled early on: Glenn Trey (Glenn Frey and Doc Telder (Don Felder).
Randy and his wife, Jennifer, backstage at Regis College.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Meisner.
The reviewer for Boulder’s underground paper, The Straight Creek Journal, felt that the Eagles put on a great show, but the crowd’s overreaction to every song was insincere.
Interview With Beat Instrumental Magazine, 1973
Randy was interviewed by the London-based music magazine during the Eagles’ tour of Europe in March 1973.
I’ve Always Been A Dreamer: The Story of “Take It To The Limit”
From its origins to its continued legacy, the story behind Randy Meisner’s signature song.
The Eagles on The Helen Reddy Show,
July 12th, 1973
The Eagles appeared on the third episode of The Helen Reddy Show on July 12th, 1973. Also featured were Mac Davis, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Cheech and Chong. The Eagles played two songs: “Witchy Woman” and “Tequila Sunrise.” It was their U.S. television debut.1
On the heels of Reddy’s hit, “I Am Woman,” her friend Flip Wilson offered her his primetime NBC time slot while the Flip Wilson Show was on summer hiatus. The eight episodes were billed as Flip Wilson Presents The Helen Reddy Show.
In addition to appearing on her show, Mac Davis also appeared in concert with Reddy numerous times in 1973. She had also recorded one of his songs, “I Believe In You,” for her 1971 debut album I Didn’t Know How To Love Him. Ironically, Reddy and Davis died on the same day (September 29th, 2020) at the same age (78).
Short clips of the Eagles’ performances of “Witchy Woman” and “Tequila Sunrise”:
Randy’s wife Jennifer, their 9-year-old son, Dana, and Jennifer’s 13-year-old niece, Bobbi, were present at the taping, which took place a month or two earlier at NBC Studios in Burbank. Jennifer remembered that the filming was a long process, with the groups stopping and starting to make sure their performances were perfect. Gladys Knight & The Pips took the longest, she remembered. “They made me insane.”
Below is an article from the Scottsbluff Star-Herald, Randy’s hometown paper, announcing The Helen Reddy Show appearance. Included with the article was a photo of Jennifer posing with a poster from the Eagles’ concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall in March 1973 (the poster would later end up on the wall of their apartment in Studio City). Unfortunately, the article is riddled with misspellings, the most glaring is Randy’s last name. Near the bottom, the paper quotes Jennifer as saying the Eagles had finished taping a show with the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. This would have been the 90-minute In Concert special on ABC, which aired August 3rd, 1973. When the Helen Reddy Show aired in Scottsbluff, Randy was home and able to watch it with his family.
Images
- In March 1973, the Eagles made two European television appearances on Popgala ’73 and BBC’s In Concert. Although the Reddy show marked the Eagles’ U.S. television debut, it was not Randy’s first stint before television audiences. His group, The Poor, appeared on episodes of Ironside and The Name Of The Game in 1968. Poco (then Pogo) appeared on local L.A. television also in 1968. He also made a number of TV appearances with Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band between 1969 and 1971. ↩︎
Eagles
Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN
September 20, 1972
The Eagles and Gentle Giant opened for Yes.
The Eagles at Fairgrounds Coliseum. Photo by Neil Sharrow.
Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, 1974
An inside look at the Eagles’ appearance on DON KIRSHNER’S ROCK CONCERT in April 1974.
Eagles
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, MO, June 6, 1975
The Eagles opened for the Rolling Stones at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Joe Walsh, who was not billed, joined them as their guest. The Stones were on their legendary 1975 “Tour Of The Americas.” Opening along with the Eagles were The Gap Band and Rufus featuring Chaka Khan.
Tour poster, 1975.
Keyboardist Billy Preston and guitarist Ron Wood appeared as part of the Rolling Stones’ touring band. Wood was not yet an official member of the group.
The bands performed under a tent-like dome on the stage.
The Stones performing at Arrowhead, June 6, 1975. Photo ©Dann E. Haworth.
Following The Gap Band and Rufus, the Eagles hit the stage at 5:30. They performed an hour-long set before the massive sold-out crowd.
Randy’s stage pass/badge for the Arrowhead stadium concert still exists with his family. The badge was pinned to his jeans in the photo on the right. Photo of the badge courtesy of Jennifer Meisner.
Below: Joe Walsh made a surprise appearance with the Eagles for a version of his own “Rocky Mountain Way.” Notice that Randy, who normally plucked his bass with his fingers, is using a pick for this song. Other songs on which he used a pick were “Good Day In Hell” and “Lovin’ You Every Minute” by Poco.
Joe Walsh backstage. Randy’s wife, Jennifer, at right with their son Dana hiding behind her.
Photos
Roadie Tommy Nixon is in both photos wearing a hat and red shirt.
The Eagles exit the stage. Randy is behind Eagles manager, Irving Azoff.
Roadie, Tommy Nixon, hands Don Henley a towel. Behind Henley is another roadie, Tony Taibi, in the Eagles shirt.
This was the Eagles’ first time opening for the Rolling Stones. In his memoir, Don Felder recalled the Eagles’ road manager, Richie Fernandez, setting up a meeting with the Stones in their hotel room the night before the concert. Felder claims it was the first time he’d ever seen heroin. He’d also hoped to meet Keith Richards, but he was nowhere in sight. He was later found motionless in the bathroom. Felder thought he was “a goner.” (Excerpt from Heaven And Hell: My Life With The Eagles by Don Felder).
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (alive and well) onstage in Kansas City, June 6, 1975
REVIEWS
Lawrence Journal World, June 7, 1975
Manhattan Mercury, June 8, 1975
EAGLES
Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT
September 25, 1972
The Eagles and Edgar Winter opened for Yes.
This show was originally slated for August 14th, but had to be rescheduled due to rain.
Randy wore a t-shirt with the anti-war slogan: “War Is Not Healthy For Children & Other Living Things.” The shirt matched a sticker he added to his gold Fender bass in 1971.
Photo ©Robert Corwin.
