Amanda Taraska/News & Guts MediaEx-Eagles guitarist Don Felder is the featured guest on the latest episode of the Dan Rather-hosted AXS TV series The Big Interview, which premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Felder discusses a variety of topics during his in-depth conversation with Rather, including what he thinks made “Hotel California” such a special song.
In a sneak peek at the show, Felder, who wrote the tune’s chord progression, says a variety of elements contributed to “Hotel California” being so great.
As he explains, “I think it was a special combination of Don [Henley‘s] singing — a really beautiful vocal performance — his lyrics, the music that we started off with…and the incredible guitar stuff that Joe [Walsh] and I did at the very end of it.”
Regarding Henley’s lyrics, Felder notes, “Don…writes these little postcard pictures, and he throws you a picture. ‘On a dark desert highway’: You can see that. ‘Cool wind in my hair’: You can feel it. ‘The warm smell of colitas’: You can smell it. You know, he’s got a brilliant way of writing these little picture postcards lyrically that takes you up to a place where when you [hear] the chorus, then you’re like, ‘It all makes sense.'”
In a separate preview clip, Felder reflects on what made The Eagles such a special band. “Everybody could write, sing and play,” he says, “and the pool of talent we had to draw from, lyrically, melodically, guitar parts, the way we sounded as a unit put together, was just a really magical combination.”
Other subjects the 72-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer talks about with Rather include how he feels about the many famous artists who cite The Eagles as an influence and how he developed his passion for playing music.
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