Act 5, Scene 1: Learning about me: Lesson 1

Things have changed lately. But since they have, I've decided to not wallow in despair. So I'm going to let you learn more about me through my future posts. =)

Today in class, we learned how to use speech acts and rhetorical moves to anticipate what the reader expects to read and then write in response to that. But I just whine incessantly and you'll read k? Haha.=)

My goggles broke today. One of the snaps actually broke off so until I get a new one tomorrow, I can't go swim. Hai...sians.

Anyway, as you may have already guess, I have a pretty diverse taste in music. I won't go as far as saying I like certain types of music and dislike certain others but my affinity lies with rock, as I've mentioned before. Well, today I'd like to be a little more specific.

I'm sure everyone's heard of The Eagles, a circa 1970s rock band which was as (in)famous for its internal strife as they were for the beautiful music that they played. Their 1994 album, titled 'Hell Freezes Over' was not an allusion to Satan worshipping(as many of us kids were led to believe back in those days) but was a parody of something one of them once said in response to a question, when the band was going through some of its most turbulent times, if they would ever go on tour again. That member said, 'Yea, we will. When Hell freezes over!'.

That album featured live tracks of many of the typical Eagles songs such as 'Hotel California' and 'Tequila Sunrise'. Today, I shall feature the videos of both. They were taken during the Hell Freezes Over tour which coincided with the launch of the album.

Why do I like the Eagles?

Because I have never found a band whose voices could blend together so perfectly. That shall be evident in the first few seconds of the third video, also of 'Hotel California', but performed in 1976, where we see the band warming up for their performance with an impromptu acapella session. I nearly cried when I heard it. Their voices were so perfectly matched and as you will see in the video, the drummer (Don Henley) is actually the lead vocals for the song.

Another reason I love the Eagles so much is their talent in playing the guitar. As the first two videos will show, all of them are proficient at it but I truly admire Joe Walsh and his playing. In the 1994 videos, he's the blond guy wearing glasses. Watch him in the Hotel California video (both 1976 and 1994 versions) as he leads the guitar solo first before handing off to Don Felder, another accomplished player.

Haha. I know that's alot of information so I suggest you listen to all three songs first and pick out the best parts you like for yourselves and you can refer to my comments when you're done and try to see what I mean, yea?



First up, the 1994 version of Hotel California:



Second, the 1994 version of Tequila Sunrise (Glenn Frey on lead vocals. Beautiful mandolin solo by Don Felder). I love this song!:



And finally, the 1976 version of Hotel California (watch them warm up their vocals at the start..amazing):



Haha...hope you've enjoyed that. I did say that I'll sing Hotel California at my wedding. I might do Tequila Sunrise too. =) Need to find some supporting vocals. Hee.

I'm sorry, Nur.