Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol.156 - In Memory of Randy Meisner, the Famous Bassist of the Eagles

An important member of the Eagles and a bass player

Sir Randy Meisner, a leading figure in West Coast rock and an original member of the Eagles (titles omitted below), passed away on July 26th 2023. He was 77 years old.

Randy Meisner was born in Nebraska, USA in 1946. His career began as the bassist for the country rock group Poco. In 1971, he formed the Eagles with Glenn Frey and Don Henley. He participated in five Eagles albums, including One of These Nights and Hotel California. In 1998, he achieved the great feat of being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles.
In this article, I'd like to take a look back at the music of the great bass player and musician Randy Meisner, through some of his works.

Randy Meisner is a musician who not only plays the bass, but also writes songs. He has released many albums, including the Eagles' albums and his own solo album, One More Song.

The album Hotel California, which features a picture of the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on the cover, is a classic West Coast rock album.
The title track, “Hotel California”, became instantly famous thanks to Don Henley's wistful vocals and the twin guitar solos of Don Felder and Joe Walsh that come in at the end.
While Don Henley's vocals and twin lead guitar solos are talked about, the bass guitar seems to be somewhat overlooked.
I think the key to “Hotel California” is in the bass. The bass player who played it was Randy Meisner. Bassists are often forgotten, but I think the wonderful bass lines played by Meisner are the backbone of the classic song “Hotel California”.

■ Eagles: Hotel California (1976)

A concept album released in 1976 that is a masterpiece of West Coast rock and deals with the theme of California decadence. The title track “Hotel California” is no exception. It was number one in the US album charts for eight weeks in a row, and also won the Grammy Award for Best Record.
“Try and Love Again”, which was written by the bass player Randy Meisner, is also an impressive track.

Recommended track: “Hotel California”

A concept album released in 1976 that is a masterpiece of West Coast rock and deals with the theme of California decadence. The title track 'Hotel California' is no exception. It was number one in the US album charts for eight weeks in a row, and also won the Grammy Award for Best Record.
'Try and Love Again', which was written by bass player Randy Meisner, is also an impressive track.
Recommended track: “Hotel California
Before it was titled "Hotel California", it was called "Mexican Reggae" by writers Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey.
When you listen to “Hotel California”, you are drawn in by the beautiful melody line, and you forget that the song has its origins in reggae. Even though it's reggae, it's not the kind of earthy reggae you'd expect from Bob Marley. It's just a hint of reggae.
When you listen to the song, you can tell that Randy Meisner's bass line is quite different from the pop music lines you might expect. The bassist in our band used to say, “I can't believe he came up with a phrase like that."
I think that this bass line is the main factor that makes “Hotel California” unique.
The bass line phrase and the obligato-like guitar riff combine to create the unique groove of “Hotel California”. I can't help but admire Randy Meisner's creativity in creating this bass line.

When you listen to the actual live performance, Glenn Frey plays acoustic guitar, and Don Henley and Joe Walsh play electric guitar. There are only three Eagles members who play guitar, but a fourth guitarist is playing reggae chord-cutting behind the stage. The person who is responsible for the reggae-like taste is not one of the Eagles members lol.

■ Recommended album: The Eagles One of These Nights (1975)

The Eagles' fourth album, released in 1975. It reached number one in the US charts. The band originally had a strong country taste, but guitarist Bernie Leadon left the band after the previous album. It is thought that Don Felder, who joined as a new member, was responsible for pushing the Eagles towards a rock sound.
Take It to the Limit”, a classic song written by Randy Meisner, became a firm fixture in the Eagles live set and reached the top 10 in the US.

Recommended track: ”One of These Nights”

The bass intro at the beginning of this song is beyond anything you would expect from the pop music category. If this bass phrase was created by Meisner (although the intro arrangement is credited to Don Felder), then his creativity is truly amazing! I've never heard an intro with such an impactful bass. The way the guitar cutting intertwined with this bass phrase, and the way the song developed with the twin guitar harmonies, showed that the Eagles' music had entered a new era.

Recommended song: “Take It to the Limit”

Randy Meisner's biggest hit. The arrangement with the magnificent strings is dramatic itself. The chorus break is a part that symbolizes the theme of this song, and combined with the melancholy melody and Meisner's high-pitched voice, it has become a song that represents West Coast rock. This song has also been covered by many artists, including Dave Mason.

In 1979, I went to see the Eagles perform at the Budokan for the second time. Randy Meisner had already left the band, and the bass player had been replaced by Timothy B. Schmit. “Take It to the Limit” was performed live. For me, I remember being disappointed that I couldn't hear Randy Meisner's vocals. He’ll be in my prayers.

P.S. Both Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh were guitarists, but they were also skilled at playing the Fender Rhodes piano and Hammond organ.

Musicians, albums, and recommendations featured in this issue

• Artists: Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Don Felder, Glenn Frey, etc.
• Albums: Hotel California, One of These Nights
• Recommended tracks: “Hotel California”, “One of These Nights”, ”Take It to the Limit”

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