Band flies like The Eagles

Seven studio albums, five number-one singles, six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, backstage fistfights and a bitter lawsuit.

That pretty much sums up the career of the Eagles, one of the world’s best-selling bands of all times. They sold over 150 million albums. In the ’70s, no American band sold more records than the Eagles.

But it’s not just sure-fire hits and a cocoon of nostalgia that has spawned a flurry of tribute artists such as Hotel California, coming to the Morinville Community Cultural Centre on Saturday, Feb. 22.

It was their country-rock material that began bare bones and folksy, and slowly developed a complex sound. As fans gently swayed to the music, the tunes seemed specifically targeted to blue-collar clubs and backyard barbecues.

“The lyrics and music was exciting and the vocals were so special. And they wrote songs in different styles. Some were new country, some were ballads, some were danceable, some were rock and roll,” says Hotel California spokesperson Andy Lapointe, bass guitarist.

Since the tribute band’s start-up in 1986, 40 musicians have passed through its revolving doors.

In addition to Lapointe, the current grouping of Hotel California includes Dean Young (drums), Mike Dimoulas (guitar-keyboard-talk box) and Rick Spyder (guitar-violin-harmonica).

While Lapointe absorbs the Joe Walsh role, Spyder adopts the Glenn Frey role singing the high notes. Dimoulas is the “quiet one” and Young enjoys belting the Don Henley tunes.

“When we sing, we try to do everything note for note. We want people to say ‘when you close your eyes, it was them,’” Lapointe says describing the similarity of sound.

While enjoying a strong fan following in North America, Hotel California has also toured Japan, Dubai, India and Bermuda.

Unlike many tribute bands ignored by heavyweights, the foursome have also shared the stage with The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Styx and Gretchen Wilson to name a few.

At Saturday night’s concert, the rockers have a simple set list that blends both Eagles and solo songs – tunes that range from Desperado, The Fast Lane and Tequila Sunrise to Rocky Mountain Way and Dirty Laundry.

“We never get tired of singing such great songs, plus we have good chemistry,” Lapointe notes.

“We like to get the audience participating. It makes a concert flow better. We sing the hits and talk about actual history. So come and escape for a little while on a journey of great music and relive some of the greatest tunes of the ’70s.”