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August 17, 2007

New Eagles - "How Long"

Baby boomers of the world unite … Eagles are flying again! (Yeah, sorry for that.) But seriously, time to put the Best Of collections on hold (step. away. from. the. turntable.), because "How Long," the single from Long Road Out Of Eden, the first album of new Eagles material in almost three decades, has surfaced on radio and MySpace (with video premiering Sunday). The three-minute tune's an inoffensive, Wilburys-rambler about rockin' yourself to sleep: Won't blow minds, but does include rather gothy lyrics ("like a bluebird with his heart removed / lonely as a train"). Plus, it's just nice to hear those smooth-as-Coors voices blending to sing something other than "Desperado" or "Hotel California," no matter how rad a version.

The deets? The "How Long" single and Long Road Out Of Eden pre-orders are available Monday, 8/20 via Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and the Eagles' web site (Yup, that Corgan-esque scenario offers a pretty solid chance of picking up a bag of Cheetos with your new tunes!) The site/those chains, will also sell the album, due in late October.

Posted at 10:20 AM
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38 Comments

i believe the poet laureate jeffrey lebowski put it best when he said, "i hate the fuckin' eagles." truer words have never been spoken, sir.

Posted by: kevin at 08/17/07 10:50 AM | Reply
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The Dude abides.

Posted by: red at 08/17/07 10:54 AM | Reply
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Punk rock owes half of its pissed off existence to bands like the Eagles. As a result of the Eagles early 1970s radio dominance (along with the Journey/ELP/Yes/Pink Floyd dinosaurs), we'd likely never have had all the great punk bands emerge from that era (Clash, Buzzcocks, Pistols, Ramones, etc.).

Posted by: Dfactor at 08/17/07 11:41 AM | Reply
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THANK YOU Stereogum for actually posting about The Eagles with some respect.

Now....cue the inevitable, mindless "Dude" comments...yeah, you hate the fuckin' Eagles man, we know.

Posted by: Stephen at 08/17/07 11:50 AM | Reply
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does this mean that the album is exclusive through WaltonCo? Or just exclusive pre-orders?

Not that I'm going to rush out and buy one either way, but, you know, wal-mart evil/everywhere/blahblah... don't want them getting extra money.

Posted by: niles Baranowski at 08/17/07 12:21 PM | Reply
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Hey, cliche-mongers, lighten the fuck up with regards to the Eagles.

Posted by: bp at 08/17/07 12:24 PM | Reply
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Having listened to this a few times, I'm actually really impressed with what they're doing. "How Long" could have fitted easily in The Long Run record. The "Hole in the World" song they released a few years ago got me kind of worried about the new material. Even though I don't condone their Walmart dealings, I still think they should be respected for what they've done in the past. Let's hope Long Road to Eden will be worth the wait.

Posted by: Stephen at 08/17/07 12:28 PM | Reply
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Stephen: "How Long" apparently is a cover of a 1972 J.D. Souther song. HA-HA!

Posted by: Nelson Muntz at 08/17/07 1:42 PM | Reply
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hands down the whitest band to ever do it.

Posted by: rxsalt at 08/17/07 2:25 PM | Reply
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Sam's Club? Wow, do you have to buy blocks of 12?

I seriously doubt I could find 11 people to tag along.

Posted by: Seek at 08/17/07 7:07 PM | Reply
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Everyone is an armchair critic, when they've got nothin' to show and a tin ear.

Posted by: Leeyth at 08/18/07 2:59 AM | Reply
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Everyone is an armchair critic, when they've got nothin' to show and a tin ear.

Posted by: Leeyth at 08/18/07 3:01 AM | Reply
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Same old same old from the Eagles. Yawn.

Posted by: randy at 08/19/07 2:30 PM | Reply
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Kevin, u dont no wat ur talking about - the eagles are one of the best bands in the world. look at how many years they have lasted for and surpassed all those other shitty bands

Posted by: Ashleigh at 08/20/07 9:41 AM | Reply
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Lets see, isn't Lebowski Polish? What the FUCK would he know about good ol kickass american music, one of the greatest bands of all time, are you Polish Kevin?

Posted by: CLARK at 08/20/07 7:18 PM | Reply
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The succes of the Eagles 70's music assured them of a lifetime of success. Those certain bands come up with a magical style, great songwriters, and memorable vocalists that just endure. As if the Eagles werent popular enough with albums like Hotel California & Long Run, The Greatest Hits Vol I renewed their early music and broke all sales records. Their Southern California style of rock & country is a symbol of an era. It goes beyond the musicians. Look at Don Henleys solo career for example that blossomed in the 80's but declined sharply the next decade. Don Henley albums do not sell that well anymore, had his whole career been based on his solo act, he would be redcued to a mere nastolgia act (like most 70's and 80's groups). But yet Eagles records still sell hundreds of thousands of copies per year and tickets even priced well over $100 a piece on average sell out almost everywhere. That California sound, those 70's and early 80's hits have made the Eagles a legend. Even the band themselves is SKEPTICAL of releasing an all out new CD into the market. After the big success of Hell Freezes Over with a few new hits, they have been very reluctant to follow up because they know how quickly they could fail commercially. So they have taken their time and taken 5 years to record a new album and than to take the pressure off of having to "guarantee" another multi platinum hit machine, they are releasing the new CD only to be released on their website and through Wal Mart and Sam's Club. Nobody will be counting the sales or watching their chart position on Billboard. BUT, since everyone and their mother goes to wal Mart these days, everyone who wants the new CD can grab it and a 2 CD set for only $12. Can't beat that, it should do well considering the circumstances. Remember when 2 CD sets by a popular act like Pink Floyd's The Wall sold for $28 list and that was only 80 minutes of music.

Posted by: Paul at 08/20/07 7:25 PM | Reply
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I Love The Eagles but How Long was included in there live sets in the EARLY 70's. The new version sounds beefed up though.

Posted by: Rob at 08/21/07 1:11 AM | Reply
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Great Song: Can't wait for the album.....this will hit #1 on country and pop stations!

Posted by: jim at 08/21/07 1:58 PM | Reply
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I used to work at an indie record store a few years back. The owner told me that Don Henley basically said that the indie stores don't sell enough records so we (the Eagles) don't f'n need them.

Selling exclusively at Wal-Mart is a pretty disgusting thing to do in my book. I am boycotting Wal-Mart for life. They are responsible for more jobs being lost to China than any single other force.. If you claim to be a patriot, and you shop at Wal-Mart, you are either an idiot or a hypocrite.

Posted by: Kurt C at 08/21/07 5:22 PM | Reply
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Without the Eagles,we wouldn't have this stuff we call "new country music" either.

I love the Eagles, but remember Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, and especially Poco(Tim Schmidt)- all of those bands who came before and influenced the Eagles.

Posted by: BR at 08/21/07 10:30 PM | Reply
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i love the eagles and im a kiss fanatic , dont figure!saw them in adelaide australia , perfect not a note out when you can tell me that about your new bands ill agree. you see, im a lover of music,1950,1960 or now. a good song is a good song some of you drones need to expand your music taste,but it will come with maturity then you can tell me about music,great at their type of music and legends of music cant wait for the new album

Posted by: graham at 08/22/07 3:38 AM | Reply
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It makes me so, so, so happy that the first comment on this post was Dude-related.

Posted by: Greg at 08/22/07 5:14 PM | Reply
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Look, I have nothing but respect when the dinosaurs actually try. Will the album suck? Yeah, probably. But they're trying, as opposed to riding the Oldies Tour eternally.

DwD

Posted by: Dw Dunphy at 08/22/07 5:54 PM | Reply
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GREAT SONG, GREAT HARMONIES, I'TS THE EAGLES DOING WHAT THEY DO BEST. JUST HOPE THE ALBUM IS AS GOOD, I'TS BEEN A LONG WAIT.

Posted by: Mick at 08/23/07 6:21 AM | Reply
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If Long Road Out Of Eden were the best album ever made by any band in the history of music or anything else, the people who hate the Eagles will still hate the Eagles.

If you like the Eagles, buy the album. If you don't, don't.

I hate Walmart like the rest of the world. But, guess what, there's also the internet.

Basically they have it set up two ways. For those with teeth and brain cells, shop the internet. For those from Mississippi, shop Walmart.

Posted by: Kevin. at 08/27/07 5:26 PM | Reply
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If you don't like The Eagles then what the hell are you wastin your time posting comments on somethin you know nothing about. you've obviously got toooo much time on your hands..Eagles are one of the best bands ever and they have made a very brave move to bring out a brand new single/ album after all this time. i love the new song it's brand new and yet it still got the Eagles 'thing' that made them so great. great job boys. can't wait to hear the rest of the album. all those with stupid negative comments."GO LISTEN TO SOMETHIN ELSE

Posted by: Bill at 08/29/07 6:03 PM | Reply
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Why do so many hate Wal-Mart? That makes no sense to me. They bring value to the vast majority of the United States.

In small towns people used to pay very high prices for the same goods. Those extreme profits went to a half dozen families in town that for the most part thought they were better than everyone else. The rest of the community had little choice and few options.

Many of the items in Wal-mart are made in China and I am becoming more and more resentful of that fact. But it is legal and if Wal-mart doesn't sell those products, someone will. Given that the United States has full employment it is difficult to make the case that these cheep imported goods are hurting our economy. Having said that I would like to see public policy direct manufacturing away from China. I own a company and we do not buy raw or finished goods from China to produce our products.

Oh, great song.

Posted by: coors4bob at 09/11/07 9:32 AM | Reply
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Aren't The Eagles old enough to be on MediCare by now? I heard "How Long," and it sounds like the same old rehashed stuff from their 70's heydays. And guess what? I come here, and I find out it IS just exactly that.
A cover of an OLDER than dirt JD Souther song from the early 70's, that sucked than just like now. I highly doubt this album, (Remember those?? Bet all the old farts on this site do.) will even make a ripple in the music scene or charts--maybe a little on the country charts. They need to go back with Fleetwood Mac and pop in an 8-track and ride the residual train. They could all "do" Stevie Nicks again, because that drug infested slutty skank chick did EVERYBODY!
Don Henley and Joe Walsh included.

Posted by: Mike R. at 09/23/07 10:43 AM | Reply
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LEAVE STEVIE ALONE!!!

Posted by: Chris Crocker at 09/23/07 1:25 PM | Reply
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thats true mike r. stevie did do everyone back in the day.....however, i highly doubt she remembers much of it. she was quite the coke head, plus had very lose morals. But then again, so did Henley/Frey and the rest of the Eagles and every other band from that looooooong ago long gone era. The eagles just epitomized it and their name is synonymous with it.
Not only did they write "Life in The Fast Lane," they would be the first to admit they lived it.

Posted by: Kim A. at 09/23/07 3:50 PM | Reply
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The Eagles new album will sell more than any currently recording group. They were great and still are!

Posted by: Emily at 09/25/07 6:47 PM | Reply
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I guess when any of the haters of this great band sell as many albums, produce as many hits, or garner $150+ for a concert ticket in this day in age, then maybe... and I say MAYBE you can have an opinion.

And like someone else said, if you don't Eagles then don't listen to them. But at the same time, keep your opinions to yourself. I may not like the music you like, but you have every right to like and buy it where ever you please without me passing judgement on you.

You ought to try being where I am right now (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Then maybe you would appreciate what freedom and the ability to do things without interference or government intervention really means... we have it pretty lucky in the USA. We don't have "Religious police" beating you with their sticks because they make a moral judgement.

Eagles can crank out old J.D. Souther tunes all day long as far as I'm concerned. It still tons better than half the crap we are subjected to these days from anyone person with a single name... like Pink, Shaira, Beyonce and whatever other trendy crap is on the airwaves.

Posted by: Patrick Nance at 10/01/07 2:11 PM | Reply
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Being an old buck, just heard "How Long" on the radio yesterday. I was tickled -- God Bless the Eagles, they sound pretty darn fresh after over 35 years! Let the crankies say what they want -- the record (er, CD) sales will speak for themselves. And to me, that fact that "How Long" is an old J.D. Souther tune makes it that much sweeter. I'm sure those who know the history will agree.

Posted by: Richie at 10/11/07 11:29 PM | Reply
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I for one am more excited about this new Eagles song & album, than anything in the last 20 years!

Posted by: PEGGY at 10/21/07 8:53 PM | Reply
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i don't see why the eagles can't make a comeback, but at the same time i can't imagine how hard that would be.

but listening to "how long" (im just 19 yrs old, mind) felt pretty fresh after being subjected to tons of hiphop beats, rap, and the crappy so-called "rock". i love rock, but the so-called "rock" music today just doesn't qualify. i mean, at least give 'em a chance. widen your musical perspectives people. they're pretty much the roots of the music you're listening to. besides, its worth the listen :)

Posted by: madugongmaria at 11/07/07 7:33 AM | Reply
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grew up (im 27) listening to my old's eagles (and many many others including ccr, the guess who, fleetwood mac, blah blah...) records and cds.. i do love that eagles harmonizing, sounds as fresh now as it did on that vinyl purchased back in the 70's.. rock on you old farts :)

Posted by: bigmoe at 11/22/07 7:31 AM | Reply
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Interesting in that I have a live 1973 recording of the Eagles -- and the second song is "How Long"!!!! They never recorded it on an album, and viola, shows up 30 years later on their new album. Great new album!

Posted by: Richard Hayes at 12/14/07 1:42 PM | Reply
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