Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder admits it was a “fun challenge” playing alongside Joe Walsh.
During a recent conversation with UCR’s Matt Wardlaw, Felder discussed his penchant for guitar solos, specifically those in which he and another rocker trade riffs.
“Somebody would be playing, and you step back and give them that period. And then they step back and give you an opportunity to step forward,” Felder explained. “And then somebody starts climbing up in their solo, and you go down below and play in a lower octave to support them. And then you crisscross on the way up and the way down and coming back. It’s just things you can’t necessarily teach somebody how to do. It’s more of a feel.”
Felder further noted the distinctive musical chemistry he enjoyed with his former Eagles bandmate, Walsh.
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“Joe and I really felt that very, very comfortably to be able to jam together, whether it was in the Eagles or before he joined the Eagles or on Joe Walsh and Friends videos and stuff like that,” the rocker recalled. “We just instinctually were able to do that by having just the sensitivity of how another person plays and knowing when to play and when not to play, when to be a support character and when to step in and be a lead character.”
“That’s exactly what Joe and I used to do all the time, every song,” Felder continued. “But we had enough grace to allow the other person to take the lead step and to hold hands going through it. It was never a, ‘I’m better than you.’ It was never an ego competition at all. It was just a fun challenge to have Joe play a lick and then, ‘Hell, I can beat that.’ And I play something and then he takes a step back and then he comes in like a bull. It was just fun to be able to play off of people like that.”
Don Felder Hails Tommy Shaw as a ‘Talented Triple Threat’
Similar to his chemistry with Walsh, Felder feels a musical connection with Styx leader Tommy Shaw.
“Tommy Shaw is probably one of the most talented triple threats that I know. I have the ultimate respect for people that can write, sing and play,” Felder declared. “Tommy is just a monster at that. And for him to be able to have the guitar dexterity and talent, to be able to play all those solos on the end of the harmonies and everything, and be able to sing [is impressive].”
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The rockers will have a chance to showcase their aligned energies when they hit the road together in 2025. The two have jammed together on the Eagles classic “Hotel California” in the past, though Felder cautioned its a not a guarantee to be in the set list every night.
“I’m not sure we’re going to do it this time,” he noted. “We might. We might not. Maybe save it for special occasions. I don’t know, we’ll see. It’s just going to be a lot of fun stuff.”
