LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles, died on Thursday at the age of 77. The Eagles confirmed in a statement that Meisner died on Wednesday night in Los Angeles after suffering from complications following chronic obstructive lung disease.
Former bandmate Don Felder described the bassist as "the sweetest man in the music business" as he delivered high harmonies to classics like 'Take It Easy' and 'The Best of My Love' and walked out front for the waltz-time ballad 'Take It to the Limit'. Meisner had suffered from several illnesses in recent years before his death. Moreover, in 2016, his wife, Lana Rae Meisner, accidentally shot herself and died. However, here's why the co-founder of The Eagles left the band.
Why did Randy Meisner leave the Eagles?
The Eagles scored one of their most memorable all-time singles with 'Take It to the Limit' in 1975, but the song's popularity was a double-edged sword, leading to the resignation of bassist and singer Randy Meisner from the group.
Meisner co-wrote 'Take It to the Limit' with Don Henley and Glenn Frey and provided lead vocals on the song, which was released as the third single from the group's One of These Nights album. The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Meisner's searing falsetto screams during the song's closing choruses became a highlight of the group's live concerts... so much so that Meisner experienced stage fright when singing the song live.
'They went crazy when Randy hit those high notes'
"They went crazy when Randy hit those high notes," Henley remarked in the 2013 documentary 'The History of the Eagles'. But, unlike Henley and Frey, who were used to singing lead in front of large crowds as the band's two mainstays, Meisner was largely a harmony vocalist in the group and was hesitant to take on a more prominent position. "I was always kind of shy," Meisner explained to Rolling Stone. "They wanted me to sing 'Take It to the Limit' in the middle of the stage, but I preferred to be out of the spotlight."
Tensions in the band rose after the release of their career-defining record 'Hotel California' in 1976. Its huge popularity kept the band on the road for lengthier lengths than ever before. Meisner's marriage was disintegrating, and he was succumbing to the myriad temptations of life on the road, all of which had a negative influence on his health.
According to Marc Eliot's 2004 Eagles biography 'To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles', the issue came to a head after a concert in Knoxville, Tennessee, in June 1977. The band had been on the road for 11 months, and Meisner felt he had reached his personal limit.
He recalled and said, “My ulcer was starting to act up, and I had a bad case of the flu as well. Still, we all sounded great onstage, the audience loved the show and we were being called back for another encore." He added, "No way,’ I said. I was too sick, and generally fed up. I decided I wasn’t going back out.”
Frey became enraged and called Meisner 'a p***y'
Frey became enraged and called Meisner a "p***y," and Meisner swung at him, resulting in a brawl between the musicians. Security intervened, but the fight was far from done. “After a few minutes they let go of Glenn but continued holding me,” Meisner said. “He grabbed a towel, wiped the sweat off his face, walked right up and threw it in mine.”
Meisner stayed with the band until the end of the tour, but the problem had gotten worse. He recalled, "Those last days on the road were the worst. Nobody was talking to me or would hang out after shows or do anything," Meisner recounted. "I was made an outcast of the band I'd helped start."
Meisner quit the Eagles at the end of the tour
Meisner quit the Eagles at the end of the tour, becoming the band's second founding member to leave in two years, following guitarist Bernie Leadon's departure in 1975. Timothy B Schmit took his position in the Eagles, who released only one more studio album, 1979's 'The Long Run', before disbanding, as reported by Taste of Country.
