Peyote, puke, and the story of the Eagles’ 1979 swansong: “Like we did in the old days”
The career of the Eagles was a perfect storm of rock and roll hedonism.
The band had everything going for them in that regard: they were California natives, constantly soaking up the summer sun of America’s golden state. They were also one of the most financially successful bands of the 1970s, a decade where rock stars could travel via private jet and drink champagne without worrying about their margins, and lastly, their music was near tailor-made for the blissful experience of taking hallucinogenic drugs.
Their three-part harmonies combined with their sun-kissed melodies made for music that felt like the mild end of a psychedelic trip, where all the troubles in life are stripped away… For the band, they really were – chart-topping hit, after chart-topping hit meant each member of the Eagles lived a life to the Hollywood max, and so with it came a full acceptance of the hedonism their songs soundtracked.
But nevertheless, Eagles somehow managed to curate a commercial profile that didn’t have them painted as the bad boys of rock and roll. They could easily be found on the record shelf of a rebellious teenager as well as a conservative parent, despite being some of the most hedonistic figures in rock and roll.
They famously lived life in the fast lane, writing songs and performing shows that overtly showcased their cocaine habits. But that wasn’t all they were interested in. No, they joined the psychedelic troubadours of LA’s ‘70s music community and headed to the nearby desert to explore with hallucinogens.
It was during the recording of their final album of the decade, The Long Run, one which would eventually soundtrack their first break-up, that things started to go south for the band. They weren’t living the high life, fuelled by cocaine, but instead throwing up thanks to a misguided attempt at spiritualism.
“I don’t think we’ll have to go out into the desert and take peyote and puke, as we did in the old days,” Glenn Frey said in 2001, remarking on their comeback tours.
He added, “These Indian tribal rituals we did with peyote, they were beautiful, sacrificial. I’ve got pictures of us puking… Well, it didn’t make me puke, but some of the other guys puked for all of us.”
Of course, Frey wouldn’t be willing to admit that he struggled as much as his bandmates, for there was always a subtle air of competition between them. But if you were to broaden it out to the wider horizon of music, then Eagles would have certainly lost the competition for their rivals of the ‘70s were all heading to the desert and coping just fine with the wild experiences of ancient hallucinogens.
Nevertheless, these wild and esoteric experiences were part of the culture in the ‘70s and ultimately sparked the creativity of one of the great eras. Eagles, like many others, all basked in the hedonistic access their careers provided and created music that was fitting of the culture, even if it did cause their eventual break-up.
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