'Hotel California'

I know I've discussed this part of my life before (probably with ABBA), but when I was a young teen, before I was able to drive or with a destination in which to drive to, I'd stay at home over the summer with littler more than a yen for music, a beginning foray into guitars and a lot of idle time.

Much of my time was spent at home where I'd watch music videos. Oddly, we didn't have MTV or VH1. Instead, I was stuck with MTV's kid brother The Box and a station where you could order records over the phone.

It was a TV Columbia House. They'd show a full list of CDs on the left hand side while showing a music video in the rest of the screen. You could then get a sample of the artist's music before you ordered it. It's one of the only reasons I like ABBA and how I first heard the scorching guitar solos from Don Felder and Joe Walsh on "Hotel California."

It was a concert performance of their hit song. Don Henley was behind the drums, singing with that goofy afro. That's all I remember outside of the guitar playing. I don't remember Glenn Frey or Randy Meisner (I assume) on bass.

Got to admit, it's still one of my favorite all-time guitar solos. To me it encapsulates everything I love about crisp guitar playing with lots of tone and body. There's a syncopation and building as it crescendos with the main riff.

I'd later learn to hate the album, Hotel California. As I listened to earlier Eagles, I saw them for what they were: A country band. As they grew older and certain influences remained absent from the group, they turned into a rock band. Of course, one of my favorite songs, "New Kid in Town," from Hotel California wound up charting on the Country and Western charts.