DON HENLEY DEGLI EAGLES SUI LEDZEP

Don Henley has responded to Robert Plant’s comments in Rolling Stone regarding the Eagles’ reasons for reuniting. In an interview with the New Zealand Herald, Henley denied that the reunion had anything to do with boredom and offered a stinging conjecture regarding Plant’s reluctance to tour with Led Zeppelin.

Q&A: Don Henley Opens Up About ‘The History of the Eagles’ at Sundance

“Do you know why the Eagles said they’d reunite when ‘hell freezes over,’ but they did it anyway and keep touring?” Plant said to Rolling Stone earlier this month during an interview where he explained his own decision not to tour with Led Zeppelin. “It’s not because they were paid a fortune. It’s not about the money. It’s because they’re bored. I’m not bored.”

Asked whether Plant’s assessment was correct, Henley said, “No, I am never bored. The truth is, we enjoy doing it. It is hard work, especially for gentlemen of our age but the fact is it’s a fantastic job and it’s a wonderful way to make a living and see the world and get to travel and we take our kids with us.”

He went on to deliver a back-handed compliment to the Led Zeppelin singer. “I really wish [Led Zeppelin] would get back together because they were one of the greatest bands of all time,” he began, promisingly. “I think maybe Robert is worried about hitting those notes. He may not be able to unbutton his shirt any more.”

When the interviewer brought up the idea that the Eagles and Led Zeppelin shared the distinction of being big bands who received little critical respect in their heydays, Henley agreed. “We had that in common. But it doesn’t matter now much does it?” he said. “When I was younger it really bothered me. But now it doesn’t make any difference.”

Henley also spoke about his family’s reaction to the documentary The History of the Eagles, which premiered at Sundance in January 2013 and delves into some of the bandmembers’ past self-destructive behavior and substance abuse. “My kids saw it but they didn’t really talk to me much. One day we might sit down and I might explain a few things to them. There was no big uproar in our home.”

On the other hand, he also implied that there was much more to the story. “Actually, we left a lot of things out, mate,” he said. “We didn’t put everything in there. But we all think that the documentary strikes a nice balance. We didn’t want it to be another tawdry rock’n’roll sex and drugs expose.”