{"id":171,"date":"2026-01-26T13:42:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/?p=171"},"modified":"2026-01-26T13:42:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:42:48","slug":"eagles-once-opened-for-this-huge-prog-rock-band-in-1972-and-immediately-regretted-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/eagles-once-opened-for-this-huge-prog-rock-band-in-1972-and-immediately-regretted-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagles Once Opened for This Huge Prog-Rock Band in 1972 (and Immediately Regretted It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although they may be classic-rock royalty now, Eagles<\/a> spent their early days like so many other budding bands. They opened for other, bigger bands, a huge opportunity which can introduce musicians to brand-new audiences. But there was one show in particular that didn’t go so well for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After forming early in 1971 in Los Angeles, Eagles released their first single, \u201cTake It Easy,\u201d in May 1972. And thanks to its success and the buzz generated by their live shows at the Troubadour, they were booked to open for other, bigger rock bands. These days, opening acts are at least in the same genre as the headliner. But that wasn’t always the case in the ’70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBack then there was no trying to match styles of music\u2014they just put you out there, and you had to sink or swim,\u201d frontman Don Henley said in an interview with Classic Rock<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with prog-rock band Jethro Tull riding the success of the newly released Thick as a Brick<\/em>, Eagles were added to the bill for a few dates. The two bands’ styles were completely different. Eagles played more laid-back, easygoing rock while Jethro Tull remains known for a more progressive and often theatrical style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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