As Australian Rock Collective prepares to take one of rock’s most scrutinised albums back to the stage, Darren Middleton says the process of deciding who performs each Eagles song has less to do with impersonation and more to do with finding the right voice for the material.
by Paul Cashmere
ARC, featuring Darren Middleton of Powderfinger, Kram of Spiderbait, Davey Lane of You Am I and Mark Wilson of Jet, will tour Australia performing Eagles’ landmark 1976 album Hotel California in its entirety, followed by a second set of Eagles classics.
Watch the Noise11 interview with Darren Middleton:
For a band built around celebrated Australian musicians, the challenge is not simply recreating one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. It is finding a way to honour songs that audiences know intimately while allowing each performer to bring their own strengths to the material.
Speaking to Noise11.com, Middleton said ARC deliberately avoids assigning members to portray specific Eagles personalities.
“We don’t really treat it like that,” Middleton said. “There’s definitely elements where Kram’s not just singing Don Henley’s songs and I won’t be the only person singing Glenn Frey’s songs.”
Instead, the band approaches the material collectively, dividing responsibilities according to vocal suitability and personal connection to individual tracks.
“Between myself, Kram and Davey, we always tend to divvy the songs up, so it’s a fairly even spread regardless,” he said.
“And then it’s just a matter of each person maybe connects with some songs more than other songs. That really determines who will sing what. It’s people’s soft spots for certain songs.”
Middleton said vocal range also plays a significant role in the process.
“It’s a fairly natural process. Kram can really handle some of the higher parts and he will naturally push out more Don songs because he plays drums as well and it does sort of make sense. We kind of mix it up a little bit.”
The approach reflects the complexity of the Eagles catalogue, particularly on Hotel California, an album renowned for its layered harmonies and intricate arrangements.
According to Middleton, the vocal work may be even more demanding than the instrumental performances.
“This is one of those bands and one of those records where people know the guitar solos, they know the harmonies and they know the lyrics and melodies,” he said.
“It’s a ton of work.”
The title track remains the album’s defining moment and presents one of ARC’s biggest technical challenges. The song’s famous closing guitar duel between Don Felder and Joe Walsh is regarded as one of rock music’s most celebrated recorded solos.
Middleton confirmed that he and Davey Lane will recreate the iconic exchange on stage.
“We absolutely have to,” he said. “I’ve spent the last few weeks wrapping my ears around it. It’s one of the great written guitar solos over the last 50 years really.”
Released in December 1976, Hotel California became a commercial and cultural phenomenon. The album topped charts around the world and produced enduring classics including the title track, New Kid In Town and Life In The Fast Lane. It also marked a significant transition period for Eagles, arriving shortly after Joe Walsh joined the band and shortly before bassist Timothy B. Schmit replaced Randy Meisner.
ARC will perform the album in its original running order, opening each show with the title track before working through the record from beginning to end.
“There was talk about potentially swapping things around,” Middleton told Noise11.
“But we wanted to stay true to the way we present these records, which is top to bottom
and the featured album first.”
The Eagles project follows ARC’s previous performances of albums including Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here, The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Neil Young’s Harvest and Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin IV.
Middleton said the choice of albums often emerges from discussions among band members while on the road, with milestone anniversaries frequently helping shape the final decision.
For 2026, that process led the group to one of the most celebrated albums in classic rock history, and one whose songs remain embedded in popular culture nearly five decades after their release.
Australian Rock Collective Plays Eagles will tour nationally throughout June.
Australian Rock Collective Plays Eagles – Australian Tour Dates
Tuesday 9 June, Newcastle, Civic Theatre
Friday 12 June, Thirroul, Anita’s Theatre
Sunday 14 June, Canberra, Llewellyn Hall
Tuesday 16 June, Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Thursday 18 June, Sydney, Concert Hall Sydney Opera House
Saturday 20 June, Adelaide, Thebarton Theatre
Wednesday 24 June, Perth, Astor Theatre
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