Actual Miles, Henley’s Greatest Hits provides a useful window into the artist’s psyche. One has to admit that for all his pretensions, the packing for Actual Miles pokes fun at Henley. Fellow T of M contributor (and founding member of the Don Henley Society (DHS), Southeastern chapter) Georgia State Professor Alexander Cummings frequently defends Henley pointing out that from the smarmy car salesman to the discount sticker label proclaiming “Actual Miles, the greatest hits albums illustrates Henley’s self awareness. “Its kind of funny that he called the greatest hits Actual Miles, isnt it? As in the cheesy, sneaky car salesman trying to pawn off some old jalopy to unwitting consumers? Theres a little bit of self parodying going on there” (Professor Cummings related these thoughts in a savagely critical email to the author in which the Georgia State academic compared the author to a “syphilitic Andy Rooney”) Fine. The packaging is great. While one could argue his “Actual Miles” tag was more a comment on greatest hits packages in general, it is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Henley can on occasional laugh at himself.(excerpt form Tropics of Meta 2011)
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 21:51:50 +0000
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