Following the Eagles' split in the early 1980s, Glenn Frey pursued a solo career that allowed him to escape the constraints of bandmate collaboration. His relationships with fellow Eagles members had become strained during their years together, with the most significant rift developing between Frey and Don Henley, the band's other primary songwriter and frontman. This division reflected fundamental differences in their musical philosophies and personal lifestyles that persisted throughout the 1980s.

Frey found the freedom of solo work refreshing, releasing "No Fun Aloud" with Jack Tempchin and avoiding the interpersonal tensions he faced with bandmates including Don Felder and Joe Walsh, who struggled with severe alcoholism. His relationship with Henley proved most irreparable during their separation, as Henley pursued a more message-driven songwriting approach while Frey sought lighter, more straightforward rock and roll entertainment. Frey acknowledged this distance candidly, stating he loved Henley's craftsmanship but often disliked him personally, citing Henley's continued embrace of the LA rock lifestyle that Frey had abandoned. Eventually, both musicians reconciled when the Eagles reunited, with Henley proving instrumental in facilitating the band's comeback.