Eagles manager Irving Azoff says the death of guitarist Glenn Frey on January 18 can be blamed in part on the medications he was taking.
The band announced Frey’s passing at the age of 67 was based on a combination of rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia.
Now, Azoff tells The Wrap that the latter two were caused by medications that he was taking for the inflammatory disorder.
“The colitis and pneumonia were side effects from all the meds,” explained Azoff. “He died from complications of ulcer and colitis after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15 years.”
The manager declined to specify the drug in question, telling The Wrap that he had been counseled by an attorney not to do so.
Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner formed The Eagles in Los Angeles in 1971. With few lineup changes, the group went on to become one of the world's best-selling bands of all time with more than 150 million records sold.
"I can't believe he's gone," Azoff told Billboard. "He and Don Henley and Dan Fogelberg and I all started together. In addition to being an incredible musician, he had a great sense for the business, and a lot of that rubbed off on me.
"I can’t believe everything we accomplished,” he added. “It was a staggering body of work and just an amazing run. I don’t think there will ever be another American band that's as successful."
The Eagles postponed plans to attend the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors last month as Frey underwent major surgery for the health issue.
The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts – whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television – and are selected by the Center’s Board of Trustees.
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