The band's biggest mistake

[Birds in Hell]

I'm always happy to have provided anyone with cause for a hearty chuckle.

[Jorge]

That was not a chuckle it was a cackle and then I CHOKED AND DIED

[Birds in Hell]

[WtOB?]

RIP.

[Aliveguy]

Doing all these dumb side projects. Pathetic. Waters down PJ and makes it not as important to the band.
91-96 GOAT

[stompbox]

They were a lot cooler when they used to play improvs... I think the last tour they did that was 2003.

[liebzz]

I agree with those stating the increase in time between albums. I understand different priorities and choosing their direction carefully (we hope), but taking all this time just results in fans becoming disinterested. Add to that the short running time of Backspacer, and there's just not that much to go on to keep the fuel burning in fan interest.

I do feel bad for them with the fan negativity about shows though. People in the audience really got their rocks off on them breaking out new songs, and changing up the setlists radically for a time, then demanded it for every single appearance, then bashed them for coming across sloppy. It's like everyone has expected them to learn every single song they have ever played or covered to the point of mastery, but don't ever play a single song twice in a tour. It's exhausting. Realistically, they can be that band that plays 25 songs to perfection every night (U2), or they can play a totally different set every night with the occasional flub or missed cue...I am not sure they can do both. That being said, I thought the 2010 US tour was incredible, and the last time I got to see them. Can't wait for the next chance.

[stompbox]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

While Pearl Jam does not need a business card to bring people to the concerts any more, records are still nearly unprofitable. It is a painful and expensive process for little moneray gain anymore. And since they no longer need to make them to bring people to their shows..... Why should they?

Food for thought.

Edit: The last two albums seemed forced. Like they had to make them just becuase it had been so long. Would I have been dissapointed if those albums never came out and instead just played them on the road? I don't think so.

[Strat]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

While Pearl Jam does not need a business card to bring people to the concerts any more, records are still nearly unprofitable. It is a painful and expensive process for little moneray gain anymore. And since they no longer need to make them to bring people to their shows..... Why should they?

Food for thought.

Because they are, hopefully, artists and still enjoy creating music and putting together a product to show off what they are proud of.

[stompbox]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

While Pearl Jam does not need a business card to bring people to the concerts any more, records are still nearly unprofitable. It is a painful and expensive process for little moneray gain anymore. And since they no longer need to make them to bring people to their shows..... Why should they?

Food for thought.

Because they are, hopefully, artists and still enjoy creating music and putting together a product to show off what they are proud of.

Read my edit. As long as they keep writing, I don't care if new albums come out. Just play them on the road.

[Norah]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

While Pearl Jam does not need a business card to bring people to the concerts any more, records are still nearly unprofitable. It is a painful and expensive process for little moneray gain anymore. And since they no longer need to make them to bring people to their shows..... Why should they?

Food for thought.

Because they are, hopefully, artists and still enjoy creating music and putting together a product to show off what they are proud of.

Read my edit. As long as they keep writing, I don't care if new albums come out. Just play them on the road.

I'd much rather albums than shows at this point. Especially if their shows are usually sloppy as shit. In the studio you have the time to play it until it's right and then work the studio magic.

[Strat]

For me, I need the albums more than shows. PJ concerts dont seem to work through emotions like they once did. ups and downs. its all just a party and singalong fest these days. Which is totally a blast and great - but in the end - i need my PJ to help me through my feelings!

[evenslow]

The proposition of a new album has always been way more exciting to me than any tour. I would rather them take 4 years off from the road than 4 years between new albums.

[more deep]

and i wish mike would quit closing with the National Anthem.

[verb_to_trust]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

While Pearl Jam does not need a business card to bring people to the concerts any more, records are still nearly unprofitable. It is a painful and expensive process for little moneray gain anymore. And since they no longer need to make them to bring people to their shows..... Why should they?

Food for thought.

Edit: The last two albums seemed forced. Like they had to make them just becuase it had been so long. Would I have been dissapointed if those albums never came out and instead just played them on the road? I don't think so.

Without albums there isn't a product to play live. So by default a band has to record albums unless they are happy as a total nostalgia act, regardless of the modern day lack of profit. Even the Stones put out a new record every now and then....and their back catalog from their glory years slaughters Pearl Jam's. Pearl Jam does not have the back catalog to simply rely on the past in my opinion.

Also, to echo what Strat said about the live shows not feeling relevant or powerful....I totally agree. For me, the reason for this more than anything is the lack of powerful new material. They fall into nostalgia act territory by default without strong new material. I had a great time at PJ20, but because it was a celebration of the past and a party. I'm just not interested in that as much as some of the 2003 shows I went to back in the day.

[stip]

regarding the live shows, everyone's experience is different, but I know that i'm still at the point where, when I'm at a show, I enjoy it immensely. I don't notice missed cues or flubed lines or sloppiness. I am lost in the moment. They are amazing shows. It's been a few years since I've seen one so maybe that's changed, but I would be surprised. There may be less magic at them then there used to be, but I've also seen PJ 20+ times. Some of that is inevitable, and exacerbated by listening to hundreds of live recordings.

[EJ]

It all went downhill when they started to refer to the fans as a "Jamily."

[Blenheim Augustine]

As another note about albums.... I forget who said it, but they said albums any more are merely business cards. You need to make them to get people to know what it is you do. Unfortunately you make no money from making them, so you hope the business card brings them to your show and spend money there.

I think this is very true.

I think that it's the biggest bunch of shit I've ever heard. It sounds like the views of an economist not a musician. Unfortunately this is how a lot of people see music now - good luck to them.

[Gods' Die]

regarding the live shows, everyone's experience is different, but I know that i'm still at the point where, when I'm at a show, I enjoy it immensely. I don't notice missed cues or flubed lines or sloppiness. I am lost in the moment. They are amazing shows. It's been a few years since I've seen one so maybe that's changed, but I would be surprised. There may be less magic at them then there used to be, but I've also seen PJ 20+ times. Some of that is inevitable, and exacerbated by listening to hundreds of live recordings.

For me I don't go to enough shows, and don't have the mindset for the show anyway, to be thoroughly disappointed if there's a couple (even 10, I don't give a shit) flubbed notes or Ed's lyrics are wrong a couple of times. It's about the experience to me. Last I saw them was 2009 and it was my favorite show by PJ up to that point and I'd previously seen them in 2006 and 2007...thought they were way better the 3rd time.

[stompbox]

Without albums there isn't a product to play live.

You can play new material on the road that is not recorded (or not yet).... Pearl Jam did that in the early years.