The band's biggest mistake

[stompbox]

Editing the MTV Unplugged performance

While dissapointed with this as well... They had taken a turn for the worse way before the edited DVD was made.

[KurtLeon]

is that the bat wings?

Yeah, I never seen it since 2003, besides on Eddie shows.
I loved that thing.

[Gods' Die]

I always thought PJ would age more like Sonic Youth or Neil Young, instead they have taken the U2 / Rolling Stones road. For me, that's a little disappointing.

How true is that?

I don't know. I guess we still need more time and see how these fellas handle their 50's. Really, that's just my opinion of the group at this current time. As always shit can change.

Haha...I was actually agreeing with you. That was more of an affirmation than a question. I thought it was a really good point.

[surfndestroy]

Regarding Live Shows

Complaint number 1.

Pearl Jam plays too many songs. They should play fewer songs so they are less sloppy


Complaint number 2.

Pearl Jam always plays the same songs. They are a greatest hits band.

I think there can be a happy medium. Hit the road with 40 or so songs down cold. Have your 10-15 staple songs and build the set out from the remainder. If they want to break out something new, they practice it in soundcheck until they can play it.

[doone]

you forgot the Boom issue under Regarding Live Shows

[liebzz]

I think the band does a great job of varying setlists and playing unique shows from night to night. I think fans often lose perspective on this because they either a) go to too many shows in a row, or b) judge their sets/setlists by looking at them online only or listening to them digitally. Back in 2003, I started getting fatigued from having to hear every show and collecting whole tours because after a while they are just one band and things do start to blend. Once I recognized that, I made an executive decision to listen only to shows I attended and shows where there was a ton on buzz afterward. It helped a great deal in getting perspective on their live shows. I can't go ahead and give some definitive ranking of the greatest shows in Pearl Jam's existence, but I can at least truly enjoy those few shows I decide to envelop myself in for a few hours. It also made me less critical of every missed cue and every repeated song. I even started to like Even Flow again. It was not easy for me due to a tendency to be a completist, but I think in a lot of ways it saved me as a fan.

[Norah]

It's almost as if this message board were made up of several individuals, with differing opinions.

Absurd!

[epilogue]

It's almost as if this message board were made up of several individuals, with differing opinions.

I'm sure that's exactly what you'd like us to believe.

[Biff Pocoroba]

Puzzles and Games should have been the fourth track and first single of Binaural.

I love Puzzles and Games, but you take away Light Years in any universe and I will fight you.

Me too but it's shame Puzzles & Games wasn't at least on Lost Dogs. My thinking being it's good enough to be released as a b-side or as a Christmas single to the fanclub. They've done that with a couple demos (and labeled as such) before.

[Gods' Die]

Puzzles and Games should have been the fourth track and first single of Binaural.

I love Puzzles and Games, but you take away Light Years in any universe and I will fight you.

Me too but it's shame Puzzles & Games wasn't at least on Lost Dogs.

Light Years is such a good fucking song. Puzzles & Games was never even made into anything but an extremely unfinished demo.

[bodysnatcher]

Puzzles and Games should have been the fourth track and first single of Binaural.

I love Puzzles and Games, but you take away Light Years in any universe and I will fight you.

Me too but it's shame Puzzles & Games wasn't at least on Lost Dogs.

Light Years is such a good fucking song. Puzzles & Games was never even made into anything but an extremely unfinished demo.

Agreed. I'm not the hugest Light Years fan, but it's bounds better than Puzzles

[Blenheim Augustine]

Also, the changing to a nostalgia act. I always thought PJ would age more like Sonic Youth or Neil Young, instead they have taken the U2 / Rolling Stones road. For me, that's a little disappointing.

I think this more than anything else. I put up the Oracle show as the biggest mistake but that was really just a symptom of a wider malaise. Up until that show I kind of gave them the benefit of the doubt and just thought this was their Down in the Groove period but I don't sense any passion to create new music with each other. They are now just a fantastic jukebox with a mostly wonderful back catalog.

[stonefury]

This is a tough one for me. I think the winner is Boom. The creation and release of Riot Act is a close second, though.

[warehouse]

can expand on the boom thing?

[stonefury]

can expand on the boom thing?

Sure. Ever since he has come along, the band's music has headed in a southward-ly direction. So bringing him into the band was a pretty big mistake, in my opinion. I cringe when I see him on stage. His giant meathooks have singlehandedly destroyed a few of my live favorites, too. Other than that though, seems like a jovial fellow.

[LetMeSleep]

Not that it's a been mistake but the whole reissue and PJ20 years have just killed any/all momentum the band may have had going into the future. Money and tours have been easy pickings and let's face it the summer European fest circuit is gravy for a band like PJ (even Bruce is doing Hard Rock Calling again for the 3rd time in 5 years).

I guess looking in the past may have also dredged up any hard feelings or neglected resolutions (think ticketmaster, Dave A) and that may have impacted the feel/vibe of the band when in the room together. Add to that the desire to be with their kids and not on the road and it becomes so easy to just do a month here and there and still rake in the dosh.

My biggest fears are that any ideas the band bring in will either be finished and then recorded as is, or just pumped out without too much jamming and investigation/probing. I feel there's no chance of getting a Faithful or No Way or even a Love Boat Captain. The band needs to be writing and recording for months to get inside of every track.

[stonefury]

I feel there's no chance of getting a Faithful or No Way or even a Love Boat Captain.

Who needs those shitbombs when you can get new classics like Ole?

[warehouse]

can expand on the boom thing?

Sure. Ever since he has come along, the band's music has headed in a southward-ly direction. So bringing him into the band was a pretty big mistake, in my opinion. I cringe when I see him on stage. His giant meathooks have singlehandedly destroyed a few of my live favorites, too. Other than that though, seems like a jovial fellow.

it seems like boom is more of a point in history for the band than any sort of huge musical influence.

[LetMeSleep]

can expand on the boom thing?

Sure. Ever since he has come along, the band's music has headed in a southward-ly direction. So bringing him into the band was a pretty big mistake, in my opinion. I cringe when I see him on stage. His giant meathooks have singlehandedly destroyed a few of my live favorites, too. Other than that though, seems like a jovial fellow.

it seems like boom is more of a point in history for the band than any sort of huge musical influence.

I'd love to have heard Stone's initial reaction....

[bodysnatcher]

can expand on the boom thing?

Sure. Ever since he has come along, the band's music has headed in a southward-ly direction. So bringing him into the band was a pretty big mistake, in my opinion. I cringe when I see him on stage. His giant meathooks have singlehandedly destroyed a few of my live favorites, too. Other than that though, seems like a jovial fellow.

it seems like boom is more of a point in history for the band than any sort of huge musical influence.

I'd love to have heard Stone's initial reaction....

probably just backwards duck-stepped out of the room