*new song* I won't hold on (?)

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

The music they have been making since Avocado is trite generic shit. There's no getting around that. They weren't taking some big risk by deciding to make boring, unimaginative music. They were being douchebags.

[stip]

Heathen, please explain Wendy Carlos's Twin subtle and insightful point before Release_Me embarrasses himself by misinterpreting it.

[Heathen]

He's saying that you guys are dumb and have shitty taste. Also, dumb.

[Lament]

PJ is the only band I'd actually spend money on because I'm a fan.

[Release_Me]

No matter how 'accessible' anyone thinks the latter day albums are, they're not going to make people start caring about PJ again. As such, I believe their reason for being more accessible has little to do with the album's potential success from a financial standpoint and more to do with the type of music they want to make and feel they make best.

Except more than one band member has actually stated in interviews that they're looking to be more accessible to get more attention.

But now that we're putting out a record on our own, we're taking on the responsibility of sinking or swimming ourselves. If that means writing a song that sounds like a mainstream radio hit, we're going to do that.

MR: Is it hard to strike a balance between commercialism and integrity?
EV: I suppose so. You want to [make sure your music is] at least accessible to where … you get heard. Let's say there's a classroom and every student in the classroom is a band … you do want to raise your hand and be heard

And sundry quotes by Stone around the release of Avocado about wanting to make more accessible music and get played on the radio, which I can't find right now.

Being accessible or wanting to be heard on radio and making music with the intention of selling a huge number of records, gaining sponsorships, etc. are two completely different things. Making music more accessible than the middle period albums does not mean they suddenly turned into Madonna. They just went back to their strengths which IMHO are melody driven, mid-tempo and hard rock tunes. Ten, Vs and Vitalogy were all hugely accessible albums (sans the non-songs on Vitalogy). They were all full of radio friendly tunes.

There is a Stone quote where he talks about the No Code era, I think. He said that he would take a riff or song idea he was really excited about to Ed and Ed would toss it away. Instead, Ed would select something completely obscure or something Stone didn't even think twice about and say, 'this is the one we'll work on'. So back then, a conscious decision was made to be inaccessible and experiment without caring what anyone would think, even the fanbase. Because that's what they wanted to do at that time. After Riot Act, they made a decision that they want their voice to be heard. They were in no danger of becoming the biggest band in the world again and had successfully whittled down their fanbase to just the die-hards. Their motivation behind making more accessible music at that point in time can hardly be said to be greed or hunger for financial success. Being relevant, yes. Being heard and respected amongst rock listeners, yes. I'm pretty sure the band and the people around them are not delusional enough to think that they'll compete with Justin Bieber if they can just make an accessible enough album.

[Release_Me]

PJ is the only band I'd actually spend money on because I'm a fan.

True. And that is whatever the Ten Club charges for a yearly membership, plus the price for the official album download which comes after every 4 years. My wallet is practically empty.

[Lament]

He doesn't want to compete with them. He just wants to hang with them.

[Release_Me]

The music they have been making since Avocado is trite generic shit. There's no getting around that. They weren't taking some big risk by deciding to make boring, unimaginative music. They were being douchebags.

That's just your opinion. I'd take Avocado-LB anytime over the so called experimental masterpieces of the middle period. PJ was never relevant for being some great alternative, experimental band. They're no Radiohead. They were always a straight-up, in your face, melodic rock band. I'm glad they've realised that and stopped trying to be the alternative, difficult douchebags they were.

[stip]

I hope you saved enough for a mystery box!

[Lament]

I hope you saved enough for a mystery box!

I heard Pearl Jam is the only band worth buying a mystery box from.

[Heathen]

I hope the content of the mystery box is 75 live versions of Black.

[stip]

I hope you saved enough for a mystery box!

I heard Pearl Jam is the only band worth buying a mystery box from.

Only from 1994-2003

[Lament]

MYSTERY BOX.

[Release_Me]

You know Stip, I did. But then my baby girl came along and those pampers just suck my wallet dry.

[Heathen]

Diapers are just another kind of mystery box.

[Lament]

THERE COULD BE ANYTHING IN THAT MYSTERY BOX. YOU DON'T KNOW. THERE MIGHT EVEN BE DIAPERS IN IT. OR ANOTHER, SMALL MYSTERY BOX. FILLED WITH SMALLER DIAPERS.

[stip]

In like 1995 I saw a record store sell a box with all the import singles from 10, 2 posters, 2 t shirts, and Eddie bedders phone number for 120 bucks

[Heathen]

Do you still have it?

[stip]

I sold it to one of B's friends for 125

[Heathen]

Well now you're gonna have to explain that one to him.