Interview:Mike McCready Talks Pearl Jam’s Future, Mad Season

[Strat]

What are they saying about this over at the Pit?

I don't know

They think its the best interview ever and mike is the greatest and they are all going to start saving their money for 2016.

[given2trade]

No one in this band has given a fuck for like ten years now.

And they're the happiest they've ever been personally. Not a coincidence...

[Tuolumne]

Some of the criticisms of the last few albums have some credence, and some don't, but one thing I just do not buy is the narrative that the band half-assed the last 3 records. I've always argued, and will continue to, that if anything, they OVER-cooked the records and spent too much time cutting out parts and editing, aiming for something very immediate and lean and clean. That's why I'm okay with something too concise and lean not being some people's cup of tea. But they labored the hell over those songs. And, sure, BoB appears to be an overbearing jerk these days with no patience to explore a little bit, and on LB they could have handled him by having a little more of a clearer band vision.

But, shit, do we need to pull interviews and comments from the Vitalogy and No Code days? Jeff, Stone, and Mike HATED the making of those albums. Jeff almost left during No Code, and Mike almost burned out altogether, and Stone checkout completely. They were all down in the dumps in those days, and they straight out said it in much nore clear terms then these over-intepreted Mike and Jeff interviews. Do we need to pull up the quotes? I'm too lazy to, but we know they're all out there.

What's your point? That just backs up the point they are lazy. When they actually worked on their craft and spent time agonizing over the shit, they all lost their mind and didnt want to do it. That is now why we get albums that are pieced together over a 4 year period and a couple weeks of writing together. This works for them because as Mike said " ...but that takes a lot of focus, and a lot of energy that we may not want to put into it"

its unfortunate but they are just old. Its okay to accept that now. i have.

But wouldn't Jeff, Stone, and Mike ducking out in the Vitalogy/No Code days mean that they couldn't find the time or inclination to bother back then? If you are saying they did spend time agonizing over shit in the last few albums but just couldn't find the collective energy to, that means that atleast they tried making these albums in a collaborative manner. Maybe taking too long or not having a good process (which I would agree in the case of LB) is legit, but attaching the ol' tried and true "worn out rockers" doesn't ring true for me. I think they have their ups and downs like in any era of the band. And they'd be playing 1:30 sets of the same songs every night if they didn't give a crap.

It could be the opposite, that they don't want to come out with something or play shows that are half-assed. They'd rather wait out the times when theyre not on the same page then stuff themselves in a room together when they're not ready. If that means less albums I'd prefer that over something forced. I'd rather they wait 5-6 years and mean it, then put something out every year and tour 6 months a year but totally phoning it in.

I'd rather them try collaboration with varying success or needing to take more time over band members completely checking out. Or, they simply hand over the reigns to one person each album and let them have their vision.

[digster]

I think inter-band conflicts are actually a pretty fair indication that the members involved do care about the future of the music, not the opposite. I really don't see much comparison in that regard between Vitalogy/No Code and the present day.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[BurtReynolds]

chilling out is so admirable

[McParadigm]

It's so refreshing to finally have a band out there that treats middle age as semi-retirement.

[Tuolumne]

There's artists out there who put out albums yearly and tour 10 months out of the year that I'd most definitely call 'phoning it in.'

[McParadigm]

There's artists out there who put out albums yearly and tour 10 months out of the year that I'd most definitely call 'phoning it in.'

Good point. At least PJ only phones it in on those increasingly rare occasions that they do anything at all.

[doug rr]

No one in this band has given a fuck for like ten years now.

And they're the happiest they've ever been personally. Not a coincidence...

[Yeddie Yedder]

Pearl Jam has become George Lucas and S/T is Jar Jar Binks

[LoathedVermin72]

Pearl Jam has become George Lucas and S/T is Jar Jar Binks

don't you dare bring jar jar into this

[McParadigm]

They're more like Pink Floyd. The passionate want for change was their Roger Waters, and he's quit the band. But they can still mostly sound like the band who made those old records, especially if youre a casual listener, and are more than happy to let other people help write the songs.

[BurtReynolds]

No one in this band has given a fuck for like ten years now.

And they're the happiest they've ever been personally. Not a coincidence...

now Doug's a guy that can do some admirable chilling out.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

that takes a lot of focus, and a lot of energy that we may not want to put into it.

This pretty much says it all. If they don't want to focus and put energy into making good albums and playing good shows, then why the fuck are they still doing it? It has been blatantly obvious to me for years now that they clearly don't give a shit. I find it offensive, yet a lot of fans still don't see it.

[dprival78]

that takes a lot of focus, and a lot of energy that we may not want to put into it.

This pretty much says it all. If they don't want to focus and put energy into making good albums and playing good shows, then why the fuck are they still doing it? It has been blatantly obvious to me for years now that they clearly don't give a shit. I find it offensive, yet a lot of fans still don't see it.

[Yeddie Yedder]

Most fans (surpassingly not on this board) don't need the band to give a shit. They probably collect/listen to a fraction of the music you or any of us do. They just want new material that provides the basics and an occasional show to hear the hits. They don't need to give much, because they don't need much.

I probably saw my last Pearl Jam show in San Diego 2013.

[Tuolumne]

I'm pretty sure I read almost all of these above messages, verbatim, between 96-99 on old PJ message boards from Ten/Vs fans who were mad about how the mid-94-98 PJ were going. "They don't even move around on stage anymore" .... "they don't care like they used to" .... "they're phoning it in" .... "what the hell is Who You Are" ... blah blah blah. They hated it. This shit is nothing new, it's just what happens with bands that last this long. Oh, and Backspacer is the shiznit.

[McParadigm]

I'm pretty sure I read almost all of these above messages, verbatim, between 96-99 on old PJ message boards from Ten/Vs fans who were mad about how the mid-94-98 PJ were going. "They don't even move around on stage anymore" .... "they don't care like they used to" .... "they're phoning it in" .... "what the hell is Who You Are" ... blah blah blah. They hated it. This shit is nothing new, it's just what happens with bands that last this long. Oh, and Backspacer is the shiznit.

This is actually a pretty good defense. By presenting any and all disatisfaction as being a consequence of the band's longevity, it makes it possible to dismiss everybody all at once without actually make a case to the contrary

[given2trade]

Most fans (surpassingly not on this board) don't need the band to give a shit. They probably collect/listen to a fraction of the music you or any of us do. They just want new material that provides the basics and an occasional show to hear the hits. They don't need to give much, because they don't need much.

I probably saw my last Pearl Jam show in San Diego 2013.

That was my last show too. And I won't go again for some time. I let both my fan club memberships lapse last month that I've had since 1997. Feels like I'm watching a cover band. It's odd to see how passionate the fans are when it's clear the band could give a shit. It's all too strange.

I would probably see EV solo again though, maybe.