Pearl Jam - Definitive Live Versions (a Green Habit sequel)

[ridleybradout]

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P E A R L J A M
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DEFINITIVE LIVE
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Compilation and artwork by ridleybradout
March 2018

FAN-MADE PROJECT - NOT FOR SALE

*Share freely but do not distribute as mp3*


It has been almost 13 years since the Green Habit Compilation was put together by the
Red Mosquito Forum community. As the band has now been together for double that length
of time, an update or sequel to this collection was well overdue. Hundreds of official
bootlegs later (including numerous 'vault' releases from the pre-bootleg era), every
song has been put up for review.

Red Mosquito forum users were invited to nominate and debate their favourite versions
of each song, for me to then go away and listen to each to make a final decision:
http://forums.theskyiscrape.com/viewtop ... =15&t=8556

There were a number of criteria for picking a definitive live version: sound quality,
correct lyrics, no guitar flubs, full band (if that is how the song was recorded in
the studio), electric rather than acoustic (again, if that is how the song was recorded),
and original era/drummer where possible (unless later versions had something really
special). Basically, if you had to represent the essence and power of each song through
one single live version - which would it be?

After a LOT of deliberation, this is what we came up with. Thank you to everyone for
your suggestions and for the discussion to date. This will be a constantly evolving
collection, so will be reviewed as new shows are played or released from the vault.
The best known source for each track has been used, and remastered by JWB only where
required to provide the smoothest possible listening experience.


Disc 1-2: 'Ten'

1-01 Once (Hollywood 1991-10-06)
1-02 Even Flow (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
1-03 Alive (Drop In The Park 1992-09-20)
1-04 Why Go (Rotterdam 1993-07-16)
1-05 Black (Pistoia 2006-09-20)
1-06 Jeremy (Pinkpop 1992-06-08)
1-07 Oceans (San Diego 2006-07-07)
1-08 Porch (Drop In The Park 1992-09-20)
1-09 Garden (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
1-10 Deep (Las Vegas 1993-11-30)
1-11 Release (San Francisco 2006-07-18)

2-01 Wash (Amsterdam 1992-02-12)
2-02 Alone (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
2-03 Brother (Melbourne 2009-11-20)
2-04 State Of Love And Trust (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
2-05 Breath (Honolulu 1992-09-26)
2-06 Footsteps (Houston 2000-10-15)
2-07 Hold On (Auckland 2009-11-27)
2-08 Bee Girl (St Johns 2005-09-25)
2-09 Let Me Sleep (Wrigley 2016-08-20)
2-10 Dirty Frank (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
2-11 Yellow Ledbetter (Hamburg 2000-06-26)
2-12 Angel (Bridge School 1992-11-01)
2-13 Just A Girl (Seattle 1990-10-22)

Disc 3: 'Vs'

3-01 Go (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
3-02 Animal (Las Vegas 1993-11-30)
3-03 Daughter (Milan 2000-06-22)
3-04 Dissident (Washington DC 1998-09-19)
3-05 Glorified G (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
3-06 W.M.A. (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
3-07 Blood (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
3-08 Rearviewmirror (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
3-09 Rats (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
3-10 Small Town (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
3-11 Leash (Las Vegas 1993-11-30)
3-12 Indifference (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
3-13 Hard To Imagine (Orpheum 1994-04-12)
3-14 Out Of My Mind (Atlanta 1994-04-02)

Disc 4: 'Vitalogy'

4-01 Last Exit (Washington DC 1995-01-14)
4-02 Spin The Black Circle (Saratoga 2000-08-27)
4-03 Not For You (Washington DC 1995-01-14)
4-04 Tremor Christ (Melbourne 1995-03-17)
4-05 Nothingman (Seattle 2000-11-06)
4-06 Whipping (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
4-07 Corduroy (Washington DC 1995-01-14)
4-08 Bugs (Philadelphia 2009-10-31)
4-09 Satan's Bed (Atlanta 1994-04-03)
4-10 (Romanza) Better Man (Boise 2000-11-03)
4-11 Immortality (Toronto 2000-10-05)
4-12 I Got Shit (Melbourne 1998-03-05)
4-13 Long Road (Berlin 1996-11-03)

Disc 5: 'No Code'

5-01 Sometimes (Toronto 2000-10-05)
5-02 Hail Hail (Berlin 1996-11-03)
5-03 Who You Are (Berlin 1996-11-03)
5-04 In My Tree (Melbourne 1998-03-05)
5-05 Smile (Barcelona 1996-11-21)
5-06 Off He Goes (Alpine Valley 2000-10-08)
5-07 Habit (Fresno 2000-10-27)
5-08 Red Mosquito (Chicago 2000-10-09)
5-09 Lukin (Berlin 1996-11-03)
5-10 Present Tense (St Louis 2003-04-22)
5-11 Mankind (Toronto 2000-10-05)
5-12 I'm Open (Chicago 2006-05-16)
5-13 Around The Bend (Benaroya 2003-10-22)
5-14 All Night (Saskatoon 2011-09-19)
5-15 Black Red Yellow (Wrigley 2016-08-22)
5-16 Dead Man (Benaroya 2003-10-22)
5-17 Don't Gimme No Lip (Portland 2006-07-20)
5-18 Falling Down (Red Rocks 1995-06-20)

Disc 6: 'Yield'

6-01 Brain Of J (Melbourne 1998-03-05)
6-02 Faithfull (Melbourne 1998-03-05)
6-03 No Way (Seattle 2009-09-22)
6-04 Given To Fly (Los Angeles 1998-07-14)
6-05 Wishlist (Columbia 2000-09-04)
6-06 Pilate (San Diego 2000-10-25)
6-07 Do The Evolution (Los Angeles 1998-07-13)
6-08 Untitled (Columbia 1998-09-18)
6-09 MFC (Camden 2000-09-02)
6-10 Low Light (Toronto 2006-05-10)
6-11 In Hiding (Los Angeles 1998-07-13)
6-12 Push Me, Pull Me (Berlin 2010-06-30)
6-13 All Those Yesterdays (Washington DC 1998-09-19)
6-14 Leatherman (Seattle 2000-11-06)
6-15 U (San Bernardino 2000-10-28)

Disc 7: 'Binaural'

7-01 Breakerfall (Houston 2000-10-14)
7-02 Gods' Dice (Jones Beach 2000-08-23)
7-03 Evacuation (Boston 2000-08-30)
7-04 Light Years (Boston 2000-08-30)
7-05 Nothing As It Seems (Seattle 2001-10-22)
7-06 Thin Air (Noblesville 2003-06-22)
7-07 Insignificance (Verona 2000-06-20)
7-08 Of The Girl (Memphis 2000-08-15)
7-09 Grievance (Camden 2000-09-01)
7-10 Rival (Boston 2000-08-29)
7-11 Sleight Of Hand (Chicago 2000-10-09)
7-12 Soon Forget (Zurich 2000-06-23)
7-13 Parting Ways (Lubbock 2000-10-18)
7-14 Education (Boston 2008-06-30)
7-15 Sad (San Francisco 2006-07-18)
7-16 In The Moonlight (Alpine Valley 2011-09-03)
7-17 Fatal (Benaroya 2003-10-22)
7-18 Hitchhiker (Manchester 2012-06-21)
7-19 Sweet Lew (Philadelphia 2009-10-31)
7-20 Strangest Tribe (2014-06-29)
7-21 Drifting (Oklahoma City 2003-04-03)

Disc 8: 'Riot Act'

8-01 Can't Keep (Lexington 2003-04-21)
8-02 Save You (Council Bluffs 2003-06-13)
8-03 Love Boat Captain (Vancouver 2003-05-30)
8-04 Cropduster (Sydney 2003-02-14)
8-05 Ghost (Albany 2003-04-29)
8-06 I Am Mine (New York 2003-07-08)
8-07 Thumbing My Way (Vancouver 2003-05-30)
8-08 You Are (Uniondale 2003-04-30)
8-09 Get Right (Uniondale 2003-04-30)
8-10 Green Disease (Dallas 2003-06-09)
8-11 Help Help (Clarkston 2003-06-25)
8-12 Bu$hleaguer (Mexico City 2003-07-18)
8-13 Half Full (Paris 2006-09-11)
8-14 Arc (Washington DC 2008-08-16)
8-15 All Or None (Boston 2003-07-11)
8-16 Down (Boston 2006-06-24)
8-17 Undone (Newcastle 2006-11-19)
8-18 Other Side (Worcester 2013-10-16)
8-19 Last Soldier (Bridge School 2001-10-21)
8-20 Man Of The Hour (Milan 2006-09-17)

Disc 9: 'Pearl Jam'

9-01 Life Wasted (St Paul 2006-06-26)
9-02 World Wide Suicide (Vitoria 2006-09-02)
9-03 Comatose (Detroit 2006-05-22)
9-04 Severed Hand (Melbourne 2006-11-13)
9-05 Marker In The Sand (Prague 2006-09-22)
9-06 Parachutes (Portland 2006-07-20)
9-07 Unemployable (San Francisco 2006-07-15)
9-08 Big Wave (San Francisco 2006-07-16)
9-09 Gone (Sydney 2006-11-18)
9-10 Wasted Reprise (Toronto 2006-05-10)
9-11 Army Reserve (Zagreb 2006-09-26)
9-12 Come Back (Santa Barbara 2006-07-13)
9-13 Inside Job (Las Vegas 2006-07-06)
9-14 Of The Earth (Third Man Records 2016-06-09)

Disc 10: 'Backspacer'

10-01 Gonna See My Friend (Philadelphia 2009-10-30)
10-02 Got Some (Boston 2010-05-17)
10-03 The Fixer (Brisbane 2009-11-25)
10-04 Johnny Guitar (Hartford 2010-05-15)
10-05 Just Breathe (New York 2010-05-21)
10-06 Amongst The Waves (Philadelphia 2009-10-31)
10-07 Unthought Known (Berlin 2010-06-30)
10-08 Supersonic (New Orleans 2010-05-01)
10-09 Speed Of Sound (Ottawa 2016-05-08)
10-10 Force Of Nature (Melbourne 2009-11-20)
10-11 The End (Los Angeles 2009-10-07)
10-12 Santa Cruz (Bridge School 2010-10-23)

Disc 11: 'Lightning Bolt'

11-01 Getaway (Sydney 2014-01-26)
11-02 Mind Your Manners (Auckland 2014-01-17)
11-03 My Father's Son (Denver 2014-10-22)
11-04 Sirens (Portland 2013-11-29)
11-05 Lightning Bolt (Oklahoma City 2013-11-16)
11-06 Infallible (Vancouver 2013-12-04)
11-07 Pendulum (Philadelphia 2013-10-22)
11-08 Swallowed Whole (Greenville 2016-04-16)
11-09 Let The Records Play (Oklahoma City 2013-11-16)
11-10 Sleeping By Myself (Los Angeles 2013-11-24)
11-11 Yellow Moon (Brooklyn 2013-10-19)
11-12 Future Days (Brooklyn 2013-10-19)
11-13 Ole (Ottawa 2011-09-14)

Download here




Original Post:

As discussed in a couple of other threads, the RM community is about to embark on the mammoth task of determining our collective opinion of the definitive live versions of all Pearl Jam songs.

This will form the mother of all compilations, a sequel of sorts to the 'Green Habit' compilation put together by an earlier incarnation of this board back in 2004. Hundreds of official bootlegs later (including numerous 'vault' releases from the pre-bootleg era) every song is up for review, so we are starting from scratch.

I've compiled a list of 186 tracks - all PJ originals and a selection of covers that PJ have made their own over the years. For the sake of brevity (ha!), improvs, one-offs and less common covers will not be included.

Apart from 'Just A Girl' (which has only been performed twice in the band's history) there should be an official live release or soundboard version of every single song, so I say like with the GH comp, we keep this to pro-recorded versions (i.e. no audience-recordings).

The spreadsheet of tracks is up for download here, so start compiling your list of suggestions (whether you plan to complete the whole thing or not) and I will setup a public document for all to view so the arguing and bitching can begin!

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

"Uncommon" songs from 2000-2006 that I researched...you would be hard-pressed to find better versions IMO...but feel free to suggest otherwise...sometimes I fuck up...

Cropduster - Sydney 2003 #3
Down - Uniondale 2003
Faithful - Camden 2000 #2
Footsteps - Houston 2000 #2
Evacuation - Tampa 2000 (same as TB2K)
Hard 2 Imagine - East Rutherford 2006 #2
Help Help - Hershey 2003
Man Of The Hour - Milan 2006
Parachutes - Torino 2006
Sad - San Francisco 7/18/06 (w/ last note from 7/15 grafted on to solve transition "problem")
Save You - West Palm Beach 2003
Sleight Of Hand - Chicago 2000
Tremor Christ - Detroit 2000

[E.H. Ruddock]

That's a good list, WCT. I think there might be some better Tremor Christs on some of the pre 2000 soundboards available, though

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

That's a good list, WCT. I think there might be some better Tremor Christs on some of the pre 2000 soundboards available, though

Right. I forgot to mention that this is just official boots and thus Matt-era.

Brad, are you arranging the set into three "eras", with all songs represented in each era? I think perhaps you should, and release it in three parts.

[Norah]

Why not include tracks from the SRS for consideration? Open it up to get some earlier versions on this thing.

[jdopj]

Improv/Untitled/MFC--West Palm 03
I Am A Patriot---West Palm 03
Present Tense---7-22-98 Seattle

[Kevin Davis]

My post from the other thread:

Okay, so Ridley mentioned this compilation again in PJ Chat (in the "Pearl Jam's Best Live Performances" thread) and I've been mulling over some possible selections. I think the secret sauce in a compilation like this is finding a way to make the warhorses interesting -- not necessarily finding the single best versions of them, but finding unique versions of them, or at least ones that come from recordings with a slightly different sonic character than the official boots. To that end, here are some ideas:

"Even Flow" -- there are so many excellent but rote versions of this song; virtually any one would do, but very few would feel special. I would recommend using either the Unplugged version, or the slightly rearranged Melbourne '95 version. Might be a little more engaging than what your average PJ listener is accustomed to these days.

"Yellow Ledbetter" -- the 1997 Tibetan Freedom Concert version remains the most special version of this for me. One of the best examples of the band (or Ed and Mike) really being locked into the performance of the actual music, rather than enraptured in the farewell gesture it is at proper shows.

"Save You" -- Live at Easy Street. One version of this is as good as the next, really, but this one at least has a sonic flavor that's a little different than the official boots.

"Daughter" -- tempting as it is to use a version of this with an iconic tag or spaced out jam at the end, I would propose using one of the crisp, medium-paced early versions with Dave A. with no tag or a very short one. Rotterdam '93 from the Soundboard Series or Vegas '93 (Vault 5) spring to mind. It's been my experience that after becoming accustomed to the sped-up, less focused Matt versions, the more concise, tighter-wound Dave A. versions are like manna from Heaven.

"Elderly Woman" -- see above. Gotta be a Dave A. version; none of the grab-the-ass-of-the-nearest-Jamily-member-and-get-out-yer-best-singin'-pipes versions from the official boot era are good enough. Atlanta '94 is a great one, but since that will likely be tapped for plenty of performances as is, I would suggest the equally lovely, less familiar Boston 4/12/94 version.

"Better Man" -- the acoustic Bridge '99 version that appears on the B-sides comp would be a nice break from the more familiar concert versions. If not, then one of the 2000 versions with the "Romanza" intro -- Indianapolis is a personal favorite.

"Alive" -- the applause that erupts when they start this song in Seattle 2000 is by itself almost enough to include it; the fact that it's also a stellar version makes it a shoo-in in my book. After hearing probably literally hundreds of versions of this song, this is the only version that still feels unequivocally special to me.

"RVM" -- nothing later than 2000, but preferably a version from early on before Mike excised that lead riff from the chorus part. Atlanta '94 maybe?

"Given to Fly" -- I think Melbourne '98 is the only soundboard we have of this song with Jack on drums. Like Atlanta '94, I think it will be tempting to tap this show for virtually its entire setlist, but I think this one is a must.

Some other versions that immediately come to mind:

"Indifference" -- Indio '93. I know that this is one of the lesser soundoards, but Eddie's voice on this so eclipses any other live version I've heard that I think the compromise is worth it. Even in great years like 1998 and 2000 this song seemed to be a little beyond what Eddie could muster at the end of a show. It shoulda been an opener.

"Thumbing My Way" -- the version from Calgary '05 is played on electric guitar, and features more imaginative singing that any other version I've heard.

"All Those Yesterdays" -- DC '98 -- how lucky we are to now have a soundboard of this from '98. Any other choice would be barbaric.

"Tremor Christ" -- while I'm inclined to want a '95 version of this, I think the Torino '06 version is probably the best one they've ever played.

"Breath" -- Pistoia '06 -- see "Tremor Christ." A flawless performance, tight with perfect lyrical recall. I don't know that any song in their catalog has as high of a performance count to fuckup ratio as this (except maybe "Tremor Christ").

"Release" -- lots of takes to choose from, but I think early versions of this tend to spotlight a lot of Ed's worst traits from that period -- a sort of "hurr durr" showcase, if you will. I am a big fan of the Bonner Springs '03 version, where Ed sees the lightning flash and says "hi, Dad."

"Black" -- I feel pretty much the same about this as I do about "Release." I much prefer the more restrained performances of the middle years to the drama of the early years. Lubbock '00 is a version that has stuck with me.

"Leaving Here" -- Katowice 6/16/00. Maybe the only version from the official boot era where Ed gets all the words right.

"Sometimes" -- Berlin '96. Again, the only soundboard recording we have featuring Jack on drums, and it's one that really benefits from the gentility he brings it -- it loses something with Matt's 4/4 rock beat.

"Present Tense" -- Berlin '96, same reasons as "Sometimes." This song simply lost presence when Matt took the reins, fine as some of those versions are.

My gut says to use Jack versions of most songs on which he originally played, if possible, but I think that would ultimately have us drawing a lot of performances from two shows (Berlin and Melbourne), sucking some of the fun out of the project. I also can't recall if the versions of "In My Tree," "Faithful," "Off He Goes," etc. from these shows really do eclipse the better Matt versions, or if I just remembef them that way because I prefer Jack as a drummer.

I feel pathetic for being able to write this post.

[Norah]

Team KD.

[Kevin Davis]

And I totally agree with "Man of the Hour" from Milan '06. A powerhouse moment for Ed's voice.

[Kevin Davis]

A couple easy ones:

Can't Keep -- Tokyo '03
All or None -- Albany '03

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm on board with the YL from the Tibetan Freedom concert

[E.H. Ruddock]

Porch from Vienna 92

[Kevin Davis]

Do we have any usable recordings from '96 apart from Berlin? It would be a shame if that was the only show that could be mined from that era. There's the Barcelona "Smile" and a couple of Bridge School tracks, but I'm not sure if I'd pick any of those...

[Leatherhead]

Damn, I'm listening to Yellow Ledbetter from the Tibetan Freedom Concert. First time I've heard it. This IS really good.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Do we have any usable recordings from '96 apart from Berlin? It would be a shame if that was the only show that could be mined from that era. There's the Barcelona "Smile" and a couple of Bridge School tracks, but I'm not sure if I'd pick any of those...

I think there are a couple of 96 shows in the pre 2000 and collection, right?

Edit - there are not. Just some 1995 shows, no other 96 shows.

[jdopj]

Act Of Love DC 98 is a must. The bluesy guitars are awesome.

[Leatherhead]

Fuck the covers. Mostly.

[Kevin Davis]

The "Mirrorball" songs seem appropriate to include.

[stip]

id like to nominate even flow from uniondale 03, betterman from state college 03, and of course satans bed from atlanta 94

[evenslow]

"Release" -- lots of takes to choose from, but I think early versions of this tend to spotlight a lot of Ed's worst traits from that period -- a sort of "hurr durr" showcase, if you will. I am a big fan of the Bonner Springs '03 version, where Ed sees the lightning flash and says "hi, Dad."

Could not agree more.