Post Random Pearl Jam-Related Thoughts You Have

[Kaius]

I'll take ITW and Uke Songs over BS and LB all day. They should release their "Collapse into Now" and call it a career.

[rick malone]

Any other band would have broken up after Vitalogy. So No Code and Yield are kind of bonuses.

[stip]

half-assed theory: the beginning of the end for pj wasn't roskilde or target or pj20 or dog collars, etc...it was ed becoming a dad. everything he's done with pj* since then has been forced, bad and lame. very dad-like. google says his oldest kid is 12, so that's like 2004, 2005? math works for me.

*does not apply to solo stuff like ITW. he should do more solo stuff.

that asterisk kind of invalidates that theory, doesnt it

i don't think so. the change that made him a bad pearl jammer might have made him a better solo artist.

I'm just not sure what the logic is there - how does it impact him positively in one area and negatively in another.

I'm perfectly willing to concede that being a parent isn't great for your drive, but I don't think it impacts his songwriting in the way you've discussed. What may be more likely is that the older Eddie is less effective and delivering songs that sound like classic pearl jam, and his solo work isn't constrained by that need.

I've said this many times, but I think people's biggest issue with pearl jam is that Eddie can't sing like he used to, and they write songs that assume he can.

[Monkey_Driven]

half-assed theory: the beginning of the end for pj wasn't roskilde or target or pj20 or dog collars, etc...it was ed becoming a dad. everything he's done with pj* since then has been forced, bad and lame. very dad-like. google says his oldest kid is 12, so that's like 2004, 2005? math works for me.

*does not apply to solo stuff like ITW. he should do more solo stuff.

that asterisk kind of invalidates that theory, doesnt it

i don't think so. the change that made him a bad pearl jammer might have made him a better solo artist.

I'm just not sure what the logic is there - how does it impact him positively in one area and negatively in another.

I'm perfectly willing to concede that being a parent isn't great for your drive, but I don't think it impacts his songwriting in the way you've discussed. What may be more likely is that the older Eddie is less effective and delivering songs that sound like classic pearl jam, and his solo work isn't constrained by that need.

I've said this many times, but I think people's biggest issue with pearl jam is that Eddie can't sing like he used to, and they write songs that assume he can.

That is certainly one issue.

[Brett]

Have we ever done a "Let's Actually Listen" for Lost Dogs? I know the idea was floated before, but I don't think it came to fruition. Kind of feeling like it might be interesting.

[Kevin Davis]

half-assed theory: the beginning of the end for pj wasn't roskilde or target or pj20 or dog collars, etc...it was ed becoming a dad. everything he's done with pj* since then has been forced, bad and lame. very dad-like. google says his oldest kid is 12, so that's like 2004, 2005? math works for me.

*does not apply to solo stuff like ITW. he should do more solo stuff.

that asterisk kind of invalidates that theory, doesnt it

i don't think so. the change that made him a bad pearl jammer might have made him a better solo artist.

I'm just not sure what the logic is there - how does it impact him positively in one area and negatively in another.

I'm perfectly willing to concede that being a parent isn't great for your drive, but I don't think it impacts his songwriting in the way you've discussed. What may be more likely is that the older Eddie is less effective and delivering songs that sound like classic pearl jam, and his solo work isn't constrained by that need.

I've said this many times, but I think people's biggest issue with pearl jam is that Eddie can't sing like he used to, and they write songs that assume he can.

That is certainly one issue.

I don't know that that is the issue. Very few songs from the last couple PJ albums suffer as a result of Ed overextending himself; this is a much bigger problem live, where he tries to sing "Blood" and "Not For You" as if two ensuing decades of vocal shredding and nicotine addiction never happened. As more time passes I think PJ's big downfall has been simple creative disengagement -- longer wait times between worse-produced records which suggest laziness rather than meticulousness. No one thing, just a general fading away in lieu of burning out. Oh well. At least there's always "In the Moonlight" to go back and listen to.

[stip]

It's more managed on the albums than live, but the vocal tics, the loss of power and conviction - that stuff is there. It's not so much overextending as it may be the fact that his voice no longer compels in the same way. It bothers me much less than others, but I get why it would turn people off. All of this would require greater artifice and craft to compensate for, and while I think Eddie's skill with melody is impressive, there is something about the songs themselves that often sound a bit less full, or incomplete (perhaps related to the disengagement you mentioned earlier), which draws focus back towards Eddie's limitations.

[bodysnatcher]

It's more managed on the albums than live, but the vocal tics, the loss of power and conviction - that stuff is there. It's not so much overextending as it may be the fact that his voice no longer compels in the same way. It bothers me much less than others, but I get why it would turn people off. All of this would require greater artifice and craft to compensate for, and while I think Eddie's skill with melody is impressive, there is something about the songs themselves that often sound a bit less full, or incomplete (perhaps related to the disengagement you mentioned earlier), which draws focus back towards Eddie's limitations.

I think Matt C summed it up when he was asked (can't remember what article) about the difference between drumming in SG and PJ, and he said that the instruments in PJ are focused around the vocals so that they are center stage. Yeah, they need to move away from that.

[LetMeSleep]

When exactly did the ideas for PJ20 project and the Ten reissue take hold? The revisionism and subsequent festival touring that seemed to kick off around mid 2007 went to their heads (or Kelly's head) taking their eyes off any sort of progression.

[coptheriotact]

Any actual creativity coming from an individual band member will most likely be considered "not pearl jam" and put aside for a side project, songs that a "regular" enough, become pearl jam songs.

The actual album art and concepts for the last 3 albums show that the band have no real direction, and the songs don't give off any sort of feeling or colour.

[rick malone]

When exactly did the ideas for PJ20 project and the Ten reissue take hold? The revisionism and subsequent festival touring that seemed to kick off around mid 2007 went to their heads (or Kelly's head) taking their eyes off any sort of progression.

2010 I'm guessing for PJ20. They knew 2011 wasn't going to be an album year. That and Cameron Crowe.

Can't see much of a point in doing anything for PJ30 but PRAMG baby

[rick malone]

When are they going to release the Eddie Vedder techno sessions(made sometime around 1999 I believe)? Could be some gems there.

[E.H. Ruddock]

When are they going to release the Eddie Vedder techno sessions(made sometime around 1999 I believe)? Could be some gems there.

Were those real?

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[bodysnatcher]

When are they going to release the Eddie Vedder techno sessions(made sometime around 1999 I believe)? Could be some gems there.

Were those real?

Yea, it's real. Ed spoke in an interview about doing a bunch of ecstasy and dabbling in electronic music after his divorce. But I doubt we'll ever hear a single note.

probably better than Lightning Bolt, unfortunately

[Jorge]

I met a real life Pearl Jam fan last night. 48 years old, seen them live 50+ times, fan since before Ten, favorite album is Yield. First time spotting one in the wild.

[bodysnatcher]

How did you spot them? Wearing an old two-headed kid Vitalogy t-shirt?

[Leatherhead]

How did you spot them? Wearing an old two-headed kid Vitalogy t-shirt?

I bet it was a stickman tattoo.

[Strat]

Lol. Dave Krusen will be on PJ radio tomorrow taking calls.


Yea, Dave A..

[evenslow]

That 2006 AOL Sessions is one of the more underrated things this band ever did.