Red Mosquito

hlniv wrote:I have read through most of the last 25 pages or so since Friday, and thought I'd give a little perspective as a relatively new poster here in PJ land (since Wrigley and then the run-up to the album last year). I previously had an account on the old board(s) for years, probably back ten years at least, but I was gone so long, I had no idea what my name even was.

My original post creating this thread was intended partially to be an attempt at humor, but mostly an attempt to draw out the best responses I could. I knew it was a topic that inspired passionate debate around here.

First off, when I re-discovered RM last year, I found that I often enjoyed reading posts from a large quantity and variety of other posters. The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen. On top of that, I was going through (and still am actually) a little resurgence of my PJ fandom, re-connecting with my 20 year infatuation with their best albums, their classic live shows, and the challenge to discover everything there is to discover about their career output. Despite the fact that both the S/T album and Backspacer had a shelf life of about 3 months for me, they still remained my go-to band, dwarfing the number of spins of any other artist.

That said, I found the oft-demonstrated RM snarky Pearl Jam dig to be usually humorous and justified in its direction. It became very clear to me that I actually shared many of these opinions, and that it was OK for those opinions to co-exist with an on-going appreciation for what their music has meant to me in my life. I accepted the fact that going forward from here, the band i have known for so long was no longer the same, but that it shouldn't stop me from enjoying what they did well.

Just because I post about the obvious moneygrabbing, fan-centric, popularity wish and the corresponding shift in their priorities due to age, family, politics, etc... does not mean I've stopped liking the band. I will always like this band, I just may not be impressed with what they actually are any more. They certainly are caricatures of themselves, and that's OK. And it's OK if we make a little fun of it, too.

hlniv wrote:Well, granted, I haven't seen that many.

Coach wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote:Their music sucking is directly related to their beliefs, passions, etc. When they were raging against the machine, even if it was stupid, it inspired them to make great music. Their current influences only inspire them to write feel good bullshit like Amongst the Waves and sappy love songs, and music that sounds like farts.

I don't care that they've sold out or not, I never agreed with them in the first place. But that punk inspired, hypocritical, black and white, morally superior bullshit did make for great music.

True, but even their current/recent passions - politics/war - haven't translated into great music (i.e. Army Reserve).

BurtReynolds wrote: I liked them better when they were pretending they had a punk idealogy.

EJ wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote: I liked them better when they were pretending they had a punk idealogy.

And, if they dared to go this route again, it would seem beyond contrived.

BurtReynolds wrote:

EJ wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote: I liked them better when they were pretending they had a punk idealogy.

And, if they dared to go this route again, it would seem beyond contrived.

Probably. They can't fight to get it back again. They are done unless they come up with something new.

malice wrote:

The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen.

this is largely true as well, but i don't frequent other boards, in general there's a ton of very smart and well informed people here though

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen.

this is largely true as well, but i don't frequent other boards, in general there's a ton of very smart and well informed people here though

Ha, speak for yourself

malice wrote:

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen.

this is largely true as well, but i don't frequent other boards, in general there's a ton of very smart and well informed people here though

Ha, speak for yourself

i got no problem acknowledging the median intelligence level of people here is fairly high. and i've been introduced to a boatload of music that i'm sure i'd never know existed if it wasn't for RM - all of it pretty amazing stuff to someone who was quite sure there was no music worth listening to anymore. thanks RM. that points to a general well rounded approach to music that i just don't find elsewhere.

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen.

this is largely true as well, but i don't frequent other boards, in general there's a ton of very smart and well informed people here though

Ha, speak for yourself

i got no problem acknowledging the median intelligence level of people here is fairly high. and i've been introduced to a boatload of music that i'm sure i'd never know existed if it wasn't for RM - all of it pretty amazing stuff to someone who was quite sure there was no music worth listening to anymore. thanks RM. that points to a general well rounded approach to music that i just don't find elsewhere.

I totes agree, malice. I was just giving you a hard time

malice wrote:

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

Kaius wrote:

malice wrote:

The quality of the comments, humor, and musical insight is unmatched on any other internet forum I think I had ever seen.

this is largely true as well, but i don't frequent other boards, in general there's a ton of very smart and well informed people here though

Ha, speak for yourself

i got no problem acknowledging the median intelligence level of people here is fairly high. and i've been introduced to a boatload of music that i'm sure i'd never know existed if it wasn't for RM - all of it pretty amazing stuff to someone who was quite sure there was no music worth listening to anymore. thanks RM. that points to a general well rounded approach to music that i just don't find elsewhere.

I totes agree, malice. I was just giving you a hard time

it's really much better for everyone if you disagree with me whenever possible.

theplatypus wrote:Kaius

McParadigm wrote:no it isnt

Coach wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote:Their music sucking is directly related to their beliefs, passions, etc. When they were raging against the machine, even if it was stupid, it inspired them to make great music. Their current influences only inspire them to write feel good bullshit like Amongst the Waves and sappy love songs, and music that sounds like farts.

I don't care that they've sold out or not, I never agreed with them in the first place. But that punk inspired, hypocritical, black and white, morally superior bullshit did make for great music.

True, but even their current/recent passions - politics/war - haven't translated into great music (i.e. Army Reserve).