Red Mosquito

"They’re rock stars, after all. If they live long enough, they usually start to second-guess themselves. They fall prey to self-consciousness, complacency, the creative consequences of festering internecine beef, or all of the above, and wander away from what they’re best at. Sooner or later, they need someone to step in and guide them back onto the path."

I don't know what internecine beef is but I liked this quote

unresolved/destructive internal conflicts within the band

VinylGuy wrote:

Got Some wrote:

VinylGuy wrote:yeah, thats a great one. Also the bridge of SBWM and Quick Escape.

And the fucking tightness of DOTC

Fuck it . I even liked him on River Cross.

yeah, agree

My two cents as a non-drummer (and this is all speculation) is that Matt is the kind of pro who plays to the song and gives it what it needs, rather than looking to put his mark on it. So if someone is coming in with something mostly constructed he'll work within that framework, rather than adapting it. I like his playing in Pearl Jam but I suspect (knowing even less about soundgarden) that Soundgarden wrote specifically around his style more. I'm looking forward to seeing if that was the case with the new album - writing together in a room leaves more space for you to impart your personality into the DNA of a song.

stip wrote:unresolved/destructive internal conflicts within the band

Specifically, the lingering effects of the "Wishlist" e-bow argument.

This is gonna be a train wreck

tragabigzanda wrote:This is gonna be a train wreck

I don't like this version of you

It's going to be good.

tragabigzanda wrote:This is gonna be a train wreck

If only they could’ve gotten Albini to produce.

why hasn't rick rubin ever worked with the pearly jams

tree_ wrote:why hasn't rick rubin ever worked with the pearly jams

No kidding. Was listening to Wildflowers this morning. Rick always knew what to do. I do like this quote from the article though:

There is, after all, a crucial difference between “what you think other people want from you, versus what your fans really love about you,” said the singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. Carlile, who’s worked with Watt on albums like John’s “Lockdown Sessions” from 2021, said Watt has a knack for helping wayward rock legends see their own light again.

“He has that in common with Rick Rubin,” she said. “They both have that ability to big-picture understand, culturally, how an artist has impacted the world, and bring them face to face with that. It might be his greatest superpower.”

Monkey_Driven wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:This is gonna be a train wreck

I don't like this version of you

wease wrote: If only they could’ve gotten Albini to produce.

Albini is an awful choice for them. But I’m not sure what article you guys read, but the one I read yielded two key takeaways:

1. Bands that are over the hill and no longer functioning like a culturally relevant creative ensemble require fresh, outside perspective to get them back to a place of fruitful creativity and cultural import

2. Despite his bread being regularly buttered by Billboard, Andrew Wottman is a rock fan at heart, and we shouldn’t let his discography color our preconception of what he can bring to the table

These two ideas are diametrically opposed to one another.

And not for nothing, but when has a band working under the confines of #1, when paired with a hot producer, turned out a great record?

Beatles + Spector gave us the uneven Let It Be and then broke up

U2 + Danger Mouse = Songs of Innocence

RHCP + Danger Mouse = The Getaway

Aerosmith + Jack Douglas = Music From Another Dimension

Rolling Stones + Don Was = Voodoo Lounge

Metallica & Lou Reed + Hal Willner = Lulu

Pink Floyd + Bob Ezrin = A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Marianne Faithful + Hal Willner = Easy Come Easy Go

So much past glory rekindled on these albums!

You took what you wanted to take from the article. I took the Rick Rubin superpower comment. Time will tell, but I will say this: Eddie Vedder's solo album impressed me not just because some of the songs were great, but because Ed sounded like he was embracing his own sound and what he wanted to do more than just be the frontman of Pearl Jam who sometimes dabbles in ukulele. Watt was likely a big part of that.

yeah, i love Ed´s album and i agree with that.

Also RS and Don Was was a fucking good pair. He also continued working with them.

As someone who at least enjoyed Hackney Diamonds and Every Loser and Earthing, I would say there’s hope. I would also caution that each of those simplified and polished the intricacies of each of those artists for better or worse, and that when Pearl Jam simplifies things, the end product is not what I end up wanting from them.

yeah i love those albums and i agree.

If not i would have liked Josh Evans to be around too, specially with the mix.

liebzz wrote:when Pearl Jam simplifies things, the end product is not what I end up wanting from them.

I hear this and I think Backspacer. Based on what we know of Watt, I don't think he'll take them in that direction.

VinylGuy wrote:yeah i love those albums and i agree.

If not i would have liked Josh Evans to be around too, specially with the mix.

Do we know for sure that he wasn't?

RockPusher wrote:

VinylGuy wrote:yeah i love those albums and i agree.

If not i would have liked Josh Evans to be around too, specially with the mix.

Do we know for sure that he wasn't?

no, but doesnt seem likely. Jeff mentioned a while back that they were still working or might do it with Josh but no official news.

Josh has been heavily involved with the band anyway.

RockPusher wrote:You took what you wanted to take from the article.

What I want is for this band to function as an authentic reflection of their personalities, yet I’m worried this article indicates that such authenticity would yield a quick and dirty grasp for re-established cultural relevancy, because it sounds like that is literally what they’re seeking. It all feels extremely cheugy on principle, and the sound quality of Wotman’s past work doesn’t argue this at all because it’s entirely orchestrated towards maximum playlist impact.

tragabigzanda wrote:

RockPusher wrote:You took what you wanted to take from the article.

What I want is for this band to function as an authentic reflection of their personalities, yet I’m worried this article indicates that such authenticity would yield a quick and dirty grasp for re-established cultural relevancy. It all feels extremely cheugy on principle, and the sound quality of Wotman’s past work doesn’t argue this at all because it’s entirely orchestrated towards maximum playlist impact.

Mike is literally telling guitar.com that he's going crazy with the lead guitar doing things like with Reach Down. Isn't that what you are saying you want? Is that not an "authentic reflection of [his] personality"? He says this album is "heavier" - I think many of us would argue the band is at their best when they are bringing the heavy sound. That's grunge. Watt is a huge Pearl Jam fan. I have to believe he gets that.