Red Mosquito

that's a good sign, it looked hokey as fuck

Interesting to revisit this BOB interview from 2013.

Reading between the lines, he was unimpressed with the way PJ handled the recording of Lightning Bolt and preferred they all get in a room and jam - like VS, Vitalogy...and Dark Matter


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... olt-90215/

lecherouslittlestump wrote:Interesting to revisit this BOB interview from 2013.

Reading between the lines, he was unimpressed with the way PJ handled the recording of Lightning Bolt and preferred they all get in a room and jam - like VS, Vitalogy...and Dark Matter


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... olt-90215/

So interesting to go back and read this interview...I don't begrudge his accomplishments and success, but, BO'B is just such a vanilla wallpaper presence.
They could have made 100 records with him, and, it's clear that he'd just keep letting them do what they'd already been doing for years, no matter how much he personally might've wanted to change things up.

Say wot you will about the Wotman and his production techniques, but, it's evident that the guy has some will of character, at the very least, and a clear point of view in what he's looking for out of the artists he works with.
I actually appreciate that he wears his fandom on his sleeve, even if it does feel a little manufactured, at times.

Force of Nature

Betterman (Studio)

He's a LIIIGHTNING BOOOLT

Hey, I don't know if the Wotman is going to be the messiah of the Jamily, alright?
Based off of the two singles, I'd say no, but, I'm damn glad they're away from the middle road approach taken by B'OB.

"We actually went into Vitalogy without having any songs. We’d start at noon and say, “What have you got?” and we’d start working. We’d never do that now. That’s for young people. That’s for people who have not made many records yet."

Sure, let's stick with the stodgiest, least vital recording method we can of working on canned demos for six years at a time. Who needs youthful energy or people playing and creating live, face to face, on a rock record?

Regarding the Bob interview:
I think it's kind of sad that bands are unwilling to release a record because of all the stuff that "has" to follow a record release. I understand that it makes sense to follow the release of a record with promo, a tour etc. but this also puts a lot of pressure on a record. I'd be interested if they'd release records more frequently if they did nothing but record the thing and release it. No tour, no promo, nothing (unless they want to of course).
Releasing a record every 4-7 years makes it so that every one of them needs to be kind of a statement. I wonder if an album released under different circumstances would sound different.

that was a dark time, I remember reading that and interpreting it as "that's for people who can be bothered"

I'm fairly sure (due to my own very reliable and objective feelings) that we'll get the band playing their hearts out on this album, even if the production tempers the effect; that's all I ask of them at this point

oneway23 wrote:Hey, I don't know if the Wotman is going to be the messiah of the Jamily, alright?
Based off of the two singles, I'd say no, but, I'm damn glad they're away from the middle road approach taken by B'OB.

"We actually went into Vitalogy without having any songs. We’d start at noon and say, “What have you got?” and we’d start working. We’d never do that now. That’s for young people. That’s for people who have not made many records yet."

Sure, let's stick with the stodgiest, least vital recording method we can of working on canned demos for six years at a time. Who needs youthful energy or people playing and creating live, face to face, on a rock record?

To play devil's advocate for BoB, he said they do cut the tracks live, and it's not hard to read between the lines of that interview that he was pretty annoyed that the band dragged their heels as long as they did to make the record. Brendan's style didn't help, but the record that came out seems more like a band issue.

Mike wrote:Regarding the Bob interview:
I think it's kind of sad that bands are unwilling to release a record because of all the stuff that "has" to follow a record release. I understand that it makes sense to follow the release of a record with promo, a tour etc. but this also puts a lot of pressure on a record. I'd be interested if they'd release records more frequently if they did nothing but record the thing and release it. No tour, no promo, nothing (unless they want to of course).
Releasing a record every 4-7 years makes it so that every one of them needs to be kind of a statement. I wonder if an album released under different circumstances would sound different.

totally agree with this, I love a statement album but Pearl Jam has enough of them behind them that they could literally just record and upload at this point

Ms Harmless wrote:that was a dark time, I remember reading that and interpreting it as "that's for people who can be bothered"

I'm fairly sure (due to my own very reliable and objective feelings) that we'll get the band playing their hearts out on this album, even if the production tempers the effect; that's all I ask of them at this point

bingo...thank you...

Mike wrote:Regarding the Bob interview:
I think it's kind of sad that bands are unwilling to release a record because of all the stuff that "has" to follow a record release. I understand that it makes sense to follow the release of a record with promo, a tour etc. but this also puts a lot of pressure on a record. I'd be interested if they'd release records more frequently if they did nothing but record the thing and release it. No tour, no promo, nothing (unless they want to of course).
Releasing a record every 4-7 years makes it so that every one of them needs to be kind of a statement. I wonder if an album released under different circumstances would sound different.

This is a great conversation point, Mike....I wholeheartedly agree with you. I wish things were different, but, unfortunately, I think they're on the wrong side of the generational divide here. They're really showing their age with this mindset. At this point in their careers, they could likely do whatever they want. Feeling like they have to "rev the machine up" is a conscious choice they're making. They obviously want to present each album as a statement, demarcating a fixed point in time, rather than just allowing the albums to flow organically out of the natural creative process, a la someone, like, say, King Gizzard.

Pearl Jam are dated.

I, too, wish they would be less precious about it at this point in their career. If they would release that pretension of "revving up the machine" and having to make a statement every few years with some big album promotion, and just write and release music on a whim, i bet it would lead to some very incredible Pearl Jam music with them willing to take more chances.

Hell, send demos back and forth to eachother and record from home, take this weird detours, put out a surprise album, then do it again in 6 months.

So, be more like Neil after this album cycle, please.

I feel there is a story behind Brendan being left off the band´s world in the last years...from producing a supposedly new album to the band scratching those and making another album with another guy, to being kinda close to Vicky Cornell in the middle of a dispute with Soundgarden with the last album...im sure something happened between them.

digster wrote:

oneway23 wrote:Hey, I don't know if the Wotman is going to be the messiah of the Jamily, alright?
Based off of the two singles, I'd say no, but, I'm damn glad they're away from the middle road approach taken by B'OB.

"We actually went into Vitalogy without having any songs. We’d start at noon and say, “What have you got?” and we’d start working. We’d never do that now. That’s for young people. That’s for people who have not made many records yet."

Sure, let's stick with the stodgiest, least vital recording method we can of working on canned demos for six years at a time. Who needs youthful energy or people playing and creating live, face to face, on a rock record?

To play devil's advocate for BoB, he said they do cut the tracks live, and it's not hard to read between the lines of that interview that he was pretty annoyed that the band dragged their heels as long as they did to make the record. Brendan's style didn't help, but the record that came out seems more like a band issue.

I see what you're saying here, but, my issue is with the nature of the songwriting process, not the manner of recording. They may have all recorded in the same room, but, I think that the process of bringing in individual demos that started on Yield had run its course. I'm glad the band had the awareness to recognize that they needed to change their approach.

As for his frustrations, I'm sure he felt them, but, again, that further leans into my viewpoint that he was too much a wallflower...Way too comfortable. I'm not the biggest fan of Wotman produced albums, but, the band has said repeatedly that he "kicked their asses" making this record, so, clearly, they're able to be whipped into shape when needed, given they have a producer with the backbone to do it.

Strat wrote:Pearl Jam are dated.

I, too, wish they would be less precious about it at this point in their career. If they would release that pretension of "revving up the machine" and having to make a statement every few years with some big album promotion, and just write and release music on a whim, i bet it would lead to some very incredible Pearl Jam music with them willing to take more chances.

Hell, send demos back and forth to eachother and record from home, take this weird detours, put out a surprise album, then do it again in 6 months.

So, be more like Neil after this album cycle, please.

Could you imagine? How refreshing!

What's the phrase Josh Homme leans on heavily in interviews? "Move at the speed of inspiration."
Ironic, since Queens now take so long between albums, but, you get the point.

Wouldn't it be nice?

VinylGuy wrote:I feel there is a story behind Brendan being left off the band´s world in the last years...from producing a supposedly new album to the band scratching those and making another album with another guy, to being kinda close to Vicky Cornell in the middle of a dispute with Soundgarden with the last album...im sure something happened between them.

Reading between the lines again, I don't think BOB was too happy about that final Chris Cornell covers album getting released: https://www.spin.com/2021/12/brendan-o- ... interview/

wasn't "moving at the speed of inspiration", just getting it done and taped, what Ed was saying they were doing during Backspacer and Lightning Bolt? I'm not sure I need any more of that; I want more albums but I also don't think this band does "dashed off" music very well at all

VinylGuy wrote:I feel there is a story behind Brendan being left off the band´s world in the last years...from producing a supposedly new album to the band scratching those and making another album with another guy, to being kinda close to Vicky Cornell in the middle of a dispute with Soundgarden with the last album...im sure something happened between them.

I dont know about the Cornell connection but i 100% believe that BOB was left behind because the band was not satisfied with the direction things were headed around the Can't Deny Me/upcoming album stage that never happened stage.