PJ Live at the Gorge 05/06

Non-Phish General
#11

Whatever dude. To call them THE band of our generation is perfectly logical. Yeah, we all like Phish better, and Phish are more versitile, and Phish have done more weird out-there shit, and Phish jam out their songs, and Phish have really widely varied setlists (sometimes)… but that doesn’t change the fact that if you select ten random people off the street ANYWHERE (except for Vermont) nine of them probably won’t have heard of Phish and only one won’t have heard of Pearl Jam.

As a band, Pearl Jam has immense importance and lasting impact.

If they or their music DIDN’T matter, they wouldn’t have survived DROPPING OUT of everything commercial and mainstream after the whole ticketmaster battle. If it DIDN’T matter, they wouldn’t have survived having nine people trampled at that show in Denmark in 2000. They quit after that, you know.

Sure, bitch about how PJ’s setlists aren’t as varied as Phish. Well, VERY FEW bands have such varied setlists. SFW??? PJ’s setlists are more varied than most other rock bands. Don’t think they do enough one-off random covers? Refer to this: http://www.pearljam.com/songs/songs.php

Honestly, the only band I can think of whose career rivals that of Pearl Jam and could even possibly compete for THE band of our generation is U2. And I don’t care if you like them either.

#12

^to the mother fuckin’ streets.

U2 is also a great band. And since we’re talking about bands of the generation i’l like to list:

Pearl Jam
Radiohead
U2

i don’t think i can think of anymore bands that have transcended the past few generations as universally as those 3.

#13

I was at that show!!! Fucking amazing.

#14

I didn’t expect this out of this thread, but I’m glad it happened. Thanks for the school.

#15

$29.99 @ wal-mart, eh? Considering a trip to that hole now. Funny this release is on PJ’s new label Monkeywrench - not necessarily indie distribution there, PJ!

Uh huh. I’ve always felt it’s what comes before Yellow Ledbetter that gives you some variation!

#16

FINALLY SOMEONE SPEAKS THE TRUTH!!!

How anybody can say Ween is “THE band of our generation” is smoking something they shouldn’t be.

I love ya goldenroad, but Ween is not that good.
And they are ASSHOLES!
Just like Tool and all the other bands that people think are brilliant.
I’ve never understood the love of Ween. Meh.

If you look at Pearl Jam, they are the last band standing out of all the bands from the 90’s. Every other band that came out during that period has crashed and burned pretty much.

Now I’m not saying that they are the greatest thing ever, even the greatest of their time, I don’t listen to them that much, but there is something to say for their longevity.
They are doing something right.

edit*
And I don’t put U2 in their catagory.
U2 is a band unto themselves.

And Pearl Jam is MUCH better the Radiohead.
Radiohead hasn’t made a good album since Kid A, and that wasn’t even that great.

#17

^ Ween’s been around longer, so they must be doing something right-er.

#18

I believe WEEN’s first album was in 1990.

So, yeah your right, they are by a year or 2.

But you really think that if there was a popular vote between PJ and Ween that Ween would get more votes?

And I’m not saying that just because PJ has been around long they are good. Just compared to the other bands of their time.

And yes, Ween had been around long so they are doing something right as well. Just different stokes for different folks.

Can’t wait to talk about this w/ you @ 10LKS! ;D

And for the record, Pearl Jam live shows are great as ICC said.

#19

man, i need some cash!

i haven’t picked up a new PJ live release in a couple years.

#20

^^ Yeah man, we’re gonna get drunk as fuck and start a good old Oh Kee Brawl. There’s nothing wrong with being into Pearl Jam, I can’t judge anyone for liking their new stuff as I used to love them more than anything. It’s just not for me anymore.

#21

Waitress: Could you please keep your voices down–this is a family restaurant.

Walter Sobchak: Oh, please dear! I’ve got news for you: the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint!

The Dude: Walter, this isn’t a First Amendment thing.

Waitress: Sir, if you don’t calm down I’m going to have to ask you to leave.

Walter Sobchak: Lady, I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so you and I could enjoy this family restaurant!

The Dude: All right, I’m leaving. I’m sorry ma’am.

Walter Sobchak: Don’t run away from this, Dude! Goddamnit, this affects all of us!.. Our basic freedoms!.. I’m staying. Finishing my coffee… I’m Finishing my coffee.

#22

i’ll prob check this out.

#23

I like Ween more than Pearl Jam. ::shrugs::

#24

This isn’t about who anyone personally likes more. It’s about a band having profound impact on rock and roll. Ween’s even more obscure than Phish.

Sorry I’m all fired up about this, but any attempt at denial that PJ is one of (if not THE) most important band to emerge from the 90’s is completely innane. Who else came out of the 90’s who’s still writing new material, still performing, still popular, still relevant, and still having fun doing what they’re doing? Sure, there are a few bands, but not many, and none as universally rock and roll as PJ.

U2 - How much does one have to pay to get a ticket to Pepsi presents U2?

Radiohead - Great music, great longevity, but much further toward the fringe than PJ.

Tool - Great music, great writing, even less universally appealing than Radiohead.

RHCP - Still great, but they opened for PJ, so what does that tell you?

Green Day - American Idiot is by far their crowning achievement, but is still a three piece sorta pop, sorta punk band.

Anyone else?

[/rant]

#25

first 4 Green Day albums (39/smooth - Insomniac) were 4 of my favorite albums growing up and still find their way into my cd player from time to time. But that occurs on more of a level of nostalgia. When i put on a Pearl Jam album, any PJ, its still for real and their newest album is one of their best.

I totally agree with labeling them as the band of this (and especially the last) generation (X?). At least they are for me, so i’m a bit biased. I like a lot of the other bands mentioned but not nearly as much as PJ. But still, if we say Pearl Jam as far as musical impact on the 90’s, surely Radiohead should be mentioned as well. Not as universal and not one of my personal favorites but definately one of the more lasting voices of our time. That’s all i was saying.

Anyway, i should be starting back with one of my old shitty jobs in the next few days so hopefully i’ll have this new piece sometime next week. I can’t believe i didn’t hear about it sooner. I’m usually on it on release date. But i guess since its a live album it doesn’t count as much. i’ve gotten every studio album since No Code (possibly Vitology which i have since lost and replaced) on the day it came out (except for Yield which i missed somehow and got it on the day Binaural came out along with Binaural which has turned into one of my all time favorites).

sorry, i’m totally rambling now but i just get really excited in times concerning Pearl Jam.

#26

^^ I guess you could add Dave Matthews Band to that list, if we’re judging based on popularity. And since the Chili Peppers and U2 actually came out of the ‘80’s I guess we could include Gun’s n’ Roses as well, or why not Metallica? Just because a band’s popular, doesn’t make them good or relevant…just popular is all. Christ, Celine Dion sells out shows that are twice as expensive as U2 backstage passes.

I guess the popularity thing is lost on me, because when I was listening to Pearl Jam and Green Day in grade 8, I was also listening to Ween and so were most of my friends. Most of the people I know are always far more excited about the next Ween release than the next Pearl Jam release. To me they were on a level playing field for a while and then Pearl Jam grew stagnant and Ween just blossomed into this completely unique entity, unlike anything else in the world of Rock.

Pearl Jam definately fits in with that list Rasta man, but I just don’t see how being able to compare a band to Green Day makes them any good at all. I used to see how, but those bands are just boring now and Ween is living up to all that is good and brown about music.

[/ posting in this thread, for the sake of not making any more enemies]

#27

GOLDENROAD I hear ya man.
It’s funny cause in 1992-3 I was way into Pearl Jam and I just never lost it. I gave ween a try after the first bonnaroo and I’ve gone to several of their shows at fests and individualy, they just don’t do it for me. I’ve seen an unbelievable amount of shows of all genres and I’ve walked out of 1 in my life. It was Ween in Boise this year, maybe 06 (?), and according to the ween fans it was apperantly on of the best of the tour. I guess I just don’t get it. Just like people don’t get phish. Whatever this just means that they don’t define a generation. Pearl Jam on the other hand does, cause they bridge gaps and they kick fuckin’ ass. No hard feelings man, I think ween has some great music, but they also have some I find unlistenable.
To each his own.

#28

I like Ween and Pearl Jam

#29

Where’d the cheese go?

btw: the Gorge box set is great & sounds great. ;D

#30

I don’t measure importance by how many people like a band, because frankly most people in the world have shitty taste in music. All of the bands from the 80s, for instance, that I would consider important are still not that popular.

Look, I like Pearl Jam. This is not what I’m debating. I’m debating the term ‘important’ because that’s a very heavy word and it kind of depends on how you define it in this instance. Does it mean influence on other bands, does it mean popularity, does it mean critical appeal, does it mean appealing to almost all people while not being sell out-ish, etc.