check it out: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=44477

Vs.
Pearl Jam—Love 'Em or Leave 'Em
BY LISA WOOD AND ERIC GRANDY

Pearl Jam inspire extreme love or extreme hate. We asked two writers to take sides on the Seattle grunge stalwarts' worth. Let the verbal fisticuffs begin!

THE LOVER

I came from Huntington Beach in 1986 to Issaquah High School and knew nothing of Seattle's music scene. At 14, I made some friends here, but music got me through. In 1991, while still listening to Metallica, Depeche Mode, and SoCal punk, I heard Pearl Jam's Ten.

Pearl Jam opened a musical floodgate. I had no idea there was such great music being made in Seattle, which led me to bands like Hammerbox, the Gits, Zeke, Supersuckers, Seaweed, Critters Buggin', Nirvana, Screaming Trees, etc. These bands have a lot to do with where I am today.

Pearl Jam stood out, though. They possessed enormous talent, played well together, and featured a singer who actually had something to say. I found everything I could by Pearl Jam. Live records (including bootlegs), vinyl, a fan club where I got a 45 every year? This was my kind of band—not about fame or ego, but about their music and their fans.

Another great thing about Pearl Jam: They don't make the same record every time; they experiment, take chances, make mistakes, and, most importantly, have the balls to stand up for their beliefs.

Pearl Jam's members have side projects, yet there's nothing quite like what happens when they play together live. That's where they shine. Realizing that their fans were rabid about their live shows and attempting to curb bootleggers, Pearl Jam allowed fans to record them live. They also release several live CDs each tour to further combat bootlegging.

Pearl Jam have used their status to do good, including contributing to charities, taking on Ticketmaster over its dubious business practices, even planning an entire tour without using that service (which worked quite well). PJ took on MTV, ceasing to make videos for years, and they've stood steadfast in their political views on and off stage, adding tour dates in 2004 to help raise awareness for Vote for Change.

So, 14 fan-club singles (45s), almost 20 live shows, and close to 100 CDs later, I still love Pearl Jam. I thank them for opening that musical gate for me and for being a great band with chops, smarts, and balls. LISA WOOD

Lisa Wood is a KEXP DJ and blogs at http://www.lisawood.blogspot.com.

THE HATER

Pearl Jam are undoubtedly nice guys—they donate to Vera, they're pro-choice, and they try not to gouge their fans. But nice guys don't always make good art, and, consequently, Pearl Jam are an entirely unnecessary band.

Here's why:

1. Pearl Jam's one great contribution to the history of rock music has been a vocal style, popularized by Eddie Vedder, known as "yarling." This essentially makes Vedder and, by extension, Pearl Jam, culpable for such crimes against music as Stone Temple Pilots, Creed, Staind, and many other "yarling" late-'90s grunge-lite acts.

2. Pearl Jam were never that good. A slightly above-average bar band that just happened to be in the right place at the right time, they were swept up as part of Seattle's great grunge hype and canonized alongside Nirvana and Soundgarden as some kind of Holy Trinity. But Pearl Jam possessed neither the transgressive punk sensibilities of Nirvana nor the giant, metallic awesomeness of Soundgarden. Instead, Pearl Jam produced a bland, digestible "alternative" music founded upon limp balladry, bloated arrangements, formulaic blues-rock grooves, and laughable lyrics made more painful by the aforementioned "yarling."

3. Pearl Jam have nothing interesting to say. Antiwar? Pro-choice? Fond of avocados? So is half the damn country, but you don't see us recording a million useless live "bootlegs" about it, do you?

If you like "yarling," weak ballads, and tame ideas, or if you're a preadolescent, then Pearl Jam are your band. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and listen to something new already. Grunge is over; let the dream die. ERIC GRANDY

Eric Grandy performs often as DJ FITS.

is this a recurring feature? It's a good one.

I wonder who the negative person would hold up as a band with something to say. If he says Bob Dylan fine. If he says Kurt Cobain...

both arguments are very weak.

agree, both are weak.

that said, i've known heard and been around a million dj's and they're almost all idiots with terrible ears. DJ Fits obviously doesn't think this particular band "fits" into his dance-party mix. Oh well. Next time you see him at a wedding, request "alive"

interestingly enough, stone temple pilots had their sound before brendan o'brien brought it to pearl jam.

And here is his myspace...

http://www.myspace.com/fuckinginthestreets



This is snobby minimal/electroclash music, folks. Of course he doesn't like Pearl Jam.

"Yarling" darling? A LOT of people don't like Pearl Jam. They cannot stand Ed's singing style no matter what name they make up for it. You're not going to make them like it. When they die and go to hell, if they do...the soundtrack is going to Pearl Jam--every damned official bootleg (or maybe just 250 versions of Last Kiss if they did REALLY bad things in life). If people don't like "yarling," it's not a personal insult to anyone but to Ed--but, I doubt he cares that they think he yarls. He doesn't yarl for them. He yarls for us. If someone says they think the lyrics stink, that Ed can't sing, that the music is bloated, etc., etc. Well, maybe it is to them. Or maybe they're just trying to prove something to themselves since all they're proving to us is that they like the word "yarling." Whatever. Let them have their fun; we'll have ours.

I notice my family members who don't like PJ tend to really get a kick out of negative commentary about PJ. I'm such a killjoy when I say it boils down to personal musical tastes and refuse to try to defend PJ or convert them to the kingdom of PJ.

ya most of this stuff is a waste of time to read. especially the latter... if you dont know anything about the group than it seems unwarranted for any shit to be talked. and most pople who do hate them, dont give it a fair listen.

That was the worst attempt I've ever seen to say something good about this band.

Ha! That one guy is a DJ. What a fag.

Yeah, both are bad arguements. The pro one makes little mention of the quality of the actual music and the anti one attributes to many negative things the band had nothing to do wth like imitators and "grunge."

I love The Stranger, not many cities have a good alternative paper, but that article sucked.

It seems I'm one of few Seattlites that still like Pearl Jam. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the whole Mother Love Bone thing because people still love the Bone here in Seattle.

Why is it alright to call someone a fag as a pejorative? I myself think he was a real whitey.

That was quite the boring read.

Since when were STP's a musical crime? And dont put them in the same fuckin sentence as the other two....ROAR. I think they couldve sent someone who had some rock leanings yet didnt like Pearl Jam, that wouldve made for a better read and a more informed writer.

What might be interesting would be for us to do a proper pros and cons list. Maybe even email the final draft to The Stranger after we're done and it's up to snuff. Granted, with the cons list we'd be taking on the devil's advocate--could be just dumb fun...

Everything okay there, Faggy McFag?