If you could go back in time what are the 5 things you would change about the band. I absolutely love pearl jam and this is not about sledging them or pointing out faults, but i think that it is a good way to get some greivances out about album design/track listings and band decisions. My list would be:

1. Tell the band to hire Dave A. instead of Krusen in order to have an amazing recording of ten. I would also change the stadium ock sound of the album and make it a bit dirtier (Ala the Alive and Once remixs on Rearviewmirror and the evenflow recording for the video)

2. I would tell Mike to shape up and get right, drop the habits; the band is at stake and the music will suffer.

3. I would tell Eddie to get off his power trip and not put tracs such as; Aye Davinita, Bugs, Foxymopandlemamma, thats me and To, Pry. Also to include Hard to Imagine in the album.

4. Dont fire dave A. (This is a bit problematic because the music style from then on it would be unrecognisable to what it is and amzings albums such as Yeild would be canned) But i think that his drumming had evolved on Vitalogy so that it did not overshadow the rest of the band, it was more sublte and he could have gone on to better things.

5. Dont make Riot Act, bin the whole session. Save the good tracks (I am Mine, Help Help and Save You) for another time. Take time off after the Rolkside tradgety and release LBC as perhaps a tribute single to those who died. ###EDIT### I WOULD STOP ANYONE FROM DYING!!!

I already went back. Fathered Eddie and returned.

Hmm. There's not a great deal, if anything, I'd change from 1990-1998 but it all goes a bit pear-shaped from then on.

1: Jack Irons. Make more of an effort to keep Jack in the band, if that meant delaying the '98 US tour for him to have time out then so be it. If that meant shorter, less frequent tours then so be it.

2: Binaural. Just bin the whole thing and start again. Half-baked songs, completely unsuitable production. The fact that they turned the brilliant Puzzles & Games into a boring dirge like Light Years shows how off the band's judgement was at this time.

3: Bushleaguer. I agree with the sentiment but this song is just garbage. Riot Act is the strongest album they've put out this decade but this holds it back from greatness.

4: The Self-Titled Record. A few brilliant moments (Unemployable, Big Wave) and a few really good ones (Life Wasted, Comatose) but Inside Job should never, ever have been given the honour of closing out a Pearl Jam album and drags the overall quality of the album down massively.

5: The 2008 Tour. From the sound of the boots, the worst run of PJ shows since the 2003 Australian tour. The band sound under-rehearsed and Ed's voice is shockingly weak.

On second thought, that one is far less troublesome that the previous four. I'm sure all will be forgiven and forgotten once the band is touring with some purpose and drive behind their next record, those between-album-tours always seem to be a bit less focused and tight. I can forgive a handful of sloppy shows way more than a poor album.

I disagree completely on both of these points...

Well each to their own. Im not saying any of my points are more valid than yours. Everyone has their own opinion and that is the beauty of the band

Oh, I can definitely agree with that 100%.

I didn't mean any offense by my comment either btw, just stimulating some healthy debate.

I would go back to end 2005 and make the band quit.

that's what i was thinking too, though i'm not sure had PJ not been there, it wouldn't have occurred.

Don't fire Dave A

Don't stop making videos

Prevent eddie from smoking (and related to taht, make him take singing lessons or learn other technqiues to preserve his voice)

work with BoB on every record

Release your f'ing vault already

This post is full of win.

Interesting thought Mc Fly:

But...

It is what is is
It was what it was.

I wouldn't change a fucking thing about this bands history. It's a great history and everything that happend, happend for a reason. Why change it?

I would however...

1) Go back to 1987...By a kickass turntable w/ tube amp and as many replacement parts needed to ensure my Turntable can last a lifetime.

2) Go back to 1990 and see the very first Pearl Jam show

3) Join the fan club around 1990-1991

4) Proceed to buy every single album on Vinyl...the day they are released.

5) Meet every band member, get autographs, and pictures

Then I'd go...

Back To The Future and sit around and play with all of my cool shit.

id make ed go to that new years eve show with nirvana they bailed out on

1- Observe their recording process in person.
2- I'd like to attend a handful of shows with each drummer behind the set.
3- Checked out a Neil-Jam show or two in '95.
4- Been one of the road crew members (any tour would have been awesome).
5- Joined 10C in the early 90's.

I would go back to sometime shortly before Angus arrives back in time, and warn the band that someone else from the future is coming to visit them soon to try and convince them to quit, and tell them not to listen to him.

not because i can go back in time does it mean i would have any influence whatsoever on the band.

instead, i would tell myself never to buy live on two legs, because over the next 10 years it will end up costing me a lot more than the 12 dlls or however much i paid for it.

i would have told them to not speed the pace of the songs when performing them leave, keep the tempo as it should be like they did before 2006.

not hired boom

Prevent Dave Krusen from having to go into rehab or whatever it was that made him leave the band. There would be no firing or hiring or switching of drummers. Ever. No Dave A., no Jack, and no Matt. Just imagine.