I watched Showbox from 2002 the other night and it occurred to me what is different about this band now from then that is causing so much distress.

1. Angst - I just don't see Ed flipping out the way he did during Daughter anymore. Angst has always been a big part of the PJ experience and it is all but gone these days.

2. Integrity - ESPN, Target, High ticket prices, etc. Do they have more integrity still than most of bands their size? Yes. But they used to be the leaders in this regard. Now compared to peers like Tool, Radiohead or REM they seem to be clamoring for attention and revenue.

3. Ed's voice - See the Elephant in the room thread. I think we can all agree its different than it was, so whether or not you like it circa 09 I think what it was is gone for better or for worse.

4. Unpredictibility - 06 - 09 has been the most static period imaginable for these guys.

I hate to say it, but one of the most interesting bands in the world is becoming pretty ordinary and boring in their middle age.

Pearl Jam have lost a lot of respectful fans.. who in turn seem to have lost their girlfriends, so they're not getting laid anymore.

Wish they'd lose these fans that can't get over this shit and grow up with them. These stupid complaintts are beyond boring at this stage.

they lost their angst.. oh no..what are we gonna dooo??

Yep.

But their tours continue to get better. Much shorter, but better average show.

That's all we can expect at this point -- solid touring. They're 40-somethings. They'll throw the fanbase a short record every few years to keep it together, and make their $.5M to $1M per show during mini tours each year to their favorite places.

The mid-twenty to early thirties minset is much different than the 40 something mindset. I can never understand why people wonder where the Pearl Jam of the 1990's went (Hint- they grew up/old). Both the band and the fanbase should feel lucky the band is still around, IF it's a band you still cherish.

integrity

The rise of Ten Club has brought an end to this bands integrity

cover song crutch.

This thread should be stickied.

This is the one that is the toughest for me to deal with. During their heyday, PJ, was an enigma, you never really knew what they were up to. They were very mysterious to me. All of a sudden, you'd be hit by something from them - like I was when I Got Id was released to the radio for the first time. I had no idea that was coming. The internet obviously has changed this to a large degree. But, I agree, the music isn't nearly as unpredictable as it was up to 2000.

grow up with them... well considering pearl jam hit it big with angst in their 30s, unless these fans you're complaining about are in their 40s i don't think you can bitch at them unless you bitch at the band for that angst during that period.

The OP is complaining they aren't angst ridden anymore. Read the fucking post. Dolt. and by the way, how fuckin ridiculous would a bunch of mid 40s guys look being alll angst ridden and screaming & pissing & moaning about everything. They've grown up. Time a large part of the fan base either grows up too or fucks off. Sick of these idiotic shitty posts.

Lost the unpredictablility? that target deal was pretty unpredictable

yes, but you're asking these people to "grow up with the band", right? but the band was angst ridden in their 20s and 30s. you can ask people this age to respect the band's decision to grow up, but within the context of this band it seems like it'd be a little off to condemn thirty year olds for angst when the band sold millions with that syndrome.

Fine, but they aren't that band anymore and fans who were in high school/college and now make complaints like the ones above are simply trying to relive a youth that's gone by. If the band were to be frozen in that period, with Eddie still climbing&stage diving and screaming all the time, these same bastards wouldd be complaining they never evolved.

Have these guys not been listening all these years? it'd be fucking horrible if they still did all these things. And it would look stupid. And if anyone disagrees I think you'll find them still living in Moms basement, having flunked college but they're doing it through the mail. Timewarp fans. It's not gonna happen, what's the point in complaining about it? don't like them anymore 'cos they aren't 'angst' enough for you? fuck off to whoever's currently doing that. you'll make getting tickets a lot easier for us as well as not fouling up the air with these posts anymore.

Dimejinky, do you ever listen to The National? That's the direction Pearl Jam should have evolved in.

+ Infinity.

Not a coincidence that the National are currently amongst my favorite bands.

Actually not true. I was observing that the angst is all but gone. I wasn't complaining about it, but I suppose in the context of my recent posts it makes sense that you would assume I was complaining.

With this thread I was trying to make some observations that also explain some of the "angst" people are having about this band these days.

No Code wasn't so angsty but there was unpredictibility, integrity, and Ed's trademark vocals still there in spades

I think the line 'fight to get it back again' can be fairly applied to Pj's mission these days. Like it or not.

I saw the National once here in a lovely venue. Good band. I should check them out.

Just posting to say that The National is awesome.

I find these complaints so boring, and predictable. Wah, my band doesn't hate everything around them. Wah, Eddie's eyes don't do that weird thing during Porch anymore.

Listen they've grown up, you should too. Pearl Jam still plays their music amazingly well, and has not fallen into the U2 mode of playing a huge choreographed stage show with the same 20 songs every night. For that fact alone you should be thankful.

If you don't like them anymore, go get into something new. We will all understand.