With all the recent and not-so-recent discussions about PJ selling out, the Target deal, etc. it seems to me that some people are willing to defend anything. I'm sure that's not totally true though, so this is the opportunity for you to prove me wrong. Where do you draw the line? What could really disgust you? Don't say "when it starts affecting the music" because this is too subjective. I'm talking about facts. A few examples, as unlikely as they might sound:

- tickets price / fan club fees going up again (and how much)
- promoting or somehow affiliating themselves to the Republican party
- collaborating with some Miley Cyrus sort of teen pop idol, whether for an actual release or even just on a TV show
- letting one of their songs be used in a commercial, or doing a commercial themselves
- being in a Ozzy-like reality tv show
- trying to please mainstream audiences rather than fans
etc.

This is a serious question, not an attempt to make fun of fanboyism. I'm curious to what it would take for some of the toughest apologists to finally stop thinking "if it gets them more money/exposure, I'm all for it".

edit for clarification purpose: this is not about what would make you stop listening to the band, just what you think where it starts to be greed/selling out/asshole-ish behavior in general.

the problem with this thread is no one wants to be thought of as an "apologist"

I just made a post with this question!

Well done.

they know who they are
but seriously anyone can answer

ill try to answer:

never. even if they did something like participate in a reality show, they've already made their mark on me. song like porch, rvm, in my tree, ledbetter, etc. have impacted my life far greater than any business choice they have, or will make.

i'm with warehouse. if the music moves you, you're probably gonna keep spending at least some money on them. it's up to you to decide how much.

anyone who's looking up to rockstars as role models regarding morality/ethics/not-selling-out has got some growing up to do.

Same here.

I'm always going to love Pearl Jam, pretty much no matter what they do.

Hmmm that wasn't exactly what I was going for
I'm not talking about looking up to them as role models, but just feeling like they jumped the shark, or became a travesty. Basically when, regardless of the music, you start to think of them like some people now think of Courtney Love or Billy Corgan or Steven Tyler or Axl Rose.

Or, to a lesser degree, things that will just make you shake your head. Things that will somehow make you ashamed of being a fan.

I don't really get unconditional support of anything.

many things they already have done have made me shake my head. i'm still shaking my head over backspacer. but i'd still go see them play if they played near me this year.

it's a very blurry line.

if they do that "festival" in Boston and chud gets front row seats for every night. Then I'll not like them anymore.


On a serious note, I mean, even if EV was a judge on American Idol or something, I wouldn't stop listening. But I would certainly not take them as seriously and follow them around as much as I have to this point.

Ticket prices bother me. They've jumped over 100% in 7 years. I can't believe more people don't care.

What bothers me the most, though, is the EV tours. Pearl Jam shows have become expensive, but whatever. I'm a fanboy and I'll pay whatever. With EV though, I'm done. This is one fucking guy playing a guitar in small venues, with practically an empty stage (just a few stupid props up there). These can't be expensive shows to put on, yet he charges just about the same price as a full band show. It's ridiculous. And to make matters worse, it's pretty much the same 90 minute setlist every single time, and always littered with fuck ups. The last time I saw him, he stopped Guaranteed twice cuz he didn't remember the lyrics. The third time was unfortunately not a charm, but he just hummed his way through. WTF. That isn't some old, rare PJ song. It's on your newer fucking solo album, and it got you nominated for awards. Jesus, it took me like 20 minutes to memorize it.

OK, rant over. I think I have issues with EV. I just don't see him as genuine. He talked a big game years ago, but he's just your typical over-the-hill rock star now, looking to make money anyway he can without seriously damaging his legacy.

Thanks. That's more in line with what I had in mind, i.e. reasons to think "they are fucking greedy bastards" instead of reasons to stop listening to the band or anything like that.

If they play a county fair in the upper midwest.

for the record, the Target thing didn't bother me. except the Target private show, which was total sellout bullshit IMO. its just the accumulation of the other things listed, many minor, that bug me. that and the complete lack of communication on the subject. but maybe they aren't conscience of how hypocritical they appear. Like someone said before: We're essentially talking about a herd of drunken cats. that was a good quote.

the ticket prices makes sense. was it 2003 when they started going up? im pretty sure 2000 they were still right around $30.

when did they go back to using ticketmaster, the yield tour?

on another note. this is why i never got a PJ tattoo.

ItemsProduct Name Qty Ret
Qty Exch
Qty Unit
Price Total
Price
BOSTON 7/2/2003 - 2 tickets 1 0 0 $96.00 $96.00
Sub-Total $96.00
Shipping $0.00
Tax $0.00
Grand Total $96.00

there was a much easier way to tell me that

That's 48 a pop in 03. It was 56 a pop for the boston shows in 06. In 08 it was 74 a pop for the mansfield shows. 83.50 a pop for philly 09. Boston 2010, 85.50 a piece.