Seems to me the view taken on PJ immediately upon recognition is "Pearl Jam eh? Aren't they like 40 now???" Well, I understand... I thought that too. And it seems alot of people on this board even feel this way. Ok.. maybe I am getting a bit ahead of myself...

Pearl Jam's music speaks for itself. It's time to stop ... we've got to stop looking at anything but the music. Every song Pearl Jam record means something. This is a great band, everyone. They're all near-perfectly well-intentioned and are ageless and timeless. And so fucking what if Bob Dylan is like tin man live... he's a musical genius. LISTEN TO THE MUSIC -- young at heart.

there is nothing wrong with getting older, but odler bands should grow up with their material. A 40 year old might still try and speak to the experience of a 20 year old, but what they have to say about it should be different from what they would have said at 27. Life Wasted does that well.

... Mostly what I'm trying to get across, I think... is: Facts about their personal lives shouldn't be held against them in any way whatsoever... it's about the music. They're still creative and kickass. ... -- and there's nothing wrong with Riot Act!

Well said Stip. I laugh at how many people look at this band and want what was in the past........that's what the general public looks for . Growing is moving forward, just like age. Pj has always done this well.

I think a the fact that the band ducked out for so many years causes that. I was a BBQ the other day and some of my girlfriend's dude friends were asking about the new PJ that they've heard so much about. They said they didn't like it at all. It turns out they had no clue about the previous 3 albums and that Avo was their first album in 10 years!!!!!

So to some ppl, going from Vitalogy -> Avo is a drastic change, where to most of us...we've experienced the evolution.

That's what I mean, though... People aren't really listening... they're trying to classify it and compare it to the PJ they've known.

so what if they're old, they're still kickin ass

getting old is what happens.

look at that guy who was the head vampire in underworld. he rocks. he been in a lot of stuff before that, and after. and hes funny as shit. some british cat. he was in love, actually... for those lucky enough to have seen that and not dismissed it as some piece of shit chick flick (its not).

Could not have said it better. That's the beauty in Pearl Jam. They are ageless in their songs. They may be 40-somethings, but they can sing about life experiences that affect all age-groups, yet not come off as trying desperately to hold onto their youth. Younger people might think they are old now because they are so inundated with the celebs and magazines that tell them that youth is everything and hurry up and get botox, but I think they will appreciate them better in a few years. That's what I always told my younger family members. Wait a little while and you'll get tired of the meaningless crap that you're being fed and you'll want something more substantial. You'll be thankful that there is music out there that will speak to you. And sure enough that has happened.

nice post. i agree with a lot of it.

you will do just fine here... remember the rules i posted last night?
-your pal, Play motherfucking C3

Thank you. Yes, I remember all the rules.

thanks for keeping me company this late at night. its 325 here. i should get some damn sleep. motherfucking early morning is gonna kill me.

stick around! are you going to any shows soon (i may have asked you last night, but im a bit of a drunk and tend to forget... everything.)

I am in Texas so I'm still waiting for them down here. I was supposed to go to their Cleveland show but things fell through. Sucks cuz Stoney sang.

i didnt mention it in my other post, but you post reminds me of something ive been thinking for a long time.

there are 2 bands i wish i could have seen in their prime (or at all) and those are pink floyd and led zeppelin. i love those bands, but i was simply too late. i think that pearl jam is the closest thing we have, and future generations will wish 'i would do anything to go back in time and see benaroya 03' and such.

[quote="Play C3 i didnt mention it in my other post, but you post reminds me of something ive been thinking for a long time.

there are 2 bands i wish i could have seen in their prime (or at all) and those are pink floyd and led zeppelin. i love those bands, but i was simply too late. i think that pearl jam is the closest thing we have, and future generations will wish 'i would do anything to go back in time and see benaroya 03' and such.[/quote]

I agree. Future generations are going to think 'damn, if only I could have been alive to see Pearl Jam live. It'll be like legendary status. I didn't see PJ live for the first time until 2000 and even I look back and wish that things could have come through and I could of seen them from the start.

Pearl Jam is not old, they're veterans...

Rolling Stones on the other hand...they're fucking old!

I'm 37, (3.5 years younger than Ed) and not one person I know would describe me as 'old.' Except for my salt and pepper hair, I look, act and dress younger than I did 10 years ago. Old is two things....1. Actually being so chronologically advanced that your parts stop working, and you remember the live radio broadcast reporting the Pearl Harbor Invasion OR: 2. Allowing your body and mind to get old at any age. From this defintion, I know old 28 year olds, and I know really young 44 year olds. Looking and listening to the music, pictures and interviews of Pearl Jam, they have matured, but they are still very young. They seem much younger to me than the Who, the Stones, McCartney and others from the 1960s seemed in the 1980s when their new music was still reasonably relevant. They, like U2 (who I dont really like, but will give them their just due for this) have moved into their 40s without age being an issue AT ALL...its not even debatable, unless you want to nitpick.

Acknowledging that the band is older is somewhat important to fully appreciating the music. This works for both listener and the band themselves. The band don's see themselves as perptutal youth and it's evidenced in the music.

The band is very "old" in terms of rock and pop in general. Of course it's something that is going to be noted. I for one really like the idea of Peal Jam, a band that started out being known as speaking for the youth, would grow older and become like elder statesmen. As stip pointed out, Life Wasted is a great example of this.

I love my musicians to be young. Perhaps this is why I listen to Hanson's first record so often.

Do you like your girls young too?