So I was just thinking that there seems to be three types of Pearl Jam fans here on RM. Obviously every fan is an individual with their own preferences and tastes who cannot be totally clumped into groups, but there does seem to be a framework of three general categories that I see interacting on this board.

Group One: Big fans of Pearl Jam's earliest stuff. They love Ten, Vs, some of Vitalogy and have either utter contempt or somewhat dislike for Pearl Jam's latter work. While giving No Code and Yield at least some respect, they hate with a passion Binaural, Riot Act and Self Titled. They love Ed's voice from 91 to 94 and can hardly stand his sound thereafter. These fans are constantly hopeful yet consistently let down by anything new by PJ.

Group Two: Big fans of Pearl Jam's middle work. No Code, Yield and Binaural are their favorite albums and they even like and respect Riot Act quite a bit. Self Titled was a bit of a disappointment. Since no one can really dislike Vs, they like that as well. They respect Ten, yet never never would put it on the stereo anymore as it seems too much like American Idol on steroids. They would probably feel silly if they were busted cranking Jeremy in their room. They prefer the more eclectic Pearl Jam like Help Help, Habit and Pilate. They respect and admire the power of Ed's early voice but feel like he overdid it during his 91 - 94ish years. Their favorite Ed voice is generally 1998, but 2000 and 2003 are quite respectable as well. Anything after 2003 for Ed's voice is really quite downhill though, and they have a hard time enjoying it.

Group Three. Big fans of everything and anything Pearl Jam. They seem to have lost all objective analytical skills and blindly like everything PJ in equality. Their favorite albums are Ten, Vs, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, Riot Act and Self Titled. They think that Ed sounds the best he has ever sounded live for some sort of deluded reason and pay no attention to how bad or good the performance was, just so long as it was PJ making the performance.

So, what do you think? lol Do you agree with the rough outline of these drunkenly written categories or do you think it's way off base? I am personally most close to being in group 2.

well done

id be between groups 2 and 3

91-94 WERE the golden years for Vedder's voice, so I suppose I'm group one. BUT then again yeild ties as my favourite album. and as for the latest stuff (binaural, Riot Act, Avacado) ----- no good at all.

I'm Group 1.5?...

I love Ten through Yield pretty much equally, feel much more conflicted about everything after.

I think Ed's voice was as its best 1990-1994 but is still very serviceable up until 1998-2000, everything after that's been pretty hard going though.

I don't hold great expectations for the future other than I still think they have at least one more classic album in them if they only want to try hard enough.

group 1 - foolish folk, but hey i love those first 3 records too because, well, they rock. however, these guys probably dont really have wide ranging taste in music, really secretly quite like a few linkin park songs.

group 2 - is the group for me. i love the middle era stuff when they were most interesting hard rock band around. these people tend a have a wider musical taste.

group 3 - seem like fucking idiots, following the leader and gobbling up all of his expensive merchandise, getting fed crumbs and dressing them as a preferable main course. id say musically, they actually dislike 96 -00 era the most, which says a lot about these people, though ill be attacked for if i say what these are again. but there you go.

Group 4: Loves this band almost unconditionally when they are exploring new ground, really uninterested in them when they are treading water.

lables are for tins of beans..here's a label we all share..we're all fuckin' crazy shitebags with no life, living out our emotions through shouting at the internet.
That applies across the board..It's gloriously sunny outside and really warm(rare for Ireland) and i'm sitting here hitting refesh every 5 minutes while watching the FA cup final..i have no life at all it seems..

I'm in group 1.7-2..

I'm somewhere between 2 and 4

I guess I'm in group three then. although I can still enjoy most of Ten, and actually quite like a lot of Riot Act, maybe a little more then Binaural even. I do believe they might have peaked during Yield, and sort of leveled off since then, but still have a lot of respect for the band that they are today.

That's nothing like what group three says.

Oh well, guess I don't fit in any group. hoo- ray for individualism.


*Edit: wait a minute, I just realized that I meant to say group two.

PS- WTF at you people using "gay" as a slur, seriously.

Group 5: Cranky Irishmen nobody listens to

This is pretty gay.

Group 6: the gays

I think Eddie sounded best in 2000, like shit in 2003, and has sounded better since that tour, but not as good as 2000.

Stip doesn't fit in any of your groups. Just saying.

I'm not cranky..there are a few other RMers right now who own that crown..you won't have to look very far to find them

Goal scored at: Sat May 30, 2009 9:15 am by McParadigm
Assist:edzeppe