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Ed and “Blood”

Yoeddy1Yoeddy1 Boise, Idaho Posts: 103
in The Porch
Man, it sure seems like Ed is really struggling with “Blood” these days.  Seemed very difficult for him in Boston.  Lotta high range and screaming in that song, and it’s one of my favorites of all-time.  When I listen to him sing it in Verona, and with the early crunchy voice that Ed had back in the day, “Blood” made me turn inside out...now, not so much.  I know he’s getting older.

https://youtu.be/8mcHojn3ZVk

I always thought a slowed down acoustic version would be cool.
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  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,079
    edited September 2018
    Yeah I remember him saying at PJ20 that Blood pretty much takes the life out of you.  Still sounded great in my opinion.  It's supposed to be raw.+

    ...or maybe that was Habit?  Liam Finn sang it, must have been Habit
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  • parintachin73parintachin73 Posts: 742
    Yeah I hate to say it but Blood is the one song they should just retire. It’s brutal on his voice and Boston was tough to hear imo 
  • pearldavidsonpearldavidson Posts: 1,492
    You can hear the strain it puts on his voice. I'm glad I got it a couple times in 2013, but even then it was sounding rough.  Where would this song rank as far as being hard to sing for Ed now a days? Seems like it was always hard to sing, but he is getting older now..just the way it goes.
  • Foriginal SinForiginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,817
    Campaign, 2003, perfection
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  • MickeyMouseMickeyMouse Posts: 1,055
    Yea I noticed it too. There were a few songs over the 2 Boston shows where I noticed he struggled with some high notes that were easy a few years ago but like others have said, age and smoking and drinking will do that. 
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  • Ray J. T.Ray J. T. Posts: 4,060
    Yup, from the video I saw it looked like there was some struggling. So glad I have been able to get this a few times live years ago when he was on point with it. 2016 Wrigley actually didn't sound bad at all. 
  • pearldavidsonpearldavidson Posts: 1,492
    Ray J. T. said:
    Yup, from the video I saw it looked like there was some struggling. So glad I have been able to get this a few times live years ago when he was on point with it. 2016 Wrigley actually didn't sound bad at all. 
    Is it safe to say its one of the most vocally challenging songs in the PJ catalogue? 
  • Ray J. T.Ray J. T. Posts: 4,060
    pearldavidson said:
    Ray J. T. said:
    Yup, from the video I saw it looked like there was some struggling. So glad I have been able to get this a few times live years ago when he was on point with it. 2016 Wrigley actually didn't sound bad at all. 
    Is it safe to say its one of the most vocally challenging songs in the PJ catalogue? 
    Yes, with Habit, and Comatose also coming to mind.
  • MickeyMouseMickeyMouse Posts: 1,055
    Foriginal Sin said:
    Campaign, 2003, perfection
    I caught Blood twice on their 2003 tour and yea it didn’t get much better than that for me.
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  • PB11041PB11041 Earth Posts: 2,807
    This song has been a struggle since after 2009.  

    There are several that basically just from a can't do it properly anymore, time to retire them.  Unfortunately Blood is one.  I was able to catch this in 1996 and then was super fortunate to catch it  5 times in 03/05 when it was brought back into fairly decent rotation after being played once post 96 through late 2002.


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  • jacquelyncajacquelynca Posts: 372
    Thanks for sharing the link.  I would have loved to see blood live, it’s one of my faves :-). I’ve never seen them play it live so i have nothing to compare it to, he did his best and I’m sure many fans were wanting them to play it and appreciate that they did.  
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  • jacquelyncajacquelynca Posts: 372
    And i agree, i think an acoustic version would be cool!
    IG and twitter - @jacquelynincali

    1994 - Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Mountain View CA
    *** 1995 - 2015 High School, College, Broke, Having Kids***
    2016 - Temple of the Dog, Bill Graham Civic Center Auditorium, San Francisco CA
    2017 - Eddie Vedder, Bourbon and Beyond, Louisville KY
    2018 - The Home Shows, Show 2, Seattle WA
    2019 - Eddie Vedder, Ohana Fest, Dana Point CA
    2020- Oakland Nights 1 and 2
    2020 - Ohana Fest
    2021 - Ohana Fest
    2022 - Oakland 1 and 2

    "Watch out for music. It should come with a health warning. It can be dangerous. It can make you feel so alive, so connected to the people around you, and connected to what you really are inside. And it can make you think that the world should, and could, be a much better place. And just occasionally, it can make you very, very happy." -Peter Gabriel
  • OTOTOOTOTO New York, NY Posts: 190
    "There's not gonna be an acoustic version of Blood or anything like that, so feel free to sit down." Eddie 7/11/03 - Mansfield, MA
    "You Can't be Neutral on a Moving Train"
  • ForceofNature101ForceofNature101 Posts: 1,282
    I don't think it sounds bad overall, I can still enjoy the hell out of it love!
  • JB56195JB56195 Posts: 306
    edited September 2018
    It would be cool to see the song reworked/arranged so it's more in his vocal range.  Did Ed finally quit smoking?
    Post edited by JB56195 on

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  • iOnlyownMymindiOnlyownMymind Posts: 2,872
    Ray J. T. said:
    Yup, from the video I saw it looked like there was some struggling. So glad I have been able to get this a few times live years ago when he was on point with it. 2016 Wrigley actually didn't sound bad at all. 
    And we got Comatose that show too. 
  • MilestoneMilestone Posts: 1,140
    Shorter sets allow for more challenging songs.

    35 songs in a night make EVERY song challenging for a 50 year old man.

    Blood is tough to sing any day of the week, at any age.
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  • SM187650SM187650 Canada Posts: 797
    The reason blood was played in Boston IMO is because Ed was doing a silent shout out to Bono (after his obvious shout out). Read between the lines. He was saying, hey this happened to me too but now here I am back on my A game and I can even do Blood. Just my opinion. Take it or leave it. And btw it sounded killer to me. I don't see the need for it to be played regularly but it should never be retired!! 
  • SmellymanSmellyman Asia Posts: 4,524
    I think it is a bit purposeful.  He could put his all into it, but to protect his voice he doesn't anymore.

    Las time he belted it out.


  • Ray J. T.Ray J. T. Posts: 4,060
    iOnlyownMymind said:
    Ray J. T. said:
    Yup, from the video I saw it looked like there was some struggling. So glad I have been able to get this a few times live years ago when he was on point with it. 2016 Wrigley actually didn't sound bad at all. 
    And we got Comatose that show too. 
    Yes we did. It was also Night 2 where the tour came to a close where he knew he had nothing but rest ahead of him. 
  • MUZIKMUZIK Posts: 629
    Blood is amazing to hear live. Then replaying it on the bootleg is painful.

    he’s been struggling with it for years.

    i still give him credit for it lesst trying. He probably even knows it sounds terrible.


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  • lukemil33lukemil33 Vandalia, OH Posts: 231
    JB56195 said:
    It would be cool to see the song reworked/arranged so it's more in his vocal range.
    Don't get me wrong, I love Blood the way it is but it would be cool to see it reworked so that they could play it more often. Maybe drop it down like they have with Marker or Comatose to help him out? It was great to hear N1 just a bit painful watching Ed push so hard. Still amazes me the effort he puts in night after night.
  • MilestoneMilestone Posts: 1,140
    MUZIK said:
    He probably even knows it sounds terrible.
    This really got me laughing. I don’t know why.
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  • OceansJennyOceansJenny Manhattan, NY Posts: 3,394
    I think Eddie's intent in the song is to shred his vocals. Clearly not sustainable. 

    That being said, I don’t mind the current version. Slowmatose was painful though.
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  • B-GirlB-Girl Posts: 105
    OceansJenny said:
    I think Eddie's intent in the song is to shred his vocals. Clearly not sustainable. 

    That being said, I don’t mind the current version. Slowmatose was painful though.
    Just curious, why was it so bad?  Clearly, I wasn't there...  Arrangement?  Or his voice?
  • B-GirlB-Girl Posts: 105
    MUZIK said:
    Blood is amazing to hear live. Then replaying it on the bootleg is painful.

    he’s been struggling with it for years.

    i still give him credit for it lesst trying. He probably even knows it sounds terrible.


    Poor guy
  • OceansJennyOceansJenny Manhattan, NY Posts: 3,394
    B-Girl said:
    OceansJenny said:
    I think Eddie's intent in the song is to shred his vocals. Clearly not sustainable. 

    That being said, I don’t mind the current version. Slowmatose was painful though.
    Just curious, why was it so bad?  Clearly, I wasn't there...  Arrangement?  Or his voice?
    Comatose to me is meant to be played FAST. They slowed it down to what felt like half tempo and it killed it.

    My only complaint over the two nights. 
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  • nicknyr15nicknyr15 Posts: 8,671
    Blood wasn't any worse vocally than it’s been the last few years. I’m surprised no one is bringing up Life wasted. I thought that performance was the absolute low point of the two shows. Not just because EV got completely lost around the bridge but it just was all around bad. 
  • nicknyr15nicknyr15 Posts: 8,671
    nicknyr15 said:
    Blood wasn't any worse vocally than it’s been the last few years. I’m surprised no one is bringing up Life wasted. I thought that performance was the absolute low point of the two shows. Not just because EV got completely lost around the bridge but it just was all around bad. 
    Actually I just watched it on YouTube and it wasn’t as bad as I remember it. Man the sound wasn’t that great in 2018 at fenwAy. 
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 10,031
    Smellyman said:
    I think it is a bit purposeful.  He could put his all into it, but to protect his voice he doesn't anymore.

    Las time he belted it out.


    Thanks for sharing. That was an awesome version. 
    It's a hopeless situation...
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