The reception/perception of No Code

sharktroubles

Hi Everyone,

I am a newby to this forum and online forums in general. I just wanted to start out by letting people know that I just registered for Ten Club membership for the first time a few minutes ago and that I can tell that Pearl Jam and their supporting cast not only take loving care of each other, but of all their fans as well. I am lookin' forward to renewing my membership as long as possible.

I want to get something off of my chest that has been buggin' me ever since 1996: I read somewhere a Stone Gossard quote shortly after the release of "No Code" that, because that record didn't sell well initially, that he felt Pearl Jam could have done a better job on it. I became kinda' sad about his concern because I was and still am really impressed by it. That album has influenced me a great deal and has improved me as a person. Does Mr. Gossard still feel that way about "No Code" today? Does anyone out there know if he has come to realize that it was a timing issue rather than one of quality? We all keep growing and it is my hope that he can see now that Pearl Jam really scored an ace-in-the-hole and found their true collective voice (in my opinion) during those writing and recording sessions. I don't claim to know him, but he deserves a sense of solace in regards to that particular accomplishment. I can only assume that my fellow P.J. fans and Stone's inner circle have provided him with due reassurance over the years that it is in fact... awesome .

Here's to Pearl Jam and all that they have gone through that I can't begin to imagine as a fledgeling-turned-international musical/lyrical entity; a brotherhood and family who continue to search, sift through the b.s., create, and help our planet and its people with assorted messages and/or actions that I can personally use as a foundation and as a guide in my own life. They have earned my loyalty by workin' on their own terms and keepin' it real.

With Sincere Appreciation,

sharktroubles

CJMST3K

Welcome to the board!

I recall reading or hearing a quote from a band member talking about No Code in an apologetic manor, but I don't recall which member (but not Ed and not Jack).

After having bought Vs. and Vitalogy on the day of release and absolutely loving the energy and ferocity of them from even the first day I listened to them. I also got No Code when it came out while I was in college, and I was disappointed. It did however grow significantly on me. It's a more inner-album, and I think the band wanted to take the ferocity down several notches. They were also playing with a much different drummer, so that also dramatically affected their music. That, plus Jack being a close friend of Ed's makes their band a happier group of people, which I think also affected their writing. It was a 180 for the band, but a great album.

...so that's my two cents.

youngster

I keep waiting for a Pearl Jam album to top No Code. Yield came very close. But I am still waiting. The best album in their catalogue in my opinion.

Mono77

No Code its actually my favorite pj album

Backspacer 76

I love this album.At the time it was a completely different sound for Pearl Jam after releasing Ten,VS, and Vitalogy. It is one of those albums that you have to listen to several times before you can completely appreciate the fine work that was put into it. When Jack Irons joined the band I was kind of worried that he would not fit into the type of music that Pearl Jam created. Boy was I wrong! Jack made this band even better!
Sorry Dave A. & Matt C. ,I love you both and the 2 of you are incredible drummers but the work that Jack did on No Code and then followed by Yield is amazing!!!!!!! Just look at No Code and tell me how great these songs are

Sometimes
Hail, Hail
Who You Are
In My Tree
Smile
Off He Goes
Habit
Red Mosquito
Lukin
Present Tense
Mankind
I'm Open
Around The Bend

CJMST3K

Back Spacer 76 wrote:

I love this album.At the time it was a completely different sound for Pearl Jam after releasing Ten,VS, and Vitalogy. It is one of those albums that you have to listen to several times before you can completely appreciate the fine work that was put into it. When Jack Irons joined the band I was kind of worried that he would not fit into the type of music that Pearl Jam created. Boy was I wrong! Jack made this band even better!
Sorry Dave A. & Matt C. ,I love you both and the 2 of you are incredible drummers but the work that Jack did on No Code and then followed by Yield is amazing!!!!!!! Just look at No Code and tell me how great these songs are

Sometimes
Hail, Hail
Who You Are
In My Tree
Smile
Off He Goes
Habit
Red Mosquito
Lukin
Present Tense
Mankind
I'm Open
Around The Bend

Jack certainly deserves props. No Code was basically a Jack album.

I don't consider Pearl Jam to be one band. I see it as 4 bands, one for each drummer, since each drummer had a tremendous influence on the recording of the music, and a huge influence on how they played them. I prefer PJ 2, to PJ 3 as far as live material and albums, but PJ 3 really had a lot of heart!

DewieCox

No Code is great, but Hail Hail in the 2 slot takes the album down several notches for me. Just completely ruins the flow.

doompony

i love no code. it's the first pj album that i had to wait for. vitalogy had JUST come out when i became a fan. it was worth the wait. i may not have thrashed it in later years as much as some of the others, but it holds a special place in my heart. there's nothing wrong with it. and the album artwork is so fucking badass it's beyond words.

Ledbetterman10

sharktroubles wrote:

I read somewhere a Stone Gossard quote shortly after the release of "No Code" that, because that record didn't sell well initially, that he felt Pearl Jam could have done a better job on it. I became kinda' sad about his concern because I was and still am really impressed by it. That album has influenced me a great deal and has improved me as a person. Does Mr. Gossard still feel that way about "No Code" today?

Nah I bet he's changed his mind. The first three albums sold a ridiculous amount so you can understand why he may be a little bummed at the time. On the other hand, they don't really play much No Code these days so who knows?

CJMST3K

These two albums are incredible, but they are worlds apart from each other. VS has ALL amazing songs on it, and No Code also is packed with great songs (sans Mankind and I'm Open).


VS
* Go
* Animal
* Daughter
* Glorified G
* Dissident
* W.M.A.
* Blood
* Rearviewmirror
* Rats
* Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
* Leash
* Indifference


No Code
* Sometimes
* Hail, Hail
* Who You Are
* In My Tree
* Smile
* Off He Goes
* Habit
* Red Mosquito
* Lukin
* Present Tense
* Mankind
* I'm Open
* Around The Bend

crazygeo

The sessions for the album began with strife and tension. Bassist Jeff Ament wasn't made aware that the band was recording until three days into the sessions, and said that he "wasn't super involved with that record on any level."[13] Guitarist Mike McCready said, "I'm sure Jeff was pissed, but it was more about separating, because if we played all together nothing would get done. We'd all just get pissed off at each other."[13] At one point Ament even walked out of the recording sessions,[14] and considered quitting the band due to lead vocalist Eddie Vedder's control of the creation process.[15] Due to Pearl Jam balancing recording and touring, Irons commented that the band was "more on-the-fly during the making of No Code, and some good thing happened out of that, but we were also really tired. It was difficult to tour and play these shows that were two or three hours long and then force ourselves to produce something in a studio."[16]

McCready said that a lot of the songs were developed out of jam sessions, and said "I think we kind of rushed it a little bit."[17] Ament said that the band members would bring in fragments of songs, and it would take hours before Vedder could have music to which he could add vocals.[14] He added that "Ed's typically the guy who finishes off the songs...But by the end of No Code, he was so burnt, it was so much work for him."[18] By the time the album was done the band seemed to have found a calmer place in which to exist, and gave credit for this to Irons.

Backspacer 76

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

sharktroubles wrote:

I read somewhere a Stone Gossard quote shortly after the release of "No Code" that, because that record didn't sell well initially, that he felt Pearl Jam could have done a better job on it. I became kinda' sad about his concern because I was and still am really impressed by it. That album has influenced me a great deal and has improved me as a person. Does Mr. Gossard still feel that way about "No Code" today?

Nah I bet he's changed his mind. The first three albums sold a ridiculous amount so you can understand why he may be a little bummed at the time. On the other hand, they don't really play much No Code these days so who knows?

They don`t really play much NO CODE these days?
Present Tense- Mon. Aug. 24, 2009 Chicago, Illinois
Sometimes- Tues. Aug. 11, 2009 London UK
Hail Hail- Tues. Aug. 11,2009 London UK
In my tree- Fri. Aug. 28, 2009 San Francisco, CA.
Smile- SUN. Aug. 23, 2009 Chicago Illinois
Off he goes-Fri. Aug. 21, 2009 Toronto,Ontario
Lukin- Fri. Aug. 21, 2009 Toronto,Ontario

BALLBOY

Who You Are as the first single threw alot of people, even when i first heard it but Habit assured me that it was to find out the real fan from the ones who wanted to hear Alive, Jeremy & Daughter over & over again. This was the one they had to make to keep themselves sane. No Code has some of my favourite moments Smile, In My Tree & Red Mosquito with maybe their worst moment Im Open. Sadly this album is the one they seem to play least live but it was great to hear Hail Hail at London. I love No Code but the climate of music had changed with the focus changing to Britpop & i think Kiss had their umpteenth comeback. Their touring & video policy hurt the sales & image. It was the best thing they could have done cause if it wasn't for this & had they released anything else we wouldn't be getting a 9th album in a few weeks.

sharktroubles

This is very interesting...all of you guys and gals have great insight into this subject which I have found fascinating!

Thank you cjmst3k for the warm welcome.

I gotta disagree with you, Ballboy, that "I'm Open" is their worst moment.

"...at six he believed the moon followed him, by nine, he had deciphered the illusion - trading magic for fact - no tradebacks...so this is what it's like to be an adult..." Ballboy, I implore you to listen to that song over and over for it, to me, is pure genius! Maybe not for you though, and that is cool...we all tick to different time signatures.

crazygeo, I dug all that info about the sessions. I had no idea about any of that PJ history. That shed a lot of light!

cropduster82 & mono 77, I am in complete agreement with you folks on the status of No Code being the best album they have ever done...it is magical. Doompony, I also are with you too...No Code has a special place in my heart as well, Bravo! Back Spacer76, Yup, you were very eloquent not to offend Dave K.;Dave A.; and Matt C., all amazing talents in their own rights, but Jack Irons gave the band a certain feel that cannot be replicated and it has everything to do with how great No Code and Yield are. All of the people who have responded to this thread...ya'll ROCK. This be a waaay cool community...but what would one expect from the people that see Pearl Jam for what they truly are: A fuckin' badass (thx. Doompony) mofo rock n' roll band that have done their homework and see this world of ours very clearly. We are all extremely fortunate that Jack Irons got Eddie together with Stone,Jeff and Mike. Presently, we even get to enjoy Matt's magnificent contributions as writer, musician and overall super-cool presence. Ament, man...er... I meant Amen, man.

Renee33

Great album. As stated by Kim Neely it was "the right album at the wrong time - -mature and more philosophical" - to me the band turned a positive corner with this album. (No Code saved this band...from themselves, and self destructing.)

sharktroubles

RJNadge4 wrote:

Great album. As stated by Kim Neely it was "the right album at the wrong time - -mature and more philosophical" - to me the band turned a positive corner with this album. (No Code saved this band...from themselves, and self destructing.)

Thanks for reminding me of the Kim Neely quote, RJNadge4. I forgot 'bout dat one! I like yer opinion, too .

hrd2imgn

for me it was just the album I needed in my life. I was getting ready to go into the real world as a college grad in a year more. My family had some issues I had to deal with, personal issues so far as just maturing into an adult to name a few things. I needed an album that helped me reflect upon myself, who I wanted to be as a person, and what life may bring. This album was just flat out exactly what I wanted/needed. I have called it my favorite album since then (Master of Puppets a close second). Musically my tastes were shifting too away from Heavy metal, and even Alt rock into a more diverse set of artists. The drumming of Jack just stuck to me like glue. I loved the buildup of sometimes, and to be honest I loved getting knocked on my ass by hail hail right after it, I think I have always enjoyed shows that have opened with a slower buildup song into something hard and fast like Release into Go.

Who You Are, into In My Tree into Smile was just and still is one of my favorite 1-2-3 combos.

though musically I think habit was not the greatest version on the album (I find it better live) the guitar intro bugs me like some of Vitalogy does. I think the purpose of it fits well with the rest of the work. It really has almost a story in it for me- the songs in the album as a whole not habit itself.

to each their own, I will love this album as long as I live

Evolution6579

Sharks patrol these waters, sharks patrol these waters
Don't let your fingers dangle in the water
And don't worry about that dayglo orange life preserver
It wont save you, it wont save you
Swim for the shore just as fast as your able
Swim like a motherfucker, swim

Even if you are not a Morphine fan and have no idea what I'm talking about...I like your username.

I appreciated your thoughts and questions.

Welcome to the board!

sharktroubles

hrd2imgn wrote:

for me it was just the album I needed in my life. I was getting ready to go into the real world as a college grad in a year more. My family had some issues I had to deal with, personal issues so far as just maturing into an adult to name a few things. I needed an album that helped me reflect upon myself, who I wanted to be as a person, and what life may bring. This album was just flat out exactly what I wanted/needed.

Right on! I could not have stated that any better myself. Pearl Jam, among other artists have provided me with more help than I can ever imagine. This is why we are here and why music and art serve us to better ourselves and those around us...just on an energy level.

sharktroubles

Thanks a million Evolution6579,

I never had the pleasure of getting into Morphine. I had an oppurtunity to see them live in '89 and, regrettably, did not do so. Those lyrics are fanfriggintastic and I interpret them to be a metaphor for escaping or blocking out bad stuff that surrounds all of us...and the verb "swimming", in this case, I understand to mean using your own personal power to do so.

You rock, bro! Thank you for the lyrics, and the compliment of my thoughts/words/questions and the creativity of my username. Your warm welcome of me to this board also has made my day!

P.S. Your avatar photo is adorable...if I am to assume that that is you and your daughter. You two appear to be truly blessed .