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did Mike sell his soul between 98-2000?

pc_loadletterpc_loadletter Posts: 164
edited January 2008 in The Porch
mikes guitar playing during their 2000 tour is what got me hooked to pearl jam. hes always been an impressive guitar player, but prior to the 2000 tour his solos were pretty weak..... thats in comparison to what they are now. it just seems like his skill went through the roof between yield and binaural. did he sell his soul at the crossroads like the great robert johnson?


probably not

but there's no denying that his style improved. does anyone else know what im talking about?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    i get what your saying....


    hey you never know! ive actually been considering it :D


    I think its probably due to getting older, and better... it kind of happens naturally with things , instrument players especially
  • rival.rival. Chicago Posts: 7,775
    i've been watching a lot of clips from the 2000 tour on youtube, and mike is on fire, rocking HARD! the 2000 tour was real special... the whole band was on another planet.

    edit: especially during the european shows!
  • Stone Is GodStone Is God Posts: 1,331
    The more you play the more you get sick of hammering out the same thing over and over so you might experiment more and find a totally new thing to try that you never thought of before. I've always enjoyed listening to his solos.

    I have to agree about the 2000 tour. The man was a house of fire. I ran through a bootleg of a show I went to back in 00 and his solos were on point all the way through.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me.
  • Tremendous UpsideTremendous Upside Posts: 118
    Don't underestimate the power of sobriety
  • velogatorvelogator Posts: 174
    that about the time he stopped partying? I think it is, maybe it was just a matter of him playing better sober???
    Manchester, TN - 2008
    Washington, D.C. - 2008
    Philadelphia, PA I - 2009
    Bristow, VA - 2010
    Baltimore, MD - 2013
    Milwaukee, WI - 2014
    Hampton, VA - 2016
  • jordn6971jordn6971 Posts: 675
    velogator wrote:
    that about the time he stopped partying? I think it is, maybe it was just a matter of him playing better sober???

    That's what I remember hearing at the time.
    "There was a band playing in my head, and I felt like getting high"
  • pc_loadletterpc_loadletter Posts: 164
    velogator wrote:
    that about the time he stopped partying? I think it is, maybe it was just a matter of him playing better sober???


    but i read somewhere, or heard, that he became addicted to pills around that time.
  • velogatorvelogator Posts: 174
    pc_loadletter wrote:
    but i read somewhere, or heard, that he became addicted to pills around that time.

    Hmmm, I'd heard that he cleaned everything up at that point, I think I read that in a recent guitar mag (well, about 4-5 months ago) that had an interview with him.
    Manchester, TN - 2008
    Washington, D.C. - 2008
    Philadelphia, PA I - 2009
    Bristow, VA - 2010
    Baltimore, MD - 2013
    Milwaukee, WI - 2014
    Hampton, VA - 2016
  • NewJPageNewJPage Posts: 3,310
    i think he got back into it in 2000. he's been good (as far as we know) since, which is good.

    his playing, from what i hear, picked up a bit in '98. not sure what the difference is, cause sometimes being totally fucked up will make you play better (or, at least you think you are playing better...). jimmy page was on shit all the time...hendrix too. they could still wail. so i have no idea and am rambling.
    6/26/98, 8/17/00, 10/8/00, 12/8/02, 12/9/02, 4/25/03, 5/28/03, 6/1/03, 6/3/03, 6/5/03, 6/6/03, 6/12/03, 6/13/03, 6/15/03, 6/18/03, 6/21/03, 6/22/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03, 10/3/04, 10/5/04, 9/9/05, 9/11/05, 9/16/05, 5/16/06, 5/17/06, 5/19/06, 6/30/06, 7/23/06, 8/5/07, 6/30/08, 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 5/4/10, 5/7/10, 9/3/11, 9/4/11, 10/11/13, 10/17/14, 8/20/16
  • Kilgore_TroutKilgore_Trout Posts: 7,334
    no... i think those guitar lessons from stone just started paying off around that time... thats right... the man commonly referred to as the "master" is in fact the apprentice... and stoneys a jedi knight!
    "Senza speme vivemo in disio"

    http://seanbriceart.com/
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,919
    pc_loadletter wrote:
    mikes guitar playing during their 2000 tour is what got me hooked to pearl jam. hes always been an impressive guitar player, but prior to the 2000 tour his solos were pretty weak..... thats in comparison to what they are now. it just seems like his skill went through the roof between yield and binaural. did he sell his soul at the crossroads like the great robert johnson?


    probably not

    but there's no denying that his style improved. does anyone else know what im talking about?

    I totally agree that 2000 was Mike's best year. I don't know think he was weak prior to that though. think of some of the Evenflows or Porches throughout the years. as for now? well, listen to any Evenflow from 2006-2007 and you'll see how far he's fallen off. holding one note forever. it really sounds awful. the drum solo tries to redeem it...but that song isn't what it once was
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • Kilgore_TroutKilgore_Trout Posts: 7,334
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    I totally agree that 2000 was Mike's best year. I don't know think he was weak prior to that though. think of some of the Evenflows or Porches throughout the years. as for now? well, listen to any Evenflow from 2006-2007 and you'll see how far he's fallen off. holding one note forever. it really sounds awful. the drum solo tries to redeem it...but that song isn't what it once was
    evenflow getting old has nothing to do with mikes abilities... its an old fuckin song! can you imagine how hard it must be for mikey to try to do something new with it every night... cant be easy... his playing is just as good as ever... if its struggling at all recently its cause hes getting more into the audience and doing goofy jumping and spinning... which i love!
    "Senza speme vivemo in disio"

    http://seanbriceart.com/
  • Niko80Niko80 Posts: 1,608
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    I totally agree that 2000 was Mike's best year. I don't know think he was weak prior to that though. think of some of the Evenflows or Porches throughout the years. as for now? well, listen to any Evenflow from 2006-2007 and you'll see how far he's fallen off. holding one note forever. it really sounds awful. the drum solo tries to redeem it...but that song isn't what it once was

    Yeah, I tend to feel this way too. Mike is repeating himself more and more frequently and he's not on the creative level he used to.

    I guess its just him getting old and setteling for convenience.
    I will swallow poison
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,919
    sgossard3 wrote:
    evenflow getting old has nothing to do with mikes abilities... its an old fuckin song! can you imagine how hard it must be for mikey to try to do something new with it every night... cant be easy... his playing is just as good as ever... if its struggling at all recently its cause hes getting more into the audience and doing goofy jumping and spinning... which i love!

    I agree that everything that could be done with that song has been done. and he surely hasn't become bad or anything. but he has aged and it shows in his playing. listen to a boot from anything up to 2000 and listen to the new shows. same way as 1979 Jimmy Page had nothing on 1971 Jimmy Page.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • whoYOUarewhoYOUare Posts: 274
    Tremendous Upside wrote:
    Don't underestimate the power of sobriety
    bah, that shit is over rated...











    JOKING
    peace
  • stateoflove79stateoflove79 Posts: 2,845
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    I totally agree that 2000 was Mike's best year. I don't know think he was weak prior to that though. think of some of the Evenflows or Porches throughout the years. as for now? well, listen to any Evenflow from 2006-2007 and you'll see how far he's fallen off. holding one note forever. it really sounds awful. the drum solo tries to redeem it...but that song isn't what it once was

    I agree that the song is not what it once was, but it has nothing to do with Mike. It is b/c they play it at every damn show they play, just about.

    Give it a rest!! :D
    Is it so wrong to think that love can keep us safe?
  • Army & NavyArmy & Navy Posts: 120
    I think Mike was pretty good in 2003, the Even Flow solos were insane (MSG 1) and some amazing Black solos (S.College)

    I have to agree about 2006-2007 - E.Flow was horrible, just noisy, uninteresting solos, I am waiting on the Cameron drum solo to stop Mike.
  • Kilgore_TroutKilgore_Trout Posts: 7,334
    Army & Navy wrote:
    I think Mike was pretty good in 2003, the Even Flow solos were insane (MSG 1) and some amazing Black solos (S.College)

    I have to agree about 2006-2007 - E.Flow was horrible, just noisy, uninteresting solos, I am waiting on the Cameron drum solo to stop Mike.
    jesus... drums solos are an even bigger joke... i couldnt believe how much valuable song time they wasted at lolla with that shit... i LOVE matt but id rather just some good songs!
    "Senza speme vivemo in disio"

    http://seanbriceart.com/
  • brainofPJbrainofPJ Posts: 2,361
    singularity wrote:
    i've been watching a lot of clips from the 2000 tour on youtube, and mike is on fire, rocking HARD! the 2000 tour was real special... the whole band was on another planet.

    edit: especially during the european shows!


    this is what i have always said.

    i have only been around since the Binaural Tour...

    but Binaural translates so perfectly live...

    all opinion i guess.


    Esther's here and she's sick?

    hi Esther, now we are all going to be sick, thanks
  • AiCPearlJamWeenAiCPearlJamWeen Posts: 785
    Nah, just watch Mad Season live at the Moore, during November Hotel. Mikes best solo ever, IMO.
  • pc_loadletterpc_loadletter Posts: 164
    totally RETARDED question, but i have to ask.

    to play at the speed that mike does, does one have to practice his/her ass off? or does something like that come naturally? like, if you aren't able to do it after a certain amount of time, does that mean you never will be able to?
  • Cropduster84Cropduster84 Posts: 1,283
    love this.....mike kicking ass........

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=bQzSGVd6rgY
    'The more I studied religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.' - Sir Richard Francis Burton
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