Five Against One - The Pearl Jam Story... who's read it?

doompony

pleatherman wrote:

Here is a link to Dave Abbruzzese's transcript. A lot of hecklers were present for that chat.
http://web.archive.org/web/20000831154342/http://www.boomtheory.com/BoomChat/Transcripts/Abbruzz.html

that made my head explode.

I_GOT_no_IDea

pleatherman wrote:

Here is a link to Dave Abbruzzese's transcript. A lot of hecklers were present for that chat.
http://web.archive.org/web/20000831154342/http://www.boomtheory.com/BoomChat/Transcripts/Abbruzz.html

wow - there really were some fucked up questions there. he did handle most of it with patience - but a lotta those answers were very sarcastic, so one could definitely misinterpret a few of them.
ps my head's exploded too DP.

I_GOT_no_IDea

pleatherman wrote:

After I read it, I actually threw the book away. I really had no business learning all this private info concerning Eddie. Made me feel kinda "icky". Yet, I can't help but finish a book once I get to the halfway point. I guess, at the time, I was fiending for any stories illuminating the mystique of my favorite band. If you're into tabloid-like gossip or want an enlongated version of the 1996 Rolling Stone cover story (to which even Courtney Love sent a letter to the editors in defense of Eddie's character!) then this book is for you.
...
By no means do I consider the band members uncapable of acting maliciously or without tact, but 'Five Against One' is slanted by points of view from those holding a grudge; most notably Abbruzzese.
...
And I don't even need to elaborate on the concept of having Ed's own step-father give a detailed account of family history. That's just pathetic. Although like any lawyer, I'm sure he felt it necessary to have a counter-argument against Eddie's publicized statements regarding him.
...
So what are the good points about the book? Well, the detailed account of the whole Ticketmaster debacle is laid out rather comprehensively. And in the early days, the author actually had contact with the band, supplying some well-rounded biographical substance. As opposed to the later, flimsy chapters that comprise one of the band’s most interesting periods (1995-1997). The reason, of course, being they were on a virtual press blackout.

fair analysis pleatherman. i know what you mean about the invasion of privacy - funnily enough, i've never sought this kind of information about pearl jam or any of its members before. i've never really cared one way or the other about their private lives, just adored their music more than any other band's. i was given the book as a gift, and read it enthusiastically - i thought, sure, why not read up on the ins and outs of my favourite band's history? while i did enjoy it, the book is by no means a complete picture, even of the periods it supposedly captures. for all it's flaws though, it was interesting to hear these 2 main viewpoints. for those who haven't read it, don't expect anything comprehensive or unbiased - think of it as "5 against 1 - parts of the pearl jam story according to kim neely, peter mueller and dave abbruzzese". i guess we won't get any huge insights into the last 12 years any time soon, apart from occasional interviews and more importantly their music and performances that we've been so priviledged to experience... and hope to experience long into the future.

doompony

it should be called 3 against 1





*boom chish*

pleatherman

One element of 'Five Against One' I appreciate is some of the myths the author deconstructs. If I'm not mistaken, this may contain one of the first published accounts uncovering the oft-repeated mantra of pearl jam = Grandma Pearl's "hallucinogenic preserve recipe" as a tale of fiction. Neely also sheds some light on key moments concerning Eddie's initial contact with the band members that tends to be omitted during their own personal recollections of that time.

There were other instances in the book that makes me question the author's credibility. When summarizing the musical output of Bad Radio, she describes, if my hazy memory serves me correctly, Eddie singing in a higher register then the booming baritone he is later renowned for. As most of you know, this couldn't be further from the truth. In the late '80's I find his voice, with the exception of 'Daddy I Swear', to be almost deeper then what I hear on 'Ten'. Based on his vocal style alone, he could have recorded a Bad Radio demo and his part for 'Hungerstrike' on the same day, and there would be little to distinguish. She also depicts Eddie as being critical of Mark Pellington's work on the 'Jeremy' video. On the contrary, Ed has consistently commended the director's creative take on the song, even when the video was played on MTV almost ad nauseam. Maybe I could get a fact checker to verify my statements; as it has been a long time since I've read it.

Perhaps after Cameron Crowe finishes the pearl jam documentary, he’ll consider writing their biography, as well. The weird thing is Cameron may have, unwittingly, planted the initial seeds that led to some of the ways Eddie is, at times, unfairly characterized in Kim Neely's book. Here is an excerpt from his 1993 Rolling Stone cover story.
‘You wonder, of course, if this is all part of Vedder's elaborate defense mechanism. How can you attack the man who attacks himself? How can you doubt the credibility of a man who won an MTV Video Award for "Jeremy" and then told 50 million viewers, "If it wasn't for music, I would have shot myself in front of that classroom." For all his open-wound honesty, there are many mysteries that Vedder still clings to. Even a close band mate like McCready says: "No, I don't know if we've ever had that big, bonding talk yet. Our relationship is still growing. We'll probably have it sometime soon."
Asked about his childhood, Vedder plays it close to his chest. He tells an anecdote about waiting tables back in Chicago. He tells of moving to San Diego and buying beanbag chairs and his first bad stereo. He tells of bootlegging shows, something he still does with a pocket-size microrecorder. All perfect sound bites for populist myth making, but when confronted with questions about his childhood, Vedder becomes vague. Of his earliest memories, he says only, "I'm confused. I'm mixed up about everything. I don't know what's happening now."’

pleatherman

Not to beat a dead horse (because that would be a sadistic thing to do) regarding the Dave Abbruzzese situation but, although for awhile he felt slighted by getting dismissed from pearl jam, even he realizes it was the exact right thing to do- "I can definitely step back now and say that I might not have been the right guy for those guys all along. But at the same time, I can tell you with all honesty that they weren't the right guys for me, either, and I don't feel bad about that." He could have left it at that, instead of deriding his former bandmates in 'Five Against One'.

helplessdancer

i'm not interested in reading this book in the least

maybe one day an official biography, but otherwise, to me, it's just mindless crap. IMO

joebot

pleatherman wrote:

Here is a link to Dave Abbruzzese's transcript. A lot of hecklers were present for that chat.
http://web.archive.org/web/20000831154342/http://www.boomtheory.com/BoomChat/Transcripts/Abbruzz.html

Wow, that read like an post modern media student art project. If one can sift through that madness some pretty interesting tidbits include calling Eddie a chump, having an arrow put through his stickman tattoos head and that he doesn't even like the style of PJ's music in general. He seems like a pretty cool down to earth dude who's at peace with his experience in the band. Perhaps everyone can make nice at the hall of fame induction ceremony when the time comes.

CJMST3K

joebot wrote:

pleatherman wrote:

Here is a link to Dave Abbruzzese's transcript. A lot of hecklers were present for that chat.
http://web.archive.org/web/20000831154342/http://www.boomtheory.com/BoomChat/Transcripts/Abbruzz.html

Wow, that read like an post modern media student art project. If one can sift through that madness some pretty interesting tidbits include calling Eddie a chump, having an arrow put through his stickman tattoos head and that he doesn't even like the style of PJ's music in general. He seems like a pretty cool down to earth dude who's at peace with his experience in the band. Perhaps everyone can make nice at the hall of fame induction ceremony when the time comes.

I would certainly hope so. It will depend on who's egos win.

Seeing Van Halen inducted without Alex and Eddie was sad.

i_lov_it

Lizard wrote:

Read it years and years ago.
Just saw it on the bookshelf when I was dusting...(yeah, don't dust there very often I guess!)

i_lov_it wrote:

Yep...I've READ it...I Pissed MySelf Laughing all the way through IT!!!...lol

I hope you have Depends--you seem to do that a lot!!!

It's one of My FAVOURITE things To DO...PMSL

I_GOT_no_IDea

shiningstar wrote:

i'm not interested in reading this book in the least

maybe one day an official biography, but otherwise, to me, it's just mindless crap. IMO

how do you know it's mindless crap if you haven't read it? if you did read it you'd probably confirm, as we've discussed, that a lot of it is perhaps mindless crap, but there's actually some good stuff in there too. a good opinion's an informed one i say! i agree that an official biography would be great :-)

doompony

each band members take on their history.. except they're not allowed to read anything that the others have said.. only the last line.. like one of those whacky stories you used to write at school that made no sense but OH HOW FUN!

i'd like to see that...

sagapo1

cropduster82 wrote:

Take it for what it's worth, but Wikipedia has a pretty detailed description of their 98-present years. I thought about this a few months ago reading the Spin article but I find it kind of hypocritical of Ed to be pissed at Dave A for buying a new car with his Ten/VS money, yet in the article the author says he was visting at one of Ed's Seattle homes. It's not cool to buy a car with your own money, but it's cool to buy numerous houses? Just seems hypocritical to me.

Read it years ago.
I don't think it's as simple as "not cool to buy a car with your own money."
I believe it's more along the lines of how you react to material things. It's just a car. Does it talk?
You could have things and be humble -- cars, homes. But, I think it's more about attitude.
Material things mean nothing, really.
They are just "things."
I hate when people talk about their "things", I could puke.

cajunkiwi

joebot wrote:

Read it, liked it, but so much has happened since that book.

The Eddie - Dave A thing, how i would of loved to been privy to their awkward relationship. Interesting how you can work so well with someone musically and just don't dig them as a person.

Kind of like the Keith Richards quote that turned into a Better Than Ezra album title:

"When asked how he and Mick Jagger stayed together for so long, Keith (Richards) took a long drag from his cigarette and said, 'Friction, baby.'"

Kat

Not sure what's up with the gossipy threads that have been appearing recently but we're a music site and another read-through of the Posting Guidelines could help a few members to reaffirm what we're about. Again, the band's personal lives are private and speculation about someone else's life is just that, speculation...and gossip. Whether it's gossip about the band or each other...it isn't pretty and isn't ok here.

The band didn't participate with this book but maybe one day the band will do their own book.

Thanks for cooperating, luvs.

Kat