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I was thinking over the weekend about that magical first year for the band...

vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
edited June 2008 in The Porch
I was sick this whole weekend so I was pretty much stuck on my couch, and I got to thinking about that year from the fall of 1990 to the fall of 1991. It's just absolutely amazing not only the QUANTITY of material the boys produced, but the QUALITY. I am a musician, as well as a singer/songwriter so I know all too well how difficult it is to write ONE great song let alone LOTS of great songs. The level of inspiration and creativity that struck those guys in that rehearsal space almost NEVER happens. All the planets must have been in line or something cosmic.

Think about it, not only did they write 11 absolutely classic songs for their debut, but then there was their killer contributions to the Temple of the Dog project, and the 2 stellar songs for the Singles soundtrack, plus all the b-sides and other songs that were penned that year:

I've got a feeling(I'm not an idiot, I know this was a cover, but they OWNED this song;)
Alone
Footsteps
Yellow Ledbetter
Wash
Leash
Let me sleep
Just a girl
Brother

I mean, it's mind-boggling!!! It usually takes a GREAT band with GREAT musicians
YEARS to write and record the same amount of classic songs as our boys did in a fucking year!!!

Sorry if I'm babbling. I'm running a fever
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • JordyWordyJordyWordy Posts: 2,261
    scary how great it all was isnt it? and so prolific.

    even "Goat" included in that statement...everything they touched in that year turned to gold. riffs, solos, moody bass, and string vocals. epic
  • vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
    JordyWordy wrote:
    scary how great it all was isnt it? and so prolific.

    even "Goat" included in that statement...everything they touched in that year turned to gold. riffs, solos, moody bass, and string vocals. epic

    I was wondering when someone was going to reply. You're so right. Everything they touched turned to gold.
  • Rhinocerous SurpriseRhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    I'll be the asshole who says it: I've Got A Feeling was written a few years beforehand, by John and Paul. :)

    But yeah, PJ could do no wrong in that first year. And they've done very little wrong since. ;)
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.
  • vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
    Rhinocerous Surprise wrote:
    I'll be the asshole who says it: I've Got A Feeling was written a few years beforehand, by John and Paul. :)

    But yeah, PJ could do no wrong in that first year. And they've done very little wrong since. ;)

    You know what I mean, they did a GREAT job covering it. They really made it their own. What other band of that era would even think about covering a Beatles tune? I personally HATE the Beatles, but I LOVE this tune.
  • Rhinocerous SurpriseRhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    vedderoffdead wrote:
    You know what I mean, they did a GREAT job covering it. They really made it their own. What other band of that era would even think about covering a Beatles tune? I personally HATE the Beatles, but I LOVE this tune.

    Well, I love the Beatles, but I agree - excellent cover. And nothing beats the lyrics changes Ed put in... "Everybody misses Andy... We'll be seeing him in him in no time." :)
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.
  • vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
    Rhinocerous Surprise wrote:
    Well, I love the Beatles, but I agree - excellent cover. And nothing beats the lyrics changes Ed put in... "Everybody misses Andy... We'll be seeing him in him in no time." :)

    I know, bro. I get shivers when I hear that line...
  • noceilingnoceiling Posts: 41
    I respect the early work of PJ.

    But I must disagree here. Yield is a better album than Ten.

    The music on Yield is more challenging than that on Ten.

    The lyrics on Yield are brilliant. The songs hit you and challenge your thoughts in ways Ten, or the songs you highlight, never could.

    Ten and the early stuff are songs about being angry and young.

    Yield, No Code, Binaural and all that follows is about this big question we call life.

    Just my two cents.
    Hartford 10/02/96 & 09/13/98
    Pittsburg 8/25/98 & 4/26/03
    Cleveland 8/26/98
    Camden 9/02/00 & 06/19/08 (my birthday!)
    Columbia, MD 9/04/00
    State College 5/03/03
    Reading, PA 10/01/04
    Albany 5/12/06
    Washington DC 5/30/06 & 06/22/08
  • vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
    noceiling wrote:
    I respect the early work of PJ.

    But I must disagree here. Yield is a better album than Ten.

    The music on Yield is more challenging than that on Ten.

    The lyrics on Yield are brilliant. The songs hit you and challenge your thoughts in ways Ten, or the songs you highlight, never could.

    Ten and the early stuff are songs about being angry and young.

    Yield, No Code, Binaural and all that follows is about this big question we call life.

    Just my two cents.

    I wasn't really tring to compare Ten with any of their other work. I LOVE Yield. What I'm saying is how amazing it was considering the circumstances(Andy Wood's untimely passing namely) that they were able to write so many absolute CLASSIC songs. Talk about turning tragedy into triumph. There will NEVER EVER EVER be another Ten. It perfectly captured a moment in time not only for the band but for a TON of people that grew up around that time, including myself.
  • Stone IronsStone Irons Posts: 430
    In that first year they also went through three drummers (Krusen, Chamberlain, and Abbruzzese).
    Can't escape from the common rule...
    If you hate something, don't you do it too
  • vedderoffdeadvedderoffdead Posts: 684
    Stone Irons wrote:
    In that first year they also went through three drummers (Krusen, Chamberlain, and Abbruzzese).

    Well, technically went 'through' 2 and 'landed' on 1.
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