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Anyone ever had this reaction regarding PJ?

FitzFitz Posts: 169
edited December 2007 in The Porch
I recently made a CD for a mate thinking he would like PJ and put some real corkers on it to. When I said a while later 'what do you think?' His reaction was: 'The music arangement is fantastic, some of it very much like the Who but I don't like Vedder's voice'

Now I can honestly say thats the first person I have ever heard say that, normally non fans from my experience seem to find it PJ's strongest point. Anyone else had that?
"First of all, there’s the palpable camaraderie and good feeling you get from the entire band as they smile and nod at each other, and huddle together in various formations throughout the show --- They look like they really like each other. They look stoked!"
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  • HebejebeHebejebe Posts: 108
    Fitz wrote:
    I recently made a CD for a mate thinking he would like PJ and put some real corkers on it to. When I said a while later 'what do you think?' His reaction was: 'The music arangement is fantastic, some of it very much like the Who but I don't like Vedder's voice'

    Now I can honestly say thats the first person I have ever heard say that, normally non fans from my experience seem to find it PJ's strongest point. Anyone else had that?
    I think you'll find that a great number of people find Ed's voice an acquired taste.
  • Kilgore_TroutKilgore_Trout Posts: 7,334
    all my PJ hating friends say the same thing... its got a deep throaty vibrato to it that just bugs some people... to each their own
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  • gozzo5058gozzo5058 Posts: 611
    Hebejebe wrote:
    I think you'll find that a great number of people find Ed's voice an acquired taste.

    ...and the odd whoesque guitar chords once and awhile. All rock n roll is derivitive/an acquired taste to some extent, so the comment isn't so out of place. Hey, to each their own.
    s

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  • pjfan31pjfan31 Posts: 7,333
    Hebejebe wrote:
    I think you'll find that a great number of people find Ed's voice an acquired taste.

    Just like olives. And i like olives too
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  • glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762
    from my experience the biggest detractors find ed's "singing" very annoying.
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  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,561
    no i havent
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Fitz wrote:
    I recently made a CD for a mate thinking he would like PJ and put some real corkers on it to. When I said a while later 'what do you think?' His reaction was: 'The music arangement is fantastic, some of it very much like the Who but I don't like Vedder's voice'

    Now I can honestly say thats the first person I have ever heard say that, normally non fans from my experience seem to find it PJ's strongest point. Anyone else had that?

    most people i know that don't like pearl jam don't like them becos of ed's voice.
  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    soulsinging wrote:
    most people i know that don't like pearl jam don't like them becos of ed's voice.
    same here.. either they don't know them, or they don't like Ed. his voice is very distinctive, unlike many bands.

    the voice is the most obvious, and so potentially annoying thing in a band, and whislt you can change a guitar, put effects on it, etc... the voice doesn't change that much from one song to the next, it's a constant.
  • Bangers_n_mashBangers_n_mash Posts: 1,241
    soulsinging wrote:
    most people i know that don't like pearl jam don't like them becos of ed's voice.
    Yeah but I think blaming Ed's voice is just these people's lame excuse to not bother listening.
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  • jwillmojwillmo Posts: 470
    Seriously? His voice has always seemed to me to be the most divisive part of the group. Most every casual fan I know likes PJ because of his voice, and most every hater I know hates them for his voice. I can't believe you've never run into this before.
  • JulienJulien Posts: 2,457
    People hating PJ are crazy !
    People hating Ed's voice ar crazy !
    Come on, hwo can one don't like that voice ! i don't get it...
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  • MakingWavesMakingWaves Posts: 1,293
    My wife likes the music but says she can't stand Eddies voice. Of course I tell her she is crazy and turn it up louder.
    But I have heard a few people say they don't like his voice.
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  • Hitch-HikerHitch-Hiker Posts: 2,873
    That's the most common reaction to Pearl Jam for people who don't like them. Not odd in the slightest.
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  • rearviewmirorrearviewmiror Posts: 894
    That's what I hear from everyone. "I just can't stand his voice"

    I felt the same, it was the only reason i didn't get on board till the summer before vs. came out. I love it now, but I get what people are saying.
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  • Strangest TribeStrangest Tribe Posts: 2,502
    People used to and still say the same about Robert Plant.

    So it really doesn't mean anything... And it shouldn't matter to the real fans.
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  • brainofmebrainofme Posts: 231
    of course i can't understand why people don't like ed's voice, but i totally understand why the voice is the aspect that makes them not like pj. whether i like or not like a band has a lot to do with the singers voice, and i guess that's the case with most people. if you find the voice annoying you probably don't like the band.
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  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    When I first heard Pearl Jam back in 1992, early '93, I didn't like Pearl Jam because of Ed's voice. During the summer of '93 my best friend forced Pearl Jam on me all summer and I eventually grew into it.

    Look at me now.
  • One Song GloryOne Song Glory Posts: 710
    None of my housemates like Pearl Jam very much...and they've heard quite a lot of it in the past year and a half. :D One of them sort of likes them but would never listen to them of her own accord and one knows a lot of the hits through her older brother but still doesn't care either way. The others can't stand them and don't understand why I don't like "good music like Nickelback or Rihanna!" :confused: From what I've gathered, it IS his voice they don't like. I listen to more live stuff than studio, and they can never figure out what he's saying. I think that's a biggie -- we know the lyrics so well we don't have any problems and I know I personally love the way he lets the lyrics run together, but the average joe can hardly string together a few words listening to a live song they've never heard from this band. I'm sure it can be annoying and just sound like mumbled nonsense. Although I don't know if it's even just Ed that they don't like -- they just aren't fans of real rock music to begin with...they find guitar solos or extended jams boring. :( But I DO see where they're coming from with his voice. Unless you've really been exposed to it long enough to appreciate his vocal ability or loved it right from the beginning, it probably doesn't sound like anything special.
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  • danedane Posts: 1,062
    An Ed basher is no friend of mine! ;)
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  • chiquimonkeychiquimonkey Posts: 9,337
    i've heard that too, how people don't like ed's voice. i remember one time i was driving my parents around and i had benaroya on (i figured it's mellow, good tuneage), and my dad says the music's nice but why does that guy sound like a sheep bleating :confused: lol

    i guess ed's voice is an acquired taste, but i love it so that's all that matters to me :)
  • JordyWordyJordyWordy Posts: 2,261
    i had a pj mix cd in my car . it had a fairly varied mix of stuff....like No Way, Immortality, BOJ, Black, STBC, Thin Air, HTI, Deep, Footsteps, Inside Job, NAIS.....

    three diff friends were in the car and they loved the cd so i copied for the three of them (they asked who it was during the first song - i said it was a mix of diff songs - so i think they assumed i meant different bands)...

    cos d next week they were asking me who the diff bands on the cd were cos the diff styles and stuff were great.....i was surprised. anytime before id told them a song was by PJ they didnt like it. but once they thought it was someone else they loved most of it. ("loved that little love song - Thin Air - but didnt like the guy with the whiny voice" - Present Tense).

    but yeah, overall, peope i know are definitely put off by his voice. certain singers put me off bands for ages before i got over it (cold war kids, wilco, the shins are good examples - love em all now though)
  • bovy_jbovy_j Posts: 1,008
    soulsinging wrote:
    most people i know that don't like pearl jam don't like them becos of ed's voice.

    Yeah, it's the same with me.
    But, fuck em! I don't care. I got my PJ, and I love Ed's voice!
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,882
    Fitz wrote:
    I recently made a CD for a mate thinking he would like PJ and put some real corkers on it to. When I said a while later 'what do you think?' His reaction was: 'The music arangement is fantastic, some of it very much like the Who but I don't like Vedder's voice'

    Now I can honestly say thats the first person I have ever heard say that, normally non fans from my experience seem to find it PJ's strongest point. Anyone else had that?


    I think his voice is the number one turn off to the band. just as Robert Plant's voice was for Led Zeppelin. If you like it (like we do), you love it. but they are unique voices that aren't for everyone. I've heard people say Vedder puts them to sleep and that Plant sounds like a girl.
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  • anothercloneanotherclone Posts: 1,688
    I have been working on a good friend for years to get him to be a fan. I'm not giving up on him. Recently, he likened Ed's voice to "goat boy". I think I'm making progress because at least he's thinking more about it. :D

    Don't give up on the haters!

    I remember my first impression many years ago was not a good one. His voice bothered me. Now I love it so much, I can't imagine going through my life NOT having heard it.
  • PureandEasyPureandEasy Posts: 5,799
    Julien wrote:
    People hating PJ are crazy !
    People hating Ed's voice ar crazy !
    Come on, hwo can one don't like that voice ! i don't get it...

    it's called personal taste, some people like apples and some like oranges

    some like both

    neither one is more right than the other
  • joseppijoseppi Posts: 58
    I've never gotten any really bad responses from people knowing I'm a huge Pearl Jam fan; most of my friends think they're great anyway. I've been teased a few times by people saying they're just a cover band now.
  • MattCameronKicksButtMattCameronKicksButt Posts: 4,317
    My partner says it all the time. :D
  • ViggoViggo Posts: 274
    A friend told me it sounds that he is crying.

    One other said: "He sounds drunk".
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  • MattCameronKicksButtMattCameronKicksButt Posts: 4,317
    Viggo wrote:
    A friend told me it sounds that he is crying.

    One other said: "He sounds drunk".

    A friend told me he need's to 'sing up' and my mum always said 'I don't understand what he's singing'.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Bangers'n'mash wrote:
    Yeah but I think blaming Ed's voice is just these people's lame excuse to not bother listening.

    suit yourself. i think they just don't like his voice. why does it have to be an excuse?
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