Message to the band and all who love PJ...
mkleffner
Posts: 3
I just posted this in the "Lost Dogs" section, probably because I am listening to that album now, and (as mentioned below), it has special significance to me. In any event, re-posting in the more appropriate forum.
I just watched PJ 20 again. As usual, it gets me thinking about how much PJ means to me. For some, that may sound weird. But, it's not.
I am 36. PJ started getting big when I was in late high school. I think most of us remember our high school years, and I remember sitting on the porch steps of a friend's house talking about attending PJ's concert at the University of Kansas' "Day on the Hill." We didn't make it, but I remember talking about it. Those were the early years.
When I went to college, I remember waiting outside Atomic Records in Milwaukee at midnight for the release of Vs. and Vitalogy with a great friend to buy the album. I also remember "porching" with that same great friend, which meant re-enacting the MTV Unplugged rendition of Porch, almost always when we had too much to drink. I also remember when I changed my major and gave up my first career of becoming a doctor. After giving up that dream, I put on Black and started to cry (you can guess which lyrics prompted this) because I would not do something I really hoped to do. It was during college that I attended my first two PJ concerts -- both alongside Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. They were awesome; I probably have tapes (aka "cassettes") of them somewhere.
Then, I went to law school. I associate the albums that came out at that time (Yield & Binaural) with that time period. During law school, I met my wife. She loves PJ too.
After law school, I got married. After 2 years, we had our first child -- a beautiful baby girl. Before she was born, a doctor told us she was not developing appropriately in the womb, and we should abort her. I have vivid memories of being out of town while my wife was receiving this advice and telling my wife via cell phone from hundreds of miles away that "maybe we should do that to move on." Luckily, my wife had mother's intuition and didn't listen to me because, about 8 months later, we had a beautiful (and healthy) baby girl who is now 7. When she was born, "Lost Dogs" had come out, and Hard to Imagine was a favorite song of mine. My wife and I listened to that song en route to the hospital to deliver our first girl. Since that time, Hard to Imagine has become "Claire's Song." I hope that, if/when she gets married, that will be our daddy/daughter dance at her wedding.
We had our second girl (another beauty) four years ago. Over that time, I have shared PJ's music with both of them. They love it, and that makes me happy. I think it makes them happy, too. When I play Just Breathe in the car and can hear a 7 and 4 year-old singing along, it is wonderful. Sometimes we also turn it up a notch and rage to WMA or other (child appropriate) PJ songs. It is special.
I think the point is this: PJ has been there for many of the most influential, developmental, and important times of my life. I truly appreciate that and realize how much PJ has meant to me over the years. That may sound corny to some, but it is true.
Thanks, PJ. I hope you go for another 20, if not more. You mean a lot to me.
MJK
I just watched PJ 20 again. As usual, it gets me thinking about how much PJ means to me. For some, that may sound weird. But, it's not.
I am 36. PJ started getting big when I was in late high school. I think most of us remember our high school years, and I remember sitting on the porch steps of a friend's house talking about attending PJ's concert at the University of Kansas' "Day on the Hill." We didn't make it, but I remember talking about it. Those were the early years.
When I went to college, I remember waiting outside Atomic Records in Milwaukee at midnight for the release of Vs. and Vitalogy with a great friend to buy the album. I also remember "porching" with that same great friend, which meant re-enacting the MTV Unplugged rendition of Porch, almost always when we had too much to drink. I also remember when I changed my major and gave up my first career of becoming a doctor. After giving up that dream, I put on Black and started to cry (you can guess which lyrics prompted this) because I would not do something I really hoped to do. It was during college that I attended my first two PJ concerts -- both alongside Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. They were awesome; I probably have tapes (aka "cassettes") of them somewhere.
Then, I went to law school. I associate the albums that came out at that time (Yield & Binaural) with that time period. During law school, I met my wife. She loves PJ too.
After law school, I got married. After 2 years, we had our first child -- a beautiful baby girl. Before she was born, a doctor told us she was not developing appropriately in the womb, and we should abort her. I have vivid memories of being out of town while my wife was receiving this advice and telling my wife via cell phone from hundreds of miles away that "maybe we should do that to move on." Luckily, my wife had mother's intuition and didn't listen to me because, about 8 months later, we had a beautiful (and healthy) baby girl who is now 7. When she was born, "Lost Dogs" had come out, and Hard to Imagine was a favorite song of mine. My wife and I listened to that song en route to the hospital to deliver our first girl. Since that time, Hard to Imagine has become "Claire's Song." I hope that, if/when she gets married, that will be our daddy/daughter dance at her wedding.
We had our second girl (another beauty) four years ago. Over that time, I have shared PJ's music with both of them. They love it, and that makes me happy. I think it makes them happy, too. When I play Just Breathe in the car and can hear a 7 and 4 year-old singing along, it is wonderful. Sometimes we also turn it up a notch and rage to WMA or other (child appropriate) PJ songs. It is special.
I think the point is this: PJ has been there for many of the most influential, developmental, and important times of my life. I truly appreciate that and realize how much PJ has meant to me over the years. That may sound corny to some, but it is true.
Thanks, PJ. I hope you go for another 20, if not more. You mean a lot to me.
MJK
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
This part almost made me cry
2010: 9/7/10 - Bilbao
2012: 26-27/6/12 - Amsterdam ~~ 29/6/12 - Werchter ~~ 4-5/7/12 - Berlin
2014: 25/6/14 - Vienna ~~ 26/6/14 - Berlin
2009 - Toronto
2010 - Buffalo
2011 - Toronto 1&2
2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
2014 - Cincinnati, St. Louis, Detroit
2016 - Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Ottawa, Toronto 1
2018 - Fenway 1&2
2022 - Hamilton, Toronto
2023 - Chicago 1&2
2024 - Las Vegas 1&2