As we get older we get more focused on our financial security security. It's hard to work like you're 32 when you're 62. But yeah, the money thing is certainly strong these days. However, the right people with a lot of money (just off the top of my head I'm thinking of Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Willie Nelson, etc.) can do a lot of good with their wealth. Let's hope some of the big PJ bucks are being put to good work. My guess is a lot of it is.
$2 from every Wrigley ticket went to an educational charity - around $90k to charity just from 1 PJ show right there, and that is really just the tip of the iceberg where Pearl Jam is concerned.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,576
As we get older we get more focused on our financial security security. It's hard to work like you're 32 when you're 62. But yeah, the money thing is certainly strong these days. However, the right people with a lot of money (just off the top of my head I'm thinking of Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Willie Nelson, etc.) can do a lot of good with their wealth. Let's hope some of the big PJ bucks are being put to good work. My guess is a lot of it is.
$2 from every Wrigley ticket went to an educational charity - around $90k to charity just from 1 PJ show right there, and that is really just the tip of the iceberg where Pearl Jam is concerned.
For some reason as I get older, I have fewer and fewer things that I am passionate about. Pearl Jam has always filled a spot for me in the passion department. I have held on through all of it. I don't ask for much either. I have put it on my calendar each year to renew my 19 year VHC membership. I stood on line at midnight to purchase VS. before it even had the name VS...my cassette copy was printed prior to the official naming of the album. I know what you are going to say, who cares? right? I don't blame you. But with all this passing time there have been changes to the 'thing' that I am passionate about. Am I any less of a fan if I don't approve of dog collars, playing cars, ipad cases, bottle openers, etc....? Pearl Jam is not a brand to me. Eddie Vedder is not a brand to me. Sorry, that's just how I feel.
I am not a major contributor on here. I am not charismatic enough to have anyone want to meet me at a pre-party fundraiser or some pre-show meet up. However, I do know good music. And selling $40 dog collars doesn't have anything to do with good music.
I completely agree. The two things really should be kept separate, but they are unfortunately united through 'fandom'. When music and musicians are sold as commodities/products you get this brand loyalty situation. Fans like to think they they prefer the things they own over things they don't because they made rational choices when they bought them. But it's possible in some cases that fans rationalise their past choices to protect their sense of self. Especially when the items they are buying are not necessary and often very expensive, fans create a narrative to justify the purchase. Of course you are free to buy whatever you want, but turning Pearl jam and Eddie Vedder into brands gives fans the option to create the person they think they are through choosing to align themselves with the mystique of certain products. Apple advertising, for instance, doesn’t mention how good their computers are. Instead, they give you examples of the sort of people who purchase those computers. The idea is to encourage you to say, “Yeah, I’m not some stuffy, conservative nerd. I have taste and talent and took art classes in college.” Take this concept and align it with band loyalty and it makes perfect sense that 10c would be selling Eddie Vedder iPad Covers. Once a fan/person has been banded they will often defend their brand by finding flaws in the alternative choice and pointing out benefits in their own - this on the forum is officially called 'bitching'.
I think its still possible to ignore all of this and focus on the music, it can and has to be both product and art.
What a wonderful, well written post. One of my many flaws is my tendency to say stupid things like pointing out someone's young age when they repeatedly insult me. I truly wish I didn't do this, but rather, stood my ground and put my thoughts into eloquent words just the way you did.
I wish I could retract this post. It doesn't matter how old you are. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning, and I had spent the past 4 hours defending myself against an onslaught of rabid insults from veteran posters on this forum.
It's not 1992 anymore! It's 23 years later! Apparently the Eddie Vedder you like to speak of so much APPROVES all this stuff they sell at HIS concerts.
Maybe his priorities have changed since then.. Maybe he grew up? Sounds like you might need to do the same.
And if you don't like it, leave. I'm sure plenty of people would rather you just go ahead and leave the fan club. Why are you still here?
Now go ahead and ignore the points I make and try and correct more of my grammar.
See, these sorts of posts really show one' inability for any tolerance of a difference of an opinion and I've seen them for years. (I let my membership lapse)
What was so great about the band in the '90s was their integrity, and it's certainly what drew me to them, after the music. Any of you even read Ishmael, which inspired Yield? Either the fans have gotten younger, more defensive, shallower, or what, but the band is all about VALUES and politics, and if you don't want to follow that about them, that's fine! But don't go and put others down for calling them out on them breaking their own values they they had and honored so strongly in the past. It's a big let down to see them go so commercial after being so defiantly against it for so long.
It's just how some of us feel, and I'll stop being smarmy if others drop the need to pick on others with a different viewpoint.
first post of 2013... I agree with the sentiments of the opening post!!
Anyone who disagrees can blow my goat...
Keep on truckin' (Tchaliz 06)
goat or sheep??
some people are picky you know..
"...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
"...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Please remember how much the music industry has changed since PJ started in the early 90's. These guys have families, a crew, managers and ten club staff to finance. This is not the age where you put an album out and get rich off of it's sales... You have to be creative with merch, touring etc to keep bringing in money to support all of those people who depend on PJ for a living. With this in mind, I think everything they've ever done has been tasteful...
Further back and forth a wave will break on me, today...
Please remember how much the music industry has changed since PJ started in the early 90's. These guys have families, a crew, managers and ten club staff to finance. This is not the age where you put an album out and get rich off of it's sales... You have to be creative with merch, touring etc to keep bringing in money to support all of those people who depend on PJ for a living. With this in mind, I think everything they've ever done has been tasteful...
Everything but the $10 beer coozy.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Comments
Sweet!
I completely agree. The two things really should be kept separate, but they are unfortunately united through 'fandom'. When music and musicians are sold as commodities/products you get this brand loyalty situation. Fans like to think they they prefer the things they own over things they don't because they made rational choices when they bought them. But it's possible in some cases that fans rationalise their past choices to protect their sense of self. Especially when the items they are buying are not necessary and often very expensive, fans create a narrative to justify the purchase. Of course you are free to buy whatever you want, but turning Pearl jam and Eddie Vedder into brands gives fans the option to create the person they think they are through choosing to align themselves with the mystique of certain products. Apple advertising, for instance, doesn’t mention how good their computers are. Instead, they give you examples of the sort of people who purchase those computers. The idea is to encourage you to say, “Yeah, I’m not some stuffy, conservative nerd. I have taste and talent and took art classes in college.” Take this concept and align it with band loyalty and it makes perfect sense that 10c would be selling Eddie Vedder iPad Covers. Once a fan/person has been banded they will often defend their brand by finding flaws in the alternative choice and pointing out benefits in their own - this on the forum is officially called 'bitching'.
I think its still possible to ignore all of this and focus on the music, it can and has to be both product and art.
What a wonderful, well written post. One of my many flaws is my tendency to say stupid things like pointing out someone's young age when they repeatedly insult me. I truly wish I didn't do this, but rather, stood my ground and put my thoughts into eloquent words just the way you did.
I wish I could retract this post. It doesn't matter how old you are. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning, and I had spent the past 4 hours defending myself against an onslaught of rabid insults from veteran posters on this forum.
See, these sorts of posts really show one' inability for any tolerance of a difference of an opinion and I've seen them for years. (I let my membership lapse)
What was so great about the band in the '90s was their integrity, and it's certainly what drew me to them, after the music. Any of you even read Ishmael, which inspired Yield? Either the fans have gotten younger, more defensive, shallower, or what, but the band is all about VALUES and politics, and if you don't want to follow that about them, that's fine! But don't go and put others down for calling them out on them breaking their own values they they had and honored so strongly in the past. It's a big let down to see them go so commercial after being so defiantly against it for so long.
It's just how some of us feel, and I'll stop being smarmy if others drop the need to pick on others with a different viewpoint.
Anyone who disagrees can blow my goat...
Keep on truckin' (Tchaliz 06)
some people are picky you know..
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”