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new Brendan O Brien interview

primussucksprimussucks Posts: 2,326
edited September 2013 in The Porch
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    Cool.

    Somehow I had a feeling SBM was Brendan O'Brien's idea.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
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    That part where he mentioned that they didn't like being told what to do anymore so they moved on after yield......that was weird. I wonder how much influence he has had on the songs over their career.....
    looking to hear of the earth
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    mikerlmikerl Posts: 580
    That part where he mentioned that they didn't like being told what to do anymore so they moved on after yield......that was weird. I wonder how much influence he has had on the songs over their career.....


    i have wondered this also, but we know for sure that he had nothing to do with it from 2000-2006, pretty good years. i do know, that BoB has had A LOT to do with many records outside of pearl jam that he has worked on. for example, playing all the guitar solo's, and most of the bass parts on the Black Crows record he did. However i dont see PJ letting him get quite that involved. but he plays the keys parts.. so.... who knows.
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    Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
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    Is it me or does it seem theat O'Brien come across as arrogant? He seems like a cocky guy win a few of the interviews, it's like those other records PJ made with other producers don't even count. Like when he said if they want to get creative they need to call him. Sounds like he's being a d ick there to me or am I wrong?

    That being said, if that's what it takes to make a great record then I'm all in! I'm ready for the Lightning to strike!
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    BN8419BN8419 Posts: 290
    I used to think this guy was the best thing for the band. Over the last 5 years, I have been convinced otherwise. You are right, he just seems a little like a dbag who is holding these guys back. Here's hoping it all changes with LB.

    I think binaural is some of the best stuff they've ever done, and b/s was a stunted sugar fest. Avocado was somewhere in between, the creativity was there, but the production blew. But I would take it over b/s any day

    I mean- really- backspacer was significant and outgoing? C'mon.

    "The pros are, when they’re ready to do something a little more outgoing, significant – whatever you want to call it, that’s what I call it, I can’t help myself! – they call me again.
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    CROJAM95CROJAM95 Posts: 9,120
    I think reading some of the so called "cocky" comments from Brendan could very well be in a lighthearted manner....I'd have to see him say it to get a feel for the context
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    SOLAT319SOLAT319 Posts: 4,564
    BN8419 wrote:
    I used to think this guy was the best thing for the band. Over the last 5 years, I have been convinced otherwise. You are right, he just seems a little like a dbag who is holding these guys back. Here's hoping it all changes with LB.

    I think binaural is some of the best stuff they've ever done, and b/s was a stunted sugar fest. Avocado was somewhere in between, the creativity was there, but the production blew. But I would take it over b/s any day

    I mean- really- backspacer was significant and outgoing? C'mon.

    "The pros are, when they’re ready to do something a little more outgoing, significant – whatever you want to call it, that’s what I call it, I can’t help myself! – they call me again.


    You said what I was thinking in a much nicer way...so thanks. With that said, I wish BoB would just disappear off the face of the earth...just go far far away where the band couldn't find him.
    I have no patience for bad music and stupid people...

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    ShawshankShawshank Posts: 1,018
    What an asshole...

    "The pros are, when they’re ready to do something a little more outgoing, significant.......they call me again"

    I'd hardly call Backspacer more significant than any of the prior 3 albums. And I mentioned to my wife just the other day that it was probably his suggestion to use SBM. I don't care how good it sounds that was just a stupid, stupid move. I feel bad for the band if they are somehow feeling the need to keep using this guy to produce records. Regardless of how good he thinks he is...this isn't 1993 anymore.
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    DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,412
    edited September 2013
    mikerl wrote:
    i have wondered this also, but we know for sure that he had nothing to do with it from 2000-2006, pretty good years. i do know, that BoB has had A LOT to do with many records outside of pearl jam that he has worked on. for example, playing all the guitar solo's, and most of the bass parts on the Black Crows record he did. However i dont see PJ letting him get quite that involved. but he plays the keys parts.. so.... who knows.

    I've only heard that he supplied the outro solo for Hard to Handle on the Crowes first album.



    I can't really fault BOb much for PJ's recent shortcomings. He makes recommendations and its up to the band whether to follow them or not. I'm guessing that PJ met with him and told them what they are going for and he helped nudge them in the direction that he understood they wanted to go.

    He's produced and engineered some pretty awesome albums and you know who I give most of the credit for those? The bands that made them.


    I think you guys are blowing one little comment way out of proportion.
    Post edited by DewieCox on
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    dude seems like he has a hard on for himself
    i have a paper here that entitles me to fast track status
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    PU38569PU38569 Posts: 260
    thanks for the link! I'll be sure to add it to my browser's Blocked websites list.


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    SOLAT319SOLAT319 Posts: 4,564
    dude seems like he has a hard on for himself

    THIS
    I have no patience for bad music and stupid people...

    The whole world will be different soon the whole world will be RELIEVED

    #resistgezi #resistturkey #resisttaksim #direnturkiye #direngezi
    #standingman #duranadam
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    Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    Before Backspacer, people were down on Riot Act and Self Titled and hoping the band would use Brendan O'Brien again. Now after Backspacer, everyone seems to hate him. :lol:

    I have a feeling that if they go with someone else after Lightning Bolt, there will be people starting threads with unofficial petitions to bring Brendan O'Brien back. You can't please everyone. I think the band (and Brendan) are just trying to make the best album they can. You can blame O'Biren for wanting Sleeping by Myself in there, but in the end it's up to the band. I don't agree with that choice either, but the band obviously thougth differently. Fatal was Tchad Blake's favorite song from the Binaural sessions and that song ended up being left off.
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    SOLAT319SOLAT319 Posts: 4,564
    Better Dan wrote:
    Before Backspacer, people were down on Riot Act and Self Titled and hoping the band would use Brendan O'Brien again. Now after Backspacer, everyone seems to hate him. :lol:
    I don't know who those people are. I wasn't one of them.
    I have no patience for bad music and stupid people...

    The whole world will be different soon the whole world will be RELIEVED

    #resistgezi #resistturkey #resisttaksim #direnturkiye #direngezi
    #standingman #duranadam
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    BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 3,901
    Is it me or is Brendan O'Brien doing a lot of media for this album...more than normal? I don't mind hearing from him but every time We hear about the album it's from him. The band members need to get out and give us something!
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    pdalowskypdalowsky Doncaster,UK Posts: 14,695
    Bob works in the showbiz industry where confidence I would think is everything

    of course he will be proud of his work, and looking back at what he has done for this band he has every reason to be.

    The band were immensely proud of BS, it was a commercial hit, a number one, and reached a massive audience for them, what is there for them not to be happy about? a number of people on a message board dissenting about it 4 years later? Im sure they can live with that.

    I can certainly see why they invited him back and why they have a lot of faith in him and his judgement, he has played a huge part in getting them to where they are.

    I only have respect for the guy. I certainly wont get upset about a few remarks, which are perhaps being quoted our of context throw clever text grabbing, and want the guy 'off this earth' :shock:
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    dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam NINUNINOPRO Posts: 139,151
    dude seems like he has a hard on for himself
    same thing cross my mind
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    ckravitzckravitz NJ Posts: 1,668
    The final output of Pearl Jam music is 100% Pearl Jam's responsibility. The producer has influence for sure, and in BOBs case may be the driving force to get them to actually, you know, record music, but at the end of the day what goes on a record is what the band says goes on a record.
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    I said it before and will say it again: I think that the role of the producer is way overblown here. He is hired by the band, especially an independent band (where there is no record company involved) and not the other way around. He may be cocky or this or that, but all he can do is advice the band, give suggestions; it is the band that decides. He may push a bit, but the end decision is with Pearl Jam and Co.

    That said, the more I read about SBM (and I leave the whole controversy on the side a bit) the more I get the feeling that this decision has more to do with the flow of the album than anything else. It seems that Pendelum is a dark song, Yellow Moon is a dark song, right in the middle is Let The Records Play that is considered to be fun. It may well be that they choose to rework SBM, and give it a different twist, to go from a fast "happy" (for the lack of better wording) to a slow "happy" song before they dive into the abyss again. (And it also give some notice to a song, as BoB indicates, that may not have had the airplay or the notice it deserves.) What I read is that the band version of SBM doesn't have the lonliness that the Uke version has, but more the acceptance (and even irony?) of "Sleeping by Yourself". In this way it reminds me of the two versions of You out there. The b-side that is a more happy note on a relationship and the so-called "negative" version (Lost Dogs), where the "You", and even the pronounciation of "you", in the song itself, is more about shifting blame. These are subtle differences and it shows, and I applaud the band for this, how you can change the meaning of the song not by changing the wording, but by using different emphasis of the same wording.

    In short: I make a decision when I hear it.

    I remember when Binaural, RA and ST came out that everyone was not happy with the "new" producers and how excited everyone was when BoB was back on board. This has shifted dramatically. BS may have it faults, but to put RA, ST on a pedestal, well, that is the other end of the extreme.

    Ps: I read the article again, after reading all the comments - which I recommend everyone to do - and I do think that his comments here are taken out of context and proportion. I think what he is saying, is that when PJ wants a specific sound, they come to him. That is not miraclious (sp?) really. Producers are known for a specific sound. So I take everything with a grain of salt.
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    BSullyBSully Indiana Posts: 1,015
    Interesting...
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    Great post, fortyshades.

    Bands absolutely go to specific producers for specific sounds, Binaural being a super-obvious example of that. So when they went back to BO'B for Backspacer, they wanted what works for them. All the people crying about his production might want to listen to albums 2-5 again, same dude. As far as i'm concerned, No Code is my favorite "produced" record ever. Riot Act and Avacado are not the best examples of how this band sounds on record, not by far. Go back and read your PJ20 book, this is the same guy who kept them from giving freaking Betterman away, never recording it for themselves. Trust the dude a bit. I think Brendan is not alone amongst music elite (Bono has said it before) in thinking that PJ has an undeniable, all-time #1 classic rock album in them still, one that forever is remembered in the same conversation as Pink Floyd, The Clash, Zep. But it's one they haven't made yet, and it sure ain't Riot Act. So he want's them to be busy, and he wants to push. That's my take. They should push, imo. Now's the time, they're almost 50.

    And Ed was the one who was quoted as saying he wanted the songs for BS short and concise, for optimal live use. Relax peeps!!
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    Is it me or does it seem theat O'Brien come across as arrogant? He seems like a cocky guy win a few of the interviews, it's like those other records PJ made with other producers don't even count. Like when he said if they want to get creative they need to call him. Sounds like he's being a d ick there to me or am I wrong?

    That being said, if that's what it takes to make a great record then I'm all in! I'm ready for the Lightning to strike!

    Agreed.

    Personally, I think they need to get rid of O'Brien if they make another album.
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    on2legson2legs Standing in the Jersey rain… Posts: 14,419
    I read the interview and I think that when he says they call him when they want to do something more significant or outgoing he's referring to him producing a more commercially successful album. I don't think he's knocking the band as much as explaining role as the producer.
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    DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,412
    edited September 2013
    Great post, fortyshades.

    Bands absolutely go to specific producers for specific sounds, Binaural being a super-obvious example of that. So when they went back to BO'B for Backspacer, they wanted what works for them. All the people crying about his production might want to listen to albums 2-5 again, same dude. As far as i'm concerned, No Code is my favorite "produced" record ever. Riot Act and Avacado are not the best examples of how this band sounds on record, not by far. Go back and read your PJ20 book, this is the same guy who kept them from giving freaking Betterman away, never recording it for themselves. Trust the dude a bit. I think Brendan is not alone amongst music elite (Bono has said it before) in thinking that PJ has an undeniable, all-time #1 classic rock album in them still, one that forever is remembered in the same conversation as Pink Floyd, The Clash, Zep. But it's one they haven't made yet, and it sure ain't Riot Act. So he want's them to be busy, and he wants to push. That's my take. They should push, imo. Now's the time, they're almost 50.


    I don't think that Vs-Yield or even the stuff that is remixed by BOb on Binaural have similar sounds for the most part. I compare it to Zeppelin's run, where the producer was basically the engineer, so the band had a lot of say in the sonic signature.

    I do think it's ridiculous to blame BOb for anything. I think PJ was doing fine work without him, but they were obviously going for something different with BS and from the talk about the material on LB they are trying to balance the straight forward approach with something a little more creative. From the sound of it, we might still be waiting a year or 2 if he wasn't pushing PJ to get into the studio.

    Even though its not my favorite album, there is not a better produced PJ album than Riot Act. It would be flat out amazing sounding if Ed would've recut some of his vocals.

    Not trying to sound pessimistic about the new material but PJ made their all time albums 20 years ago. Can they have some sort of late career resurgence? Sure, but almost every bit of rock history tells me otherwise, and I highly doubt it's gonna be mentioned along with Ten, even if its really successful for them.
    Post edited by DewieCox on
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    rival.rival. Chicago Posts: 7,776
    dude seems like he has a hard on for himself

    i was goingto make a quip about his ego having an erection or something along those lines, but this do!

    what a homer. hope they are done with him after ightning bolt.
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    EarlWelshEarlWelsh Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,103
    on2legs wrote:
    I read the interview and I think that when he says they call him when they want to do something more significant or outgoing he's referring to him producing a more commercially successful album. I don't think he's knocking the band as much as explaining role as the producer.

    That's what I got from it, too. When they want something more widely accessible, which is what he pushes for (Betterman).
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    thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    DewieCox wrote:
    mikerl wrote:
    i have wondered this also, but we know for sure that he had nothing to do with it from 2000-2006, pretty good years. i do know, that BoB has had A LOT to do with many records outside of pearl jam that he has worked on. for example, playing all the guitar solo's, and most of the bass parts on the Black Crows record he did. However i dont see PJ letting him get quite that involved. but he plays the keys parts.. so.... who knows.

    I've only heard that he supplied the outro solo for Hard to Handle on the Crowes first album.



    I can't really fault BOb much for PJ's recent shortcomings. He makes recommendations and its up to the band whether to follow them or not. I'm guessing that PJ met with him and told them what they are going for and he helped nudge them in the direction that he understood they wanted to go.

    He's produced and engineered some pretty awesome albums and you know who I give most of the credit for those? The bands that made them.


    I think you guys are blowing one little comment way out of proportion.

    I totally agree.
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    shitting on riot act makes your opinion useless

    Great post, fortyshades.

    Bands absolutely go to specific producers for specific sounds, Binaural being a super-obvious example of that. So when they went back to BO'B for Backspacer, they wanted what works for them. All the people crying about his production might want to listen to albums 2-5 again, same dude. As far as i'm concerned, No Code is my favorite "produced" record ever. Riot Act and Avacado are not the best examples of how this band sounds on record, not by far. Go back and read your PJ20 book, this is the same guy who kept them from giving freaking Betterman away, never recording it for themselves. Trust the dude a bit. I think Brendan is not alone amongst music elite (Bono has said it before) in thinking that PJ has an undeniable, all-time #1 classic rock album in them still, one that forever is remembered in the same conversation as Pink Floyd, The Clash, Zep. But it's one they haven't made yet, and it sure ain't Riot Act. So he want's them to be busy, and he wants to push. That's my take. They should push, imo. Now's the time, they're almost 50.

    And Ed was the one who was quoted as saying he wanted the songs for BS short and concise, for optimal live use. Relax peeps!!
    i have a paper here that entitles me to fast track status
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    southernmanfansouthernmanfan Johannesburg, South Africa Posts: 988
    Great post!

    At the end of the day its the band's choice. I respect that. 8-)
    rustedsigns
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