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How old were you when each album came out?
Stephen Flow
Posts: 3,327
edit: Sorry for the epic wall of text... I can understand if you tl;dr on this.... 
Didn't mean for it to get this long!
I was just thinking about how PJ has been in my life in some form since the age of 8... I am 30 now... to me that is pretty stunning... I've just never really thought about it much until now...
Ten - I got this for xmas 91, bless my mom for introducing me to them (she didn't care for them, just heard Ten was a 'hip' album). I was 8, going on 9. The words and meanings of the songs didn't sink in til a few years later... that's not to say that I didn't understand the topics of the songs... I just took the songs for what they were on the surface... that's what 8 year old kids do, I think. I stuck with the band though because I thought they were really cool... especially that unplugged performance.
Vs. - I got this for xmas the year it came out... xmas 93. I was 10, going on 11. At this point in my life, musically, I was full on into the whole Seattle thing... all my close friends were listening to hip hop though :(. This album cemented my love for the band... I was in deep. I remember going to Lake George the summer of 94... there was a head shop there that sold boot legs and singles and stuff... I remember my mom being reluctant to take me in there... but I ended up getting the Dissident singles and listening to all the live material from those for the very first time.
Vitalogy - Again, I got this for xmas in 94... age 11. I remember being kind of scared of some of the stuff on this album... Loved the album though... remember staying up listening to this with friend who quickly became a lifelong best friend and PJ buddy. The first time ever really bonded w/ someone else over a piece of music was over Vitalogy... We both saw our first show in 2000 together... on the car ride there we laughed at how late we used to stay up listening to Vitalogy.
No Code - Age 13... this is the very first PJ album I bought right on the release date. At first I'm thinking this is really really weird. I was going through a Tool phase at the time too... so here I am... w/ tons of friends who listen to bands like Tool with this weird little PJ cd... It was not popular in my circle of friends... but man... No Code... it grabs me by my soul and lifts me to some other place... To this day it is still my favorite PJ album.
Yield - Age 15... or I should say a few weeks before I turned 16. This CD quickly became my driving buddy and I will always ALWAYS associate Yield with learning how to drive. My mom wouldn't let me see a concert at this age... though I think she would have let me but they never came close enough.
Binaural - Age 17 - I remember buying this record after a HUGE test I had in Social Studies... I rushed to finish the test and a group of friends met outside school to go buy Binaural... I remember getting in my car, turning on the radio and being in shock that Nothing As It Seems was playing on the way to the store to buy the album... it was a 2 min. drive down the road from my high school. This was also the first tour I got to see them live.
Riot Act - Age 19... Came out my 2nd year that I was going to a community college... by this time I had amassed a huge collection of bootlegs and the previous year in my high school I became known as the "Pearl Jam guy" because I was downright obsessed... this carried over to college... I went to a lot of shows this tour... I think 6 or 7. I transferred to a 4 year school in 03 and took my love of PJ to a proper university. haha.
Pearl Jam - Age 23 - The previous year of this release I went through a tough break up w/ the girl I had been dating since shortly after the release of Binaural... it really sucked hard and ended really really badly... The next year this album came out... I began dating the girl who would become my wife... Parachutes is special to me for that... Lots of shows here too... 9 or 10... can't remember but the 06 tour was a big bulk of my show seeing... 08 too.
Backspacer - Age 26 - Married this same year it came out... If it had come out before our wedding date, we may have danced to Just Breathe lol... probably not... but the last song at our wedding was Yellow Ledbetter which was fun... I had 9 groomsmen... each one of them has been to at least 1 Pearl Jam show with me... most of them 2 or more... It's nice having so many friends who enjoy a band and understand why I obsess so much.
Lightning Bolt - Age 30... Have a beautiful son who is about to turn 2... He loves to sing PJ tunes with me.
I really feel like my love for this band has come full circle.
Didn't mean for it to get this long!I was just thinking about how PJ has been in my life in some form since the age of 8... I am 30 now... to me that is pretty stunning... I've just never really thought about it much until now...
Ten - I got this for xmas 91, bless my mom for introducing me to them (she didn't care for them, just heard Ten was a 'hip' album). I was 8, going on 9. The words and meanings of the songs didn't sink in til a few years later... that's not to say that I didn't understand the topics of the songs... I just took the songs for what they were on the surface... that's what 8 year old kids do, I think. I stuck with the band though because I thought they were really cool... especially that unplugged performance.
Vs. - I got this for xmas the year it came out... xmas 93. I was 10, going on 11. At this point in my life, musically, I was full on into the whole Seattle thing... all my close friends were listening to hip hop though :(. This album cemented my love for the band... I was in deep. I remember going to Lake George the summer of 94... there was a head shop there that sold boot legs and singles and stuff... I remember my mom being reluctant to take me in there... but I ended up getting the Dissident singles and listening to all the live material from those for the very first time.
Vitalogy - Again, I got this for xmas in 94... age 11. I remember being kind of scared of some of the stuff on this album... Loved the album though... remember staying up listening to this with friend who quickly became a lifelong best friend and PJ buddy. The first time ever really bonded w/ someone else over a piece of music was over Vitalogy... We both saw our first show in 2000 together... on the car ride there we laughed at how late we used to stay up listening to Vitalogy.
No Code - Age 13... this is the very first PJ album I bought right on the release date. At first I'm thinking this is really really weird. I was going through a Tool phase at the time too... so here I am... w/ tons of friends who listen to bands like Tool with this weird little PJ cd... It was not popular in my circle of friends... but man... No Code... it grabs me by my soul and lifts me to some other place... To this day it is still my favorite PJ album.
Yield - Age 15... or I should say a few weeks before I turned 16. This CD quickly became my driving buddy and I will always ALWAYS associate Yield with learning how to drive. My mom wouldn't let me see a concert at this age... though I think she would have let me but they never came close enough.
Binaural - Age 17 - I remember buying this record after a HUGE test I had in Social Studies... I rushed to finish the test and a group of friends met outside school to go buy Binaural... I remember getting in my car, turning on the radio and being in shock that Nothing As It Seems was playing on the way to the store to buy the album... it was a 2 min. drive down the road from my high school. This was also the first tour I got to see them live.
Riot Act - Age 19... Came out my 2nd year that I was going to a community college... by this time I had amassed a huge collection of bootlegs and the previous year in my high school I became known as the "Pearl Jam guy" because I was downright obsessed... this carried over to college... I went to a lot of shows this tour... I think 6 or 7. I transferred to a 4 year school in 03 and took my love of PJ to a proper university. haha.
Pearl Jam - Age 23 - The previous year of this release I went through a tough break up w/ the girl I had been dating since shortly after the release of Binaural... it really sucked hard and ended really really badly... The next year this album came out... I began dating the girl who would become my wife... Parachutes is special to me for that... Lots of shows here too... 9 or 10... can't remember but the 06 tour was a big bulk of my show seeing... 08 too.
Backspacer - Age 26 - Married this same year it came out... If it had come out before our wedding date, we may have danced to Just Breathe lol... probably not... but the last song at our wedding was Yellow Ledbetter which was fun... I had 9 groomsmen... each one of them has been to at least 1 Pearl Jam show with me... most of them 2 or more... It's nice having so many friends who enjoy a band and understand why I obsess so much.
Lightning Bolt - Age 30... Have a beautiful son who is about to turn 2... He loves to sing PJ tunes with me.
I really feel like my love for this band has come full circle. Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Ten - 26
Vs. - 28
Vitalogy - 29
No Code - 31
Yield - 33
Binaural - 35
Riot Act - 37
S/T - 41
Backspacer - 44
Lightning Bolt - 48
It is strange to look back at the different times of your life in relationship of the release year of the band's albums
I'm so fucking OLD !
Vs. - 19
Vitalogy - 20
No Code - 22
Yield - 24
Binaural - 26
Riot Act - 28
S/T - 32
Backspacer - 35
Lightning Bolt -39
VS- 3
Vitalogy- 4
No Code- 5
Yield- 7
Binaural- 9
Riot Act- 12
Pearl Jam- 15
Backspacer- 18
Lightning Bolt- just turned 23
I pretty much missed out on everything up until now. :(
2014: Cincinnati
2015: Global Citizen Festival
2016: Philly 1, Philly 2, MSG 1, MSG 2, Fenway 1, Fenway 2, Wrigley 1, Wrigley 2
2017: Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Induction
2018: Krakow, Chicago 1, Chicago 2, Boston 1, Boston 2
Christ, I'm jealous of your youthful enthusiasm
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24
27
30
33
38
21 for LB
diehard since I was like 12.
A part of me really wishes I grew up with the band and Ten came out around now... I know it would have totally different effect. But I have related to and connected with the band so intensely from day one. Doesn't matter what age.
2008: MSG 1, Hartford, Mansfield 2, Ed Solo NYC 1
2009: London (O2), Philly 1, 2, 3, & 4
2010: Hartford, Boston, MSG 1 & 2
2011: Ed Solo Hartford
2012: Philly (MIA Fest)
2013: Worcester 2, Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford
Vs. - 20
Vitalogy - 21
No Code - 23
Yield - 24
Binaural - 27
Riot Act - 29
Pearl Jam - 33
Backspacer - 36
Lightning Bolt - 40
Hit it just right IMO
VS - 16 - Mom drove me to the local record store (didn't have my DL yet).
Vitalogy - 17 (Went at midnight in a severe thunderstorm, bought the vinyl a week earlier at Borders!)
No Code - 19 (1st week of college, midnight release)
Yield - 20 (Worked at a record store got the pre-release a week early!)
Binaural - 22 (Midnight release, working in corporate hell)
Riot Act - 25 (Midnight release, bought at Wal-Mart :()
S/T - 29 (Ten Club special edition shipped)
Backspacer - 32 (Ten Club special edition shipped - I miss midnight releases!)
Lightning Bolt - 36 (Ten Club Vinyl - probably purchase the CD at a later date)
Bonus
Lost Dogs - 26 - Vinyl Bought at Amoeba records in San Fran! (CD release...Amazon?)
Benaroya Hall - 27 (Concert - 26) (Vinyl through Ten Club $30!)
First concert? September 13, 1995 - Phoenix (18) - Still have the silver cd bootleg!!!
Last Concert? PJ 20 - Alpine, WI (34)
This is FUN!
14 - Vs.
16 - Vitalogy
17 - No Code
19 - Yield
21 - Binaural
23 - Riot Act
27 - Pearl Jam
30 - Backspacer
34 - Lightning Bolt
Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
Chicago 2007
Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016
Fenway 2, 2018
MSG 2022
St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
"I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
Things happen in the game. Nothing you
can do. I don't go and say,
"I'm gonna beat this guy up."
i was 12 in '91. I definitely remember that for a good while i liked Temple of the Dog much more than Ten. the vid for Alive was on MTV constantly, but it was so anti-MTV in it's basicness; no concept, no theme, no story or bad actors, just B&W band in front of a crazed crowd, climbing stuff jumping around, with a live version of the song to go with. And this was their first single!! Took me a while to get it still, it wasn't as big a Rawk sound as some of the other bands of the era. Evenflow got me a little closer....I had the cassette before Jeremy hit, that's for certain. Was already entranced by that time; Release, Black, Oceans, Porch....unbelievable. There is something in that album that is so wrapped into my soul.... I also remember losing that cassette at my first high school football game, freshman year of high school, fall of 92. Fell out of my jacket pocket under the bleachers....gone. Bought another....beginning the cycle of giving PJ lots of money.
Vs...wore it out, especially RVM, but really the whole thing. Sat up taping Atlanta '94, sat up taping MTV awards 93 with uncle Neil....etc....Tried to get tix at age 15 for Ann Arbor 94 (nothingman premiered), NOPE. Tried to get tix thru the newspaper lottery (try that again 10 club, holy bejesus!) for Detroit Masonic Temple 94, nope. Gave up hope i would ever see this band live.
Vitalogy...i didn't quite get for awhile. a long while. People who complain about Lightning Bolt's production, well at the time that would have been me for Vitalogy. The guitars sound WAY different, having lived thru the first two albums. Ed's voice is really really ragged. There are interludes. I knew Immortality crushed me. I remember writing a long long poem to myself directly inspired by the "How?" after 'holier than thou". But anyways....
No Code. My favorite. I remember getting this CD, surely right after release or the day of, and plunking down in my room with the headphones...Hail Hail almost deafened me for life! I had picked up the Who You Are/Habit single, and couldn't make since of it; it didn't sound anything like Vitalogy! (just when you figure things out....). Anyways, i connected immediately upon listening to this one, and it was constantly playing for probably a year and a half. I remember that my first day of commuting to college, age 17 now, was about a week after getting this CD, and the two things together let me know that life was changing...and that it felt pretty damn cool. If Ten is written on my heart, this one is sewn on my sleeve, i guess.
Yield...the first thing was hearing Given to Fly on the radio, month before the album came out. It sounded so wide and beautiful, in a way that nothing quite had since the first album. But it was still so different than that also. Yield is so solid in so many ways, and i listened to it a ton, and it felt like there was some new strength in the band, even while i was fully realizing that they would never again be everyone's favorite band. I love Jack Irons, btw. Oh, and got to see my 1st PJ show on this tour. Very last row of the upper deck, almost behind the stage, McCready's side, Detroit '98, Cheap Trick opening. A fan climbed onstage, and Ed told security to back off, then proceeded to make fun of the guy's horrible mullet. Asked for scissors, cut the back off. Cheers, Ed. Oh and i spent half the show being impressed with nothing more then Matt Cameron's power that he brought to Daughter and a couple others, very specifically. I had probably spent weeks wondering how they would sound with him behind the kit.
Binaural....i was definitely underwhelmed...i remember loving loving loving Grievance as played on Letterman. The album sorta sounds bad....still does. Saw them again on this tour, better seats same building, 1st row upper deck dead center stage. Almost fell over the rail jumping around screaming to Fuckin' Up. I might have sang louder at this show then any other show in my life, and i certainly miss being as uninhibited as i was for those couple hours. I was 21.
Riot Act. I was 24. Married. Saw two shows at the ol'DTE/formerly Pine Knob. First show, band was pissed because season ticket holders got a whole lot of the 10C seats, hence adding a 2nd Detroit show (those were the days!!). I was out on the hill anyways, so it was all the same to me. Ed's monologue's from these two shows are both pretty great, especially the one about Sheryl Crow & Big Boy, but i suppose also the one about Ukelele's and Pot smokers. Great shows, but the band didn't quite have the same fire, so thought I. I still think the band is far more connected to the crowds now, starting maybe in '06 or '09, then they were '00-'04. So glad that they are on such a high level now...
Avacado...27, 1st time dad (son age 2, named after someone familiar to people who like a band named Pearl Jam). Loved this album for quite awhile, but it faded. Life Wasted and Marker i thought especially were strong lyrics for Ed. Severed Hand was a straight forward rock song that sort of felt like it could have been on VS. Again, saw the Detroit stop, where i was hit with a crushing migraine right before show time. (i get 'em a lot, but this one was beyond horrible). I only made it thru the main set, missed two long encores (check the setlist) missed McCready running thru the crowd, missed the 2nd time Kick Out the Jams was played in the US. Still, Insignificance, Long Road and RVM stood out as 3 of the greatest live music performances i've heard from any band. i still remember my (now ex-)wife saying to me that she was literally speechless after RVM, and she was only a mild fan of the band. MMJ was probably the best opener they've ever had, also. Also, should be noted that when Imagine in Cornice was released a year later, i blew off work, drove an hour and a half out of my way, changed clothes in my car, then enjoyed the one-day showing in theater, with a bunch of other lunatics who brought signs, screamed, cheered, etc. That movie is underrated amongst us PJ'ers.
Backspacer...i thought the '06 tours really brought this band back to a strong place, connected to the fanbase like never before really. Backspacer held up fine for me in that space. 30 years old, kid #2 had arrived, finally owned my 1st home. My son was 5, sang along to some PJ tunes with me (including WWS, which was weird, but he liked it alot!!). I still say this is a strong little album, tho it's not getting respect currently. Force of Nature is a really underrated song, and one of my favorites of the last few albums. I'm hoping that BS get's plenty of love on the upcoming tours, and that it's not swept aside, like Riot Act has been. For the first time i traveled for a show, for this tour. Cleveland '10. Easily my favorite PJ show i've seen. Immortality Porch Go The Real Me Black Indifference. All were top-top-notch versions, i couldn't have asked for more from this show. I remember reading fanviews, and there was a lot of "meh, crowd wasn't into it" but screw that, the band sounded great, and the show had a flow to it. Listen to the boot. Had really decent seats, for the first and last time....because...
LB....34. Divorced. Losing my home. Starting anew. Still raising my 2 kids. Trying to figure it all out. My wife had the 10C # in her name (mix up when she bought me a membership as a xmas present back in '02-ish) and so that # is long gone. But Anyways! I feel it's a strong release, and so far it's my favorite since Yield. Yellow Moon and Pendulum, MYM and Father's Son, Sirens and Swallowed Whole.....idk. I'm digging it. Ed and Mike both sound better then they have in more then a decade, and the band is quite obviously excited about branching out a bit. All of the interviews give the impression that they are thoroughly confident with these songs, and they should be. Thought about traveling for a show, changed mind, didn't try for 10C seats, regretted it. Was hoping to find a GA for Pitt on here, but haven't come across one, so guess not. Have fun you sons-of-bitches.....I predict greatness.
thus concludes "this was my life"
cheers
thanks pj
Ten - 16 (a few weeks before 11th grade started. I bought Ten a day after Christmas in 1992 at age 18)
Vs. - 18 (first semester of college at SJSU. PJ performed there a week later. I missed out though)
Vitalogy - 20 (I took my mom's friend to the airport that day)
No Code - 21 (my first midnight sale of a PJ album)
Yield - 23 (I bought the cd/cassette version for my car on the way to a dental appt)
Binaural - 25 (tower records midnight sale)
Riot Act - 28 (tower records midnight sale)
Pearl Jam - 31 (tower records midnight sale)
Backspacer - 34 (first time listening to a new PJ album w/o actually buying a physical cd...from iTunes)
Lightning Bolt - 38 (I'm a loser baby so why don't you kill me!!)
14
15
17
19
21
23
27
30
34
got into pj fall of '93 when vs came out, freshman year of hs, so this year is my pj20. actually this month.
Vs - 9
Vitalogy - 10
No Code - 12
Yield - 14 (Just turned 14! Was released two days after my birthday)
Binaural - 16
Riot Act - 18
Pearl Jam - 22
Backspacer - 25
Lightning Bolt - 29
It's been fun growing up and listening along the way!
"Oh yeah? Which president's on it?"
"Uh, all of them. They're having a party. Jimmy Carter's passed out on the couch."
Columbus 2000
Columbus 2003
Hershey 2003
Toledo 2004
Cincinnati 2006
Chicago/Lollapalooza 2007
Columbus 2010
Chicago/Wrigley 2013
Pittsburgh 2013
Portland 2013
Cincinnati 2014
Vs - 11
Vitalogy - 13
No Code - 15
Yield - 17
Binaural - 19 - First one I bought...the week it came out...went back and got everything before within a week
Riot Act - 22
Avocado - 25
Backspacer - 28
L/B - 32
PJ * 10/21/00 - Phx * 6/7/03 - Phx * 6/29/06 - Milwaukee * 6/30/06 - Milwaukee * 11/19/13 - Phx *
EV * 11/4/12 - Phx, AZ *
Soundtrack of the second 20 years of my life - and still going...
Having my 3 kids (5,5 & 4) experience the last two albums with me has been awesome.
And their favorite song is NOT FOR YOU.....I' trying to get them to say FUCK YOU, much to my wife's chagrin, but they haven't picked up on it!
They all have PJ shirts. My next dream is to take them to a show when they are a few years older.
Vs: Not Born
Vitalogy: Not Born
No Code: Born
Yield: 3
Binaural: 5
Riot Act: 9
S/T: 11
Backspacer: 14
Lightning Bolt: 17
Wasn't really until BS did I get into the band.
Eddie Vedder- 7/16/11
Brad- 4/21/12 (RSD Performance), 4/27/12, 8/10/12
Flight To Mars- 5/23/12
RNDM- 11/27/12
PEARL JAM- 12/6/13 I have finally seen Pearl Jam live!
18
20 - vinyl released on my 20th
21
23
25
27
31
34
38
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
"Kfsbho&$thncds" - F Me In the Brain - circa 2015
My sentiments exactly! I never really got into metal or 80's hairband music. I did however love classic rock zep, aerosmith, floyd, stones, ect. I was really happy to have a band from my generation to latch on to and 20+yrs i'm still fully "latched"!!
VS- 6 years old
Vitalogy- 7 years old
No Code- 9 Years old
Yield- 10 years old
Binaural- 13 years old
Riot Act- 15 years old (I think this was my first exposure to PJ, I remember seeing Ed with a shaved head in the I Am Mine music video)
Self titled- 19 years old
Backspacer 22 years old (first concert was May 3, 2010)
Lightning Bolt- 26 years old
Having to put all your faith
In no faith
VS- 3
Vitalogy- 4
No Code- 5
Yield- 7
Binaural- 9
Riot Act- 12
Pearl Jam- 15
Backspacer- 18
Lightning Bolt- just turned 23
2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
12 when Vs. came out, I bought the cassette of Five Against One the day it came out. I got it at the same record store that I still shop at.
Bought a CD player sometime between Vs. And Vitalogy.
Got the CDs of Vitalogy (13), No Code (15) and Yield (17) all on the day they came out.
Binaural (19) was my first midnight sale for a PJ CD, and the tour that I finally got to see them on. My mom didn't let me go to concerts until I was 15 or so and 2000 was the first time they came here since then. Riot Act (21) was also a midnight sale.
Pearl Jam (25) I bought at Best Buy the same day that Tool's 10,000 Days came out.
Backspacer (28) I bought the cd at Target the day it came out. That'll be the last PJ CD I buy.
I'll be buying Lightning Bolt (32) vinyl at the same record store I bought Vs. at, hopefully they have it on release date, but I would rather support that store rather than buying it from here. But I have also pre-ordered it on iTunes, which I had never done before. It's my first time buying a digital album.
This was a fun thread!
* Cincinnati, OH 6.24.2006 *
* Columbus, OH 5.6.2010 * Noblesville, IN 5.7.2010 *
* East Troy, MI 9.4.2011 * East Troy, MI 9.5.2011 *
* Pittsburgh, PA 10.11.2013 *
First listens:
Ten: In college, hanging at my buddy Steve Miller's condo, he played the CD and it blew my mind. Forever changed the course of my musical journey. Thanks Steve
Vs.: Washing dishes at restaurant to make some extra money in college. Had a cheapo radio to keep me company. The album was played in it's entirety over the radio shortly before the official release. The smell of a running dishwasher still takes me back to that kitchen
Vitalogy: While in Charleston on a family vacation I picked up a vinyl copy week before CD released. Still have that unopened copy of the record. Bought CD at Wildman Steve's record shop in Auburn, AL. Took back to apt and listened w/ buds
No Code: Was taking a water break from a job doing physical labor/landscape work, was sitting on the sloped lawn at job site and had radio playing thru open windows of parked car when 'Who You Are" came on. Mind again blown
Yield: On college field trip. Was supposed to paddle thru Everglades but we had to bail due to a tropical storm. Wanna go back and complete that trip on of these years. Heading back north we stopped in Miami for a day that coincided w/ release of the record. I coerced my buds into stopping by a record store where I picked up a copy and then played the hell out of it for the remaining hours in the car.
Riot Act: Stopped by Tower Records in Nashville on lunch break. First listen in car. Many more listens that day in the office
Binaural: Stopped by Tower Records in Nashville on lunch break. First listen in car driving down I-65 on way to a meeting in Franklin, TN. Pulled into parking lot a few minutes early and finished out the album. For some reason, perhaps a fingerprint, Soon Forget did not play the first time I played the album. The second time thru, and much to my surprise, a "new" track appeared
S/T: Received CD for 10C and had first listen in my house. Ironically, first listens to S/T and Backspacer are my most hazy memories.
Backspacer: I distinctly remember first listen to Just Breathe. Was cresting a hill w/ the family in the car and buddy called to say turn to a particular station on the radio. Driving down the hill we all heard Just Breathe for the first time. I think I heard the rest of the album for the first time in my office via copy from !0C
Lightning Bolt: Sitting at my desk on this past Tuesday listening to stream via iTunes. Really looking forward to receiving the vinyl so I can spin in the den with my kids.
Like I said in an earlier post, new music from PJ is like a comet: it only happens every so often. For most of us on here those releases spark incandescent, palpable emotions that indelibly mark moments in time.
Vs. -- 24, graduate school in Ireland. Made sure I had a few extra bucks to buy it on cassette the day of release.
Vitalogy -- 25, dirt poor with a new baby at home, working my first writing job. My wife surprised me by buying me the vinyl the day it came out. She was the one tucking away money for the only album I bought (she bought) that year.
No Code. 27. Consumed with family and work, I didn't give it a good listen until several weeks after its release. Let original 10 Club membership lapse as I tried to put away childish ways.
Yield, 29. Consumed with family and work, I didn't give it a good listen until several months after its release.
Binaural, 31. Consumed with family and work, second baby at home, new job, new city, I didn't give it a good listen until several years after its release.
Riot Act, 34. I heard an advance copy that a music critic friend shared. I dug it. Started to gravitate back to Pearl Jam.
S/T, 37. Bought it the day it came out. Renewed 10 Club membership. Went to five shows that years.
Backspacer, 40. I tried to love it. Four shows in one week.
Lightning Bolt. 44. Not a big fan of the album. Plan to one show. Growing away from the band; the magic is fading. Will probably let 10 Club membership lapse again.
From there, I recorded the CD on to an audio tape. Then I took out No Code from the Library and did the same and it took me a while to get into it even though this is two years after it came out. It also was the same time I heard Ten from start to finish even though it was six years after the fact. Then steadily as I worked through school and had some more disposable income, I bought a lot of the albums on CDs and cassette. I had little time in 2002-2004 to really absorb the music due to a crazy work situation, so I missed the release of Lost Dogs but bought the CD two years later (2005) while picking up a used copy of No Code and Vitalogy. Then after that point, I really haven't had to catch up as much.
Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
Chicago 2007
Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016
Fenway 2, 2018
MSG 2022
St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
"I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
Things happen in the game. Nothing you
can do. I don't go and say,
"I'm gonna beat this guy up."
Vs - 7
Vitalogy - 8
No Code - 19
Yield - 11 a few days short of my 12th birthday
Binaural - 14
Riot Act - 16
Pearl Jam - 20
Backspacer - 23
Lightning Bolt - 27
Vs- Also a Xmas gift, but this time I got the CD.
Vitalogy- First CD that I had a PJ buddy to share the CD with. We spent many hours listening to that.
No Code- My first and only midnight opening. I was a freshman in college and asked a total stranger that lived in the form room across the hall to drive me to The Wooden Nickel in Ft Wayne.
Yield- Bought the CD the day it came out. Completely loved it. I've always had a deep connection with that CD. It was the yield tour that I attended my first concert.
Binaural- Graduated college. Moved to South Carolina. I remember first hearing NAIS on my dad boat on the lake. I wasn't impressed. Bought the CD and thought, uh oh, this band may be over. Over the gears, I've grown to appreciate this cd. And love to hear these songs live on the boots.
Riot Act- I had a kid, a little older and wiser. Bought the CD expecting a huge rebound from the last one. Fell in love with LBC. Great CD.
S/T- Had a coupe kids. A steady job. Bought the CD the day after its release. Was impressed by a few songs. This is the first CD that I didn't listen to constantly over and over again. Life was busy and I didn't have the time. Its the first CD that I felt a disconnect with. Not that I didn't like it. I just didn't invest the time to it.
Backspacer- This cd came out in an odd time in my life. I had an accident at work, and I had about 6 months to sit at home and recover. Not wanting to feel the same disconnect I felt with ST, I dove in. listened to it all the time. loved it. Joined the ten club and went and saw EV with my wife. This cd started to turn my wife into a quasi fan.
LB- First CD I ordered from the club. 3 kids now. settled down. Live the CD already and going to my first pj show wiggly wife in charlotte. can't wait.