I always liked the music, ever since I listened to Ten for the first time (which was years after its release) and then wanted to own all of their records!. But the moment I started to love them was when I saw them live for the first time, that was the eye opener.
I don't remember the initial Ten era moment. Although I had seen no live shows, and wasn't in the 10 club, they were a staple on the radio and I had all the cassettes and CDs. I rode the train up and through Binaural, got divorced, missed Riot Act, and sort of got back on board for avocado, but I was fading. The rebirth for me was the PBS Austin City Limits telecast that I stumbled into the middle of quite by accident right at the beginning strains of Red Mosquito. I got 2nd leg Backspacer tickets a week later, 5 years on, I've been to a bunch of shows.
In 1991 the first time I heard alive. was at the store to buy 10 the day it came out. I was 12 years old. Then the 1st time I saw them live in 1996 at Randel's Island night #2 I became obsessed with them. Joined the 10 Club the day after the show buy mailing my $10 in and been going strong since.
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goldrush
everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,271
I can barely remember a time when PJ wasn't in my life! I constantly get teased by people (including my wife!) about my 'obsession' but I really don't know any other way.
I got into PJ through Green River, and my "PJ moment" genuinely was hearing Alive for the very first time on the radio. Being a teenager in the late 80s/early 90s was an amazing time for music.
I had been a classic rock fan in the 80s because that's what my dad listened to. In 1989 I'd heard Sonic Youth's 'Daydream Nation' and NIN's 'Pretty Hate Machine' and they pretty much redirected my musical tastes overnight. I borrowed some records from a cousin when he was travelling overseas, including 'Rehab Doll' and Soundgarden's 'Screaming Life' EP (... I still haven't given those 2 back!) After GR broke up, it was a natural progression to get into Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone, then TOTD and PJ. When Alive came out in 91 I knew I was hooked. It was the perfect link for me between the classic rock I had been listening to and the new alternative scene that was happening. There was only one indie record store anywhere near me (Sullivan's, now sadly long gone) but he had some awesome stuff in there. A month or so later I had my first copy of Ten and the rest is history.
Alive was also the first time my dad got into one of 'my' songs - the first time we could share a song that I had played for him, instead of me listening to his music.
“Do not postpone happiness”
(Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)
I loved Ten and was listening to it repeatedly, but the "moment" was watching the MTV Unplugged performance. I knew something was different about the way that performance grabbed me. Also, was watching it with my dad (who is a fairly accomplished musician) and even he was blown away by that performance! It was a strange yet amazing feeling being glued to the emotion of that show that i will never forget.
It's lame and recent, but Just Breathe at Yieldwaukee.
"So now, I drink wine." - Milwaukee, WI 10/20/14 "How fortunate were we that we were born in Chicago..." - Rosemont, IL 5/14/15 "The irony is that maybe someday they'll find exactly that... maybe that's a good thing." - Rosemont, IL 5/15/15 "[Unthought Known] wasn't the *worst* thing I'd ever done..." Central Park, NYC 9/26/15 "Cómo se dice 'really high'?" - Mexico City, DF 11/28/15
It's great to read everyone's story! For me, it was 3 moments: 1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them. 2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong) 3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be. Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Got in to PJ post Binaural and then bought Riot Act shortly after it's release. I would say the 'moment' was listening to the MSG 2003 boots. I remember 'Crown of Thorns' having a big impact but both of the sets and the crowd interaction just blew me away. I've been on board ever since.
2007 London
2009 Manchester
2010 Dublin / London
2012 Manchester I & II / Berlin I & II / EV: Manchester
2014 Amsterdam I & II / Vienna / Berlin / Leeds
It's lame and recent, but Just Breathe at Yieldwaukee.
That's not lame Everyone has a different moment that's all.
Aww, thanks. I just feel so late to the party; like I should have been here the whole time. Ah well.
"So now, I drink wine." - Milwaukee, WI 10/20/14 "How fortunate were we that we were born in Chicago..." - Rosemont, IL 5/14/15 "The irony is that maybe someday they'll find exactly that... maybe that's a good thing." - Rosemont, IL 5/15/15 "[Unthought Known] wasn't the *worst* thing I'd ever done..." Central Park, NYC 9/26/15 "Cómo se dice 'really high'?" - Mexico City, DF 11/28/15
I actively disliked them in '92 when I first heard them. I loved Nirvana, and thought PJ was overrated--uninteresting and even sort of dumb in comparison. But I started to get it over time and came to like them quite a bit, even loved a few songs, but pretty much lost interest after Vitalogy.
I know the moment everything changed. Camden NJ, July 5th 2003. A college friend and I decided to go see them. She got sick and couldn't come, I went alone. I felt like I was catapulted to a whole new universe from the very first song, Of the Girl. Even before that actually, chatting with the 10 club couple sitting next to me, whose son was also somewhere there in the crowd with his buddies, i had the sense something bigger than I'd imagined might be in store. But THE moment was during the jam in Even Flow. (I'll never get the haters!). It was that feeling others have described, that I found what was missing in my life. Or re-found it, and re-found a part of myself I didn't even realize had been lost. Since then both the music and the community have meant the world to me.
It's great to read everyone's story! For me, it was 3 moments: 1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them. 2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong) 3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be. Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Can remember buying the "Ten" cassette at our local pawnshop for $5.00. Loved it, especially Porch. But when my sister brought me home "V.S.", that was a big moment in loving this band. Every song was just phenomenal! And as has been said once before, 2nd night Randall's Island. That sealed the deal people! That should be required listening and viewing on vinyl, c.d., d.v.d. & blu ray. For those who were there, no explanation needed. For those that weren't, I'm sorry, but no word's can describe the feeling of the night. Yes, there have been better set-list's, no, they didn't play "No Code" from beginning to end & I enjoyed the "Yield" tour to no end(even met the whole band in Knoxville, who knew the Hyatt hotel would be such a happening place). I hate to use this word, truly I do, but the VIBE that night, the way you KNEW that band WANTED to be there that night. Ed say's it now, back then he didn't have to say it, you could feel it coming radiating off of him. Have seen 24 show's since that one. Other than the Yield & V.C.F. tour, would trade EVERY other show just to be there that night 19 year's ago. Still have a bootleg cassette from the show, along with 50 other's before boots became the norm. Listen every Sept. 29!
Can remember buying the "Ten" cassette at our local pawnshop for $5.00. Loved it, especially Porch. But when my sister brought me home "V.S.", that was a big moment in loving this band. Every song was just phenomenal! And as has been said once before, 2nd night Randall's Island. That sealed the deal people! That should be required listening and viewing on vinyl, c.d., d.v.d. & blu ray. For those who were there, no explanation needed. For those that weren't, I'm sorry, but no word's can describe the feeling of the night. Yes, there have been better set-list's, no, they didn't play "No Code" from beginning to end & I enjoyed the "Yield" tour to no end(even met the whole band in Knoxville, who knew the Hyatt hotel would be such a happening place). I hate to use this word, truly I do, but the VIBE that night, the way you KNEW that band WANTED to be there that night. Ed say's it now, back then he didn't have to say it, you could feel it coming radiating off of him. Have seen 24 show's since that one. Other than the Yield & V.C.F. tour, would trade EVERY other show just to be there that night 19 year's ago. Still have a bootleg cassette from the show, along with 50 other's before boots became the norm. Listen every Sept. 29!
That's awesome! I never saw PJ live, in person, pre 2000. Would have loved to feel that energy.
hard to pinpoint an exact moment, but I think if I had to it was meeting Ed. I had loved Pearl Jam and Ed's music for awhile but that is when I knew it wasn't just going to be a short stint with their music, it was going to be a lifetime deal.
Listen to some of my music here (if you want to):
[url="My soundcloud"]
It's great to read everyone's story! For me, it was 3 moments: 1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them. 2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong) 3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be. Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Absolutely love this post.
Thank you! I'm relatively new in the forum, so I don't know if there are many similar threads, but I'm really enjoying this one. By reading all these powerfull and meaningful experiences, I feel kind of emotional and somehow connected to everyone here
Bought 10 in the summer of 1993. Then bought vs on day of release. Listening to Indifference in my bedroom at night in complete darkness was so trippy. But THE moment was probably the 1993 mtv video awards. I recorded it on vhs and watched Animal and Rockin in the free world over and over!!
Summerfest 7/8/95 Missoula 6/20/98 Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98 Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03 Alpine Valley 6/21/03 Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06 Grand Rapids 5/19/06 Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10 Alpine Valley x2 2011 Wrigley 2013 Milwaukee 14 Telluride 16
It's great to read everyone's story! For me, it was 3 moments: 1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them. 2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong) 3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be. Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Love that the music gave you strength to overcome whatever it was that was holding you back. Never let it go.
A friend played Wishlist for me. The next day I went and bought all previous albums. Music was a a lot different for me after that. It really did change the course of my life and I sometimes wonder where or who I would of been without Pearl Jam. It has been the soundtrack of my life ever since and I firmly believe I am a better person than I would of been had I never listened to their music. Pearl Jam is my religion and I often find myself asking, What Would Eddie Do? Lol
It's great to read everyone's story! For me, it was 3 moments: 1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them. 2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong) 3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be. Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Love that the music gave you strength to overcome whatever it was that was holding you back. Never let it go.
Nope, never will! I was broken and their music became the perfect glue to hold my pieces together. Now I know it won't happen again
A friend played Wishlist for me. The next day I went and bought all previous albums. Music was a a lot different for me after that. It really did change the course of my life and I sometimes wonder where or who I would of been without Pearl Jam. It has been the soundtrack of my life ever since and I firmly believe I am a better person than I would of been had I never listened to their music. Pearl Jam is my religion and I often find myself asking, What Would Eddie Do? Lol
They do know how to inspire people! I always think of Given to Fly as the story that connects us all with the band, because it's a story we all share (at least many of us, including myself). I mean, feeling lost and trapped at some point, been given the keys to our locks, and then trying our best to share those keys with those still trapped. I know that happended to me, and I too think I'm a better person than I would've been without thier wings. (Cheese, I know!)
I moved from a very small town in Arizona where there was no good radio or MTV to Oregon in summer of 93' and started hearing them and seeing them on MTV. Then saw them live at Portalnd Meadow Downs (still can't afford that poster) with Neil Young and Blind Melon. I was blown away by the anger and passion of the band but it was hard to appreciate as I was standing towards the front of the stage in a open field of about 30k people so it was all about survival on that day. Two months later drove down to San Fran to see them at the Warfield Theatre which was a way more intimate setting and I believe the first show of the new VS tour? That was such a surreal experience as there was such a pent up emotion in the building before the band came out and when they did I swear the roof was coming off that place. The rest is history.
'Heard the Ten CD at a buddy's house in the fall of grade 9 that he bought on a whim at a HMV store in the GTA. By the end of Alive, I knew I would be buying the album when I next went to the mall. I got the promo 4 track CD with my Ten purchase that had Dirty Frank on it and the alternate take of Evenflow. I watched the acoustic MTV set from Queens and was definitely hooked after that. I saw them live for the first time in 1998 in Barrie, north of Toronto. Enjoy the music everyone
They do know how to inspire people! I always think of Given to Fly as the story that connects us all with the band, because it's a story we all share (at least many of us, including myself). I mean, feeling lost and trapped at some point, been given the keys to our locks, and then trying our best to share those keys with those still trapped. I know that happended to me, and I too think I'm a better person than I would've been without thier wings. (Cheese, I know!)
No, I find this sweet and honest. I love GTF - my favorites are St. Louis with Kim, and the instrumental recently posted in another thread. A gorgeous, uplifting caress.
Reminds me a bit of In Hiding - hitting air from underwater and taking that breath.
Freedom.
(and while I give much credit to this band, their music and energy - each will never NOT have a firm place in my life - I won't / can't lose sight of the strength it took ourselves to get through and rise above our own obstacles. It don't come easy!)
And your wings comment, lovely and perfect. I got it.
They do know how to inspire people! I always think of Given to Fly as the story that connects us all with the band, because it's a story we all share (at least many of us, including myself). I mean, feeling lost and trapped at some point, been given the keys to our locks, and then trying our best to share those keys with those still trapped. I know that happended to me, and I too think I'm a better person than I would've been without thier wings. (Cheese, I know!)
No, I find this sweet and honest. I love GTF - my favorites are St. Louis with Kim, and the instrumental recently posted in another thread. A gorgeous, uplifting caress.
Reminds me a bit of In Hiding - hitting air from underwater and taking that breath.
Freedom.
(and while I give much credit to this band, their music and energy - each will never NOT have a firm place in my life - I won't / can't lose sight of the strength it took ourselves to get through and rise above our own obstacles. It don't come easy!)
And your wings comment, lovely and perfect. I got it.
Oh, you write so beautifully! Thank you and you're right. It don't come easy, we play a big part there. About In Hiding... well, not much to add, I can still feel that breath, the one that makes all the difference.
Comments
But the moment I started to love them was when I saw them live for the first time, that was the eye opener.
The rebirth for me was the PBS Austin City Limits telecast that I stumbled into the middle of quite by accident right at the beginning strains of Red Mosquito. I got 2nd leg Backspacer tickets a week later, 5 years on, I've been to a bunch of shows.
I got into PJ through Green River, and my "PJ moment" genuinely was hearing Alive for the very first time on the radio. Being a teenager in the late 80s/early 90s was an amazing time for music.
I had been a classic rock fan in the 80s because that's what my dad listened to. In 1989 I'd heard Sonic Youth's 'Daydream Nation' and NIN's 'Pretty Hate Machine' and they pretty much redirected my musical tastes overnight.
I borrowed some records from a cousin when he was travelling overseas, including 'Rehab Doll' and Soundgarden's 'Screaming Life' EP (... I still haven't given those 2 back!) After GR broke up, it was a natural progression to get into Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone, then TOTD and PJ. When Alive came out in 91 I knew I was hooked. It was the perfect link for me between the classic rock I had been listening to and the new alternative scene that was happening. There was only one indie record store anywhere near me (Sullivan's, now sadly long gone) but he had some awesome stuff in there. A month or so later I had my first copy of Ten and the rest is history.
Alive was also the first time my dad got into one of 'my' songs - the first time we could share a song that I had played for him, instead of me listening to his music.
(Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)
“Put yer good money on the sunrise”
(Tim Rogers)
"How fortunate were we that we were born in Chicago..." - Rosemont, IL 5/14/15
"The irony is that maybe someday they'll find exactly that... maybe that's a good thing." - Rosemont, IL 5/15/15
"[Unthought Known] wasn't the *worst* thing I'd ever done..." Central Park, NYC 9/26/15
"Cómo se dice 'really high'?" - Mexico City, DF 11/28/15
For me, it was 3 moments:
1. Heard Black for the first time on the radio in 2008 or 2009. Was blown away and became a sponge to catch up with them.
2. Missed their 2011 show in Santiago and started reconsidering how I was doing pretty much everything in my life. (Priorities were clearly wrong)
3. Saw them live at Lollapalooza 2013 and found the strength and conviction to get out of my stupor and start being the person I wanted to be.
Wish I had loved them for much longer, but I love them so much!
Everyone has a different moment that's all.
2009 Manchester
2010 Dublin / London
2012 Manchester I & II / Berlin I & II / EV: Manchester
2014 Amsterdam I & II / Vienna / Berlin / Leeds
"How fortunate were we that we were born in Chicago..." - Rosemont, IL 5/14/15
"The irony is that maybe someday they'll find exactly that... maybe that's a good thing." - Rosemont, IL 5/15/15
"[Unthought Known] wasn't the *worst* thing I'd ever done..." Central Park, NYC 9/26/15
"Cómo se dice 'really high'?" - Mexico City, DF 11/28/15
I know the moment everything changed. Camden NJ, July 5th 2003. A college friend and I decided to go see them. She got sick and couldn't come, I went alone. I felt like I was catapulted to a whole new universe from the very first song, Of the Girl. Even before that actually, chatting with the 10 club couple sitting next to me, whose son was also somewhere there in the crowd with his buddies, i had the sense something bigger than I'd imagined might be in store. But THE moment was during the jam in Even Flow. (I'll never get the haters!). It was that feeling others have described, that I found what was missing in my life. Or re-found it, and re-found a part of myself I didn't even realize had been lost. Since then both the music and the community have meant the world to me.
But when my sister brought me home "V.S.", that was a big moment in loving this band. Every song was just phenomenal!
And as has been said once before, 2nd night Randall's Island. That sealed the deal people! That should be required listening and viewing on vinyl, c.d., d.v.d. & blu ray. For those who were there, no explanation needed. For those that weren't, I'm sorry, but no word's can describe the feeling of the night. Yes, there have been better set-list's, no, they didn't play "No Code" from beginning to end & I enjoyed the "Yield" tour to no end(even met the whole band in Knoxville, who knew the Hyatt hotel would be such a happening place). I hate to use this word, truly I do, but the VIBE that night, the way you KNEW that band WANTED to be there that night. Ed say's it now, back then he didn't have to say it, you could feel it coming radiating off of him. Have seen 24 show's since that one. Other than the Yield & V.C.F. tour, would trade EVERY other show just to be there that night 19 year's ago. Still have a bootleg cassette from the show, along with 50 other's before boots became the norm. Listen every Sept. 29!
I'm relatively new in the forum, so I don't know if there are many similar threads, but I'm really enjoying this one. By reading all these powerfull and meaningful experiences, I feel kind of emotional and somehow connected to everyone here
Missoula 6/20/98
Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98
Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03
Alpine Valley 6/21/03
Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06
Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10
Alpine Valley x2 2011
Wrigley 2013
Milwaukee 14
Telluride 16
|11.6.00Seattle|6.6.03Vegas|6.7.03PHX|5.25.06Boston|7.22.06Gorge|7.23.06Gorge|9.21.09Seattle|9.22.09Seattle |10.6.09LA|11.19.13PHX|11.29.13Portland|12.6.13Seattle |10.22.14Denver| 8.8.18 Seattle | 8.10.18 Seattle
EV Solo |7.15.11 Benaroya|7.16.11 Benaroya|4.13.12PHX|10.30.14Redmond|
TOTD 11.11.16 San Fran
I always think of Given to Fly as the story that connects us all with the band, because it's a story we all share (at least many of us, including myself). I mean, feeling lost and trapped at some point, been given the keys to our locks, and then trying our best to share those keys with those still trapped. I know that happended to me, and I too think I'm a better person than I would've been without thier wings.
(Cheese, I know!)
I watched the acoustic MTV set from Queens and was definitely hooked after that. I saw them live for the first time in 1998 in Barrie, north of Toronto.
Enjoy the music everyone
Damn, these guys are GOOD!
Reminds me a bit of In Hiding - hitting air from underwater and taking that breath.
Freedom.
(and while I give much credit to this band, their music and energy - each will never NOT have a firm place in my life - I won't / can't lose sight of the strength it took ourselves to get through and rise above our own obstacles. It don't come easy!)
And your wings comment, lovely and perfect. I got it.
Thank you and you're right. It don't come easy, we play a big part there.
About In Hiding... well, not much to add, I can still feel that breath, the one that makes all the difference.
+1
Love everyone's stories!!!!
Let me run into the rain . . . .to shine a human light today . . .