Meeting The Band

joseph33

Curious as to how many of you have met one or more members of the band. How much time did you spend with them? What were they like? I myself met Ed after the Cincy14 show. I was the first to clap and congratulate him and the boys for a very fine show,and the rest of the people waiting with me soon followed after my lead. Ed took notice and approached me first. Asked me where I was from and what MLB team I liked. After I told him Boston,he immediately went and chatted with my best friend standing next to me,lol. I never forget that night.

JH6056

While you wait for people to post, you should definitely also search past threads. There are probably a LOT of people who've told their stories in the past of meeting the band that aren't around this board at all now or not here often. Some good stories out there.

mfc2006

I met Jeff after the RNDM show here in Portland. The whole band was great & hung out for a bit. Was cool chatting with them & their show was awesome.

Wma31394

I have never had any interest in meeting the band..if it were to happen by chance that's cool.

CharlieP

I´m not sure I would want to meet any of my heroes, either. The risk of getting disappointed is just too big, I think. However, I happened to bump into Ed after the Copenhagen show in '12. People were gathered outside the venue but we were just walking by on our way home from an after-show-beer. And suddenly he was there. Chatted for about 10 mins. I won´t relate the topics but I can honestly say that he was the kindest, most gracious stranger I´ve ever met. It felt like we´d been friends for years. A very positive encounter

JH6056

Took my own advice before going to bed last night and looked up some older stories, so many I only read a tiny fraction. But I did think this one was way cool, even though a bunch of people gave him crap in the replies for his song choices. But what a story, can you imagine? And it had photos (links no longer avail) so there was no doubt it happened.

privileged asa whore said:

Its been a couple years now but I wanted to share my story of when I met the band…Well here is how it went down... I flew out to Cleveland on May 19th, 2006 because my best friend played bball for the Cavs and Pearl Jam was going to come play in Cleveland... we wanted to try and meet the band so we went over to the Quicken Loans Arena at like 10 in the morning to see whats up… the whole area was on lock down but since my friend played bball there he could get us in with a thumb scan... we walked around till we ran into their security guards… but they informed us that band wasn't their yet... so we came back at like 5 and we were just chilln back stage during sound check… I can remember it like it was yesterday… they were playing “I am Mine” as we walked in… then about 5 mins later eddie came walking backstage... he walked right up to us and introduced himself as if we had did know who he was… then he jump up and sat on an amp case started talking to us...he was so cool and mellow... so nice... then Jeff came over to talk being the basketball fan he is… He knew who Luke was because he watched him play in college at the University of Oregon… we also gave them a bball autographed by the cavs… they said they were going to play poker to see who got to keep it… so they hit if off and Luke showed Jeff around for a bit and I stayed and talked to eddie... he asked, "are there any songs I wanted to hear tonight because he was writing up the set?" so I sat there with my FAVORITE ARTIST of all time and got to tell him what songs I wanted to hear... I can't believe it hardly even to this day as I am writing this... so if anyone was at the show in Cleveland ’06 you can thank me more the following songs : first I requested daughter/ it's Okay... than immortality because I had never heard it before live... porch, and yellow ledbetter... I also requested nothing man but he said his voice was bothering him a little too much for that one…then HE ASKED us if we wanted him signed some photos and he took some pictures with luke and I… He has a good sense of humor… he wanted us to hold if up on his briefcase so he could be taller than Luke… it was quite comical... "it's Okay" is a deadmoon cover I heard on their "2000 touring band DVD" that they rarely play... so it was so cool... Eddie also gave us VIP passes and 1st row seats where we could hangout on the side of the stage or back stage while they played preshow ping-pong and a handful of picks... the whole night like a freaking dream... getting to tell my favorite band what songs to play... we also gave Jeff a tour of the cavs locker room... they were so nice... well I am rambling now but it was awesome...

JH6056

CharlieP said:

I´m not sure I would want to meet any of my heroes, either. The risk of getting disappointed is just too big, I think. However, I happened to bump into Ed after the Copenhagen show in '12. People were gathered outside the venue but we were just walking by on our way home from an after-show-beer. And suddenly he was there. Chatted for about 10 mins. I won´t relate the topics but I can honestly say that he was the kindest, most gracious stranger I´ve ever met. It felt like we´d been friends for years. A very positive encounter

I can understand feeling that the risk of disappointment is too big. I've been incredibly lucky and met most of my biggest heroes (if they were living when they became my hero) and I can honestly say that I've never been disappointed, beyond just being frustrated at not being able to convey the breadth and depth of what they mean to me. But even in some very quick exchanges, I've always been way way more happy that it happened than wishing it hadn't. Only celebs who were douches were kind of predictable as douches. Or a few were just really awkward and shy, but usually we got past that and had great convos.

The 1st time I met Ed I was almost afraid to talk to him, because it was '93 and there was SO MUCH hoopla around them, and I'd read about how freaked out and exhausted he could (understandably) be by shrieking fans and crowds. But it was an unusual circumstance and there was no one around him other than the person he was already talking to, so I approached. Long story short he was both cautious and incredibly engaging and willing to keep talking. He even told me about a secret show they were going to play in that town although by the actual show word had leaked out so it wasn't really a secret anymore. After awhile though I felt like his eyes were getting bigger and bigger and he was looking more and more freaked out, and I got worried again "Geez, am I freaking this guy out?" but he kept engaging in conversation. Finally I said goodbye, and when I turned around I understood why he looked more and more anxious as we kept talking and probably also why he didn't want to end it: while no one was around (people were around but no one was trying to talk to him) when I approached, I turned to walk away and found an ENTIRE LINE of people, probably a good 20 long, quietly and patiently waiting to talk to him. So the whole time we were talking, he could see this line building up behind me. I really felt for him, and was also amazed that he still was so patient and engaged in our conversation.

Meeting him and other artists or writers or activists or politicians that I admire greatly usually just furthers my respect and amazement of them/at them. But again, I can also understand how you feel the way you do.

Meanwhile, just to torture myself, I just looked at the setlist for the show I didn't get to see... Fucking hell that would have been great to be at, Dirty Frank and all those covers!!!

Slim's, San Francisco, May 13, '93

SET 1
Animal
Go
Even Flow
Blood
Daughter
W.M.A.
Dissident
Why Go
Alive
Hard To Imagine
Rearviewmirror
Better Man
Dirty Frank
Rats
Baba O'Riley
Once
Jeremy
Tearing
Porch
Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Release
Alone
Whipping
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Leash
Sonic Reducer

JH6056

Sorry, one more post, and this really isn't about PJ but when I said most celebs who were douches were predictable as douches, there have also been several who I would have expected to be asses and they were actually really nice. This person is by no means a hero of mine AT ALL but this was funny: was at Coachella music fest more than 10 yrs ago, and was walking across the big field when some guy on a motorized skateboard clipped me and almost made me drop the very expensive food and drink we'd just gotten. I went straight into "cranky old man on the his porch" mode and yelled "HEY! Watch it! It's way too crowded for that shit and you almost ran me over!" Guy stops, hops off and grabs his board, and runs back over... it's Tommy Lee of Motley Crue LOL! And he is PROFUSELY apologetic and says he won't ride in the crowd anymore. One of the funniest exchanges ever for me...

Sadly, I didn't have a VHS copy of his video with Pamela Anderson to ask him to autograph...

bbiggs

Hearing these stories is incredible. Awesome stuff. If I randomly ran into Ed and he asked who my favorite MLB team was I'd be able to say the Cubs, so maybe I'd get a little more convo time LOL. I'm still hoping to run into him at a local Chicago bar when he's in town...

bootlegger10

I wouldn't say I've met Ed but did end up on an elevator with Ed, Matt and Boom. I was going to wait for the next elevator because it was small and didn't want to be "that guy" pushing his way into the elevator. The door started closing but Ed's security held the door. All I say was "great show last night". Matt said thanks and Ed never looked up (which is fine as a short elevator ride). I was first off the elevator and got about 20 feet away before I hear Ed loudly say "Hey". I turn around and he his holding out his hand with three guitar picks. I thought that was super cool as Ed was actually yelling at me to come back rather than me trying get his attention. I wouldn't say I met them as there needs to be some verbal interaction but still awesome nonetheless.

drakeheuer14

bootlegger10 said:

I wouldn't say I've met Ed but did end up on an elevator with Ed, Matt and Boom. I was going to wait for the next elevator because it was small and didn't want to be "that guy" pushing his way into the elevator. The door started closing but Ed's security held the door. All I say was "great show last night". Matt said thanks and Ed never looked up (which is fine as a short elevator ride). I was first off the elevator and got about 20 feet away before I hear Ed loudly say "Hey". I turn around and he his holding out his hand with three guitar picks. I thought that was super cool as Ed was actually yelling at me to come back rather than me trying get his attention. I wouldn't say I met them as there needs to be some verbal interaction but still awesome nonetheless.

If I ever meet him I pray on everything holy that Ed does not give me guitar picks. It just seems gimmicky almost or just very weird to do out in public. Yes, I get overall its a kind gesture and in a show setting it would be awesome, but not on the streets. I would so much rather just a handshake or a few words exchanged.

JH6056

I think being in the same space as anyone and having any kind of 2-waay interaction qualifies as "meeting them". You don't have to do formal introductions or have a whole conversation - he heard you say "great show", knew you were a fan, and called you back to give you something that most fans love. That's a meeting, isn't it?

Zod

I met Mike. I took the elevator in the hotel to the bottom floor and was walking to the main entrance. I walked right by him, did a double take, walked back and introduced myself. The problem was I didn't really get too many words out after that. I didn't really know what to say. My brother came back looking for me and said I was a big fan.... lol. I asked Mike if I could take a picture with him and he was pretty cool about it. I'm a fairly big person, so I think when I stopped to walk back to Mike, his security guard went slightly nervous, but Mike eased all tension shook my hand. The security guard even took the picture....

Needless to say I was in extremely good spirits when the Vancouver 2013 show started

bootlegger10

drakeheuer14 said:

bootlegger10 said:

I wouldn't say I've met Ed but did end up on an elevator with Ed, Matt and Boom. I was going to wait for the next elevator because it was small and didn't want to be "that guy" pushing his way into the elevator. The door started closing but Ed's security held the door. All I say was "great show last night". Matt said thanks and Ed never looked up (which is fine as a short elevator ride). I was first off the elevator and got about 20 feet away before I hear Ed loudly say "Hey". I turn around and he his holding out his hand with three guitar picks. I thought that was super cool as Ed was actually yelling at me to come back rather than me trying get his attention. I wouldn't say I met them as there needs to be some verbal interaction but still awesome nonetheless.

If I ever meet him I pray on everything holy that Ed does not give me guitar picks. It just seems gimmicky almost or just very weird to do out in public. Yes, I get overall its a kind gesture and in a show setting it would be awesome, but not on the streets. I would so much rather just a handshake or a few words exchanged.

Yeah. I think the guitar picks are probably Ed's easy way to avoid having a picture or sign autographs. Everyone wants to document their meeting with someone and they now have the guitar picks they can hand out to people and probably 90% of people are satisfied with that.

I did get a handshake too and I said thanks.

bootlegger10

JH6056 said:

I think being in the same space as anyone and having any kind of 2-waay interaction qualifies as "meeting them". You don't have to do formal introductions or have a whole conversation - he heard you say "great show", knew you were a fan, and called you back to give you something that most fans love. That's a meeting, isn't it?

You are probably right.

bootlegger10

Zod said:

I met Mike. I took the elevator in the hotel to the bottom floor and was walking to the main entrance. I walked right by him, did a double take, walked back and introduced myself. The problem was I didn't really get too many words out after that. I didn't really know what to say. My brother came back looking for me and said I was a big fan.... lol. I asked Mike if I could take a picture with him and he was pretty cool about it. I'm a fairly big person, so I think when I stopped to walk back to Mike, his security guard went slightly nervous, but Mike eased all tension shook my hand. The security guard even took the picture....

Needless to say I was in extremely good spirits when the Vancouver 2013 show started

MIke is cool. I ran into him on the street in Rio of all places and didn't want to bother him but after following the band for 20 years I felt like I should say hello. I verbally vomited basically. I said I just wanted to say thanks and didn't want to bother him but he asked if I wanted to take a picture which was very cool of him.

Bentleyspop

I met Mike during Tom Petty's set in Denver on the 2006 tour.

I was walking back during a piss break song and he was standing by the sound board. So I stopped and said hi and we talked for a few minutes and he signed my ticket stub.
He couldn't have been nicer.

mfc2006

Jeff was super nice when I met him. Just chatted for a few minutes and thanked him for the music.

100 Pacer

drakeheuer14 said:

If I ever meet him I pray on everything holy that Ed does not give me guitar picks. It just seems gimmicky almost or just very weird to do out in public. Yes, I get overall its a kind gesture and in a show setting it would be awesome, but not on the streets. I would so much rather just a handshake or a few words exchanged.

To each their own. In the moment it didn't seem gimmicky, nor weird, and taken at face value it's just a generous act of kindness.

mcgruff10

Met ed three times and jeff once. Both guys are really chill and humble. Jeff and I drank beers after a three fish show and talked snowboarding and Montana.

bbiggs

I need to start hanging in the places you guys are hanging at! Having beers with any one of the band members would be pretty damn awesome.

bbiggs

Has anyone met Stone? Seems like a lot of Ed, Jeff and Mike but haven't heard anyone mention Stone.

GummiBeer

I met Uncle Neil back in 09 when he did a complete Canadian tour. I actually had Mirror Ball playing in my car, seen him and his tour manager walking up Queens road here in St. John's. Myself and my wife stopped the car to say hi, he stuck his head in and laughed and said good taste in music...hehe. He asked us to go for a walk with him, so had to take him up on the offer. Talked everything of the love of cars, to his Linconvolt, other artists, to the upcoming shows. He must have asked 5 times if we had tickets to the shows, with every response that we had GA's for both.
He is very chill but did get annoyed easy with the amount of attention he was getting from star gazers

JH6056

Cool story on meeting Neil. Kind of amazing he asked you guys to walk with him!

To person who asked about Stone, I've met him. Very very cool guy, but I've always felt like he was hardest to find, or he's the one who it seems the fewest people have stories of meeting. Cool though, very low key and also super funny.

bbiggs

^ I bet. Seems like a guy who would be a lot of fun to hang with over a few beers.

mcgruff10

I was chilling on a beach somewhere in southern cali near LA (my memory is shot...talking 1998) and there playing acoustic guitar is neil young! gave him his space, watched for a few minutes and let him walk away.

JH6056

All these Uncle Neil encounters are so cool!

buck502000

Mike and Jeff Central Park 2015 sound check Global Citizen. Extremely cool guys took pics with both.

crookedcross

buck502000 said:

Mike and Jeff Central Park 2015 sound check Global Citizen. Extremely cool guys took pics with both.

Was there a bald cop there getting photo bombed by Eddie? (at least that was the picture he sent me) My friend who's a cop said he heard "live-sounding" PJ from afar, walked through central park, flashed his badge a couple times and sure enough, there was PJ doing sound checks. Said he's proud to say that the one time he abused the use of his authority was to meet Eddie.

cp3iverson

Asked the 5 of them a question during a radio interview

One time Ed sat directly in front of me watching Mudhoney. I was the only person who knew who he was for a good fifteen minutes. Left him alone. He was sitting down enjoying it.

ehbacon

Met Ed after the Milwaukee show in 2014 (I was 14 at the time.) He came out to meet me and like 6 other people, ended up getting to talk with him for about 5 minutes. Talked to him about playing guitar, inspiration for writing music, and surfing. I remember the first thing he said as he walked over to me was "We have to get you out of this cold!" (It was like 2:30 in the morning.) I just laughed and said "worth it to meet my hero." Was the best night of my life.