Want do you think is the best and worst decision the band has made over their career?

josevolution

2-feign-reluctance said:

Go Beavers said:

Mike's Stevie Ray Vaughn hat phase was a bad idea.

Iconic IMO. I'll always love those early years and the hodge podge of styles. 

Agreed those days it felt free&easy vibe anything goes!

WindowPaine

Of The Aggie said:

Best: Ten, Vs., Vitalogy
Worst: Backspacer, Lightning Bolt, Gigaton

best response

WindowPaine

igotid88 said:

Best: Birth of No. Most likely kept the band together
Worst: Only for my own selfish reasons. The birth of no. I would have liked to have seen them on TV more during vs, Vitalogy, and No Code. What if they had performed Daughter or go on Letterman in 93/94? Or made music videos for those albums. They went from being the biggest band of the 90s to "they still make music?". Obviously they did well for themselves. Are first ballot Hall of Famers. And so forth. But sucks when casual fans are asked about 90s bands they're not mentioned as much.

They did Daughter on SNL in 94 and Animal on MTV VMA's in 93

pledgeagrievance

Best: varied sets, official boots, getting fans good seats as much as they can

worst: I agree we can’t say “fans” as the band can’t control their fans craziness, entitlement. But, at times I think the band gets a pass on how the fans are treated due to the early days of how well the fans were treated. The last 15 years I don’t think this band is anywhere near as fan friendly as they used to be or as good to fans as other bands are today. I could cite some examples I’ll just leave it at that. 

Ledbetterman10

pledgeagrievance said:

Best: varied sets, official boots, getting fans good seats as much as they can

worst: I agree we can’t say “fans” as the band can’t control their fans craziness, entitlement. But, at times I think the band gets a pass on how the fans are treated due to the early days of how well the fans were treated. The last 15 years I don’t think this band is anywhere near as fan friendly as they used to be or as good to fans as other bands are today. I could cite some examples I’ll just leave it at that. 

It's funny that if you go back to 2000, people would call Pearl Jam a band of the people and call Metallica greedy and not fan-friendly. This has 100% flipped. 

demetrios

Lost In Ohio said:

It would have been really cool if they signed for a $X donation to Vitalogy Foundation with money donated to a equality/equity organization.

They probably could have raised a ton of money.

Indeed!

Also wish they do more & more raffled signed Pearl Jam goodies contest. The highest bidder on a signed Pearl Jam item auctions kills the fun.

Go Beavers

pledgeagrievance said:

Best: varied sets, official boots, getting fans good seats as much as they can

worst: I agree we can’t say “fans” as the band can’t control their fans craziness, entitlement. But, at times I think the band gets a pass on how the fans are treated due to the early days of how well the fans were treated. The last 15 years I don’t think this band is anywhere near as fan friendly as they used to be or as good to fans as other bands are today. I could cite some examples I’ll just leave it at that. 

Did you ever try to get tickets in the early days? I'll take the fan friendly process of the last 20 years over how it used to be.

OceansJenny

Go Beavers said:

pledgeagrievance said:

Best: varied sets, official boots, getting fans good seats as much as they can

worst: I agree we can’t say “fans” as the band can’t control their fans craziness, entitlement. But, at times I think the band gets a pass on how the fans are treated due to the early days of how well the fans were treated. The last 15 years I don’t think this band is anywhere near as fan friendly as they used to be or as good to fans as other bands are today. I could cite some examples I’ll just leave it at that. 

Did you ever try to get tickets in the early days? I'll take the fan friendly process of the last 20 years over how it used to be.

Agreed - not sure why the band would be considered not fan friendly based on ticketing alone. They could easily just do what the big artists do (no fan club tix and jack up prices to market).

apirk72

The only thing I think that has been kind of crappy towards the fans would be the fan club singles, which was  a legit grievance.  Everything else is basically based on fans greed and them just wanting more.   Metallica was brought up and the whole reason they were considered not fan friendly was because they were against people stealing their music online.  If all you want to do is take from people you probably also shouldn't call them greedy or not fan friendly.

igotid88

WindowPaine said:

igotid88 said:

Best: Birth of No. Most likely kept the band together
Worst: Only for my own selfish reasons. The birth of no. I would have liked to have seen them on TV more during vs, Vitalogy, and No Code. What if they had performed Daughter or go on Letterman in 93/94? Or made music videos for those albums. They went from being the biggest band of the 90s to "they still make music?". Obviously they did well for themselves. Are first ballot Hall of Famers. And so forth. But sucks when casual fans are asked about 90s bands they're not mentioned as much.

They did Daughter on SNL in 94 and Animal on MTV VMA's in 93

I know. I was talking about performing on Letterman. Maybe even Late Night with Conan. Most bands or artists perform a song on more than one show is my point 

igotid88

WindowPaine said:

Of The Aggie said:

Best: Ten, Vs., Vitalogy
Worst: Backspacer, Lightning Bolt, Gigaton

best response

Worst

Habit4me

Controversial hot take:

Best: The creative writing process (non lyrics - I'm talking the music/riffs/instruments)

Worst: Eddie taking primary lead on creative writing process 

Of The Aggie

igotid88 said:

WindowPaine said:

Of The Aggie said:

Best: Ten, Vs., Vitalogy
Worst: Backspacer, Lightning Bolt, Gigaton

best response

Worst

I never knew I could generate such controversial posts...

igotid88

Habit4me said:

Controversial hot take:

Best: The creative writing process (non lyrics - I'm talking the music/riffs/instruments)

Worst: Eddie taking primary lead on creative writing process 

I don't think he took the lead. I think he wants them to contribute more.

HughFreakingDillon

well he did in the 90's. now? I think you're right igotidd88. 

mfc2006

HughFreakingDillon said:

well he did in the 90's. now? I think you're right igotidd88. 

Yup.

OceansJenny

igotid88 said:

Habit4me said:

Controversial hot take:

Best: The creative writing process (non lyrics - I'm talking the music/riffs/instruments)

Worst: Eddie taking primary lead on creative writing process 

I don't think he took the lead. I think he wants them to contribute more.

Ed still steers the ship. 

The other guys do contribute - they have mentioned many times that everyone brings their work in and they decide if they want to move a piece forward. I still get the sense that Ed had final veto though, based on whether something sits well with him at the time (gut feeling).

Remember Stone trying again and again to get someone interested in (I think) the G2F riff?

igotid88

OceansJenny said:

igotid88 said:

Habit4me said:

Controversial hot take:

Best: The creative writing process (non lyrics - I'm talking the music/riffs/instruments)

Worst: Eddie taking primary lead on creative writing process 

I don't think he took the lead. I think he wants them to contribute more.

Ed still steers the ship. 

The other guys do contribute - they have mentioned many times that everyone brings their work in and they decide if they want to move a piece forward. I still get the sense that Ed had final veto though, based on whether something sits well with him at the time (gut feeling).

Remember Stone trying again and again to get someone interested in (I think) the G2F riff?

In Hiding I believe. I think mostly because he's the main lyricist. I don't think he went in saying "I'm the captain now". Like most people are making it out to be.

pledgeagrievance

Go Beavers said:

pledgeagrievance said:

Best: varied sets, official boots, getting fans good seats as much as they can

worst: I agree we can’t say “fans” as the band can’t control their fans craziness, entitlement. But, at times I think the band gets a pass on how the fans are treated due to the early days of how well the fans were treated. The last 15 years I don’t think this band is anywhere near as fan friendly as they used to be or as good to fans as other bands are today. I could cite some examples I’ll just leave it at that. 

Did you ever try to get tickets in the early days? I'll take the fan friendly process of the last 20 years over how it used to be.

Yes I did try to get tickets in the early days. I didn’t mention tickets or fan club tickets in my “worst” part. 

But since you brought it up, I am shut out more now, and tickets have been harder to get, and fan club seats have got progressively worse over the years. But I don’t think of any of it as the worst part of their career and that why’s I didn’t originally say it in my post. 

And directly in my post I say they get a pass today due to how it was in the early days 

DM282158

Habit4me said:

Controversial hot take:

Best: The creative writing process (non lyrics - I'm talking the music/riffs/instruments)

Worst: Eddie taking primary lead on creative writing process 

Following up on the hot take. One wonders if Stone was still the lead. Everything that guy touches turns to gold, in my opinion. Pearl Jam, MLB, Green River, Brad, Painted Shield, solo work. Dude can write and play.