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Porcupine Tree Pokes Fun at Pearl Jam

magikevmagikev Posts: 296
edited April 2007 in Other Music
Okay, so I can't quite decide what to make out of this, whether they are saying that Pearl Jam sucks or that the wannabe band sucks for trying to sound like them. But here are lyrics from the 1st track of Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet (which, by the way, is great).

"My friend says he wants to die
He's in a band
They sound like Pearl Jam
The clothes are all black
The music is crap"

So, what's the call?
Kevin Viner
http://www.kevinviner.net
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Comments

  • mrwalkerbmrwalkerb Posts: 1,015
    magikev wrote:
    Okay, so I can't quite decide what to make out of this, whether they are saying that Pearl Jam sucks or that the wannabe band sucks for trying to sound like them. But here are lyrics from the 1st track of Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet (which, by the way, is great).

    "My friend says he wants to die
    He's in a band
    They sound like Pearl Jam
    The clothes are all black
    The music is crap"

    So, what's the call?


    well seeing as when I hear shitty bands that sound like PJ (default, theory of a deadman etc etc etc) I usually just say "wow this sounds like a horrible version of Ten, if Ten was a shitty record" so I would say that these guys are more after bands that ape old school music and are comepletly redundent becasue of it.
    "I'm not suicidal, except when I drink. That's why we don't all drink at the same time, there'd be no-one alive to drive home..."
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  • magikevmagikev Posts: 296
    Yeah, that's basically the direction I was heading as well.
    Kevin Viner
    http://www.kevinviner.net
  • InkdaubInkdaub Posts: 235
    They seem to distance the band from PJ with the 'all black' line. However, if their intent is to knock PJ...who cares. They can make fun of whoever they like.
  • magikevmagikev Posts: 296
    Yeah, it didn't really bother me. I just figured that one way or another, it was an interesting use of Pearl Jam's name.
    Kevin Viner
    http://www.kevinviner.net
  • ArctangentArctangent Posts: 614
    i don't think they are having a go at pearl jam but at bands that copy and dilute a band or musical style a bit like the hidden track on disk 2 of lost dogs which is eddie doing the same thing only with alice in chains/layne staley.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    no idea, but who the fuck are Porcupine Tree?
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  • ArctangentArctangent Posts: 614
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    no idea, but who the fuck are Porcupine Tree?

    they are an excellent English group. i know its hard to believe that there are actually people outside the USA who make music but there are;)

    you should try them out. you never know, you might like them
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:
    no idea, but who the fuck are Porcupine Tree?

    They are quite good but quite different from pearl jam in the sense that they lean much more towards prog rock.
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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    Arctangent wrote:
    they are an excellent English group. i know its hard to believe that there are actually people outside the USA who make music but there are;)

    you should try them out. you never know, you might like them
    Every time I walk into my daughter's room and say "Hey, I like this, who is it?" it's Porcupine Tree. I guess it's time I took some time with their music.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    magikev wrote:
    Okay, so I can't quite decide what to make out of this, whether they are saying that Pearl Jam sucks or that the wannabe band sucks for trying to sound like them. But here are lyrics from the 1st track of Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet (which, by the way, is great).

    "My friend says he wants to die
    He's in a band
    They sound like Pearl Jam
    The clothes are all black
    The music is crap"

    So, what's the call?
    Yet they themselves aren't wannabes? They can't even come up with an original album title. Direct rip-off of Public Enemy's album, Fear of a Black Planet, by one letter. According to their own logic they suck.

    I don't think they're ripping PJ though., more like PJ wannabes.
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    danny72688 wrote:
    Yet they themselves aren't wannabes? They can't even come up with an original album title. Direct rip-off of Public Enemy's album, Fear of a Black Planet, by one letter. According to their own logic they suck.

    I don't think they're ripping PJ though., more like PJ wannabes.


    Steven Wilson has mentioned that the album's title is a direct reference to the 1990 Public Enemy album, Fear of a Black Planet. He explained that race relations was a major issue when it was released and that nowadays he sees "coming to terms with information technology and coming to terms with the 21st century" as a more modern issue
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  • caifan82caifan82 Posts: 321
    At first I thought the correct lyrics were "all jam".

    And yes, Porcupine Tree in an awesome band. For those that don't know them, download "Arriving somewhere but not here". That song is a masterpiece.
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  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    I've heard so much hype for this band over the past two years. Actually i don't think I've ever read a bad word about them.

    However, i think this is the first band that I've not checked out because of their name alone.
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • magikevmagikev Posts: 296
    You should definitely check them out. They're one of my favorites.
    Kevin Viner
    http://www.kevinviner.net
  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    magikev wrote:
    You should definitely check them out. They're one of my favorites.


    Haha, and i know i should. But for some reason...i just haven't

    I'll try this week:)
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    intodeep wrote:
    Steven Wilson has mentioned that the album's title is a direct reference to the 1990 Public Enemy album, Fear of a Black Planet. He explained that race relations was a major issue when it was released and that nowadays he sees "coming to terms with information technology and coming to terms with the 21st century" as a more modern issue
    Well yeah, that is true. But in his lyrics, he's calling out new bands for being unoriginal and copying older bands, when they've done the same thing with their album name. I just find it a bit hypocritical that's all.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    For a band that seems to have so much hype (and I listen to a fair amount of foreign music - english and otherwise) how have I never heard of them? :confused:

    research time..
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    danny72688 wrote:
    Well yeah, that is true. But in his lyrics, he's calling out new bands for being unoriginal and copying older bands, when they've done the same thing with their album name. I just find it a bit hypocritical that's all.

    I don't see it as hypocritical because their album name is not just a copy. It is a copy with a reason.

    They chose to purposely use that name in order to make a statement and convey a message. The contents of the cd sound nothing like that album in any way shape or form. They are open to telling you they chose that album name to make an association. Bands coping a sound are doing so and trying to play it off as being original.

    Perhaps you see things differently but in my mind i don't see that as a hypocritical statement.
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  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    intodeep wrote:
    I don't see it as hypocritical because their album name is not just a copy. It is a copy with a reason.

    They chose to purposely use that name in order to make a statement and convey a message. The contents of the cd sound nothing like that album in any way shape or form. They are open to telling you they chose that album name to make an association. Bands coping a sound are doing so and trying to play it off as being original.

    Perhaps you see things differently but in my mind i don't see that as a hypocritical statement.
    Who's to say poser bands don't copy for a reason though? It's still copying. It's a lesser degree in this case but I still see them doing what they are condemning. It would be a lot better if they named a song Fear of a Blank Planet instead. I don't know, that album is critical in music history. It'd be similar to calling an album about the government Puppet Master (lifting from Metallica's Master of Puppets).

    I am sure the contents of the CD are different (hopefully because the subject matter is different).
  • darthvedder88darthvedder88 Posts: 1,023
    The little I've heard from them is really good. Didn't know about a new release though.
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  • magikevmagikev Posts: 296
    Yeah, it just came out Tuesday.
    Kevin Viner
    http://www.kevinviner.net
  • MojopinMojopin Posts: 216
    lol, I knew this would come up at some point on a pearl jam board.

    Uhhh, it's definitely NOT a knock on Pearl Jam at all. Its a knock on the character's band in the song trying to SOUND like Pearl Jam, but they wear all black, heh.

    As for the band themselves? Probably one of the best bands on the planet right now, and this new album is stunning! I'm absolutely speechless with how good it is right now. All I gotta say is the 5.1 version of it just shreds the demos that were leaked last month.

    The album is highly conceptual about information overload with todays kids, and to me, comes across as something thats equal parts Pink Floyd and Tool, with a little bit of old-school King Crimson thrown in for good measure. Robert Fripp even plays on one of the songs, and so does Alex Lifeson of Rush.

    Its a very heavy concept they're confronting on this album, and it plays out like many parts of a whole. There are 4 songs over 7 minutes on here, and one thats almost 18 minutes.

    All in all, amazing stuff!

    Mojo
    "A consistently good band works all the different elements well. A song has to appeal sentimentally, intellectually, physically, viscerally, and dig deep down into your soul and suck you into it. And after that, of course, it'd be a matter of taste." ~ Kim Thayil from Soundgarden
  • SunDevilSunDevil Posts: 10
    danny72688 wrote:
    Who's to say poser bands don't copy for a reason though? It's still copying. It's a lesser degree in this case but I still see them doing what they are condemning. It would be a lot better if they named a song Fear of a Blank Planet instead. I don't know, that album is critical in music history. It'd be similar to calling an album about the government Puppet Master (lifting from Metallica's Master of Puppets).

    I am sure the contents of the CD are different (hopefully because the subject matter is different).

    Guess Pearl Jam are copycats, then, since they named their first album after Mookie Blaylock's jersey number, and their third album after a book called "Vitality" or some crap like that.

    Seriously, let it go. It's not copying, it's a tribute if anything.
  • peepspeeps Posts: 79
    :$úñ_dëv|l:
  • peepspeeps Posts: 79
    danny72688 wrote:
    Who's to say poser bands don't copy for a reason though? It's still copying. It's a lesser degree in this case but I still see them doing what they are condemning. It would be a lot better if they named a song Fear of a Blank Planet instead. I don't know, that album is critical in music history. It'd be similar to calling an album about the government Puppet Master (lifting from Metallica's Master of Puppets).

    I am sure the contents of the CD are different (hopefully because the subject matter is different).

    Riot Act got its name from the Patriot Act, they both suck, grow some logic.
  • boxwine_in_hellboxwine_in_hell Posts: 1,263
    magikev wrote:
    Okay, so I can't quite decide what to make out of this, whether they are saying that Pearl Jam sucks or that the wannabe band sucks for trying to sound like them. But here are lyrics from the 1st track of Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet (which, by the way, is great).

    "My friend says he wants to die
    He's in a band
    They sound like Pearl Jam
    The clothes are all black
    The music is crap"

    So, what's the call?

    Porcupine Trees should look in the mirror.
    one foot in the door
    the other foot in the gutter
    sweet smell that they adore
    I think I'd rather smother
    -The Replacements-
  • SunDevilSunDevil Posts: 10
    peeps wrote:
    Riot Act got its name from the Patriot Act, they both suck, grow some logic.

    Considering that, the two I mentioned, and the fact that making an album self-titled has been done hundreds of times over, Pearl Jam has copied at least HALF of their album titles.

    Where would Synergy be without Peeps? :P
  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    SunDevil wrote:
    Guess Pearl Jam are copycats, then, since they named their first album after Mookie Blaylock's jersey number, and their third album after a book called "Vitality" or some crap like that.
    You are correct. And it is copying on PJs part, but they aren't condemning it like Porcupine Tree has.
    peeps wrote:
    Riot Act got its name from the Patriot Act
    If you want to look at it that way then yes that is correct too.

    Eveyone copies, at least Porcupine Tree acknowledges it and doesn't take credit.

    And for the record I'm not saying they suck, but I think they are being hypocritical (not fact, opinion).
  • SunDevilSunDevil Posts: 10
    danny72688 wrote:
    You are correct. And it is copying on PJs part, but they aren't condemning it like Porcupine Tree has.

    If you want to look at it that way then yes that is correct too.

    Eveyone copies, at least Porcupine Tree acknowledges it and doesn't take credit.

    And for the record I'm not saying they suck, but I think they are being hypocritical (not fact, opinion).

    Quite a retarded opinion, though. How can you even compare borrowing an album title to make a comparison and stealing someone's entire sound?
  • prytocorduroyprytocorduroy Posts: 4,355
    SunDevil wrote:
    Quite a retarded opinion, though. How can you even compare borrowing an album title to make a comparison and stealing someone's entire sound?
    Whatever, I said earlier they did it to a lesser degree. I wasn't saying they were equal acts. I've even given them credit for admitting it's not theirs.


    They call out people who borrow/steal/whatever someone else's sound.
    They then borrow/steal/whatever someone else's album title (minus one letter).

    Sounds just a little hypocritical to me. That's all I'm saying. Of course it's to a lesser degree. But it's still doing what they "hate".
    "If you hate something don't you do it too?"
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