How has the Backspacer album changed your life?

I am all about the end. Very moving song, and really
helped me get through my father in laws passing.

Yep, Backspacer has changed my life & definitely for the better. I hadn't listened to PJ for years, since about 1996 until a guy I used to work with played me EV's ItW which I loved. I bought Backspacer, liked it, then the 2009 Backspacer tour happened, I went to the Auckland show & my life was changed! Next day bought every other album, joined 10c & have been on here pretty well every day since(except for a day or 2 when I was in Oz last week for EV's tour. ). So yeah Backspacer, or the Backspacer tour maybe, changed my life!!

Wow. Never realized there was such negativity for Backspacer...maybe because I'm not too regular on the forums. Backspacer came to me at a rough time in my life, as many of the PJ albums seem to do, and it spoke to me loudly. I love the album from beginning to end, and feel that I have grown with the band. I'm at a different point in my life than I was when Binaural came out or even further back when No Code came out, and it just hit home with me. The End really helped me because, even though the real meaning is much deeper, it helped me with the loss of a very important friendship.

It reenergized me as a Pearl Jam fan just like most of their new releases. Can't beat that.

hockeygrrl wrote:

Wow. Never realized there was such negativity for Backspacer...maybe because I'm not too regular on the forums. Backspacer came to me at a rough time in my life, as many of the PJ albums seem to do, and it spoke to me loudly. I love the album from beginning to end, and feel that I have grown with the band. I'm at a different point in my life than I was when Binaural came out or even further back when No Code came out, and it just hit home with me. The End really helped me because, even though the real meaning is much deeper, it helped me with the loss of a very important friendship.

I agree with a lot of this. And well put. When Backspacer came out I was completely in dire straits (not the band believe me). Where I was you couldn't really get access to or play music - so I had to get my brother to put the newly released backspacer on an mp3 player for me - and the device was malfunctioning, so he only managed to get one new song a day to me (but at least they reached me in order!). So, for a period of many days all I had to live for was the next song coming. Playing Backspacer each day I immediately heard a light, an energy, hope, passion - which was just what I needed. My family were all around me and I was clinging to them, and songs like Just Breathe and Amongst the Waves really made an impact on me as they stood by me. Hearing Eddie's voice, so charged up and passionate, and speaking from the heart, and personal was an incredible boost. Speed of Sound was where I was at - as I tried to make it through each night, with just a distant dream that I might survive. This song was my companion for the lonely nights.....

So Backspacer had a massive impact on my life in late 2009, a time I will never forget - nor will I forget my gratitude for how much Backspacer helped me to stay afloat. It also rekindled my passion and commitment to this band.

Now when I listen to Backpacer, in much more settled times it affects me differently. It leaves me colder - I find it harder to relate to the energy, the vulnerability and the passion, and sometimes the songs don't work for me as they once did. I can see why some people are put off by some of the lyrics. Other days it hits me with its positivity and energy and sounds really great.

Overall I have come to think of Backspacer as an album which you most need in hard times, but when the weather is fine it is more average. When it really connected with me it was due to the power of the positivity and love in Eddie's songwriting, his passion, which was so far away from where I was, but which reminded me that better times were possible.

pandora wrote:

The past 20 years have been a gas!

Change my life? more like reinforce my life and my belief in the human connection.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. Pearl Jam makes me very happy, continuingly.

well put and i definitely agree! while backspacer isn't my favorite album, its definitely a solid piece of work. I love how they're still able to produce fresh, new sounds 20 years later.

daveh351 wrote:

I will have to say quite honestly that Backspacer changed my life. I have always been a PJ fan and have all the studio albums as well as a few live shows. While not the hard core fan, like those that have 10,000 songs, I am pleased with my collection with a depth of great PJ music. I bought Backspacer and listened intently. I heard the influences and experience of a group of men who've survived, at least so far, their life's experience. it made me go back deep into all the past PJ catalogue and explore their music again. I've re-emerged as a bigger fan and advocate of the band. And been rocked out by the process. My car system has never sounded better....just turn up The Fixer or Amongst the Waves and my life is good.

Also made me want the PJ20 releases and bought the CD, DVD and Book. Have to say the book is actually my favorite among the group.

What a great band and history. All their albums hold up in my opinion, including Backspacer. Some collection of songs over the years have a profound meaning, while others more subtle. Backspacer is not the intensity of Ten, but it is a reflection of where the band was and still is at this time and an indication of where they may be headed. I'm good with taking the ride with them whatever they put out.

That is what I have to say about the topic.

answer: It did have an effect on my Life.

One hell of a first post you have here Dave. Well put.

I realized that Pearl Jam can write love songs that made sense to me. . . who knew?

Of course, maybe I don't really understand them . . .

It brought me back to a more focused time; the last time I played the same album continuously for 3 days was Vitalogy.

The first dozen listens to any new Pearl Jam album are difficult. The music literally grows on me with every listen and it takes time to appreciate the new work.

TinAnt wrote:

The first dozen listens to any new Pearl Jam album are difficult. The music literally grows on me with every listen and it takes time to appreciate the new work.

Funny you should mention TinAnt! I feel the exact same way. I have never fully appreicated a new PJ release after ten, right off the bat. It usually takes me 10-20 listens for most and believe it or not I just recently got No Code. I recently played it for the first time in years and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have always like many of the songs individually but recently the whole thing just rolled over me like a tidal wave. Much renewed love.