It was the only time I ever skipped school to go get an album. Sophomore year, I remember riding in the back of a pickup to the record store on that chilly October morning. We listened to it twice through at my friend's house, and went back to school, right around lunch time.
Ed...buddy...pal...stay true to your word and play Boise again.
Seattle, 12.7.93
Salt Lake, 6.21.98
Mountain View, 10.30.99
Mountain View, 10.31.99
Boise, 11.3.00
Portland, 9.26.09
VS is and will always be my favorite PJ album. This album has it all, and gives you a little something from every pearl jam corner. The band memebers were playing great, the sound is tremendous and the songwriting was interesting and creative (something that has been lacking lately imo).
I remember hearing vs. for the 1st time when I was in 8th grade. It completely changed my musical tastes and was I was hooked. I love putting my headphones on and cranking up Go, it just gets me amped up still today. I love the drums and bass line WMA and Rats,and the raw emotion in Ed's voice in Indifference. Just epic.
It was the only time I ever skipped school to go get an album. Sophomore year, I remember riding in the back of a pickup to the record store on that chilly October morning. We listened to it twice through at my friend's house, and went back to school, right around lunch time.
I too skipped school to go buy this, but I didn't return.
It was freshman year. I went to class until about 845, walked off campus and down to the record shop for a 9am opening. Just me and 3 other people waiting. I think one of them was there for the new Rush album or something. I just remember being so excited to get that CD. I tore off the plastic and opened that special packaging (which not many cd's had back then), looking through it the whole way home. Since I was the only person home, I cranked my boom box up and soaked in those drums! Life changing, for sure. Ten was special, but I didn't get Ten on it's first release day. Vs was like my baby. The newborn I got to bring home.
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F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,692
This is a very cool thread, love hearing how other folks experienced it for the first time.
I was thinking about this on my drive in this AM (as I fucking blasted Vs. of course!) and had a few additional thoughts.
1, this was the most impacting 'first listen' of any of PJ's albums for me. (Sounds like it was for many)
2, the reason why was because they didn't really change all of that much from Ten at first listen (nuances grew with each listen of course and now I feel they are very different albums) and it really hit me like someone took a 5 step jog and then smacked me in the face. Just absolutely rocked through the whole first play. Didn't get bored with any of the songs, none of them 'took time to appreciate' as is so frequently the case with new albums. It was a 12 song attack on my psyche.
3, I think 'Go' and 'Animal' are still the best 1-2 punch to open any of their records. (And that is really a large statement as most of their albums open like a house on fire)
4, On reflection this is also the way I felt about Backspacer for the first few songs. I know some disregard the album as a whole as too commerical/poppy (and I got that feeling as I worked further into the album, which I love very much btw) but when I popped it in for the first time and heard 'Gonna See My Friend' and 'Got Some' I really felt like an old friend had come over to share a joint with me. Beautiful!
Unfortunately I didn't get to hear vs til '98, I was 15 at the time and just getting into music, aerosmith were my first love. It so happened my uncle had come to visit and he had a Vs cassette in his car. When I walked in to the house I was carrying an Aerosmith-Pump cd. He started asking me about what other bands I was into and if I'd heard of Pearl Jam. I said I knew Alive but that was about it. He took me for a drive and turned that stereo up quite loud. He was so passionate about the littlest things in the music and that passion sold it for me. He bought me a copy on cd from a virgin megastore plus Ten and Yield as it was new at the time. From there I spread the gospel.
I love my uncle for many reasons but driving me around listening to pearl jam will never be beaten.
Caleb Benjamin Higgs-16th December 2006
Max Lennon Higgs-22nd October 2010
My two boys are the light of my life.
check my band/project out at www.soundclick.com/nineyardsleft
Can recall my buddies and I knew of the release. They got it before me and were quick to acknowledge that "It's freaking awesome!"
Unable to wait anymore, I blitzed down to Spinners and bought the CD. Had to wait to get home to play it (cassette player in the car... CD car stereos were rare and expensive then). Got home, put it in... oh yeah!
Defined me at the time. Recorded it on to a 90 minute cassette and ran several times with my sports walkman blasting it in my ears. Animal... nice. GG... nice. The whole album... nice.
first time hearing rear view mirror, thought they will be the best rock band of the world
still going
Santiago I 2005
Santiago II 2005
West Palm Beach 2008
Alpine Valley PJ20 I 2011
Alpine Valley PJ 20 II 2011
Santiago 2011
Lima 2011
Buenos Aires 2013
Brooklyn I 2013
Brooklyn II 2013
Santiago 2015
Bogota 2015
Ft Lauderdale 2016
Miami 2016 Rio de Janeiro 2018 Boston 2 2018
My favourite album is Vitalogy, however, I don't remember buying it, and I did buy it, I don't remember where I bought it from, and listened to it for the first time, but I was in 1994 after I bought The Beatles Live at the BBC and Mother's milk at the same record store, for some reason I gather those two moments together, but there might be months in between...
... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...
Comments
Seattle, 12.7.93
Salt Lake, 6.21.98
Mountain View, 10.30.99
Mountain View, 10.31.99
Boise, 11.3.00
Portland, 9.26.09
Indifference is still in my top 5 of all time.
I too skipped school to go buy this, but I didn't return.
It was freshman year. I went to class until about 845, walked off campus and down to the record shop for a 9am opening. Just me and 3 other people waiting. I think one of them was there for the new Rush album or something. I just remember being so excited to get that CD. I tore off the plastic and opened that special packaging (which not many cd's had back then), looking through it the whole way home. Since I was the only person home, I cranked my boom box up and soaked in those drums! Life changing, for sure. Ten was special, but I didn't get Ten on it's first release day. Vs was like my baby. The newborn I got to bring home.
I was thinking about this on my drive in this AM (as I fucking blasted Vs. of course!) and had a few additional thoughts.
1, this was the most impacting 'first listen' of any of PJ's albums for me. (Sounds like it was for many)
2, the reason why was because they didn't really change all of that much from Ten at first listen (nuances grew with each listen of course and now I feel they are very different albums) and it really hit me like someone took a 5 step jog and then smacked me in the face. Just absolutely rocked through the whole first play. Didn't get bored with any of the songs, none of them 'took time to appreciate' as is so frequently the case with new albums. It was a 12 song attack on my psyche.
3, I think 'Go' and 'Animal' are still the best 1-2 punch to open any of their records. (And that is really a large statement as most of their albums open like a house on fire)
4, On reflection this is also the way I felt about Backspacer for the first few songs. I know some disregard the album as a whole as too commerical/poppy (and I got that feeling as I worked further into the album, which I love very much btw) but when I popped it in for the first time and heard 'Gonna See My Friend' and 'Got Some' I really felt like an old friend had come over to share a joint with me. Beautiful!
It is fitting fashion in the true form of EV (high school drop out).
:-)
I love my uncle for many reasons but driving me around listening to pearl jam will never be beaten.
Max Lennon Higgs-22nd October 2010
My two boys are the light of my life.
check my band/project out at www.soundclick.com/nineyardsleft
Unable to wait anymore, I blitzed down to Spinners and bought the CD. Had to wait to get home to play it (cassette player in the car... CD car stereos were rare and expensive then). Got home, put it in... oh yeah!
Defined me at the time. Recorded it on to a 90 minute cassette and ran several times with my sports walkman blasting it in my ears. Animal... nice. GG... nice. The whole album... nice.
still going
Santiago II 2005
West Palm Beach 2008
Alpine Valley PJ20 I 2011
Alpine Valley PJ 20 II 2011
Santiago 2011
Lima 2011
Buenos Aires 2013
Brooklyn I 2013
Brooklyn II 2013
Santiago 2015
Bogota 2015
Ft Lauderdale 2016
Miami 2016
Rio de Janeiro 2018
Boston 2 2018