Public ignorance to pj

punk90kpunk90k Posts: 54
edited December 2011 in The Porch
Always find it strange that a lot of the general public aren't aware of how big the band are.

A friend of mine was staggered that a band he's barely heard of are playing 2 dates at the MEN in Manchester. Also, when a pj tribute band was playing a small venue near me recently, some of my friends thought it was actually pearl jam!

Maybe it's because pj aren't relevant to the charts, or that they don't attract "casuals" or radio play. Certainly, the general public seem more aware of the chilli peppers or foo fighters nowadays.

It's almost annoying when I tell people of the fanbase pj have. It's almost like they don't believe me.

I recall Kerrang! calling pj the biggest cult band in the world. But is this a good thing or a bad thing?
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  • i wouldn't take it personally

    to me it's a great thing, i like the mystique
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  • I know how you feel, I'm a 24 year old living in Australia, and whilst all my friends have heard about PJ, its mainly only because i love them so much.

    All my friends, my girlfriend and basically anyone i know (apart from my parents) dislike Pearl Jam.

    Which means i only get to listen in private, or when i visit my parents, who are avid fans of them as well.

    Like you said, The Foo and Chili Peppers (and even Nirvana) are much more known/popular down here to the general public. It makes me laugh when people go the Fixer song rocks, purely because it got pumped on the radio for a few months.

    Such as life anyway, I'm just glad the best live band in the world are still going and sound amazing to this day.

    Long live Pearl Jam
  • Paul AndrewsPaul Andrews Posts: 2,489
    edited December 2011
    Foo Fighters have just completed an Australian tour, largely playing the same stadiums as Pearl Jam did in 2009 to the same size crowds. Pearl Jam have a very large following here, it's just that most of us are now in our 30s and 40s and not out there getting excited about commercial radio and the latest fads.

    I saw both bands in Perth at the main soccer stadium and they were set up exactly the same way and drew a similar audience of between 25-30,000. Not a bad effort given the lack of radio play Pearl Jam receive beyond Betterman. Both shows received a very positive response from critics and punters alike.

    Ed sold out two nights (in minutes) at Riverside Theatre which seats 2500 after a petition which attracted a few thousand signatures and pages of comments on media websites.

    While radio might be shoving Lady Gaga, Beiber and other pap down the throats of teenagers and those who wouldn't know their arsehole from a hole in the ground, Australia has not forgotten Pearl Jam.

    PS, In my avatar that's me and my stepson on the rail at the Foos a couple of weeks ago, in almost exactly the same spot as we had for PJ in 2009. The little douche scored picks at both shows! ;)
    Post edited by Paul Andrews on
  • frazbafrazba Posts: 601
    I mentioned to a friend of mine that I had a ticket to see them in Manchester, and that it was sold out. His response was 'I thought they split up in the 90's' I offered him my spare seating ticket to show him what he was missing but he declined....philistine!!!!!

    Probably for the best, he enjoys Jamie Cullum and his type!
    Anyone looking for a spare seat for Manchester night 1?
  • tater926tater926 Posts: 263
    I know it doesn't matter what other people think, but it does annoy the shit out of me.
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  • swervedriverswervedriver Sheffield, UK Posts: 182
    I Know what you mean - me and my muso mates went through Uni during the indie/grunge era in late 8os ,early 90s. Whenever I tell them im going to see PJ -their respose is nearly always that they didnt know they were still around. they think im crazy jetting off to see them round the world! However my 12 yr old son has got the live bug after seeing them twice and cant wait for Mancester in 2012 :D
  • SuziemaySuziemay Posts: 11,164
    i wouldn't take it personally

    to me it's a great thing, i like the mystique
    Me too :D

    I do find it annoying when people feel the need to follow-up with, "I like Nirvana better" whenever I mention Pearl Jam. Who gives a rats ass?
  • frazbafrazba Posts: 601
    I Know what you mean - me and my muso mates went through Uni during the indie/grunge era in late 8os ,early 90s. Whenever I tell them im going to see PJ -their respose is nearly always that they didnt know they were still around. they think im crazy jetting off to see them round the world! However my 12 yr old son has got the live bug after seeing them twice and cant wait for Mancester in 2012 :D

    Everyone except you lot think I'm crazy travelling more than 20 miles to see anyone, nevermind ( :lol: see what I did there?) flying to other countries to see a band few people know still exist ( yet they still sell out arenas in record time!!). That's why I'm here, to talk to people as 'nuts' as I am!!!!
  • Don't really care. It's hard enough to get tickets as it is.
    tater926 wrote:
    I know it doesn't matter what other people think, but it does annoy the shit out of me.
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  • tater926tater926 Posts: 263
    Don't really care. It's hard enough to get tickets as it is.
    tater926 wrote:
    I know it doesn't matter what other people think, but it does annoy the shit out of me.

    True. Point taken
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  • Faithful_1Faithful_1 Glasgow Posts: 172
    My social group is split 50-50 between real avid music fans who love PJ as much as me or at least understand my love of the band and those who just listen to the radio and can't get their head around why i travel to see this band.

    I'd gladly cut the latter group out of my life. :)
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  • mcrieckenmcriecken Indiana Posts: 265
    My wife taught High School English a few years back. She knows quite a bit about Pearl Jam, so whenever it was relevant she would use them as examples in class for whatever reason, or bring them up in relevant conversations... but out of maybe 10 different classes, only one kid had heard of them. It shocked me, but I guess if you look at the media world their age is immersed in, it seems perfectly reasonable. Seems to be the case for most things these days - if you're not looking for the good stuff, then you'll take whatever the media gives you. :lol:
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  • AM7865AM7865 Posts: 46
    Totally annoys the piss out of me as well. I don't care much that the younger crowd doesn't know about them, I understand that they don't get the media exposure that a lot of newer artists do. But it totally annoys me when people in my age range (30 and up) say things like, "Oh what have they done since the 90s?"
  • frazbafrazba Posts: 601
    I was lucky enough to have a few well informed friends and relations who had large and diverse record collections, added to that my father owned a record shop, this probably accounts for my eclectic (some would say 'weird' taste in music) Since I was 11, I'd say about 90% of my good friends are friends because of their love of music, it's all I do!!
    I'm telling you this to try and explain why I'm so delighted to find this forum, apart from the fact that PJ are one of my favourite bands, everyone on here seems knowledgeable and open minded about their music.
    Thank you for welcoming me and taking the time to listen to me rambling!

    I will warn you now though, I may be partaking in alcoholic beverages tonight so my posts may become a little more rambling and incoherent, please feel free to tell me to shut the ferk up :silent:
  • LukinFanLukinFan Florida Posts: 28,972
    Don't really care. It's hard enough to get tickets as it is.
    ha! Exactly!
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  • Take a step back and realize their last "hit" song was "Last Kiss" and most people don't know anything after "Daughter." "Vitalogy" was, in most music fans' minds, the beginning of the end since "No Code" sent everyone into a panic over how bad the band supposedly had become. I'm not saying people don't know some of the songs that came after, but as far as mainstream goes, for most people it's all about "Ten" and "Vs." That pretty much means people think the band died around the time that Cobain did.
  • I usually get;

    "Did they have a song called Jeremy?"

    I don't think it helps that pj have never been into flash music promo's apart from Jeremy. Which, even more annoyingly, is one of least favourite pj songs.
  • brosiobrosio Posts: 59
    I didnt realize they still made music
  • unlost dogsunlost dogs Greater Boston Posts: 12,553
    Well, sssssshhhhhhh _ don't tell anyone about them! Like Guacamole Joe said, more tickets for us.

    I have a work colleague who knows me outside of work, and mentioned something about me being in "the Pearl Jam cult."

    Next thing, my director makes a similar remark. I said, "I don't find that funny at all. Please stop saying it." Totally serious, direct, unwavering eye contact.

    She hastily apologized.

    Of course, now they truly believe I'm in a cult, and also that I'm possibly just a little psychotic.
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  • rafierafie Posts: 2,160
    Well, sssssshhhhhhh _ don't tell anyone about them! Like Guacamole Joe said, more tickets for us.

    I have a work colleague who knows me outside of work, and mentioned something about me being in "the Pearl Jam cult."

    Next thing, my director makes a similar remark. I said, "I don't find that funny at all. Please stop saying it." Totally serious, direct, unwavering eye contact.

    She hastily apologized.

    Of course, now they truly believe I'm in a cult, and also that I'm possibly just a little psychotic.
    Just a little? they obviously do not read your posts here :mrgreen:
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  • YLed2YLed2 Des Moines, IA Posts: 5,534
    I'm 26 and a lot of my friends are still listening to all of that rap garbage and don't even blink an eye at PJ - only a few of my friends I hang out with are legitimate PJ fans. And at work, me and another one of my buddies are the only PJ fans and have to continually remind everyone how big and great this band is. It almost seems like they all revert back to the early 90's and have NO CLUE how great this band has been since the early 90's.........and it's only the beginning for PJ. :D
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  • Like Eddie said, it can be done in the style of pink floyd, Neil Young etc.

    And let's face it, the band members are very wealthy people regardless of public exposure.

    I would prefer to be Eddie than Bono. At least Eddie can go to the shops...
  • I get a lot of 'oh they are still around?' and the one that made me want to smack someone 'they are too old to put on a good show, they must lip synch' - :evil: which is flat out blasphemous

    on the good side - we don't have to deal with these people at shows either. :D
  • frazbafrazba Posts: 601
    I get a lot of 'oh they are still around?' and the one that made me want to smack someone 'they are too old to put on a good show, they must lip synch' - :evil: which is flat out blasphemous

    on the good side - we don't have to deal with these people at shows either. :D


    Congratulations on showing enough restraint to not smack the 'lip syncing' culprit, you're a betterman ( :D ) than I.
  • Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    Other than a couple of old high school buddies and people I've met from the boards/at showsshows I really don't know anyone who likes Pearl Jam. :( Similar to what has already been posted, most people I come across only know of Pearl Jam up to Vitalogy and think they stopped making music after that. My boss is a big Soundgarden, Nirvana, Metallica, rock music fan and said Pearl Jam sucks...and that they started going downhill after Ten when Eddie Vedder started talking about his feelings. :? Other coworkers who were in the conversation agreed that PJ was no good even though they like a lot of other music I like as well. I did tell one other coworker that PJ was my favorite band and he said that's a good favorite bnd to have, but admitted he stopped listening after Vitalogy..he did say he liked their early stuff in the early 90s though.
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  • YLed2YLed2 Des Moines, IA Posts: 5,534
    Better Dan wrote:
    Other than a couple of old high school buddies and people I've met from the boards/at showsshows I really don't know anyone who likes Pearl Jam. :( Similar to what has already been posted, most people I come across only know of Pearl Jam up to Vitalogy and think they stopped making music after that. My boss is a big Soundgarden, Nirvana, Metallica, rock music fan and said Pearl Jam sucks...and that they started going downhill after Ten when Eddie Vedder started talking about his feelings. :? Other coworkers who were in the conversation agreed that PJ was no good even though they like a lot of other music I like as well. I did tell one other coworker that PJ was my favorite band and he said that's a good favorite bnd to have, but admitted he stopped listening after Vitalogy..he did say he liked their early stuff in the early 90s though.

    :lol: And him being your boss, how did you decide to reply? I'm sure you were very generous and appeared to be neutral? :|
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  • frazbafrazba Posts: 601
    I have to admit that I don't find it particularly annoying, more amusing really, these people I'm talking about call themselves music fans, yet don't have any clue about one of the biggest bands on the planet (how many other bands, short of maybe U2, Waits or Springsteen) could sell out an arena tour so quickly?...As I stated in another post, philistines, being a fan of music takes a bit of work, not just listening to the fucking radio!! I could go on, but I'll save my ranting for when I'm drunk later!!!
  • HamauryHamaury Posts: 189
    Here is my opinion on this matter.

    I dont think they want to be known by everyone. The number of fans of Pearl Jam are smaller than the Foo Fighters or the Chilli Peppers, but i am 100% sure, that we, Pearl Jam fans are more faithful to the band. None of my friends are a fan, they probably know 2 to 3 songs, that doesn`t matter to me, I know how great they are, how deep the lyrics are, the songs, the members of the band etc.. Not everyone can be a Pearl Jam fan, they ain`t an easy, mainstream band like the Chili Peppers which everyone knows 10 to 15 songs (btw, Chili Peppers are great). If you wanna be a PJ fan, you have to research, buy the albums, listen to all songs, you have to find them, not the other way around. It sincerely doesnt bother me that they are not that known, i prefer how it is. When i found the 10c i felt that i found a home, with brothers and sisters that share the same opinion as i do. Most people dont understand how big this band are, and to tell you guys the truth, this is their problem.
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  • 78FLH78FLH Posts: 410
    Hamaury wrote:
    Here is my opinion on this matter.

    I dont think they want to be known by everyone. The number of fans of Pearl Jam are smaller than the Foo Fighters or the Chilli Peppers, but i am 100% sure, that we, Pearl Jam fans are more faithful to the band. None of my friends are a fan, they probably know 2 to 3 songs, that doesn`t matter to me, I know how great they are, how deep the lyrics are, the songs, the members of the band etc.. Not everyone can be a Pearl Jam fan, they ain`t an easy, mainstream band like the Chili Peppers which everyone knows 10 to 15 songs (btw, Chili Peppers are great). If you wanna be a PJ fan, you have to research, buy the albums, listen to all songs, you have to find them, not the other way around. It sincerely doesnt bother me that they are not that known, i prefer how it is. When i found the 10c i felt that i found a home, with brothers and sisters that share the same opinion as i do. Most people dont understand how big this band are, and to tell you guys the truth, this is their problem.


    :clap::clap: Exactly
  • TJ25487TJ25487 Posts: 1,447
    Quite simply, most people are not into music in general. They basically just listen to the radio/TV and thats how they keep up with current stuff. Or, like us PJ fans, they find something they like and go off in that direction, buying and listening to an artist or artists in a certain genre such as rap, heavy metal etc. I myself don't buy much music outside of PJ so unless I hear something on the radio I couldn't tell you about most other artists.
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