Why Eddie Vedder and Dave Matthews should collaborate.

Wow first let me say thanks for all the responses. I completely understand the many opinions posted so far. As far as not liking Dave, I truly appreciate aesthetic differences and questions of taste are well always going to be debated (My roommate in college used to say Dave sounded like a muppet and Eddie was indecipherable). I would say we agree to disagree. I particularly appreciate the views on how the two singers sounds are so different and think that would make for part of the dynamic. Some of the greatest compilations have come from unlikely pairings.

I do think it is interesting to see how similar some (certainly not all) of their influences are shared. (Beatles, Dylan, Neil, Cash, Marley) I was in the mud at ACL to see both bands (on separate nights) and was thinking how cool it would be to hear them together. I was recently watching PJ20 and Dave in Europe and thinking about how their sounds had evolved so much over the years from my first experiences with them. I used to teach classes called One Sweet World:The politics and poetry of Dave Matthews, and Act UP! The Power of Protest Performance with Pearl Jam and I realized how much the artists had in common in the themes of their lyrics and in the political views they held. They are the Jungian archetypes of my generation the dark angst ridden poet who captures the seething undercurrent of rage of disgruntled middle class Americans and the happy live life in the moment troubador who sings about our desire to revel and party like there is no tomorrow. But over time there music has come closer after the murder of Dave's sister and his bout with depression his music took on deeply dark overtones of Bartender and Big Eyed Fish and with Eddie's age came the mellow beauty of such songs as Just Breathe and Society.

Many of you have mentioned their concert experience, which is of course the purest form of their music. I don't consider myself a concert veteran (with only 11 PJ shows and 23 DMB/D&T/Dave solo shows) compared to the many of you who have posted, but I think seeing their shows is the closest thing to a religious experience in my life. I started out as a drunken college student at their shows but have since gone on to take my students to them and sit in the fan club seats (away from the drunks on the lawn ) and now as the father of two boys (4 yrs old, and 9 months old) I look forward to being able to take them as well. I believe the point I was trying to make that it seems hard to find two performers who have lasted and still have a broad appeal to fans both young and veteran. I look forward to more of your posts.

InHiding19 wrote:

Your telling me Phish has done less than Dave. What about selling 80,000 ticekts to festivals with only them on the bill. Last I checked Dave's fest had a full bill of other bands. Plus Dave sucks. Ed wouldn't be caught dead with him.

Ticket sales are not for me the full measure of a band's artistry, and I certainly would not want to use this forum as a DMB apologia but...
http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/arch ... 02459.aspx

I love Phish as well and truly enjoyed watching Trey and Dave together.
http://image.pollstar.com/WeblogFiles/p ... 300_v1.jpg

As far as Dave sucking I can't argue with your opinion, I just have to differ.

As far as Ed not being caught dead with him see-
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... m=1&itbs=1

Kanye East wrote:

Thats how you wanted to make your 1st post?

Kanye it's funny you mention that. I have been a fan club member for a while now and a fan even longer and I just never thought to post even while teaching my classes on the bands and going to shows. Call it a sad oversight. Lately I have become something of a political oped writer and thought, I should probably post on my favorite music sites and share with my fellow fans and PJ family. If anyone wishes to read some of my opeds try http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/302647