I want PJ to be just as poor as I am again

Leezestarr313 · May 2013

I miss the anger. I miss the disagreement and engagement. I miss the frustration with current events. I miss the protest. I miss the desperation and inspiration that is coming out of the feeling of not being able to reach your dreams, not being able to afford the big vacation, the big car, the house... I miss the band that made me a fan. I wanna feel the need to look up lyrics again to find out what is the meaning behind. Is it really all just about getting older and rich? Where have my idols gone? Is greed the driving force now? Does being rich do that to you? I kind of want the band to be a frugal as I am right now, even though they deserve their retirement, just because as a fan I want to feel some passion again. I miss the old days. We made you rich, but you kind of didn't live up to the deal ...

Nades · May 2013

I miss all that too honestly, it was all raw and powerful. I dont think it's about the money, or the 'comfort', its family. They all have children and families now and that's where their focus is going to be.

we also have a new album to look forward too

who knows what to expect..

brianlux · May 2013

There's always hope for a bit of high energy resurgence. Look how Neil Young caught fire in his mid to late forties and on. I think that's somewhat normal-- when you start approaching 50 like the guys in the band are (sorry Boom, we're past that

) the "rage, rage against the dying light" kicks in for a while. After that you start to slow down in earnest out of necessity. It's all part of the journey.

What I hope for as much or even more is a new crop of bands to kick things up again in their own right. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see that happening... yet.

Jossie · May 2013

I miss that too, but those guys are about 50 years old, I think it would be very embarrassing if they will do the same like when they were 20.

jumbojet · May 2013

Well, I wouldnt like the band do anything that doesnt come natural to them. They shouldnt pretend anything. They should make the music what flows from inside.

A second note, they reproduced the No Code-Yield-Binaural masterpiece trilogy when they were already rich and famous. They dont have to be suffering to produce good music.

I personally like the fire and complex melody structure in Avocado. B/S is soft, I like it but I understand those who are dissatisfied with it.

maj4e · May 2013

While we all long for most things to be like they were in the halcyon days of youth. It is really absurd to ask someone to not grow and evolve and to be like you want them to be. I like what they've become, I like the side projects. Just grow with them or sit alone and listen to Ten.

on2legs · May 2013

Thankfully bands change and evolve.

Imagine if every Springsteen album sounded like Greetings from Asbury Park? We would have 40 years of crazy rhyming songs with an overabundance of horns thrown in. He never would have evolved into the guy who wrote Born to Run, Darkness, or The River.

mookieb10 · May 2013

I dunno. They really havent been poor since 1992. Even during the fuck ticketmaster tour, the were pretty damn wealthy. I dont think it the money.

Jossie · May 2013

maj4e wrote:

While we all long for most things to be like they were in the halcyon days of youth. It is really absurd to ask someone to not grow and evolve and to be like you want them to be. I like what they've become, I like the side projects. Just grow with them or sit alone and listen to Ten.

Yes, it's nice about them that they grow.

slobberdog68 · May 2013

jumbojet wrote:

Well, I wouldnt like the band do anything that doesnt come natural to them. They shouldnt pretend anything. They should make the music what flows from inside.

A second note, they reproduced the No Code-Yield-Binaural masterpiece trilogy when they were already rich and famous. They dont have to be suffering to produce good music.

Perfect

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
Helen Keller

slobberdog68 · May 2013

I think the hardest thing about making music now is being a great dad at the same time. There's an insanity that goes with writing - a mad scientist thing that you have to go through - and sacrificing a kid's upbringing to do that is not an option.
Eddie Vedder

I think he's got his priorities right

justam · May 2013

Leezestarr313 wrote:

I miss the anger. I miss the disagreement and engagement. I miss the frustration with current events. I miss the protest. I miss the desperation and inspiration that is coming out of the feeling of not being able to reach your dreams, not being able to afford the big vacation, the big car, the house... I miss the band that made me a fan. I wanna feel the need to look up lyrics again to find out what is the meaning behind. Is it really all just about getting older and rich? Where have my idols gone? Is greed the driving force now? Does being rich do that to you? I kind of want the band to be a frugal as I am right now, even though they deserve their retirement, just because as a fan I want to feel some passion again. I miss the old days. We made you rich, but you kind of didn't live up to the deal ...

I understand what you mean.

I think it's about being closer to the average fans life experience. It's kind of startling when they sell $40 dog collars when most of us would buy one for far less. Or, to see tee shirts for $29.99 plus shipping when most of us would buy t-shirts for less. It's noticing that they don't even realize that they are out-of-touch with how hard it can be for all the rest us because now they are living in a completely different social space.

Not that we resent it, it's just obvious to most of the fans who have been around a long time that they've been out-of-touch with how everyone else has to struggle and make sacrifices on a daily basis.

The internal place they are living isn't as much of a struggle so the passion seems gone.

Wma31394 · May 2013

Yea i like what your saying..There is just too much lucrative $$$ out there these days to pass up. There is no doubt that in the years to come pj will cash in with mega tours..commercials..etc.,Also with social media which thankfully wasnt around back in the day, all the anger, protest, pretty much everything you mentioned would be blown way out of context by tweeters and the media..it would get lame quick..

Rock stars are pretty much pussies these days....

James Lander · May 2013

It's called maturity. It's called parenthood. Call it what you like. The world is different when you look through the eyes of a parent. Try being angry as a parent and see where it gets you. You still have an opinion and you still have principles that you try and stand by but you are a completely different person and I imagine that's even more prevalent among artists. I miss that PJ too but I love the new, modern PJ just as much. I think EV is more of a role model now than he was when he was younger and I'm certain that he's a better and more respected musician. I like the fact that they've changed and developed from angry, tortured souls to happy and mature musicians who want to send a message across but basically just want to make music for us, the ones who have made them rich in the first place. Embrace it, move on.

ceska · May 2013

jumbojet wrote:

A second note, they reproduced the No Code-Yield-Binaural masterpiece trilogy when they were already rich and famous. They don't have to be suffering to produce good music.

I personally like the fire and complex melody structure in Avocado. B/S is soft, I like it but I understand those who are dissatisfied with it.

They were rich and famous, but not quite settled down and not fully at peace with their place in the world. No Code was a product of conflict - there was Ed's stalker (the negative byproduct of celebrity), it was their first album with a new drummer... Yield, they're still trying to figure out their place as a band - Ed was a bit frustrated of being "the guy" and wanted the other band members to step up, hence so many songs written by Stone and Jeff, including lyrics for the first time. It really wasn't until the early-mid 2000s where they seemed comfortable as a group and at peace with their place in the rock world and with their roles in the band.

BInaural and Avocado don't stick with me years later, I have no desire to play them all the way through. They may come from anger or conflict but lack the sonic edge of Vitalogy and No Code... They just feel a bit muddy, musically and emotionally. But Backspacer, yes I like.

Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayh · May 2013

It's definitely the parenting issue. I actually just watched there full lolla performance from Brasil last month, I would just be happy if they slowed everything down a bit. I think some of the rage would come back if Ed wasn't huffing and puffing to keep up with the speed of the songs.

Leezestarr313 · May 2013

I guess after the Red Wings' win and watching the Queens of the Stone Age perform their new album that hasn't been released yet in a live broadcast for the world to see, I felt the need for a drunk "rant" :oops:

I agree with all of you, you all made good points and reviewing my initial post I think I couldn't really get across what I meant to say. I think justam said it quite nicely.

I love them, they can do whatever they please. It just sometimes feels weird to think about what other bands do, how they interact with their fans, what inspires them.... So when I thought about the reason for this, I thought - it must be the money. But maybe it's not. I don't know.
I realize that qotsa is not as big as pj, but they have a very dedicated fan base too. Yet they re-issue hard-soughtafter records, tease and please the fans with hints and updates about the new album, tour extensively ... It is probably some form of cashing in too, but it doesn't feel like that. And they seem to have fun with their "job". With all the mysteries around the new album and the tour and the merch etcetc it doesn't really feel like the band is having a lot of fun together anymore. Well, and this place here does something to add to this feeling too with all the threads like mine :shifty:

Yeah, and I am only a cat parent, I can only try to imagine how much parenthood changes a person.

Rossum20 · May 2013

Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayhem wrote:

It's definitely the parenting issue. I actually just watched there full lolla performance from Brasil last month, I would just be happy if they slowed everything down a bit. I think some of the rage would come back if Ed wasn't huffing and puffing to keep up with the speed of the songs.

I just don't get why they've trended this way - some fans will defend it to say the bands' songs sound better rushed through. Ugh, it borderline ruins some songs. No one is advocating they play slow - but sheesh. Like you said, Ed struggles through some of it vocally and the songs pay the price. Is it so they can get 28 songs into a set in 2 hours instead of 2 hours and 30 minutes? Is it Ed glued to his punk-rock roots? (hopefully he realizes he actually has a voice worth showcasing, unlike most punk rockers) Anyway, i think most of us feel this way, but not all. Hearing how powerful his voice still is through his solo shows, it's a damn shame IMO.

Back on topic: I can't disagree with the OP - but given all the bands' life choices (ie: family etc), it's just the path they've chosen. Like Ed said, you can't be that mad scientist and manufacture conditions to dig up certain emotions when so many others are relying on you.

JonnyPistachio · May 2013

slobberdog68 wrote:

I think the hardest thing about making music now is being a great dad at the same time. There's an insanity that goes with writing - a mad scientist thing that you have to go through - and sacrificing a kid's upbringing to do that is not an option.
Eddie Vedder

I think he's got his priorities right

Definitely this.
There's a huge shift in the creative process when you live just for yourself, then you suddenly find yourself living for three other people... its mind boggling really.

pdalowsky · May 2013

I dont really follow this fully in that PJ were undoubtedly richer than i could ever hope after their incredibly sucessful debut record.

Leezestarr313 · May 2013

pdalowsky wrote:

I dont really follow this fully in that PJ were undoubtedly richer than i could ever hope after their incredibly sucessful debut record.

I know

This is why I posted again

Sometimes with a drink or two in your head the roads of perception can be blocked ...

I want PJ to be just as poor as I am again

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