I$ it ju$t me....?

WhyGo91 wrote:

Kelly Leak wrote:

Thing$ around here have become overwhelmingly commercial. I have never $een $o much $tuff for $ale. I wa$ going to buy the Wrigley $etli$t $hirt until I $aw the price. What'$ happening to our $pon$or free band?

So to answer your original question...IT IS JUST YOU

Now will someone please lock this thread so I don't have to see it every time I get on the forums?

This strikes me as rather obnoxious. First, it's not just him. Second, you don't care for a thread discussing something band-related that you disagree with so it should be locked and go away?

For me, the issue is not specifically merch, the issue is has the band that made me fall in love with the music and also the *idea* of them, changed too much and lost too much of that *idea* that made them so special.

As far as playing cards, if we took PJ in 1992 and added only playing cards, it makes no difference. However, if they were the type of band that does all the commercial things the way they are doing them now, I think it might have made a difference. Not to say I wouldn't have loved the music, but I probably would have had a different (potentially more casual) "relationship" with the band.

Actually it's not even so much 1992.. a lot of it is the 1993-1996+ stuff where they purposely fought off fame and commercialism. That whole period was a frustrating but also fulfilling and exciting time to be a PJ fan. It felt like something special was happening and that it was important and you were sharing in it. By reversing course and becoming commercial now, it feels like they abandoned the specialness.

The logic behind this thread is mind boggling.

Kelly Leak wrote:

63schoefflin wrote:

The logic behind this thread is mind boggling.

You are 25.

I have met 25 year olds and younger with greater wisdom than those much older. I wouldn't discount a person's opinion because of their age, and not only because it's condescending.

Kelly Leak wrote:

63schoefflin wrote:

The logic behind this thread is mind boggling.

You are 25.

i thought numbers dont count..even if you 40,or 25 years old
even you have 100k or just 50 posts...

all opinions must count the same,right?

brianlux wrote:

As we get older we get more focused on our financial security security. It's hard to work like you're 32 when you're 62. But yeah, the money thing is certainly strong these days. However, the right people with a lot of money (just off the top of my head I'm thinking of Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Willie Nelson, etc.) can do a lot of good with their wealth. Let's hope some of the big PJ bucks are being put to good work. My guess is a lot of it is.

$2 from every Wrigley ticket went to an educational charity - around $90k to charity just from 1 PJ show right there, and that is really just the tip of the iceberg where Pearl Jam is concerned.

Kelly Leak wrote:

For some reason as I get older, I have fewer and fewer things that I am passionate about. Pearl Jam has always filled a spot for me in the passion department. I have held on through all of it. I don't ask for much either. I have put it on my calendar each year to renew my 19 year VHC membership. I stood on line at midnight to purchase VS. before it even had the name VS...my cassette copy was printed prior to the official naming of the album. I know what you are going to say, who cares? right? I don't blame you. But with all this passing time there have been changes to the 'thing' that I am passionate about. Am I any less of a fan if I don't approve of dog collars, playing cars, ipad cases, bottle openers, etc....? Pearl Jam is not a brand to me. Eddie Vedder is not a brand to me. Sorry, that's just how I feel.

I am not a major contributor on here. I am not charismatic enough to have anyone want to meet me at a pre-party fundraiser or some pre-show meet up. However, I do know good music. And selling $40 dog collars doesn't have anything to do with good music.

I completely agree. The two things really should be kept separate, but they are unfortunately united through 'fandom'. When music and musicians are sold as commodities/products you get this brand loyalty situation. Fans like to think they they prefer the things they own over things they don't because they made rational choices when they bought them. But it's possible in some cases that fans rationalise their past choices to protect their sense of self. Especially when the items they are buying are not necessary and often very expensive, fans create a narrative to justify the purchase. Of course you are free to buy whatever you want, but turning Pearl jam and Eddie Vedder into brands gives fans the option to create the person they think they are through choosing to align themselves with the mystique of certain products. Apple advertising, for instance, doesn’t mention how good their computers are. Instead, they give you examples of the sort of people who purchase those computers. The idea is to encourage you to say, “Yeah, I’m not some stuffy, conservative nerd. I have taste and talent and took art classes in college.” Take this concept and align it with band loyalty and it makes perfect sense that 10c would be selling Eddie Vedder iPad Covers. Once a fan/person has been banded they will often defend their brand by finding flaws in the alternative choice and pointing out benefits in their own - this on the forum is officially called 'bitching'.

I think its still possible to ignore all of this and focus on the music, it can and has to be both product and art.

first post of 2013... I agree with the sentiments of the opening post!!

Anyone who disagrees can blow my goat...

Keep on truckin' (Tchaliz 06)

Kelly Leak wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Kelly Leak wrote:

Bands that make huge bank earn it by touring. Period.

And with merch sales. I.e. I'd bet that PJ sold $2 million in merch for Wrigley.

That's a whole lotta dog collars!

Indeed it is!