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BOOM! When will/Why isn't he considered a member?

jpequjpequ Posts: 142
edited September 2013 in The Porch
I recently heard Eddie introducing Boom and he said they've been playing together for ___years (I wanna say 12, but cant recall for sure) and it made me think "why isn't he considered a band member?
Here's my two main arguments. I'd love to hear others for, and against my position:

1) I don't care if he doesn't contribute creatively. Hell I don't care if he has his sheet music handed to him 5min before recording in the studio - I'm sure there are many members of other bands who contribute that or less to the bands they belong to (how much input did anyone not named Gallagher have in Oasis?).

2) The boys just are not the same without him. This is not debateable. (see the boot for the 2 Denver shows in '06) Even with as capable of a stand in as "Mr. Bentmont Tench" , (In addition to playing piano and Hammond organ with the Heartbreakers, Tench is also known as a skilled session musician, having recorded with dozens of notable artists, including Johnny Cash, U2, Elisa, Stevie Nicks, Lucinda Williams, Sam Phillips, You Am I, Susanna Hoffs, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, Don Henley, John Prine, Ringo Starr, John Fogerty, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Waylon Jennings, Paul Westerberg, X, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Carlene Carter, The dB's, Alanis Morissette, The Ramones, The Screaming Trees, Warren Zevon, The Tragically Hip, The Divinyls, The Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, The Cult, The Jayhawks, Dave Rawlings, Fiona Apple, Lone Justice, Sean Watkins, New Found Glory, Tift Merritt, Peter Case, Neil Diamond, Ryan Adams and Powderfinger, Naughty Sweeties City of Glass, as well as many others (many others? who is left!).) They didn't sound quite right. It was not the venue - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sounded great - Eddie said on stage that there were some songs that they just wouldn't try without Boom.
To me, that statement tells me he is a member. Hands down.

Please weigh in.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,956
    jpequ wrote:
    Tench is also known as a skilled session musician, having recorded with dozens of notable artists

    As opposed to Boom who isn't a skilled musician and has recorded with only one notable artist. I think of Boom as nothing more than a touring/auxiliary guy....like the 2nd guitarist in Green Day. He isn't even on Backspacer or Lightning Bolt because the band finally came to their senses and let O'Brien play the keys. And as for live, he's not horrible or anything. But his presence inspires shitty ideas from the band. Like organ fills during the Alive solo, piano during Rockin' In The Free World, etc.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

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  • Tboz51Tboz51 Posts: 2,808
    Brace for verbal attacks. I asked this long ago and people wanted to linch me.
    "Honesty will always be construed as negative to a dumbass"
    :-)
  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    same reason most/all touring members of any band aren't considered members. they are part of the live show, nothing more.

    I wish he wasn't there at all. Can't stand the B3 solos live. I wouldn't mind if he accompanied Ed solo, but PJ live he just doesn't fit.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • jpequjpequ Posts: 142
    @ledbetterman10 - this 2nd guitarist for Green Day you speak of....... band member or not?
  • october22october22 Posts: 2,533
    He's obviously a nice guy so it's nothing personal but I find his contributions extremely irritating. There is nothing worse than homing in on whatever hum or drone he's adding to a song that wasn't written for it and doesn't need it. Once I hear it, it's all I can focus on and it kills me.
  • jpequjpequ Posts: 142
    To be clear - I'm not polling to see who likes Boom and who doesn't. Would like him gone, or wants to keep him. The fact is he's played a ton of shows, recorded in the studio and is now engrained to the band, a part of it's past - if not its future, and therefore should be an accredited member of the band. This is the matter I intended to discuss, not my opinion of the man as a musician, or the band with vs without him.

    Thanks
  • jpequjpequ Posts: 142
    Has anyone heard a member of the band address this? That would be good reading/viewing that could put this to bed for good.
  • october22october22 Posts: 2,533
    It's probably a money/contractual thing.
  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,956
    jpequ wrote:
    @ledbetterman10 - this 2nd guitarist for Green Day you speak of....... band member or not?

    He's considered one now but from 1999-2012, he wasn't.

    Sticking with Green Day though, they have a touring keyboard guy named Jason Freese that's been with them since 2003 but isn't considered a member of the band.
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • JonnyPistachioJonnyPistachio Florida Posts: 10,219
    I would also think that being an "official member" would require being in the process of writing and creating the music. I have a feeling Boom doesnt do a lot of the creative process. I like to think of him as a band member, but that little fact kinda separates him from the core five.
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  • JK_LivinJK_Livin South Jersey Posts: 7,365
    october22 wrote:
    It's probably a money/contractual thing.

    BOOM! Get it? A lot of bands do the same thing.
    Alright, alright, alright!
    Tom O.
    "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
    -The Writer
  • rival.rival. Chicago Posts: 7,775
    october22 wrote:
    He's obviously a nice guy so it's nothing personal but I find his contributions extremely irritating. There is nothing worse than homing in on whatever hum or drone he's adding to a song that wasn't written for it and doesn't need it. Once I hear it, it's all I can focus on and it kills me.

    +1

    bring him out for crazy mary and then get him off.
  • choopchoop Posts: 1,060
    i thought his main duty was probably to get high with eddie, but to make it look good for the accounting books they have him play on stage :lol:


    for real though, i love the dude and he contributes awesome stuff up there that i don't think a lot of people pay attention to. i love the "organ fills during the Alive solo, piano during Rockin' In The Free World, etc."

    Also, love when he and Mike dueled during crazy mary.
    "If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music." KV Jr.
  • Tboz51Tboz51 Posts: 2,808
    october22 wrote:
    It's probably a money/contractual thing.

    Since EV gets 30%+ of touring money I'd bet Boom is paid out by EV too.
    "Honesty will always be construed as negative to a dumbass"
    :-)
  • october22october22 Posts: 2,533
    Tboz51 wrote:
    october22 wrote:
    It's probably a money/contractual thing.

    Since EV gets 30%+ of touring money I'd bet Boom is paid out by EV too.

    Interesting. I always thought it was strange that Ed gets a bigger cut on everything than anyone else. Never seemed to fit the vision of the band as I saw it.
  • choopchoop Posts: 1,060
    october22 wrote:
    Tboz51 wrote:
    october22 wrote:
    It's probably a money/contractual thing.

    Since EV gets 30%+ of touring money I'd bet Boom is paid out by EV too.

    Interesting. I always thought it was strange that Ed gets a bigger cut on everything than anyone else. Never seemed to fit the vision of the band as I saw it.

    i don't think it's true. i remember there was an article a few years back saying all 5 members got an equal cut and they had always been that way, which was a system that was unusual for a large band according to the article.

    i'd like to see a link that proves this 30%+ statement.
    "If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music." KV Jr.
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,188
    choop wrote:
    october22 wrote:
    Tboz51 wrote:
    Since EV gets 30%+ of touring money I'd bet Boom is paid out by EV too.

    Interesting. I always thought it was strange that Ed gets a bigger cut on everything than anyone else. Never seemed to fit the vision of the band as I saw it.

    i don't think it's true. i remember there was an article a few years back saying all 5 members got an equal cut and they had always been that way, which was a system that was unusual for a large band according to the article.

    i'd like to see a link that proves this 30%+ statement.
    In one of the books about the band, it says that the band agreed on Eddie getting a larger cut of the album sales with Vitalogy and forward.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • choopchoop Posts: 1,060
    those books are notoriously inaccurate, fwiw.

    and album cuts and tour pay are different.
    "If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music." KV Jr.
  • lockedlocked Boston Posts: 4,046
    There should never be a piano in "Release" or "RITFW".

    Period.
    "This here's a REQUEST!"
    EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
    10/25/13 Hartford
  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    jpequ wrote:
    To be clear - I'm not polling to see who likes Boom and who doesn't. Would like him gone, or wants to keep him. The fact is he's played a ton of shows, recorded in the studio and is now engrained to the band, a part of it's past - if not its future, and therefore should be an accredited member of the band. This is the matter I intended to discuss, not my opinion of the man as a musician, or the band with vs without him.

    Thanks

    ok. what percentage of songs does he contribute to, live? in my opinion, not enough to be considered a full member. it would be different if he was on stage for 80% of the show, but he's not.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • ldent42ldent42 NYC Posts: 7,859
    Boom isn't a band member? :wtf:

    :yawn:
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  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Charleston, SC Posts: 8,661
    I love LBC, but the band doesn't need him in studio or live. He's the reason I hate to hear crazy Mary live anymore.
  • Vytis33Vytis33 Posts: 186
    The Black Keys don't play their latest material live without a bass and keyboard player. Are they officially members of the Keys now? No.
  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    duska3419 wrote:
    Boom isn't a band member? :wtf:

    :yawn:

    http://pearljam.com/band
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    Last-12-Exit wrote:
    He's the reason I hate to hear crazy Mary live anymore.

    man, do I ever hear this.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • YefaYefa Posts: 1,133
    Bobby Keys has contributed far more to The Rolling Stones than Boom has to Pearl Jam.
    Bobby Keys is not a member of The Rolling Stones.
    You see me empty, Sir, do not pause and inquire, simply assume and refill.
    - Al Swearengen

    http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com
  • veddertownveddertown Scotland Posts: 5,260
    Boom, bless him seems like a great guy and probably a very fun and calming figure to have around on tour but I'm not really much of a fan of his presence. If it was just to play keys on songs that were recorded with them originally it would be ok but too often it just doesn't work. Release as mentioned is a great example. Listen to the version on London 09 for evidence why this shouldn't ever happen. It sounds like the road crew are still a dragging a piano into the building. Truly awful! I've heard enough to be sure he has plenty talent behind the keys but I don't think it fits in with 90% of the songs they use him on.
    Like a book among the many on a shelf...

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  • ldent42ldent42 NYC Posts: 7,859
    253Screenshot_2013_09_20_.jpg

    #member.
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  • pjradiopjradio Posts: 6,704
    took Ron Woods decades to become an "official" member of the Stones...
    aqo2t.jpg
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

    ok. what percentage of songs does he contribute to, live? in my opinion, not enough to be considered a full member. it would be different if he was on stage for 80% of the show, but he's not.

    He isn't? :?
    Maybe I've just never noticed :lol::lol:
    I thought he was always there parked behind Stoney the whole time?
    NERDS!
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