Can too much Pearl Jam be a bad thing?

goldrushgoldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,258
edited April 2008 in The Porch
I'm starting to wonder about this. Can too much PJ be a bad thing?

I know that if I think rationally a time must come when my need/greed to own everything PJ are linked to (every pj release, side project, bootleg...) will have to be sacrificed because of the need for some kind of financial stability but I'm not sure how I will cope with this.

Last year I flew from Sydney to Chicago for the Vic and Lolla shows and I'll be flying from London to NYC for both MSG show in June. I can't really afford it but I bought the show tickets first and that meant I had to book the flights.

When the 2000 and 2003 bootlegs came out, I bought them all even though it wasn't exactly cheap. After playing them all my ex-girlfriend, who was a big fan of the band, now refuses to listen to them as she's sick of hearing the songs. We split up not long afterwards after 10 years together and my relentless playing (and paying for) Pearl Jam had a direct influence on it for her.

There is no other band or artist that I am completely obsessed with. They are by no means the only band that I listen to but they are the only ones who I really feel can do no wrong. I sometimes think that after all these years to still be excited about going to a show or getting a new cd is a really great thing and a sign of how much they mean to me but I have started to wonder about this more recently.

Anyway, enough of the rambling. It's just a thought...
“Do not postpone happiness”
(Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

“Put yer good money on the sunrise”
(Tim Rogers)
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • HermanBloomHermanBloom Posts: 1,764
    Yes; your title says it all: too much of anything is bad.
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    I thought the world...Turns out the world thought me
  • pjfan31pjfan31 Posts: 7,331
    Um No.... You are living the dream. If you have the money spend it... You can't take it with you.

    I wish I had the $$$ i would do the same as you my friend. Enjoy the shows.
    Sydney 11/02/2003
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  • DissidentmanDissidentman Posts: 15,378
    But what about the 'ol chestnut "Too much is never enough"?
  • Big EdBig Ed Posts: 331
    ....is never enough.
    Ignoring Rusted Signs
  • Yeh, People think I was insane just to fly from Portland to Berkley to see the Vedder solo shows. I told them it was worth every cent. I would have preferred to see a show in Portland and sleep in my own bed that night but I must admit, over the years some of my best shows were at different cities in the road like Red Rocks '95, New Orleans '95 Cardiff/Glasgow/London/Manchester '99 and Lolla last year except that crowd was to many people for my taste.
  • cippociappocippociappo Posts: 692
    Yeah, I'm starting to ask myself the same questions...

    I don't play ONLY PJ just because I force myself to listen to other bands... I would load my iPod only with pearl jam!!!

    Good Lord, I'm sick
    Makes me ache, makes me shake...
    ...is it so wrong to think that love can keep us safe?
  • "some times you just gotta say,what the fuck" TC risky biz

    losing a girl after that long sucks,but you need to find a PJ chick who will bask in the love with you.

    some people will tell you to be "mature" and save your money for old age.

    I say fuck that and live life to the fullest NOW while you are still here and young enough to enjoy it!!you never know if there WILL BE a tomorrow.

    we'll eat cat food when we are old but we will have some dam good stories for the grandchildren!:D
  • snipes824snipes824 Posts: 870
    there can't be too much if you diversify the music you listen to. just last year sometime i had to take a huge break from pearl jam because i legitimately had too much of them and basically listened to them exclusively. now that i listen to a ton more music now and not just PJ, it's all good.
  • goldrushgoldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,258
    "some times you just gotta say,what the fuck" TC risky biz

    losing a girl after that long sucks,but you need to find a PJ chick who will bask in the love with you.

    some people will tell you to be "mature" and save your money for old age.

    I say fuck that and live life to the fullest NOW while you are still here and young enough to enjoy it!!you never know if there WILL BE a tomorrow.

    we'll eat cat food when we are old but we will have some dam good stories for the grandchildren!:D

    Funnily enough, my new girl is a total PJ chick and she's coming to NYC with me for the MSG shows! It was actually her idea but she knew how easy it would be for me to agree to it - that's when i started to wonder about this whole obsession thing.

    The best advice I ever had when I was travelling the world was:

    "It's better to have no money and a ton of memories than to be rich with regrets"

    and that has been my excuse ever since...
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • Murderers.Murderers. Posts: 1,382
    If something is TOO much, then it's obviously a bad thing. Speaks for itself really.
    What the fuck is this world?
  • goldrush wrote:
    "It's better to have no money and a ton of memories than to be rich with regrets"



    dam i like that saying!!
  • NY PJ1NY PJ1 Posts: 9,533
    never enough
  • nfanelnfanel Posts: 2,558
    only in the sense i don't appreciate it as much. in '06 i saw 5 shows in a week and by the last one it was great but i was tired and it wasn't as exciting. for me the first show of a tour is always the best... i appreciate it a lot more after a little break...then i'm wow'ed all over again.
  • rhinomagicrhinomagic Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,547
    Periodic absences of Pearl Jam from my stereo makes me appreciate them more when I decide to re-visit their music.

    Their sound is crisper and newer when I do that.

    .
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  • Listening to Pearl Jam and Pearl Jam alone for extended periods of time is not good in my opinion because you miss out on some much other good music.
    I've been through periods (and will again), sometimes lasting a couple of weeks, when I constantly listen to PJ and it's great. But I've always listened to the music I want to hear and when its time for a new direction, sound, band, style or whatever I always know it. Go with the flow and Pearl Jam will always be there when its their turn again
    All I have to do is revel in the everyday....then do it again tomorrow

    They say every sin is deadly but I believe they may be wrong...I'm guilty of all seven and I don't feel too bad at all
  • augustwestaugustwest Posts: 739
    too much of everything is just enough
  • patrickredeyespatrickredeyes Posts: 8,834
    I think you can get/have a burned out kind of feeling. Just tired of the traveling and stuff. All that can add up and you just feel your done for a while. I love seeing PJ but I can't do a week of shows anymore. I'm just wiped out and not myself. I'm happy to just be doing MSG shows this June. Seeing NYC for the first time also. Can't wait.
  • OlivavuOlivavu England Posts: 1,683
    Since the gig in London last Tuesday, I've listened to over 500 Pearl Jam tracks. It hasn't been too much. 
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,473
    edited July 2018
    Yes, for some people. There are healthy obsessions and unhealthy obsessions. I don't think anything is exempt from the unhealthy side of things, depending on who you're dealing with. There are some badly obsessed PJ fans for sure, where they kind of start being motivated more by a sense of desperation rather than fun.
    And I'd say that those who can only feel disappointed after shows now because of the setlist have probably crossed over to the dark side after seeing way too many shows for their own good, and getting way into collecting songs. I've known a few PJ fans like that.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • iammine16iammine16 Vancouver, BC Posts: 773
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, for some people. There are healthy obsessions and unhealthy obsessions. I don't think anything is exempt from the unhealthy side of things, depending on who you're dealing with. There are some badly obsessed PJ fans for sure, where they kind of start being motivated more by a sense of desperation rather than fun.
    And I'd say that those who can only feel disappointed after shows now because of the setlist have probably crossed over to the dark side after seeing way too many shows for their own good, and getting way into collecting songs. I've known a few PJ fans like that.
    I am in a way lucky being from Vancouver that I haven't gone to too many shows that I cant remember them. The Seattle shows will be my 10th and 11th and I remember every moment from my previous 9 shows. The magic of seeing them is still there for me.
    Vancouver, BC - 2005
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  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,742
    After visiting and reading through these boards for several years, the answer is definitely.
    350x700px-LL-d2f49cb4_vinyl-needle-scu-e1356666258495.jpeg
  • giventofly69giventofly69 Vancouver Posts: 849
    The merch collecting seems a bit out of hand these days. It’s just stuff. Most of which will end up in a landfill. (I keep telling myself to NOT buy anything in Seattle). 
    "Your light's reflected now, reflected from afar. We were but stones, your light made us stars."
  • rummyrummy British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,345
    I had an amazing PJ run from 2011-2017 where I think I listened to various bootlegs daily. I'd spend hours each week making compilations which I still listen to from time to time. However, it finally started to wear on me and I stopped making them (possibly because there were no more to make).

    With all the above said, I have a feeling I'll be listening to much more PJ in the next few weeks! Less than two weeks until Seattle!
  • given2fly23given2fly23 Evanston, IL Posts: 5,876
    edited July 2018
    Music?  No.
    Shows?  Maybe.
    Stuff?  Yes, definitely.
    Found: Soundgarden Hyde Park DVD (Thank you for the gift!)
    Posters for Sale: http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/117469/posters-for-sale
    T-Shirts for Sale: http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/149289/pj-t-shirt-trade-or-sale
  • Foriginal SinForiginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,743
    edited July 2018
    The merch collecting seems a bit out of hand these days. It’s just stuff. Most of which will end up in a landfill. (I keep telling myself to NOT buy anything in Seattle). 
    I concur. Literally sold almost all my posters, shirts, etc in the last year. The people paying hundreds of dollars for “collectibles?” Most of this stuff isn’t gonna be worth anything in 30 years. My sons aren’t gonna be looking for the “rare” poster, they’ll have their own bands to do that with, hopefully. It was fun to obsess, now it’s just the music. 
    Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,473
    edited July 2018
    The merch collecting seems a bit out of hand these days. It’s just stuff. Most of which will end up in a landfill. (I keep telling myself to NOT buy anything in Seattle). 
    I concur. Literally sold almost all my posters, shirts, etc in the last year. The people paying hundreds of dollars for “collectibles?” Most of this stuff isn’t gonna be worth anything in 30 years. My sons aren’t gonna be looking for the “rare” poster, they’ll have their own bands to do that with, hopefully. It was fun to obsess, now it’s just the music. 
    I agree. Most of that stuff will tumble in value just as soon as us Gen Xers get too old to bother or when we die. There is no way in hell younger generations are going to shore up the PJ merch market. That said, some collectors aren't in it for the money at all, so don't care.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • drakeheuer14drakeheuer14 Posts: 4,368
    Everything is better in moderation
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  • pashapasamanpashapasaman Posts: 497
    edited July 2018
    The merch collecting seems a bit out of hand these days. It’s just stuff. Most of which will end up in a landfill. (I keep telling myself to NOT buy anything in Seattle). 
    true with the merch especially posters
    i think i'm going to give it to my friends who own coffee shops
    let them hang it there
    PJ 2014: Leeds, Milton Keynes
    PJ 2018: London 1, Padova, Roma, Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, London 2
    EV 2017: Amsterdam 2&3, London 1&2
  • TH113769TH113769 Posts: 434
    Merch sucks.  Live shows I can't get enough.  Travel is a bitch but the shows are worth it all.  
    92 - Phoenix; 93 - Mesa; 95 - Phoenix; 98 - Phoenix; 2000- Phoenix; 2003 - San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix; 2006 - Denver 1, Denver 2, Las Vegas, San Diego;  2009 - Chicago 1, Chicago 2, San Diego; 2013 - Phoenix, San Diego, LA 1, LA 2, Portland, Spokane, Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle; 2014 - Detroit, Moline, Milwaukee, Denver; 2016 - Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Wrigley 1 and 2; 2018 - Amsterdam 1&2, Pinkpop, London1, Milan, Padova, Rome, Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Werchter, Barca, Missoula, Chicago 1&2, Boston 1&2.
  • giventofly69giventofly69 Vancouver Posts: 849
    iammine16 said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    Yes, for some people. There are healthy obsessions and unhealthy obsessions. I don't think anything is exempt from the unhealthy side of things, depending on who you're dealing with. There are some badly obsessed PJ fans for sure, where they kind of start being motivated more by a sense of desperation rather than fun.
    And I'd say that those who can only feel disappointed after shows now because of the setlist have probably crossed over to the dark side after seeing way too many shows for their own good, and getting way into collecting songs. I've known a few PJ fans like that.
    I am in a way lucky being from Vancouver that I haven't gone to too many shows that I cant remember them. The Seattle shows will be my 10th and 11th and I remember every moment from my previous 9 shows. The magic of seeing them is still there for me.
    Ha, I'm from Vancouver, and Seattle will be 10 and 11 for me too.  :)
    "Your light's reflected now, reflected from afar. We were but stones, your light made us stars."
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