Eddie Vedder - NY Times Magazine Q&A

Spiritual_Chaos · January 2022

The week would have been more fun if Pearl Jam left Spotify though.

More fun than that week they released the "Rock around Barack" song.

OceansJenny · January 2022

Wow, Ed turns into the interviewer and The NY Times guy went with it for a bit!

Interesting how he addresses the change from paying for music and cheaper concerts to “free” music and expensive concerts. His response tells me he’s probably ok with how his tour is being ticketed. Not a great feeling.

Also - music isn’t “free” now unless you pirate it. You still have to either 1) pay directly for the music 2) pay a streaming platform for access to the music or 3) listen for “free” with ads (YouTube). I guess there more hands in the pot now but as a consumer I’m still paying for the music and now super high ticket prices so thanks? And then he talks about the great concerts he went to for $10. So fuck us I guess?

HughFreakingDillon · January 2022

OceansJenny said:

Wow, Ed turns into the interviewer and The NY Times guy went with it for a bit!

Interesting how he addresses the change from paying for music and cheaper concerts to “free” music and expensive concerts. His response tells me he’s probably ok with how his tour is being ticketed. Not a great feeling.

Also - music isn’t “free” now unless you pirate it. You still have to either 1) pay directly for the music 2) pay a streaming platform for access to the music or 3) listen for “free” with ads (YouTube). I guess there more hands in the pot now but as a consumer I’m still paying for the music and now super high ticket prices so thanks? And then he talks about the great concerts he went to for $10. So fuck us I guess?

it's basically free in the eyes of the artist when you consider unlimited streaming costs $10 a month. that is hours upon hours upon hours of music that normally would cost you $15-20 per hour.

I'm glad he finally acknowledged that is the reason for the uptick in ticket and merch pricing. Every other artist has basically said it. And it's true. Getting paid a fraction of a cent for a song when you used to have to pay $20 for 12 of them is absurd. It's funny how people still rag on Metallica for basically now being agreed with by every artist out there.

Spiritual_Chaos · January 2022

HughFreakingDillon said:

OceansJenny said:

Wow, Ed turns into the interviewer and The NY Times guy went with it for a bit!

Interesting how he addresses the change from paying for music and cheaper concerts to “free” music and expensive concerts. His response tells me he’s probably ok with how his tour is being ticketed. Not a great feeling.

Also - music isn’t “free” now unless you pirate it. You still have to either 1) pay directly for the music 2) pay a streaming platform for access to the music or 3) listen for “free” with ads (YouTube). I guess there more hands in the pot now but as a consumer I’m still paying for the music and now super high ticket prices so thanks? And then he talks about the great concerts he went to for $10. So fuck us I guess?

it's basically free in the eyes of the artist when you consider unlimited streaming costs $10 a month. that is hours upon hours upon hours of music that normally would cost you $15-20 per hour.

But they are not forced to have their music on there selling it for cheap. The big and powerful labels aren't handcuffed to these services either. They could come up with a better solution where more money reaches the artist.

I mean, the difference between Spotify and Tidal seems to be big enough. So, there seems to be room to make more per stream than what they agree to do.

Also, not sure if this is true - I read somewhere that people pay more per year now for music by paying for streaming every month than when they bought CD:s

The consumers pay for the music again. Just like before. Make the balance work, instead of going with the victim mentality of "it's all free now" when they themselves decide to sell it for what Spotify offers. Spotify isn't government run. Doesn't the whole american experiment run on fetishizing the market economy? Well then, ask Warner or Sony or Univesal or Elon Musk to come up with a competitor.

Neil Young atleast did something with his NYA.

drakeheuer14 · January 2022

There is still something to be said for gaining exposure on the platform for new/young bands. I have found 100+ new bands through Spotify algorithms and suggestions.

Now I at least know who they are and can choose to spend money on them

Tim Simmons · January 2022

Just an FYI because people get bent out of shape about the private jet thing every time it comes up, NetJets is a carbon neutral airline. So while not the ideal vehicle (though given his experiences and PJ fandom, I can’t blame him for flying private, especially since he has a family), at least it’s as in line with his environmental stance as possible given the parameters.

on2legs · January 2022

I used to buy 1-2 CD’s every week on Tuesdays when new albums dropped back in the 90s. Now I get Tidal for free with my cell phone plan with T-Mobile. Great for me… lousy for artists.

OceansJenny · February 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

OceansJenny said:

Wow, Ed turns into the interviewer and The NY Times guy went with it for a bit!

Interesting how he addresses the change from paying for music and cheaper concerts to “free” music and expensive concerts. His response tells me he’s probably ok with how his tour is being ticketed. Not a great feeling.

Also - music isn’t “free” now unless you pirate it. You still have to either 1) pay directly for the music 2) pay a streaming platform for access to the music or 3) listen for “free” with ads (YouTube). I guess there more hands in the pot now but as a consumer I’m still paying for the music and now super high ticket prices so thanks? And then he talks about the great concerts he went to for $10. So fuck us I guess?

it's basically free in the eyes of the artist when you consider unlimited streaming costs $10 a month. that is hours upon hours upon hours of music that normally would cost you $15-20 per hour.

But they are not forced to have their music on there selling it for cheap. The big and powerful labels aren't handcuffed to these services either. They could come up with a better solution where more money reaches the artist.

I mean, the difference between Spotify and Tidal seems to be big enough. So, there seems to be room to make more per stream than what they agree to do.

Also, not sure if this is true - I read somewhere that people pay more per year now for music by paying for streaming every month than when they bought CD:s

The consumers pay for the music again. Just like before. Make the balance work, instead of going with the victim mentality of "it's all free now" when they themselves decide to sell it for what Spotify offers. Spotify isn't government run. Doesn't the whole american experiment run on fetishizing the market economy? Well then, ask Warner or Sony or Univesal or Elon Musk to come up with a competitor.

Neil Young atleast did something with his NYA.

I typed a bunch of half baked replies but you summed up my thoughts better. +1

HughFreakingDillon · February 2022

drakeheuer14 said:

There is still something to be said for gaining exposure on the platform for new/young bands. I have found 100+ new bands through Spotify algorithms and suggestions.

Now I at least know who they are and can choose to spend money on them

100%, that's why you see so many young/undiscovered bands thinking Lars Ulrich was a greedy dick and they thanks Spotify for adding them to their playlists. it's all about how much exposure you need.

HughFreakingDillon · February 2022

I was the same when iTunes had their free track of the week. I used to download it every single week. more often than not, it made me buy that band's music. we have apple music, but I don't use it that much. it's more for my kids.

nalyd61 · February 2022

Well I guess Ed and I can’t agree on everything.

Big fan of Motley Crue.

HughFreakingDillon · February 2022

nalyd61 said:

Well I guess Ed and I can’t agree on everything.
Big fan of Motley Crue.

so is Jeff. haha (they were listed on his "belongs in the RRHOF" shirt)

WW187806 · February 2022

Like anything. Dont trust reviews/others opinion. Form your own. I felt it was a very insightful, deep interview. And he did kind of finally with the reporter pressing put the Cobain intrigue to rest. They were casual friends, as he said in article saying anymore would be disingenuous. Stern Interview, Bill Simmons Interview, Audible Interview and this... we've learned so much!

Spiritual_Chaos · February 2022

What did he say about Mötley Crüe ?

raindog80 · February 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

What did he say about Mötley Crüe ?

“You know, I used to work in San Diego loading gear at a club. I’d end up being at shows that I wouldn’t have chosen to go to — bands that monopolized late-’80s MTV. The metal bands that — I’m trying to be nice — I despised. “Girls, Girls, Girls” and Mötley Crüe: [expletive] you. I hated it. I hated how it made the fellas look. I hated how it made the women look. It felt so vacuous.”

“Guns N’ Roses came out and, thank God, at least had some teeth. But I’m circling back to say that one thing that I appreciated was that in Seattle and the alternative crowd, the girls could wear their combat boots and sweaters, and their hair looked like Cat Power’s and not Heather Locklear’s — nothing against her. They weren’t selling themselves short. They could have an opinion and be respected. I think that’s a change that lasted. It sounds so trite, but before then it was bustiers. The only person who wore a bustier in the ’90s that I could appreciate was Perry Farrell.”

Spiritual_Chaos · February 2022

raindog80 said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

What did he say about Mötley Crüe ?

“You know, I used to work in San Diego loading gear at a club. I’d end up being at shows that I wouldn’t have chosen to go to — bands that monopolized late-’80s MTV. The metal bands that — I’m trying to be nice — I despised. “Girls, Girls, Girls” and Mötley Crüe: [expletive] you. I hated it. I hated how it made the fellas look. I hated how it made the women look. It felt so vacuous.”
“Guns N’ Roses came out and, thank God, at least had some teeth. But I’m circling back to say that one thing that I appreciated was that in Seattle and the alternative crowd, the girls could wear their combat boots and sweaters, and their hair looked like Cat Power’s and not Heather Locklear’s — nothing against her. They weren’t selling themselves short. They could have an opinion and be respected. I think that’s a change that lasted. It sounds so trite, but before then it was bustiers. The only person who wore a bustier in the ’90s that I could appreciate was Perry Farrell.”

YOUR INVITED (BUT YOUR FRIEND EDDIE VEDDER CAN'T COME)

https://youtu.be/-qBg1cWpaEE

THEBIBLEISTEN · February 2022

brianlux said:

My sister sent me this article. This was how I responded to her with my thoughts:
Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam are a huge frustration for me. First of all, I've tried to appreciate their work over the last several years of their career but have found their last several albums to be a disappointment. It seems a bit ironic to me that Vedder mentions two lesser known bands- Dead Moon and Fugazi- as being some of his favorites. These days, I'm much more a fan of Dead Moon (now defunct since the passing of Fred Cole at age 69 a few years ago) and find Fugazi more compelling despite being less melodic and more difficult to listen to. What Vedder loves about those bands- things like the "ritual, the sweat, and the love"- are what has gone missing from a lot of Pearl Jam's work these last several years. Maybe I'm expecting too much for artists to maintain their youthful exuberance, but then Dean Moon never lost it and Ian McKaye of Fugazi has always continued to push to the edge of creativity. Pearl Jam, on the other hand, got rich and famous (not a sin in of itself), but lost their edge in the comfort of fame and fortune.
One of the things I liked about Pearl Jam in the past was their activism. That seems to have all but disappeared. Vedder mentioned their earlier efforts at environmentalism and when I read that, my mind went right to this photo I recently saw of him standing next to his private jet. A lot of fans besides me have found that hugely disingenuous and hypocritical. When Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren all pulled their music from Spotify in order to not share a platform with popular podcast host Joe Rogan who has been spreading false information about COVID, I was hoping Pearl Jam would follow suit. They did not.
So basically I see Vedder and Pearl Jam as having lost their edge and given in to the lures of fame.
But the fact that this interview brought out some of those points and Vedder seems to be aware of the contradictions at least leaves me with a little hope that he will return to those roots he seems to so love. You never know.
Thanks for the article. It obviously got me thinking!

Their activism has disappeared? What are you talking about? I guess you forgot about the millions they raised with the Home Shows to fight homelessness or the millions they raised for EB research or Jeff with the skate parks, etc etc etc. What are you even talking about? I hope your sister corrected you. Do some research before you text your sister. Also Gigaton is incredible, not sure how you call that a disappointment.

Spiritual_Chaos · February 2022

THEBIBLEISTEN said:

Do some research before you text your sister. Also Gigaton is incredible, not sure how you call that a disappointment.

"Incredible" implies it is on the level of Neil Young's Harvest Moon, Tori Amos' Little Earthquakes or Leonard Cohen's The Future which is it not.

Please come back with a better word.

igotid88 · February 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

THEBIBLEISTEN said:

Do some research before you text your sister. Also Gigaton is incredible, not sure how you call that a disappointment.

"Incredible" implies it is on the level of Neil Young's Harvest Moon, Tori Amos' Little Earthquakes or Leonard Cohen's The Future which is it not.

Please come back with a better word.

It is incredible

static111 · February 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

THEBIBLEISTEN said:

Do some research before you text your sister. Also Gigaton is incredible, not sure how you call that a disappointment.

"Incredible" implies it is on the level of Neil Young's Harvest Moon, Tori Amos' Little Earthquakes or Leonard Cohen's The Future which is it not.

Please come back with a better word.

I'm in agreement with you on this. I haven't listened to Gigaton outside of the month when it came out. It is the only album by PJ that I only have on digital and the only album of theirs I don't really listen to.

Eddie Vedder - NY Times Magazine Q&A

Comments

Categories