Former drummer Dave Abbruzzese reflects on the tour cancellation

Ledbetterman10 · May 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Clapper said:

Embarrassing. He was the drummer for like 10% of the band's career. Outside of a few hold outs on this forum and Dave, I don't think many would even think of him as the associated drummer with Pearl Jam. It's like getting married young, it not working out and then 30 years later, after an entire lifetime apart, one person still talks badly about the relationship, and one person doesn't doesn't even think about it...at all. They only time Dave makes it in the media or on socials is to bad mouth the band. Hard to imagine why they'd rather use literally anyone else to drum than to call him.

This is a great analogy.

If it wasn't for the fact that the person who "doesn't doesn't even think about it... at all" sat at a festival 30 years later about to play a song that person from that young marriage once wrote and acted out some so-so theater about not even remembering the persons name he was once youngly madly marriaged to...

... doesn't really scream all that confidently "doesn't doesn't even think about it". Something petty seem to linger from that thing, an entire lifetime apart that one supposedly doesn't doesn't even think about.

And also. It's a shit analogy. Because no one moves on from that young love. Young love in our formative years is to strong to ever disappear our hearts. Haven't people on here ever read a love story, watched one or listened to one being sung. Get educated.

As if there was any doubt who was going to look too deeply into this and get all defensive on behalf of Dave.

As for the bolded, there's actually truth to that. I still have passing thoughts of past lovers. I'm guessing that maybe you don't have any past lovers though if you think reading a love story, watching one, or listen to one being sung would be a way to "get educated" on the subject. No dude, most of us have experiences to fall back on. We don't need to read a story...to learn about past love...to apply it to an analogy....about a drummer from 25 years ago.

pearljammr78 · May 2022

I usually don’t agree with @Spiritual_Chaos but Ed continues to take swipes at Dave and Ed and the boys are the ones in the tax bracket none of us will ever know and Dave might serve us fries in the future. Nobody but the core of that band knows what really happened. Stone and Mike may have just bet on the right horse. A lot easier to put up with Eddie Vedder’s shit than a drummers when you look at big picture and who’s going to get you the farthest. Maybe Dave isn’t pro choice and can’t have any dissent on the PJ train. The bottom line to me is these are a bunch of attention seeking people on both sides airing their dirty laundry in public view when I just want to hear the best music possible. Fuck them all if it gives us better tunes.

JimmyV · May 2022

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

Ledbetterman10 · May 2022

pearljammr78 said:

I usually don’t agree with @Spiritual_Chaos but Ed continues to take swipes at Dave and Ed and the boys are the ones in the tax bracket none of us will ever know and Dave might serve us fries in the future. Nobody but the core of that band knows what really happened. Stone and Mike may have just bet on the right horse. A lot easier to put up with Eddie Vedder’s shit than a drummers when you look at big picture and who’s going to get you the farthest. Maybe Dave isn’t pro choice and can’t have any dissent on the PJ train. The bottom line to me is these are a bunch of attention seeking people on both sides airing their dirty laundry in public view when I just want to hear the best music possible. Fuck them all if it gives us better tunes.

On the other hand though, Dave made out like a bandit getting writing credits on songs that he didn't write, so I'm sure the royalties have good to him.

Vs. and Vitalogy (except for three songs) have all the songs credited to all five band members. But we know that's the case. Animal and Daughter for example are obviously "Gossard/Vedder." Not For You, Immortality, Small Town, and Corduroy are totally "Vedder." I know Dave co-wrote Go and likely had a lot do with the composition of WMA. Maybe a song or two more, but he's made out pretty damn well.

nautical_disaster · May 2022

These Dave threads make me curious about royalties. Since pearl jam was in the golden age of CD sales, am I naïve to think that Dave would be set for life? I know these boards aren't about gossiping, and I don't want to speculate - I just remember a thread a while back where Mike mentioned that decades later he was still getting a few grand of royalty payments from ten.

Cropduster-80 · May 2022

If PJ lasted one album as a successful group after Dave A was fired, and continued on playing night clubs from then to now, Dave A wouldn’t care. No way he posts about a dive bar gig getting cancelled.

at the bottom of all of this is jealousy and regret about what might have been.

The band is in a different position, I bet they don’t give Dave A a second thought, unless a situation comes up that requires them to, the reverse isn’t true

Spiritual_Chaos · May 2022

Clapper said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Clapper said:

Embarrassing. He was the drummer for like 10% of the band's career. Outside of a few hold outs on this forum and Dave, I don't think many would even think of him as the associated drummer with Pearl Jam. It's like getting married young, it not working out and then 30 years later, after an entire lifetime apart, one person still talks badly about the relationship, and one person doesn't doesn't even think about it...at all. They only time Dave makes it in the media or on socials is to bad mouth the band. Hard to imagine why they'd rather use literally anyone else to drum than to call him.

This is a great analogy.

If it wasn't for the fact that the person who "doesn't doesn't even think about it... at all" sat at a festival 30 years later about to play a song that person from that young marriage once wrote and acted out some so-so theater about not even remembering the persons name he was once youngly madly marriaged to...

... doesn't really scream all that confidently "doesn't doesn't even think about it". Something petty seem to linger from that thing, an entire lifetime apart that one supposedly doesn't doesn't even think about.

And also. It's a shit analogy. Because no one moves on from that young love. Young love in our formative years is to strong to ever disappear our hearts. Haven't people on here ever read a love story, watched one or listened to one being sung. Get educated.

The girls you dated in high school must really appreciate the angry and cryptic posts on their facebook walls 30 years later. Educate us about the healthy people that can't move on with their lives.

Have you even heard the song Black. It's off that album in the first 10% of the bands career. Such a short period, so maybe you missed it.

Merkin Baller · May 2022

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

Spiritual_Chaos · May 2022

Cropduster-80 said:

If PJ lasted one album as a successful group after Dave A was fired, and continued on playing night clubs from then to now, Dave A wouldn’t care. No way he posts about a dive bar gig getting cancelled.

at the bottom of all of this is jealousy and regret about what might have been.

The band is in a different position, I bet they don’t give Dave A a second thought, unless a situation comes up that requires them to, the reverse isn’t true

Should be noted. Dave A was in, or had a shot on being in, Guns N Roses and left that band on his own accord. So I don't think this "he missed out on the gravy train" is that much of a reason people try to make it. He obviously still get's money from his time in the band. Even with the band removing him from the cover of the Unplugged release and making Matt Cameron cosplay as him in a Funko toy set.

I would imagine, without knowing the man, that him having beef (to quote Jared Letos Joker I think...) has more to do with him being very much removed from the bands history and his contributions voldemort-ed away.

100 Pacer · May 2022

Merkin Baller said:

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

And yet…imagine being in Dave Krusen’s shoes. He battled his addiction and put himself first. He saved himself and never resented the band. That’s why we got to witness him in Fresno and he couldn’t have looked more appreciative.

Cropduster-80 · May 2022

100 Pacer said:

Merkin Baller said:

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

And yet…imagine being in Dave Krusen’s shoes. He battled his addiction and put himself first. He saved himself and never resented the band. That’s why we got to witness him in Fresno and he couldn’t have looked more appreciative.

He’s pretty candid about it being his fault. I’ve never heard a bad word spoken about him either. He owned it. That’s how you move on

100 Pacer · May 2022

Cropduster-80 said:

100 Pacer said:

Merkin Baller said:

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

And yet…imagine being in Dave Krusen’s shoes. He battled his addiction and put himself first. He saved himself and never resented the band. That’s why we got to witness him in Fresno and he couldn’t have looked more appreciative.

He’s pretty candid about it being his fault. I’ve never heard a bad word spoken about him either. He owned it. That’s how you move on

Exactly.

Clapper · May 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Have you even heard the song Black. It's off that album in the first 10% of the bands career. Such a short period, so maybe you missed it.

Never heard it, is it good? I think I was at a show where they tried to play it once but the band was drowned out by all the people chanting Dave-y! Dave-y! Dave-y! Is it on the Dave Abbruzzese Essentials playlist on Apple Music with his other work? I can't seem to find it. How is it in comparison to the other 100 or so songs that the band has released that nothing to do with him? Take your time, I'll be in my basement tinkering with my time machine. One day, I'll get back to 1992.

mrussel1 · May 2022

Clapper said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Have you even heard the song Black. It's off that album in the first 10% of the bands career. Such a short period, so maybe you missed it.

Never heard it, is it good? I think I was at a show where they tried to play it once but the band was drowned out by all the people chanting Dave-y! Dave-y! Dave-y! Is it on the Dave Abbruzzese Essentials playlist on Apple Music with his other work? I can't seem to find it. How is it in comparison to the other 100 or so songs that the band has released that nothing to do with him? Take your time, I'll be in my basement tinkering with my time machine. One day, I'll get back to 1992.

It's okay. It's not as good as Johnny Guitar IMO, but that is subject to an ongoing, raging debate. https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/285925/sticky-black-vs-johnny-guitar#latest

heartofadog · May 2022

nautical_disaster said:

These Dave threads make me curious about royalties. Since pearl jam was in the golden age of CD sales, am I naïve to think that Dave would be set for life? I know these boards aren't about gossiping, and I don't want to speculate - I just remember a thread a while back where Mike mentioned that decades later he was still getting a few grand of royalty payments from ten.

Dave is a millionaire. Not to the extent that the other guys in the band are but, unless he's been extremely careless with his finances, he is not going to be "serving us fries" (as another poster put it) at any point in his life.

mace1229 · May 2022

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Gern Blansten said:

apirk72 said:

If Jeff would have gotten it first they probably would've tried to find another bass player, and then would've cancelled if Matt then got sick. I don't think what they did had anything to do with instruments, obviously if Ed had covid first they would've cancelled.

disagree....no way they go on stage without Jeff, Mike or Stone

I would imagine many Metallica fans would have said the same about going on without Lars Ulrich, before they did.

And KISS fans about the band going on without lead singer and founder Paul Stanley, before they did.

I think also the discussion with the band and management has to do with more than just "who will be on stage". There are other factors in play. Like Cropduster touched upon above.

But David Lee Roth. If he ever leaves, Van Halen breaks up, can’t replace him.

mrussel1 · May 2022

heartofadog said:

nautical_disaster said:

These Dave threads make me curious about royalties. Since pearl jam was in the golden age of CD sales, am I naïve to think that Dave would be set for life? I know these boards aren't about gossiping, and I don't want to speculate - I just remember a thread a while back where Mike mentioned that decades later he was still getting a few grand of royalty payments from ten.

Dave is a millionaire. Not to the extent that the other guys in the band are but, unless he's been extremely careless with his finances, he is not going to be "serving us fries" (as another poster put it) at any point in his life.

There's zero chance he's a millionaire. I bet he's been broke for decades. I know for a fact he has sold some of his original tapes (Stuffins) to fans. These are tapes of either versions of Alone, Wash, etc. You wouldn't do that if you were a millionaire.

aisleseats · May 2022

mrussel1 said:

heartofadog said:

nautical_disaster said:

These Dave threads make me curious about royalties. Since pearl jam was in the golden age of CD sales, am I naïve to think that Dave would be set for life? I know these boards aren't about gossiping, and I don't want to speculate - I just remember a thread a while back where Mike mentioned that decades later he was still getting a few grand of royalty payments from ten.

Dave is a millionaire. Not to the extent that the other guys in the band are but, unless he's been extremely careless with his finances, he is not going to be "serving us fries" (as another poster put it) at any point in his life.

There's zero chance he's a millionaire. I bet he's been broke for decades. I know for a fact he has sold some of his original tapes (Stuffins) to fans. These are tapes of either versions of Alone, Wash, etc. You wouldn't do that if you were a millionaire.

Yeah, wasn't there just a Go Fund Me or something circulating the other day asking for money to help pay his daughter's college bills?

JimmyV · May 2022

aisleseats said:

mrussel1 said:

heartofadog said:

nautical_disaster said:

These Dave threads make me curious about royalties. Since pearl jam was in the golden age of CD sales, am I naïve to think that Dave would be set for life? I know these boards aren't about gossiping, and I don't want to speculate - I just remember a thread a while back where Mike mentioned that decades later he was still getting a few grand of royalty payments from ten.

Dave is a millionaire. Not to the extent that the other guys in the band are but, unless he's been extremely careless with his finances, he is not going to be "serving us fries" (as another poster put it) at any point in his life.

There's zero chance he's a millionaire. I bet he's been broke for decades. I know for a fact he has sold some of his original tapes (Stuffins) to fans. These are tapes of either versions of Alone, Wash, etc. You wouldn't do that if you were a millionaire.

Yeah, wasn't there just a Go Fund Me or something circulating the other day asking for money to help pay his daughter's college bills?

I didn't know if that was real or not but was thinking the same thing.

Spiritual_Chaos · May 2022

Cropduster-80 said:

100 Pacer said:

Merkin Baller said:

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

And yet…imagine being in Dave Krusen’s shoes. He battled his addiction and put himself first. He saved himself and never resented the band. That’s why we got to witness him in Fresno and he couldn’t have looked more appreciative.

He’s pretty candid about it being his fault. I’ve never heard a bad word spoken about him either. He owned it. That’s how you move on

100 Pacer said:

Cropduster-80 said:

100 Pacer said:

Merkin Baller said:

JimmyV said:

It wasn't a marriage, it was a business partnership. One that Dave contributed to, got fired from, and then watched his former colleagues get rich in part off of work that he contributed to. So I understand him being salty, but I also recognize his saltiness when I see it and don't really fault the band for not wanting him around. That is as close to a defense of Dave as I hope to ever make.

& anyone who's been in a band knows it's a unique business partnership at that.

If I was in his shoes, I don't know that I would be over getting kicked out of Pearl Jam either... that would be a very hard thing to come to terms with.

I can't understand anyone else not being over it though. It's been almost 30 years, it's hard to take seriously, tbh.

And yet…imagine being in Dave Krusen’s shoes. He battled his addiction and put himself first. He saved himself and never resented the band. That’s why we got to witness him in Fresno and he couldn’t have looked more appreciative.

He’s pretty candid about it being his fault. I’ve never heard a bad word spoken about him either. He owned it. That’s how you move on

Exactly.

Apples and oranges though. Haha. He left because of addiction, did he not? He wasn't sat down in front of a plate of pancakes with just Stone there being pushed out to do the band's* bidding

*certain someones in the band

But amazingly cool to see him in the apple-circumstance be able to "return" both at the RnR hoF and now in Fresno.

Former drummer Dave Abbruzzese reflects on the tour cancellation

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