Pearl Jam’s got something new going on (but you can’t hear it)
I’ve reached my limit, and I’m breaking up with Pearl Jam.
Their New York City lawyers contacted me today, telling me to remove the fan-recorded file of a new song below, which was captured outside the venue door at a recent secret show. This is the third time during the lifespan of this blog that I have been contacted by Pearl Jam or their representatives to remove something from my site that they feel is objectionable — always a live fan recording of something we’re all stoked to hear, and always a post that has come from a place of earnest and enthusiastic fandom. Well, I’m tired of fandom.
Even more disturbing than the crackdown on the live recordings that Pearl Jam has long embraced is the fact that, according to multiple sources, the internet is being vigorously scoured of all forms of even TALK about this new song and the recording session that happened on Thursday. This post vanished, leaving only the Google cache to remember it. This girl deleted hers. Threads on the message board are vaporized. And holy mackerel, I just went to reference the Rolling Stone post and the entire thing from this morning has vanished. 404 error. File not found.
This type of suppression of information seems to be their chosen mode of operating as a band over the last few years, and it is leaving me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m not sure what has changed with them. I can’t defend them anymore. I also must say that as one of the few voices in the independent blogosphere that even seems to care about what Pearl Jam is doing with any urgency, their kindness and support for genuine fandom would be most consistent with what I always understood their punk-inspired ethos to be.
The new song is out there, the horse is through the gate, Elvis has left the building — and in 2009 it is futile to undo it. Seize the buzz, Pearl Jam. Acknowledge the fans that have stuck with you for over fifteen years. In ten hours everyone’s gonna have heard the new song on Conan anyways, if you perform it. The only people interested in the fan recording are the passionate uberfans who will follow everything you do anyways. I would stoke those fires if I were you, not run around trying to smother to death everyone who dares talk about it. So few of my generation care passionately about what you are doing these days, and think that you are relevant and potent.
I’m saddened to say it ain’t gonna be me anymore.
[UPDATE]
Pearl Jam took to the stage Thursday at Seattle’s famed Showbox to rock a brand new song, while Cameron Crowe (Cameron Crowe!) filmed it. Stealth audio from one of the extras sounds like this:
Something’s Going On – Pearl Jam
(we’re guessing on the title — could also be “The Fixer”)
Soaring, melodic, tightly-wound, and fiercely rocking — color me pleased. Read more details here. Now maybe we know what they will play tomorrow night on the Conan Tonight Show premiere!
Name: Heather Browne
Nice. Can’t wait to see them at ACL. Thanks for posting this Heather.
J — May 31, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
if this is actually going to be licensed to a target ad, like some people have suggested, i will be so disappointed with my all time favorite band. depressing to say the least.
todd — May 31, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
I think the target connection was that target is rumored to be the exclusive retailer for their new album when it is initially released. I think this is part of PJ’s decision to go more independent in the distribution of their music, outside of standard channels. I don’t think the new song is going to be used in a commercial for the store itself, like hocking paper towels and cute new summer footwear, but I could wrong.
browneheather — May 31, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Ok seriously, who are you? Do you secretly work for pearl jam? You always have everything the moment it happens.
Dave — June 1, 2009 @ 7:20 am
The song is called “The Fixer,” and Target is the exclusive big box retailer.. they will make other deals for indie retail and such.
DingoPet — June 1, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Pearl Jam’s Ten is still on frequent rotation for me – and this is a great scoop! I love a sneak peek (or listen)and this is why this is one of my favorite music blogs. Very inspiring!
All the best.
Mario "Peebs" Pittore — June 1, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
it is old news that 10C lacks good customer service and any knowledge of good PR practices. if there were a true competitor out there (which of course there is not), i’d yank my business from them at once.
grace6697 — June 1, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
It’s sad to see PJ behaving like the heavy-handed corporate entities they used to criticize. They seem not to have the first clue about how tribal internet marketing works.
Heather, you deserve better a better “boyfriend” than Pearl Jam.
Grace — June 1, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
well said.
for whatever it’s worth, billboard had a big exclusive with the band to break the story. that’s behind a lot of the censored text. censoring people who attended the performance was simply enforcement of the nda they voluntarily signed.
rollingstone’s online editor told us that that arrangement had nothing to do with their removal of the story- just that it was the reason noone on the band’s side returned their calls. though the reason they did give for pulling the story was somewhat vague- they said they hadn’t been able to verify our sources, that they were “still reporting,” with the intent to re-post something soon.
we got a cease & desist at antiquiet too by the way.
when you have an audience as loyal as pearl jam’s, you can’t send mixed signals. if the band’s position is clear, the audience will follow out of respect. whether it’s share everything, or share nothing. but you can’t encourage / support bootlegging and candid fan blogging 99% of the time, and then send suddenly send lawyers when someone crosses a line they didn’t even know was there.
Skwerl — June 1, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
It is Pearl Jam’s problem that they have a fan base of Gen X’ers with an entitlement attitude who believe that if they can get it, even through illegal means, then they have a right to it. Illegal distribution of a song acquired by violating an nda and this dumb bitch says, “Censorship makes me sick to my stomach, and I can’t abide anymore. I’m breaking up with Pearl Jam.” Fuck you Heather Browne and all you crybabies who got a prize for last place in the spelling bee.
Bob — June 1, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
fwiw, I hear this recording came from a PJ fan, not a paid extra, standing outside the venue door on public property, not having signed an NDA.
browneheather — June 1, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
That last point about bootlegging/openness is so very true…this whole thing reeks of a giant corporate cliche–a fear that the band likely once had, but do they still?
Kip — June 1, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
Stop it! I can’t abide this blog anymore… This one post has made me sick enough to my stomach to never read the beautiful sentences you make about peoples songs. You should let your fandomness conflict with the legal matters of music and the internet. PJ didn’t want the song out there yet – perhaps it’s not the way they wanted the fans to hear it for the first time… and admit it, the recording quality sucked. Whatever the case – respect their wishes. They’ve been good to us.
B
Butch McCartney — June 1, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
wonderful post. thanks for making an honest critique instead of following the usual stance of ‘they can do no wrong’. criticism is needed to get an accurate picture of things. honestly i adored this band for their ‘no frills’ intelligent stance on things but the door started to slowly close with verizon (months after their at&t criticism), re-issues, rock band, and now this. i am a young adult and probably a minority opinion in the PJ community but that doesn’t make me naive enough to believe these decisions are for the fans. it’s all about money now and they have finally shown their true colors.
rems — June 1, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
well, i won’t be as dramatic as to say i’m breaking up with your blog, but this post is extremely disappointing. pearl jam have always been luddites. they’re not going to have a free, digital release, they’re not going to embrace internet buzz. they’re going to try to champion the old mediums of music, like vinyl, and having physical artwork in your hands. it’s what they’ve always done. there’s a reason they send out vinyl christmas singles to 10 club members instead of posting them online. sure it would be easier, but that’s not how pearl jam has ever worked. the music they make is theirs until they choose to release it. i’m no fan of censorchip, but artists still have to be able to maintain some right to privacy, especially when it comes to their craft. to act like this is some outrage, after being a fan of the band for years and understanding that they have always done their best to guard their music as tightly as possible, is disingenuous at best.
redmosquito10 — June 1, 2009 @ 4:38 pm
heather..
as a long time reader of your blog, i have to say that your decision makes me sad. i can understand why they asked you to remove the song, and you aren’t alone. i know that threads have been deleted left and right on the pj board with any mention of the words “fixer”, “target”, “sell outs”, “somethings going on”, etc, etc.
pj has always had an interesting way of doing things. it’s obvious that they have something up their collective sleeve, and i’m sad that you won’t care enough to find out what it is.
i’ve always enjoyed your pj writings & musings…and like a lot of other people, i’ll miss those words.
i just think you’re jumping the gun a bit and also being a bit too critical of the band and how they want to protect their music.
fixer — June 1, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
1.Bob needs to calm down.
2. Bob’s assertion is false. pearl jam’s fanbase is not majority Gen X. not even close. it’s 2009, guy. not 1993.
3. i think it’s easy to chalk this up to entitlement amongst the fans. it’s certainly easier than having the band get their management under control and presenting a clear and coherent philosophy, which i realize, most bands don’t need, but PJ is not most bands.
grace6697 — June 1, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
[...] Pearl Jam sending lawyers after leakers, deleting criticisms on band’s messageboard, and thusly providing excuses for indie bloggers to jump ship. [...]
Music presumably unaffected « Hipsters United // a blog about the Smashing Pumpkins — June 1, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
Count me as another disappointed PJ fan.
They need to get over themselves…..
spookycat — June 1, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
This will sound kind of geeky but I was wondering about the relationship between Pearl Jam and I am Fuel when this blog did not get a super deluxe Ten package to give away (like Stereogum).
On the one hand, I agree with the people who say the band should be able to roll out the new songs as they wish. On the other hand, having some New York lawyers call superfan Heather, who provides an important outlet for the band (and she’s right, which other indie blog refers to Pearl Jam without a veneer of derision?), seems the height of stupidity and violates their whole fan-first philosophy. Even if they don’t allow the mp3, marketing 101 says that they should provide something else, information or older music to keep the band available someplace other than friggin’ Tonight Show and Target.
As a Heather-like fan of 15 years, I am also disappointed by the lack of music and video on their website and the increasingly exploitative nature of their packaging (and re-packaging) of products. It’s true that they don’t charge $200 for a concert ticket but why charge super deluxe prices for a replica of Ed’s Ten-era notebook? It just seems kind of dumb to me.
I hope Tim Bierman or someone else from the Ten Club reads this post. And I hope Heather feels compelled to reconnect with the band when the new music comes out.
lbc — June 1, 2009 @ 5:43 pm
really, at this point PJ should be happy anyone cares. I don’t and I used to love them. Kurt burned out. Eddie is just fading away.
brad — June 1, 2009 @ 5:44 pm
It is hypocritical in the extreme for PJ to act like this. Remember Monkeywrench Radio? Eddie and the band have always encouraged (at least on the surface) dissent, independent media, going outside of the mainstream…
…except when it came to them.
Eddie would have put his DAT in his combat boots outside the door of his favorite band’s show to try to get a recording. Eddie would have run a web site if he hadn’t gotten famous. Eddie was the ultimate fan.
Eddie forgets.
They hate the internet because they can’t control it. Tim Bierman takes it really personally because he told Jeff that he understood the internet which is how he got the job. Except that he didn’t, and doesn’t, and when regular little fans are better at his job than he is, he has to take them down any way he can.
This band is disgusting.
Paul Allen gave away more money than they could ever dream of doing and yet they write a song to make fun of him. I give you that he’s a little off and he’s a little sad and lonely but he’s not a bad guy. He’s just a socially inept geek.
They write a song to make fun of him.
They criticize people who worked with the internet and who made money from dot coms… but yet, Eddie is buddies with Rob Glaser from Real Networks and plays at his wedding. Rob Glaser is okay, in Eddie’s mind, because of his philanthropy. Rob Glaser was such a horrible person to work for that RN had a horrible attrition problem back in the day. No one good stayed at that company.
But yet, Rob Glaser = okay. for whatever reason. Even though he is rich, and as we all know from following Pearl Jam doctrine, rich people are BAD!
… unless you’re a rich person who can afford to follow the Ramones all over the world with your super-8 camera. Then it is A-OK!!!
Pearl Jam fans are equally hypocritical. If you have something and they don’t, they will do everything they can to take you down. And if you dare to say anything about the band, they act as though you are personally attacking them. You can’t ever say that you don’t like a song or don’t connect with what they’re doing, or you will be treated like a leper, like you have committed treason. This is the only band I’ve ever seen where people say shit like ‘Oh I hope he comes back to their music’? WTF does THAT mean?
WHat about what PJ did to the video people once upon a time?
What about the kid who lost his 10c membership because he was the ONLY person they could prove distributed Riot Act (when he was just a stupid kid who used his real email address)?
Pearl Jam are so web phobic that the first 10c web site wasn’t even tested on a PC… only on a Mac. So when shit didn’t work, they said “we don’t care about Microsoft”.
I could go on… but I won’t.
coyote — June 1, 2009 @ 6:41 pm
They warned you twice before the third, couldn’t you take a hint genius? Who do you think you are? Total idiot. Artists generally don’t want new songs hitting the public before they are able to promote it properly, for you to take this attitude like, oh they fuckin owe me and who the fuck are they to have the audacity to ask me to not distribute their work, is utter stupidity. You were warned, you said fuck it three times, now pay the consequences bitch.
Ken Doll — June 1, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
Remember the good old days when Pearl Jam actually condoned people recording their stuff – not ried to fuck people in the arse for it?
Fucking sold out… no one can stick up for this crock of shit!
Way to lose long time fans and get new fans to buy the new Britney Spears album with the new Pearl Jam….
Makes me cringe…
BigMan — June 1, 2009 @ 6:47 pm
SEND IT ALL TO ME I WILL POST IT
FUCKPEARLJAM.TUMBLR.COM
FUCK PJ — June 1, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Dear lord, people can’t wait 2 days until they premier the song on Conan and now they are “breaking up with the band”? That’s over the top silly.
You think it may be possible the band has an agreement in place in which they need to premier the song on Conan?
Could it be they don’t want a crappy, heard through a wall version of their song plastered all over the internet?
Just because you have a blog, it doesn’t mean you have rights to post copyrighted material in a manor the band and its management don’t find suitable.
all you had to do was wait … 2 days … (now, a few hours)
Seriously, the music will all come out in due time, in a clean format … please, just relax.
JDG — June 1, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Regardless of the legal loopholes (which lets face it all comes back to money, greed and ratings) who’s more important here? The fans? or the corporate giants?
I’m going with the fans…
If the band actually cared about the fans, knowing the audio was terrible, why would they care who listened to it?!
They should be flattered they have fans this passionate about them, wiling to listen to any kind of new tit bit as whatever kind of taste, not trying to block anything so a show has better ratings etc…
and IF they are blocking this stuff cos they want the fans to hear a better quality version – give it to us once it leaks – there’s no stopping a leak – so if you can’t stop it (try as they might) join it… make the fans happy, keep some credibility with long time supporters…
…and keep the credibility of a once true to the fans band strong… what they are doing now is shameful – welcome to the world of Metallica, U2, Brittney – shit; even Green Day have more credibility than Pearl Jam right now….
BigMan — June 1, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
This is a perfect example of not understanding technology. I know no one in Pearl Jam gets technology, as evidence of the vinyl releases every year. You would think the people working for them would. My question to PJ is that if you don’t want this stuff public, why are you making public appearances like this shoot? No matter what you do, everything will always end up on the Internet. They could have easily shot this commercial or whatever AFTER Conan. I know you guys are old, but geez, its not too hard to figure out these things. You could have saved yourselves some bucks by not having to sic lawyers on all these websites.
Dave — June 1, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Bye Heather, I hope you were a ten club member and your number was lower than mine.
lsh — June 1, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
I don’t know wny, but I feel compelled to comment. As a dude with a very very low fan club number, I feel like the band has given me more than I have given them. And as the band grows older, and they change (just like I have changed), I will give them the benefit of the doubt. But, like Heather (whom I have never met and have read only for a few weeks), a little bit of my love gets chipped away every year or two. The Tom Petty show in Denver, with a huge ticket price, ticked me off a little. The re-issue did the same thing. Ed’s latest tour commanded a way-too-high ticket price. I’ll hold on, but I’m not sure if a road trip to a show is in my future ever again. I’m sure it’s not in my future at a $100 a ticket price. That makes me a little sad.
Beef — June 1, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
Eddie would hand out stuff to people who would give it to people and it would get to other people and converted into mp3 and posted on the internet. And instead of 10c emailing and saying, “Hey, we realize that someone gave this to you, but could you possibly do us a favor and take it down because of [eddie was high/it was supposed to be between friends/someone broke a promise/we're asking you to please do us a favor]” it always turned into this heavy-handed underground thuggery.
Eddie has probably hundreds if not thousands of bootlegs from every band he ever mentioned. Outtakes, unreleased things… but THAT’S OKAY
They could be everything we hold them up to being. They have access to everyone right to give them lessons on what mistakes NOT to make. The worst thing about them is the image. The image is not the truth.
And that is why fans get so violent when you dare to question them.
Signed,
Five Digit Fan Club Number That I Use To Take My Friends To Shows, SO Fuck Off Greedy Newbies
stupid_pj_post_patrol — June 1, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
[...] at Fuel/Friends is breaking up with Pearl Jam. For those of you that have read her blog for any amount of time, you’ll know that is the [...]
Quick Hits - Pearl Jam, Jay Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Cheap Trick + more — June 1, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
Well, I’m saddened to say I won’t check out your blog anytime soon unless you offer a better-thought-out response to all these comments.
Pearl Jam has the right to distribute music as it pleases. Did you know, Heather, that the band gave away the tickets to that show to 300 unemployed Seattle residents who got paid to be there? Someone on the PJ forum summed it up beautifully, to the effect of (paraphrasing) “those folks probably felt honored to be there and get money to buy food and make rent or mortgage payments as opposed to entitled PJ fans.” Sounds as if PJ still gives a sh-t about working outside traditional boundaries.
I’m sure — as others have said — there were contractual obligations, one of which was not to record the performance, let alone distribute it. Someone blew it, and no one is entitled to have access to it. Leave it at that.
Say what you want about the Target deal, even though you didn’t get rolling on that bit. I was upset when I heard about it, but when I read the Kelly Curtis story in Billboard, it makes total sense. This is 2009, and bands — just like newspapers — need to find creative ways to survive. The band made sure nonchain outlets will still be able to sell the record.
Your PJ posts have been far and few between these days. Frankly, I like your blog and have recommended it to many friends and family members but don’t feel an obligation to read your posts about every indie-rock band that stirs your mind when you wake up each day. Never forget the bands — such as PJ — that turned you on to music in a major way and during an impressionable time. Those songs and records and bands you experienced when you were a certain age will stick with you forever, just as my parents listen to The Beach Boys and The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel earnestly. I do, too. They passed those bands on to me.
One question remains: If you’re breaking up with PJ, are you going to change the name of your blog? I hope you come around to realize you made a snap decision and regret it. It happens to all of us. Patience, patience and understanding.
Brian R. — June 1, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
Heather, I love your writing and your eclectic taste and your way of inserting yourself into all sorts of interesting situations. And I totally disagree with you about this PJ thing. Artists have a right to protect their art the same way you or I have a right to protect our house or our car. People on the Web act like music is free (or should be). It isn’t. It is the result of creators’ hard work and belongs to them and anyone who takes what belongs to them is a thief. If they choose to condone this or look the other way or even help people help themselves to their art, that’s their decision, but what people don’t seem to respect is that it is ALWAYS the artist’s decision and whatever decision they make is right, because it’s THEIR art we’re talking about. It’s not yours, it’s not public property, and it’s not some precious resource they’re hoarding — it’s their creation and their livelihood and they have every right to protect it.
Jason — June 1, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
well. the undertone here is kind of missed. Pearl Jam has been washed up for years. Those guys don’t need the money from the Target deal, they don’t need the team of lawyers, they don’t need anything. In the absence of making anything resembling compelling music they’ve repackaged themselves as a classic rock band. Corporate sponsorships, pretension and nothing even approaching a sense of humor. Instead of embracing the passion of their fan base they’ve decided to take it all for granted. There is a distinct formula somewhere…number of units moved + corporate money + tickets sold= more and more money. PJ knows exactly what they can get out of this formula and it upon the backs of their devoted fans that they reap the benefits. There is no reason to court and encourage passion when the formula still makes financial sense. PJ are sell outs but more importantly they are irrelevant. FuelFriends strives to find relevant and authentic artists, those on the vanguard and those who still remain true to their roots. All Pearl Jam has anymore is the best lawyers but all the law in the land cannot defeat the grassroots distribution of media. I can’t understand how anyone would care about new PJ songs but even more so I can’t see how PJ would care, contractually or otherwise, about a small group of loyal fans that will still be paying for and consuming anything they put out anyway. Not long ago I ran into Tre Cool at a bar in Oakland and mentioned to him a recording I had just heard of one of recent Green Day Bay Area secret shows. This was several weeks before 21st Century Breakdown came out…he could have called his lawyers…hell, at that bar he could of had the bouncers kick the shit out of me, instead he asked if it sounded cool and went back to drinking his beer.
bruce — June 1, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
I think Heather should do just like Pearl Jam does and delete all the comments from this thread that go against her. Control everything possible.
otis — June 1, 2009 @ 8:30 pm
Love the fanboy hate.
It’s your blog, write about who you will, we’ll still read.
Rob — June 1, 2009 @ 8:50 pm
Bob Lefsetz’s column on this situation.
“Shitty recordings of great songs will still break through. Whereas no one wants pristine recordings of crap.”
**************************************
The Lefsetz Letter
Mon, 1 Jun 2009 21:18:17
Who gives a shit? This is news?
Pearl Jam was the leading act of the nineties.
Radiohead paves the way in the twenty first century.
Furthermore, Pearl Jam’s very first album was its very best. And only hard core fans care about what the Seattle rockers are releasing today.
They’re gonna get a big check from Target. Even though Best Buy and Wal-Mart are better partners and would sell more product. Target will do a ton of advertising. But despite the carpet-bombing hype, the album still won’t sell much. More than the band’s recent opuses, but not much more. Because, like I said, their music is WAY past its peak.
As for the fans crying sell-out… Boofuckinghoo. Recorded music is essentially a giveaway. So the band is trying to monetize its efforts. And has a big enough name that a big corporation, ignorant as to the band’s limited reach, will pony up some bucks. Their kids need new shoes just like yours.
But wouldn’t it have been better if the band did something innovative?
Maybe JUST released the hundred dollar box, for fans? That’s right, the hard core gets the CD, the vinyl, the MP3s and a signed book. Hell, make it $70 unsigned, $150 signed. The key is to get more from the hard core.
Pearl Jam will probably do this. But Trent Reznor did it first. Trent’s got the best marketing ideas. If only his music was a bit more mainstream.
So, we’ve got no more heroes. It’s sad, I agree.
You just can’t believe in anyone anymore.
Which brings us back to the great seer, John Lennon.
He only believed in himself, and Yoko. You should do the same thing. Your supposed heroes will let you down. They’re no better than you are. And now, with all this information on the Internet and the ability to respond/fight back, we’ve torn each and every star from his pedestal. The only thing that remains is the work.
Funny how in a business that believes William Goldman’s mantra that nobody knows anything, Pixar is on a ten for ten streak. Because the animation company isn’t about the sizzle, but the steak. It’s not about the marketing, not about the penumbra, but the story.
It’s no different in music. It revolves around the songs. Shitty recordings of great songs will still break through. Whereas no one wants pristine recordings of crap.
I haven’t liked Pearl Jam’s music in eons. And despite the protestations of the hard core, almost no one else has either. Instead of focusing on maximizing revenue, if only the band could focus on SONGS! Create something as good as “Ten”, even better. Maybe they wouldn’t make more money, but wouldn’t they be more satisfied? And wouldn’t this elongate their career?
Pretty soon, no one will want physical product. These exclusive retailer deals are a last hurrah. And I don’t give a fuck whether they’re done independently, or through a major label, bottom line is recorded music is the loss leader. Yup, you make great records so people will go to see you live, so they’ll buy merch. The key isn’t to get someone to buy your music and never play it (can you hear me Prince?), but rather to create something SO good, not only will fans play it, they’ll tell everybody they know about it.
If you don’t have ten tracks in you, record five or four or even one. Quality is key, not quantity. Acts record albums because of the price point, not because an artistic statement has to be an hour long.
As for Cameron Crowe shooting the commercials… They’d probably be better off with Joe Pytka, someone who shoots commercials for a living. Sure, Cameron featured band members in his movie “Singles”, but when was the last time Cameron Crowe made a good flick? He’s sailing on fumes too. They deserve each other.
Enough with the hoopla. How about the work? If you record a song as good as “Jeremy”, I don’t care if you sell it on cassette tapes at Pep Boys, word will spread, people will hear it. These old players just haven’t realized we’re living in the twenty first century. Where something good can be known by the public in an instant, but something overhyped, more about marketing than music, can be almost completely ignored.
As for buying music at Target… Isn’t that like buying weed at Bed, Bath & Beyond? Or whips and chains at Toys”R”Us? All those indie stores stocked every iteration of the live show, and as payback…THEY GET FUCKED IN THE ASS!
Pearl Jam, the people’s band…
Utterfuckinghogwash.
No better than the mercenary Eagles. But at least the Eagles were big enough to partner with WAL-MART! And despite bloat, there are some fantastic songs on “Long Road Out Of Eden”. As for this new Pearl Jam album..? I’d say I’ll check out the leak, weeks before the record hits the shelves, but who really gives a shit.
Meanwhile, if they don’t make the album available at iTunes, they’re truly assholes. You fight Ticketmaster, but to line your own pockets you don’t make the album available where your true fans want to buy it? Oh, don’t tell me it’s available at your Website… You can buy tickets at the box office too, but most people USE Ticketmaster.
You see Pearl Jam is not only not blazing a trail, they’re running in reverse, refusing to deal with present day reality.
Only one tune. Truly great. Given away for free online. THAT would have a greater impact on the band’s bottom line than this Target b.s. Then again, Pearl Jam are Americans. Loath to think long term. But the band used to… They used to do what was right…
No more.
Lefsetz talks PJ — June 1, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
okay, the last few posts by “Lefsetz talks PJ”, “bruce” and a few before that have been spot on. If only you guys were the ones writing about these guys instead of the “Get our your flannels!” article we’re going to get in some sh** mag.
thanks for your thoughtful posts. i’ve seen 25+ shows from these guys and have no desire to spend a penny on them anymore.
rems — June 1, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
Could you have a greater sense of entitlement? You say yourself that, “In ten hours everyone’s gonna have heard the new song on Conan anyways…”
Nothing cracks me up more than fans who are so obsessed with something that they take it personally when they can’t have things their way, to the point of coming to hate the thing they claim to love.
This entire post could be summed up as “I love Pearl Jam so much and can’t wait 10 hours to hear their new song, so fuck Pearl Jam, I hate them.”
At the end of the day the ONLY reason to love a band is for their music. If you start hating them over stupid shit like this, and you truly enjoy their music, you’re not hurting anyone but yourself. Besides, you’re taking away the excitement of hearing a new song from a favorite band because of the instant gratification the internet provides.
What really happened here is: you feel insulted because you were asked to remove something you had no right to distribute in the first place when you feel like the band should be happy that you’re such a huge fan.
I mean, you have disclaimers on the bottom and side of your page stating that the music is the property of the artists and that you’ll remove files at the rights holders request. So what’s the problem?
K. Sullivan — June 1, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
I’m disappointed not just in Heather’s decision but in the music itself. The performance on Conan was awful– the music was half-bad and Ed didn’t gel at all with the band, and there was no hook of any sort. I’m not breaking up with PJ, but my expectations are severely diminished.
I hope Heather that you reconsider. I’ve been reading your blog for years, and have picked up on a lot of great music from you. I think it would be a shame if PJ dropped out of your conversation as long as they are still making music.
Rob — June 1, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
What a crock.
Like PJ gives a crap about many of the above clueless comments.
They do what they want to do, as always, and I would have thought YOU would respect that. If they don’t kiss the asses of corporate horse shit mags like Rolling Stone & Spin, what makes you think they’re gonna kiss some blogger’s ass?
Very disappointed in you Heather. Not as bright as I thought you were.
skidman — June 1, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
one more last dose of 2 cents:
we’re all making these different points but i’m nearly positive that the underlying issue that we’re all expressing here is that there is a disconnect between who PJ is versus who we expect them to be.
look, PJ never jammed econo. they didn’t eat PB&J for years, sleeping in dirty vans zigzagging across the country. they were signed immediately to Epic which was pretty much the major-est of all major labels. PJ has never been an indie band. and did we all forget that the 2008 tour was sponsored in part by verizon? it was!
which doesn’t mean it was necessarily bad. we don’t know the Target tie-in is bad either. but obviously it strikes a chord. here’s why: EV has been waving his DIY-spirit flag since the early 90′s. he’s been anti-establishment since day one but has always been in the game. which isn’t to say it isn’t sincere. it might very well be and i’m inclined to believe that it is.
at the end of the day though, they’ve got a wildly loyal fanbase who’s thoroughly confused. the loyalty is so fierce that it defends the band and its crappy management even when they’re wrong. i think it’s the fans’ apologist approach that allows the band/mgmt to get away with things like shady censorship and staggering tour info so people are stuck with seeing shows in cities they didn’t want to and missing out on shows they didn’t know about.
ultimately though this spells bad news for the fans because it perpetuates all of the bad behavior on PJ LLC’s part. that mentality of “well, they’ve always been Luddites”, how long can that fly? i think PJ fans truly believe (more importantly, *want* to believe) that EV communicates with a string and 2 empty tin cans. it fosters that weird romantic notion of who he is and what they all supposedly stand for.
we need to accept the band for the group they’ve always been and not idealize their inception and demonize who they’ve become. it’s all about expectations.
grace6697 — June 1, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
Geez. The level of vehemence here is overwhelming. Heather, if you’re still reading these comments (and I wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t), please understand that the vast majority of your readers have your back. You are doing an awesome job, and your work is appreciated. I love PJ, but at the end of the day, there’s a ton of other music out there. Keep it up – we need you!!
John Barber — June 2, 2009 @ 1:14 am
[...] VIEW ARTICLE SOURCE [...]
Pearl Jam’s got something new going on (but you can’t hear it) — June 2, 2009 @ 6:02 am
Yo me pregunto, vos quien vendrías a ser? Tenés coronita que VOS sos el que elije CUANDO subir los temas que NO son tuyos?
sos rídiculo en tu argumentación, ” i break up with pearl jam “.. te metiste con sus cosas, las publicas cuando ellos no la quieren publicar y los hijos de puta son ellos?
Dejemonos de hinchar, los bootleg que salen a cada rato es la muestra de que pearl jam sabe lo que es internet… es la primera vez que andan sin una gran compania atrás, la gente se queja porque firmo contrato con target, che y sony como anda? es más grande que aproposito sony!
Dejense de quejar por cosas en las cuales no tienen ni un gramo de razón gente
sanquiiijam — June 2, 2009 @ 6:27 am
UPDATE, 06/01: The band’s manager, Kelly Curtis, has confirmed the Target deal in an exclusive interview with Billboard. As Curtis had said before, the band had always intended to make deals with “a number of partners.” To those with feathers ruffled over the band aligning with a big, bad corporation, Curtis asserted, “Its important to remember we just got out of this 18 year relationship with Sony, and I’m pretty sure they are a bigger corporation than Target. We have the freedom to pick our partners and more control when we’ve ever had before.”
Other new revelations: The song is indeed called The Fixer. It may or may not be the single to be released officially in July, and it may or may not be performed tonight on The Tonight Show tonight. Pearl Jam’s new album, only rumored to be entitled Backspacer, remains slated for an early fall release. As I theorized in the comments section, Universal Music Group will distribute the album internationally.
The footage from the Showbox performance will indeed be used for a Target commercial promoting the new album, but it may also be integrated into a Pearl Jam documentary that Cameron Crowe has been working on for quite awhile, to be released in 2011 in honor of the band’s 20th anniversary.
“Target was cool enough to realize that little independent record stores are not their competition,” Curtis said. And addressing anyone currently doubting their faith in the band, “I make decisions around the band’s business that are consistent with their overall philosophy… Which is to sell music in a way that’s accessible and affordable to their fans, on every distribution platform that their fans access music, and in a way that takes care of the little guys.
sanquiiijam — June 2, 2009 @ 6:30 am
booooooooooooooo you.
its cally loyalty. look it up.
sc — June 2, 2009 @ 7:43 am
[...] … but what about the relevance to the now? Well thanks to Cameron Crowe, Target, and some aggressive information control from their NYC lawyers, Pearl Jam’s Google News index spiked just in time to make their [...]
Pearl Jam “Get Some” On Conan’s 1st Tonight Show - Tuney News Network — June 2, 2009 @ 8:23 am
Wow. Really surprised to read all of the fans that are signing off on reading this blog, because the blog owner DARES to be disappointed with the way something was handled by her favorite band and their people.
In the end, it’s one person’s blog, one person’s opinion, etc etc etc – but I think that ya’ll are really off-base to respond to the blog post above by saying “I’m outta here.”
Pearl Jam (or any band) doesn’t owe Heather, me, or anyone else anything. But in these times when bands and labels are struggling to sell music, it might serve them well to THINK about how they handle things with the fans and blogs that are helping them to get the word out about their work that they are so passionate about.
I heard the bulk of the Recovering The Satellites album from Counting Crows for the first time via a crummy audience bootleg tape….and it made me that much more stoked to hear the final product. Go further back to crummy Bob Dylan bootlegs, you get the point – We live and breathe your band, and will buy everything that you put out.
Does that mean that you owe us? Not at all.
But can ya be a little bit nicer perhaps?
Cheers.
Matt Wardlaw — June 2, 2009 @ 9:03 am
“Pearl Jam has the right to distribute music as it pleases. Did you know, Heather, that the band gave away the tickets to that show to 300 unemployed Seattle residents who got paid to be there? Someone on the PJ forum summed it up beautifully, to the effect of (paraphrasing) “those folks probably felt honored to be there and get money to buy food and make rent or mortgage payments as opposed to entitled PJ fans.” Sounds as if PJ still gives a sh-t about working outside traditional boundaries.”
–
This summarizes the bullshit of the typical Pearl Jam fan. “honored”? HONORED? OMFG. overinflated importance much? the one account i read was someone saying that they wished it had been 10c members.
The only reason PJ probably hired extras was because they didn’t want to deal with fan reaction once they realized they were filming a commercial for Target.
But you are all so brainwashed and have the band so desperately tied into your identities you can’t see straight so you probably would have spun it until it was gold coming straight from Eddie’s ass.
The problem isn’t the deal; the problem is the obfuscation. The problem is that this band claims to be straight with you, but they have never been.
Heather, remember that for every handful of nasty comments, there are hundreds if not more people who love what you do. Do not let the fascist PJ fans take you down.
stupid pj post patrol — June 2, 2009 @ 9:18 am
As a blogger myself I know how easy it is to overstate our own importance
Now – that is not to say that Heather’s take is irrelevant, but really in the grand scheme of things it probably is. The Internet is tailor made for mountain making of molehill temper tantrums (see angrier comments above), but if someone feels wronged, no amount of defending her choice of words or reflexive accusations spitting betrayal make a difference, probably. You can feel wronged even when you shouldn’t be. People have the right to feel however they do.
That all said, and back to my original point, the music blogging world can be self-serving, elitist, and entitled, sometimes those same traits are self-defeating gunshots to each foot. Its always easy to make a black/white, good/evil, polarizing argument when it comes to stuff like this (corporate influence, “censorship”, etc.), but at the end of the day it’s all bullshit and if you like Pearl Jam you’ll probably still like them and if you don’t you still won’t. This trivial crap is just fodder for whatever side you find yourself on – but it doesn’t stop being trivial crap.
You can respect her opinion or you may not, either way threats of “I’m not reading your blog anymore” or “right on I’m off the PJ wagon too!” mean very little to anyone other than the few self-righteous people leading a revolution with nobody following. It’s all about perspective and 90% of people out there have no idea about any of this stuff.
The same stuff happened when Oink! was shut down – arguments about “the man” shutting freedom down and all this ridiculous nonsense of the music industry needing to embrace file sharing thievery because it was helping people hear music was just that – nonsense. Do we all do it? You bet. Does that make it right? Probably not.
For better or worse the nature of the Internet means it is practically impossible to control media. It might appear fruitless for a band’s handlers to try, and the PR image can come off opposite our expectations of said band’s image, but no matter – they win the battle of being more in their right to ask for us to play by the rules than we are in asking for a break from them.
Sebastian — June 2, 2009 @ 9:55 am
the music hasn’t been released yet who the hell are you to decide to release it it’s not your music your not in the band your why the internet ruins the anticipation of everything!
lowlightkelly — June 2, 2009 @ 10:44 am
Heather, I love what you do and fully support your right to speak up. Like you, I am a PJ fan (you actually fired my passion for them) and I agree with everything you have said and how you said it–very eloquently.
Good luck to you.
I check your blog every day and always will…
Robin
Robin — June 2, 2009 @ 10:58 am
“Be a music fan, go to jail.”
Being a music fan is now an inherently criminal activity. Please limit yourself to being a passive consumer. Thank you.
wallow-T — June 2, 2009 @ 11:04 am
Wow, can’t wait to see the new name for the blog. Pearl Jam made me mad with the dozens of e-mails I received about the TEN reissue/remaster. They weren’t offering me a discount for being a loyal fan club member, just the opportunity to pay for it before everyone else did. When I sent an e-mail complaining, I got a very snotty response.
I imagine it is tough being an idealistic rock star or rock group, but they seem to have defaulted on it. Either that or the line between establishment and anti-establishment is no longer visible to them. Perhaps because it is so far in their rearview mirror.
Patrick — June 2, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
Question – was the song performed last night on Conan (called ‘Got Some’) the same song (The Fixer) they recorded at Showbox for Target? Or is it a different new song?
Kerry — June 2, 2009 @ 12:51 pm
Heather, I am not surprised by the comments here just the harshness of them. No one needs to defend Pearl Jam. They have their cart of lawyers to do that. I respect your choice and your voice, whether or not I agree or disagree has no relevance. The name calling is over the top and unncessary. Keep on truckin’ lady, even those who say they won’t read you again are just putting on a blanket that the wind will blow away soon.
XOXO
MISS KELLI DOUGLAS
Kelli Douglas — June 2, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
I disagree with your opinion on this, Heather. I’m pretty disappointed actually.
Dugan — June 2, 2009 @ 1:32 pm
Forgive me if this is posted already in one of the bazillion comments, but here they are from last night’s Conan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHTvoOdC9I8
Mat Luschek — June 2, 2009 @ 1:59 pm
Are you kidding, you baby?
No band has been more fan friendly than Pearl Jam…none.
To be upset because you’ve been asked to remove something 3 times in the life of your blog (3 out of how many by the way?) is ridiculous.
You’re talking about a song that hasn’t even been mastered yet. Thing this through like an adult. Take a stand on something where you’re actually right.
Shawn — June 2, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
I admit it, I dig PJ, give it the benefit of the doubt, it seems they are trying to align something special. And it seems most of you do care, or you would never be so fucking passionate!
PJ still matter, obviously opening the first Tonight Show/ w Conan. I believe this is going to be special “record”. Before we throw them off the cliff, let’s just wait and see.
I recall they gave away there last single, and they have everything up on I Tunes.
The internet is good for 3 things… Comments (Bitching), Leaks, and Porn.
Just because you have a Mac and a I Phone does not mean you are fucking ENTITLED to fucking everything. Go stalk someone of FACEBOOK until 9/22 when Backspacer comes out!
Wes — June 2, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
It is great to have different points of view…Pearl Jam have been very emphatic about this, you should know it very good, Heather. Besides once i read this post i really got that sensation of you waiting for any excuse to “break up” (as you metaphorically said) with Pearl Jam (i might be wrong about it)… but anyway, it wouldn’t mean a BIG TROUBLE, it is just what you decided to do (or stop doing), and your blog (which is fantastic) became that space to release that anger, which seems quite visible. What came up along this post is the result of freedom of SPEECH and freedom of CHOICE…you WROTE….and you CHOOSE…
I sincerely don’t know what to think about this but, just for putting off a rip of a recorded song that is not yours you’re “breakin’ up” with them ? tell me about it…
Good Luck and Rock On…
Regards
GL
Guillermo Lacure — June 2, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
I, too, am profoundly disappointed in Pearl Jam lately, as what they’re doing is so completely in contradiction toward everything they’ve stood for and fought for in the last 20 years. I deeply respected them, looked up to them and am inspired by them to be true to myself, stand up for what I believe in, and take care of other people. They’ve broken their own sense of selves with the latest hypocrisy over the latest album, censoring everything they can, and the control – whoah – is comparable to corporate actions. I’m stunned, and can’t look at the same way I once did.
They’re nothing now but conforming sell-outs. What a sad day it is for the real fans, that they claim to care so much about.
And for those who disagree, I’ve seen other bands, in this recession, give so much to their fans; their thanks, free music, their love. I’m not feeling any love from Pearl Jam, just their need for control, privacy and more profits. A re-release of an album with expensive packages during difficult economic times? Is this taking care of us — or using us for more income for them??
Jeannie — June 2, 2009 @ 7:02 pm
Well said. The only reason I keep Pearl Jam on rotation on my ipod is beccause of your blog. I grew up in a flanell wearing generation. I’ve watched singles, but it was your blog that made me apperciate them for the band I thought they were. Now it’s not so much.
Magui — June 2, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
Heather,
You of all people should be able to distinguish between THE BAND and their MANAGEMENT. They are also, not one and the same entity. They believe they are working on the band’s best interest and they make mistakes as well. Legal issues are preventing from anything of the target shoot being public before the new album promo has aired. You must be able to respect that, and just take it as it is.
I am a a great fan myself and have been enjoying your blog for years now. Thankful for you pushing the boundries so I and many music enthusiasts out there can keep our ears to the ‘street’. You have acknowledged this conflict of interests on this space, now, see how you deal and resolve it! Pearl Jam are not the bad guys in this story, and neither are you, on a macro level this is a wrld-wide issue that will take time resolving in the business hub and legal hub. Everyone is trying to make their way through as best – everyone makes mistakes.
Einat — June 3, 2009 @ 3:12 am
I love Pearl Jam but i agree with every single word you wrote. They (or their manager) are wrong on that.
daniel — June 3, 2009 @ 11:42 am
I don’t buy into this idea that “it’s not them, it’s their management.” The management works for Pearl Jam, and should have a passing familiarity with Pearl Jam’s long standing image as a band who put its fans ahead of profits. The band has some responsibility to be aware when their management violates Pearl Jam’s stated “fan friendly” principles. They can’t live in a bubble and then pretend they’re in touch with their fans.
I really can see their management’s point about not wanting a low-quality version of the song distributed ahead of time. But they didn’t have to act like douche bags, having their lawyers demand you to take it down. Heather, I’m confident that if they asked you politely — even informally — you’d have honored their request immediately. Instead, they behave like you’re some kind of massive threat to the organization, or a petulant child to be chastised and berated in public, and then they call your blog “shitty.” It’s overkill, and it goes against everything PJ wants us to believe about them.
Grace — June 3, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
Well, it’s like you are driving somebody else’s car without a permission then making a huge deal out of it when s/he says don’t. Whose songs are these? Who wrote then? Who is going to publish them? If you say me one of these questions then go to court but if you say them, then please stop complaining about it. Whatever the reason they say don’t I think you have to respect the decision. They can be sell outs, they can be greedy and maybe they do not want you to be fandom!!! But at least they do not publish something stolen!!!!
Dave — June 3, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
[...] amongst fans, were none too pleased. Heather Browne over at I am Fuel, You Are Friends has a very personal, more complete story than I do, but suffice it to say, Pearl Jam’s reps worked tirelessly to [...]
Pearl Jam Place A Target Sign on Their Next Album « ¡Viva La Mainstream! — June 3, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
“She gave him away when she couldnt hold…no…she folded…”
No longer a dissident, Ed’s now being called out for treason. Ha! Good for you, Heather!!
Bart Twang — June 4, 2009 @ 6:01 am
I am by no means the biggest fan of Pearl Jam, but I must say, this is just ridiculous. Between this sort of fiasco and the mediocre-at-best performance on the first night of Conan’s taking over for Leno…well, I’d be surprised if the band retained half of its followers.
Tyler — June 4, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
p.j. blows
bobby — June 4, 2009 @ 4:10 pm
I feel the same way you do. it seems like every time I turn around they are doing something to make me go – wtf? I thought I knew what this band was about. I can’t stomach any more hypocrisy, so count me as one of the former fans.
Eric — June 4, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
[...] to say, the news has caused quite a stir in the Pearl Jam community. Labels: 2009 Releases, New Music, News, Panther Picks, [...]
Pearl Jam Debuts “Got Some” on Tonight Show, Inks Target Deal | Stranger Dance — June 4, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
Wow, I go on vacation for a few days and come back to this! I can’t claim to be a Pearl Jam fan, but I am fascinated by some of the anonymous comments this Pearl Jam post generated. In particular, the rather insidious sexism directed against Heather. Sad.
Side A Track 1 — June 4, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
This crap is the last straw. I’ve made excuses for the band for years now regarding hypocritical moves(verizon sponsoring tour, outrageous super deluxe edition of ten, etc….) It has become apparent that they are just sellouts like the other 99.99 percent of the world. It’s a shame cuz they inspired me at one time to stick to my principles, don’t compromise solely for money, and practice things I believe in. Apparently that was their angle and I fell for it with millions of other people. When their new album comes out I will be sure to pirate it and share with other people who are interested (all 5 of them)
joe blow — June 5, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
I never read this person’s blog but I listened to three seconds of The Fixer and turned it off, the quality was unlistenable at best. I don’t understand how people could actually want to be aquainted with a new song like that. If I was in the PJ camp I would of done the same thing. Be it as it may, there has always been that sense of entitlement with some fans.
The real question is: should that recording be considered a typical fan recording like the thousands commonly shared throughout the world, or did the band take specific efforts in making sure nobody would hear the song after that night? If it was the later case, that should be considered thievery, a thievery even more troublesome than all the internet stealing going on of Copyrighted music.
For all of you who choose not to like PJ for their music or ethics, here is an excerpt (reminder) from an Eddie Vedder interview in 1998:
“It really did happen,” he muses. “We really did turn a corner. Now it’s just movin’ on and bein’ a band and just doin’ what we do. We’ve kind of established what we do, and we’re not gonna defend what we do. If someone doesn’t like it, fuck off. I don’t really have time to hear it. I’m doin’ something pretty good with my life, and I challenge them to do the same.”
L123 — June 7, 2009 @ 9:26 am
[...] how groups like Pearl Jam have become corporate douches after spending many years fighting for the common man. Nick Hornby favorite & Pearl Jam [...]
Music News – Jay Z (D.O.A.), Lemonheads, Pearl Jam « The De Mello Theory — June 8, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
So they make records and go on tour and all of the sudden they get to dictate what is moral, right, wrong and in the best interest of everyone? These celebrities think WAY too much of themselves, and at the expense of everyone else! To those in the crowd who buy everything they sell without thinking, it just feeds into their ENORMOUS EGOS!
PEARL JAM = MEGALOMANIA — June 8, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
I think the real issue is censorship and getting legal with it. Every concert you go to 75% of the kids recording songs on their cell phones, point and shoot cameras and the like. The quality is shit, but it’s a memory they take away and share with there friends and help fuel the fire of fanDUMB. Most of the time the band is cool about this type of stuff it’s their management (who is stealing money from them) that clamps down on the fans.
Soren — June 8, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
[...] weren’t the only ones confused by that [...]
Britney Spears Topless Pictures @ Antiquiet — June 9, 2009 @ 11:57 am
Sure you can – get out to a show or buy the album. Buy the album? Heresy!
Pete — June 10, 2009 @ 12:44 am
Meet the new boss … same as the old boss.
Christo — June 10, 2009 @ 9:38 pm
I am a HUGE fan of Pearl Jam’s music and I can definitely understand the excitement of getting to hear a new song and I share in the enthusiasm. I like your comment about sampling like the cheese at Costco, but unfortunately people these days don’t sample a piece they just take the whole album. An artist’s only true ammunition for getting people to buy their albums is to keep it locked up until they choose to release it.
You are dabbling in hypocrisy, as you’re complaining that you’ve been asked to remove a file of a brand new song illegally recorded when your blog clearly states that “If you represent an artist or a label and would prefer that I remove a link to an mp3, please email me at browneheather@gmail.com and I will immediately remove the file.”
Whatever happened to the days before the internet when we waited for radio stations to give us that first taste of new music and we went to the store on release day and bought the album and drove for hours in our car just to take it all in, or ran home to put on headphones and be swept away but the new sound?
Jason Kentros — June 29, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
All these so called “super fans” are the only ones crying about this. Everyone one else is going to pick up the album when it drops and be happy…or disappointed. Does you hearing an album or song before its released make the music sound any better? I admit if I could have the album right now I would take it. Hell, I want the music before they write it. Waiting for it adds to my superfan craziness. When you are sitting in the confines of your home listening to the sweet melodic nectar I call PJ, are you really going to care about this? Probably not, since the music you’ll experience will take you on a journey no boat, plane or car can even come close to bringing you to. I respect your opinion and completely see how this is a travesty in some eyes. I love the music and the band, and will support them always. A band this big is always connected to “THE MAN” in some way. The man is the one who wants the music removed. I don’t think PJ came out and said remove this song immediately. Once again fuck the man, not the band…The End.
chuch — July 23, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
Wow, I don’t check in on this blog often because, as many of you have also stated, my love for PJ has waned over they years. This is really, really disappointing. There is no possible way that these things are going on without the knowledge or consent of at least some of the band members, I would imagine Ed in particular. To think of how much things have changed since the mid to late 90s when they were railing against TM and their ticket prices were kept at an incredibly affordable price. I guess that they were a big band then, but they are a HUGE band now and all of this corporate bullshit must come with the territory.
PcHsAmBa — August 13, 2009 @ 8:22 am
[...] the album’s availability at the big-box retailer. After the news sent the blogosphere into an NDA-violating tizzy, Pearl Jam’s manger Kelly Curtis gave Billboard the scoop on Backspacer, which will come out [...]
A New Pearl Jam Song Gets Unscoured From The Internet « Idolator: Music News, Reviews, And Gossip — December 16, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
[...] 7:18 pm // Monday, June 1, 2009 Posted by jjbjjbjjb in postchildren. trackback Pearl Jam sending lawyers after leakers, deleting criticisms on band’s messageboard, and thusly providing excuses for indie bloggers to jump ship. [...]
Hipsters United — February 23, 2010 @ 12:05 am
Don’t like it when people tell you not to steal their work, or maybe not to release something that’s not finished?
Breaking up with PJ?
Good.
Change the name of your website and fade off into internet-whiney-babble-purgatory.
Loyal PJ Fan Since 1991 — September 10, 2011 @ 12:07 am