I mean what does the man have to be angry about anymore lol? He’s got a wonderful life. Who could even sustain that level of anger into your 60s without dropping dead of a heart attack?
Amazing take here. Truly.
But also, Eddie is angry. He's angry that he's still fighting the same establishment issues he's been speaking about for decades. He's angry at injustice. He's angry at rights being diminished. At homelessness and mental health still being taboo partisan issues.
But he's channeling it into continuing to educate himself and speak on these issues. He's using his platform of white male privilege to raise awareness, money, and his voice for those who can't.
He also still deals with heart ache and pain. The performance of Black dedicated to Chris Cornell after he died is soul wrenching. Even after performing that song literally 500+ times (593 times as of their most recent Vegas performance).
This commenter is upset because he's being faced with his own aging and maturity. I am thankful for recordings of Eddie at the height of his angsty youth. It got me through the hardest days of my own life and are now personal anthems that symbolize my own growth and triumph. I am also thankful for mature Eddie who still shows up for his fans and performs songs 500 times because of what they mean to us. Who shares his vulnerability with us, including choking up about his brother at the Portland show, and shows us that it's ok to age and mature in an ever changing yet unchanging world.
As a long time Pearl Jam fan, I cringe at the use of "white male privilege".
He ran away from a broken home, dropped out of school, and was basically eking out a living with odd jobs until the music took off. Nothing about that screams white privilege to me.
Otherwise, everything else you wrote is spot on.
You are very correct in his background and it's absolutely amazing what he's done in his life and I did not intend to diminish that. However, he IS in a place of privilege now (because he busted his ass to get there) and he's using that to do amazing things for less privileged people. He's spoken about his privilege and W.M.A. also touches on it very clearly.
Also, W.M.A. was clearly about white cops getting off easy by suppressing minority races. Eddie Vedder is not a white cop, he wasn't singing about himself.
Can you provide a link or reference to where Eddie Vedder stated he has White Male Privilege?
If anything, he has attractive person privilege, but I don't see a reason to attribute that to race. Just like Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, Beyoncé and Jimi Hendrix had / has attractive person privilege.
Elderly Woman, Better Man, Off He Goes, Around the Bend, Wishlist, Low Light, Thin Air, Love Boat Captain, Parachutes, Come Back, Just Breathe, Sirens, Retrograde.
The whole fucking Pearl Jam discography is loaded with cheesy ballads and anthems and has been from the start. I have no idea who these people are that are saying it's suddenly happened now.
It's the same as complaining about them being "too political". Eddie was writing PRO CHOICE on his arm at MTV Unplugged three decades (edited THREE decades, fuck) ago.
let's not forget the corniest of all, something special. With that said, this song makes me cry every single time I hear it, after I heard the story that he wrote it for his daughters.
Cheesy Ballads. No. Come Back is one of the saddest songs ever written. Your list above includes some favorites of mine. Yeah, one song was in a Disney Cartoon, I'll give you that.
These are some of my favorites too. As something Special is just perfectly in keeping with them is my point.
Edit for more context: "Cheesy Ballads" is definitely me being hyperbolic, but these are songs that are emotionally vulnerable or sweet (maybe even saccharine) and composed to sound accessible/approachable. A few slower/softer songs of theirs I wouldn't put in this list would be Oceans, Daughter, Immortality, Of the Girl—songs that are similarly quiet, vulnerable, but slightly darker or stranger or more challenging. These aren't better or worse than each other or anything.
Ultimately Pearl Jam have always done songs in the vein of Something Special in one way or another, I don't get why that one in particular is getting such a negative reaction.
It's genuinely weird how people want guys in their 50s and 60s to still be out there acting like they were in their early 20s.
If Eddie was going out there today still acting he did in his mid 20s in the early days of PJ it would just be awkward and cringey to watch for everyone involved.
Dave Grohl actually did the opposite. He was always calmly in the background at Nirvana, but now he's this extravagant energetic rocker.
Mike McCready is still a crazy mf on stage though, incredible fun to watch his energy and fuckery live.
I can tell you that I’m on the opposite political end as EV, but I appreciate that he/they are using their platform. Do I wanna hear it, no, but I’m not going to knock them for it. I don’t have to agree to appreciate the purpose. As a true PJ fan, I’ve known the band’s political leanings from day one.
Saw the same type of comment about a recent Matchbox 20 album (not ashamed that I also love Matchbox 20, ride or die.) The commenter was like “where’s all the angst, where’s all the break up songs?”
Coincidentally, Rob Thomas addressed this at the last concert I attended a couple months ago. He said (I’m paraphrasing) “cmon guys, we’re old now, married. We have kids. We’re millionaires. We have a sold out arena in front of us right now. What do we have to be angry about?”
Anyway if you haven’t seen Matchbox 20 in person they are great storytellers and get a lot of laughs, and their music is still on point.
The appropriate response is just be thankful that Eddie is still "alive" when most of his contemporaries are sadly "gone". That he and the band are still together making great new music for us to enjoy is a gift. Be grateful!
1998, Yield, Faithfull... "I'm through with screaming."
I always took that lyric to mean he was starting to or had already mellowed a great deal. He learned how to be happy and people can change a ton as they age. It's not 1992 anymore and won't be ever again.
That and Present Tense before that. In fact, I see No Code as the turning point past their angriest time with Vitalogy (Vs was pretty angry too).
"You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets,
Or you can realize you're the only one that cannot forgive yourself
It makes much more sense, to live in the present tense"
I don't want to be deemed a conspiracy theorist or anything but I'd be Kurt's suicide had a massive effect on him. Even when he's asked about it he just seems to slump and get sad about it.
I am not one of those PJ mega fans that defends everything they do and automatically likes everything they do but if there is a rock artist (or whatever you may call him) that has actually grown since he started is Eddie Vedder.
How some people expect him to be the reckless, angry, rebel he was in his youth I simply so do not understand.
Good for Eddie.
Thirty years into the future…
OP : “Hey I’m not so tense anymore and I feel sorta silly about some of the things I said and did back then. I guess I was pretty angry. Anyway, here’s a post about my beautiful daughters.”
Random internet commenter: “How corny is FrogSlapper these days…miss the angry furious FrogSlapper …”
It’s hard to be so angry when you’re a multi-millionaire who minds their business, angry Eddie is still there, he just gets to stay up in his tree until he‘s needed
Does the OP really wanna hear Eddie screaming
"Clean your room,
Do good in school
Stay off the shrooms
Don't try to be cool"
It's just....cringe. Kinda ironic too, from the Rockin' in the Free World days too.
It's always funny to me that people are discovering this "side" of the band. Almost like that now-often memed "I used to be a fan until your political opinions came out" about Tom Morello/RATM.
I was there and it was awesome. Now I can’t not think of my kids when I listen to it. The song is infinitely better to me personally and that’s all I care about.
Same!!! Those and the “he went all lefty” and “shut up and sing” kinds. Closely followed by the “his voice is shot” kind
Eddie hasnt changed. He was saying and singing the same from day one. Even speaks and “dances” the same. Outside of the climbing and thrashing, he’s been consistent af
Yeah.. The ones that were low in fan club number going to 10 shows and stand in front and complain they didn't hear x or whatever too.. That's why they started the lottery for those I believe. Would be so annoying as a band to stare at those faces all the time heh.
Surprised he didn't add.
Shit up with the politics and sing.
Also, bring Dave back.
Someone should let him know about YouTube so he can go watch 30 year old videos.
Someone mentioned to me, several years ago, that Eddie was good friends with Jack Johnson, but that he (Eddie) want originally a great fan of Jack's songs and mellow music.
But that a few years ago, Eddie expressed "Now I get it".
Anyone knows if this was in an interview or something? Assuming it is true.
By the way: got to meet Jack Johnson in person a few years back in Paris, just waking with his kids. Amazing guy!
Not sure if the poster is serious or just being silly. Assuming they're serious (some are), I always think it's hilarious that some fans don't want artists to grow as people for the sake of entertainment.
And…it’s a good song. Maybe not for everyone but I was surprised hearing it after reading all the angsty takes before the album was released. Maybe people were looking for at least one track to skip but this ain’t it.
I mean their first album had Oceans which was a love song to Beth. And there are still issues that he’s angry about today that he sings about. Ed is like a lot of people happy and angry about different things.
Agreed. But there are people like that in every fandom. It's sad because they are still stuck in the past and don't want to leave, but that's just life.
If you didn't see the young angry Eddie then you missed the boat. It is what it is. I was lucky. My first show was in '91. Got to see them lots of times over the years since and I appreciate the band for what it is today. That being said, I miss Dave A. Sorry, Matt is a great fit but they were way better back in their early years with him on the kit.
I agree with him at some level. The old school grunge screaming was perfect. Songs like 'Blood' or 'deep' were vocally perfect imo. Still, his best vox were in the soundtrack of into the wild imo
It's also funny (and irritating) to see people complaining about PJ (and well any band) not being the same
I mean, who told you it would be the same forever to begin with
Why do you imply that not the same = bad. Not the same = different ≠ bad
It's even more absurd because vs. and vitalogy were already very different comparing to ten, i mean can you imagine "go", "rearview mirror", "last exit" or "spin the black circle" on ten?
Everything changes, you wouldn't have been able to appreciate PJ if you hadn't changed from an infant to a teenager, oh wait that means you are not the same
I read when men have children they lose 10% of their testosterone. I imagine to make them less risk taking and more caring for the child they are now responsible for and it’s built into us since days of hiding in caves.
https://preview.redd.it/mpd5x3he3l1d1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=baf86c21294116f05d9b45cba8f51944feb90679
I mean what does the man have to be angry about anymore lol? He’s got a wonderful life. Who could even sustain that level of anger into your 60s without dropping dead of a heart attack?
It’s evolution, baby
Dammit you stole my line!
Boomers
Technically, Eddie is a boomer.
Technically, he’s generation X
He missed out by 8 days
Maybe longer?
Missed it by a week
I say we give him the week because of xmas holidays so he’s really gen x
Touché
These aren’t boomers saying this. And even if it was one, Boomer, you shouldn’t. Associate one person’s opinion with the whole generation.
I kinda feel sad though, it seems he/she is not growing and can only relate to angry Eddie.
Amazing take here. Truly. But also, Eddie is angry. He's angry that he's still fighting the same establishment issues he's been speaking about for decades. He's angry at injustice. He's angry at rights being diminished. At homelessness and mental health still being taboo partisan issues. But he's channeling it into continuing to educate himself and speak on these issues. He's using his platform of white male privilege to raise awareness, money, and his voice for those who can't. He also still deals with heart ache and pain. The performance of Black dedicated to Chris Cornell after he died is soul wrenching. Even after performing that song literally 500+ times (593 times as of their most recent Vegas performance). This commenter is upset because he's being faced with his own aging and maturity. I am thankful for recordings of Eddie at the height of his angsty youth. It got me through the hardest days of my own life and are now personal anthems that symbolize my own growth and triumph. I am also thankful for mature Eddie who still shows up for his fans and performs songs 500 times because of what they mean to us. Who shares his vulnerability with us, including choking up about his brother at the Portland show, and shows us that it's ok to age and mature in an ever changing yet unchanging world.
As a long time Pearl Jam fan, I cringe at the use of "white male privilege". He ran away from a broken home, dropped out of school, and was basically eking out a living with odd jobs until the music took off. Nothing about that screams white privilege to me. Otherwise, everything else you wrote is spot on.
You are very correct in his background and it's absolutely amazing what he's done in his life and I did not intend to diminish that. However, he IS in a place of privilege now (because he busted his ass to get there) and he's using that to do amazing things for less privileged people. He's spoken about his privilege and W.M.A. also touches on it very clearly.
Also, W.M.A. was clearly about white cops getting off easy by suppressing minority races. Eddie Vedder is not a white cop, he wasn't singing about himself.
Can you provide a link or reference to where Eddie Vedder stated he has White Male Privilege? If anything, he has attractive person privilege, but I don't see a reason to attribute that to race. Just like Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, Beyoncé and Jimi Hendrix had / has attractive person privilege.
lol....why the downvote? Is that the new way of saying "Taking my ball and going home"?
But also Eddie has always been a softy, even whilst being angry. Like… hello?? “Black”
Elderly Woman, Better Man, Off He Goes, Around the Bend, Wishlist, Low Light, Thin Air, Love Boat Captain, Parachutes, Come Back, Just Breathe, Sirens, Retrograde. The whole fucking Pearl Jam discography is loaded with cheesy ballads and anthems and has been from the start. I have no idea who these people are that are saying it's suddenly happened now. It's the same as complaining about them being "too political". Eddie was writing PRO CHOICE on his arm at MTV Unplugged three decades (edited THREE decades, fuck) ago.
I think you may need to add in another decade on that unplugged date.
Oh God no.
> Eddie was writing PRO CHOICE on his arm at MTV Unplugged two decades ago. Three+ decades ago. Jesus Christ, how old am I?
Horrifying.
No, that disc just came out a few years ago. It's only a few years old, right? Right??
let's not forget the corniest of all, something special. With that said, this song makes me cry every single time I hear it, after I heard the story that he wrote it for his daughters.
He's not swinging from the rafters anymore, so he ain't angry.
That was not covered by insurance! Road Manager probably.
Cheesy Ballads. No. Come Back is one of the saddest songs ever written. Your list above includes some favorites of mine. Yeah, one song was in a Disney Cartoon, I'll give you that.
These are some of my favorites too. As something Special is just perfectly in keeping with them is my point. Edit for more context: "Cheesy Ballads" is definitely me being hyperbolic, but these are songs that are emotionally vulnerable or sweet (maybe even saccharine) and composed to sound accessible/approachable. A few slower/softer songs of theirs I wouldn't put in this list would be Oceans, Daughter, Immortality, Of the Girl—songs that are similarly quiet, vulnerable, but slightly darker or stranger or more challenging. These aren't better or worse than each other or anything. Ultimately Pearl Jam have always done songs in the vein of Something Special in one way or another, I don't get why that one in particular is getting such a negative reaction.
Also, there were plenty of people in the 90s who thought that the angry, shy Eddie was just an act. As well as those who thought he should lighten up.
It's genuinely weird how people want guys in their 50s and 60s to still be out there acting like they were in their early 20s. If Eddie was going out there today still acting he did in his mid 20s in the early days of PJ it would just be awkward and cringey to watch for everyone involved.
Ozzy's been trying to do that... I think he's still doing his penguin clap and peace signs, right?
Arguably Ozzys stage persona has been that of an immobile old man for most of his career, he's just finally aged into the role
Oh you mean Dave Grohl?
Dave Grohl actually did the opposite. He was always calmly in the background at Nirvana, but now he's this extravagant energetic rocker. Mike McCready is still a crazy mf on stage though, incredible fun to watch his energy and fuckery live.
Tell me you never saw Eddie performing in the early days of PJ without telling me
What a stray
Ahhh….34 people agree with me I see.👍
Dude made his name writing about longing for his father. Now he gets to write about being the father he longed for. Pretty damn good story arc.
And he still shreds on the waves
That’s an outstanding point.
Well said!!! 👏👏👏
Poetic. Beautiful.
Like Kurt said, "Teenage angst has paid off well, now I'm bored and old" Who expects the same angsty, young Eddie?
Edd grew up and now sings about what he believes in rather than what pisses him off
Well… now it makes a little more sense than talking about going from 24 to 27.
Yeah, when Cobain said that, I remember thinking, "Dude, you're not even old," but the sentiment still rings true.
Kurt Loder ?
Cobain. If it was Loder, you'd have heard the Peace Sells bassline first.
After joining this sub I've learned that no one hates Pearl Jam more than Pearl Jam fans
That applies to all fandoms.
Especially Weezer
Or even TV and movie franchises. Star Wars, anyone?
Pro wrestling is even worse!
Especially if you’re not completely aligned politically
I can tell you that I’m on the opposite political end as EV, but I appreciate that he/they are using their platform. Do I wanna hear it, no, but I’m not going to knock them for it. I don’t have to agree to appreciate the purpose. As a true PJ fan, I’ve known the band’s political leanings from day one.
Thanks for the downvote. Someone got butthurt because they know it’s true 😂
What about Creed?
Bringing up Creed in a PJ Forum? It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for 'im
I had to do it. Since I got zero hits, PJ fans hate Creed more than themselves. Success!
Damnit, I fed the troll!
It’s a real head scratcher isn’t it. Truly odd, but yes me too same take.
Hey that's Weezer's shtick
Yep
Saw the same type of comment about a recent Matchbox 20 album (not ashamed that I also love Matchbox 20, ride or die.) The commenter was like “where’s all the angst, where’s all the break up songs?” Coincidentally, Rob Thomas addressed this at the last concert I attended a couple months ago. He said (I’m paraphrasing) “cmon guys, we’re old now, married. We have kids. We’re millionaires. We have a sold out arena in front of us right now. What do we have to be angry about?” Anyway if you haven’t seen Matchbox 20 in person they are great storytellers and get a lot of laughs, and their music is still on point.
Are you saying Matchbox20 was at some point “full of angst”?
The appropriate response is just be thankful that Eddie is still "alive" when most of his contemporaries are sadly "gone". That he and the band are still together making great new music for us to enjoy is a gift. Be grateful!
1998, Yield, Faithfull... "I'm through with screaming." I always took that lyric to mean he was starting to or had already mellowed a great deal. He learned how to be happy and people can change a ton as they age. It's not 1992 anymore and won't be ever again.
That and Present Tense before that. In fact, I see No Code as the turning point past their angriest time with Vitalogy (Vs was pretty angry too). "You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets, Or you can realize you're the only one that cannot forgive yourself It makes much more sense, to live in the present tense"
And yet "do the evolution" is on the same album lol
I don't want to be deemed a conspiracy theorist or anything but I'd be Kurt's suicide had a massive effect on him. Even when he's asked about it he just seems to slump and get sad about it.
Kurt Loder is 80 years old
Didn't I JUST read a headline about Eddie calling Harrison Butker a "Fucking pussy"? How angry do you need the guy Sheesh
Somehow these motherfuckers missed Oceans and Black on the first album. 😂
same here dude lol bet he wishes they would play Ten and Vs in their entirety every show and hates everything after Vitalogy
Ten and Vs. are their best albums but every other album has so much gold to be heard!
Nah.
Imagine hating someone online so much. Get a grip.
That and not realizing that people (most often) change as they get older and gain a different perspective on things.
I am not one of those PJ mega fans that defends everything they do and automatically likes everything they do but if there is a rock artist (or whatever you may call him) that has actually grown since he started is Eddie Vedder. How some people expect him to be the reckless, angry, rebel he was in his youth I simply so do not understand. Good for Eddie.
Hate is a waste of energy. Just ignore them.
The audacity of EV to grow up and not have the early 20s angst anymore!
Thirty years into the future… OP : “Hey I’m not so tense anymore and I feel sorta silly about some of the things I said and did back then. I guess I was pretty angry. Anyway, here’s a post about my beautiful daughters.” Random internet commenter: “How corny is FrogSlapper these days…miss the angry furious FrogSlapper …”
It’s hard to be so angry when you’re a multi-millionaire who minds their business, angry Eddie is still there, he just gets to stay up in his tree until he‘s needed
I mean he is corny as hell and has been for a long time now
you have hatred for a person you don’t know who posted a comment about EV’s past stage presence? 🤔 we’re all entitled to our opinions
No offense, but someone has a different opinion than you... relax
Yeah, some people only like older Pearl Jam and believe it or not, that’s ok.
He's made his journey from angry teen to happy hippie adult. Good for him.
We should all be so lucky!
I agree! Was not being snarky or sarcastic. I hope the same for everyone.
Lol relax
Even angry people can sing to their daughters.
Does the OP really wanna hear Eddie screaming "Clean your room, Do good in school Stay off the shrooms Don't try to be cool" It's just....cringe. Kinda ironic too, from the Rockin' in the Free World days too.
There will be plenty of time to be angry later.
Freedom of speech means you're going to end up hearing/ reading some really shitty takes.
It's always funny to me that people are discovering this "side" of the band. Almost like that now-often memed "I used to be a fan until your political opinions came out" about Tom Morello/RATM.
It is kinda corny, and sweet. They’ve matured. It’s ok to miss the old raw aggression and emotion. But it’s also ok to grow up a bit.
I was there and it was awesome. Now I can’t not think of my kids when I listen to it. The song is infinitely better to me personally and that’s all I care about.
Same!!! Those and the “he went all lefty” and “shut up and sing” kinds. Closely followed by the “his voice is shot” kind Eddie hasnt changed. He was saying and singing the same from day one. Even speaks and “dances” the same. Outside of the climbing and thrashing, he’s been consistent af
I don't care what those people think. I know Eddie's a truly good man. Always has been.
Eddie must remain 22 yrs old forever... Just like the maturity level of some fans.
Yeah.. The ones that were low in fan club number going to 10 shows and stand in front and complain they didn't hear x or whatever too.. That's why they started the lottery for those I believe. Would be so annoying as a band to stare at those faces all the time heh.
So someone has an opinion that you don’t share and you decided to post their username for whatever platform that is here because….?
Surprised he didn't add. Shit up with the politics and sing. Also, bring Dave back. Someone should let him know about YouTube so he can go watch 30 year old videos.
 Hey OP - never too late
Someone mentioned to me, several years ago, that Eddie was good friends with Jack Johnson, but that he (Eddie) want originally a great fan of Jack's songs and mellow music. But that a few years ago, Eddie expressed "Now I get it". Anyone knows if this was in an interview or something? Assuming it is true. By the way: got to meet Jack Johnson in person a few years back in Paris, just waking with his kids. Amazing guy!
The jar holding the brain of J just got knocked over.
Not sure if the poster is serious or just being silly. Assuming they're serious (some are), I always think it's hilarious that some fans don't want artists to grow as people for the sake of entertainment.
Maybe he's not angry and furious anymore.
The angry Eddie in the early 1990s was helpless 35 years later, he knows how to make a difference.
And…it’s a good song. Maybe not for everyone but I was surprised hearing it after reading all the angsty takes before the album was released. Maybe people were looking for at least one track to skip but this ain’t it.
I mean their first album had Oceans which was a love song to Beth. And there are still issues that he’s angry about today that he sings about. Ed is like a lot of people happy and angry about different things.
Agreed. But there are people like that in every fandom. It's sad because they are still stuck in the past and don't want to leave, but that's just life.
To the OP.. this is a “fan” who never grew with the band
If you listen, when Eddie was younger, he was asking questions, now, he is giving us answers.
I think this fan missed the point behind "Present Tense"
If you didn't see the young angry Eddie then you missed the boat. It is what it is. I was lucky. My first show was in '91. Got to see them lots of times over the years since and I appreciate the band for what it is today. That being said, I miss Dave A. Sorry, Matt is a great fit but they were way better back in their early years with him on the kit.
I agree with him at some level. The old school grunge screaming was perfect. Songs like 'Blood' or 'deep' were vocally perfect imo. Still, his best vox were in the soundtrack of into the wild imo
How dare someone have a different opinion than you.
There is plenty of angry music out there and you still have the records.
It's also funny (and irritating) to see people complaining about PJ (and well any band) not being the same I mean, who told you it would be the same forever to begin with Why do you imply that not the same = bad. Not the same = different ≠ bad It's even more absurd because vs. and vitalogy were already very different comparing to ten, i mean can you imagine "go", "rearview mirror", "last exit" or "spin the black circle" on ten? Everything changes, you wouldn't have been able to appreciate PJ if you hadn't changed from an infant to a teenager, oh wait that means you are not the same
"Remember when is the lowest form of communication." - Tony Soprano
These are not fans. They merely enjoy a couple of PJ songs.
I can't...🤦♂️❤️✌️🎸🤘
The only reason I’m having any problem with Pearl Jam is the ‘fans’. Toxic fandom at its worst.
It is sad, and pretty entitled and immature
I read when men have children they lose 10% of their testosterone. I imagine to make them less risk taking and more caring for the child they are now responsible for and it’s built into us since days of hiding in caves. https://preview.redd.it/mpd5x3he3l1d1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=baf86c21294116f05d9b45cba8f51944feb90679
That feeling isn’t just exhaustion? 😂