Pearl Jam thinking about releasing more live albums

I'm tempted to want another CD, as when PJ was good (Ten, Vs), they were grand. However, tis only if Vedder will tone down the incessant preaching.

"Pearl Jam started its ''Bootleg Series'' three years ago by persuading Sony Records to release recordings of every show on the tour to retail stores (the 72 CDs sold a combined 2.4 million copies, or more than 30,000 per show). For this tour, though, Sony is expected to put out just four or five to retail stores, hence the band's desire to connect to consumers directly through the Internet.

Pearl Jam manager Curtis is fine with that; the band's catalog in retail stores was just getting ''too messy,'' he said. (Sales through the Internet, however, are much smaller, averaging 2,000-3,000 per show, according to Tim Bierman, who runs Pearl Jam's fan club.)"

Its not cause they are grunge-lamners, its cause they actually do SUCK. always have and always will.

They annoy me more than the new Janes Addiction cover art.

No one has to buy them all. No one has to buy any of them. If some of my favorite bands did something similar, I'd be happy about it. So "good for Pearl Jam", I say.

I really like Riot Act.

I'm leaving now.

No matter, 'cuz they blow.

I used to post here years ago under my real name, lurked for a LONG time, & now occasionally post sporadically using an alias from a "Mr. Show" sketch. The reason I mention this is because I self-published a book in mid-December. The final essay is a list of my favorite albums (including a separate stand-up list), which was strongly influenced by reading ILM. I wanted to post the essay here as a thank you to this board & in case anyone might find it interesting. You may now skip reading the essay & continue debating the Top 77 Albums of last year, as is tradition. The book's titled "Lazerbeam Sandwich," is a collection of nonfiction humor essays, & can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lazerbeam-Sandwich-Adam-Harrison-Friday/dp/1675568294/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lazerbeam+sandwich&qid=1580760321&sr=8-1

"Canon in Me Major"

You didn’t think you would finish this book without one list, right? I originally posted this on Facebook in September 2017 with a link to a KISS video (see: the reference in the final line). A few edits have been made since the original went up. Steve Erickson’s picks on his web site, Chronicle of a Passion, were an early influence on this concept along with the online forum I Love Music.

Albums are still the way I listen to music over 95 percent of the time (160GB iPod, vinyl, CD, and streaming). Due to my love of list making and chronic OCD, this concept has been in the works for over a decade, yet I have always been hesitant to publish it. (Necessary reminder: These are favorites/subjective). I kept it to 75 because trimming anything else felt wrong while adding beyond what’s here seemed like trying to reach 100 solely for the milestone. I’m not someone who “likes everything” but I will give almost anything a chance with the exception of reggaeton, opera, Christian rock, power metal or female-fronted goth metal (Lacuna Coil and company can fuck off), various kinds of nondescript dance music (the more BPM are—on average—indicative of lesser quality), and Eddie Vedder’s voice or anything even remotely influenced by it.

Obvious but worth noting: This list is subject to change. I listen to 50 hours of music per week on average—not including attending concerts—and am always on the hunt for new stuff as well as old stuff new to me when not revisiting the stuff I enjoy. I excluded greatest hits compilations because they’re not proper albums in the traditional sense. There are many artists I love who are not represented since they don’t have one album I dig on quite this level (Otis Redding, Madonna, Gang Starr, The Police, Bob Marley, et. al.). I didn’t forget classical music—I even took a class studying it in college—but don’t indulge it enough to warrant its inclusion. Also: I have included ten stand-up comedy albums, four of which are musical on occasion. Nonetheless, they all belong to a separate category.

I limited the list to one album per artist (Iggy Pop sneaks in twice). There are some albums on here I love despite not knowing too much else about their creator(s) aka I’m not a Michael Hurley subject matter expert. Some choices are canonical/obvious while others are far from it; the ears like what they like. Picking box sets may seem unfair but I consider them definitive for the artists in question and they are things I play in full more than you might guess. While I realize that some variation of this type of list has been made thousands of times before, being a music junkie has compelled me to follow suit. I’m not sure there is anything else I care about that I’d want to give this same type of treatment; I’ll leave it to cognitive psychologists to determine why. Despite how many people do or do not care, posting this here will have to suffice in lieu of having my own blog/website. I hope you think it’s worth a deuce.

* * * * *

The Band, s/t (1969)
Bathory, Twilight of the Gods (1991)
Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique (1989)
Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry Is on Top (1959)
Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972)
David Bowie, Station to Station (1976)
Captain Beyond, s/t (1972)
Johnny Cash, Unearthed (box set) (2003)
Gene Clark, No Other (1974)
The Clash, s/t (1979) – U.S. version
Leonard Cohen, New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974)
Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
Miles Davis, Agharta (1975)
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife (2006)
DJ Sprinkles, Midtown 120 Blues (2008)
Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)
Bob Dylan, Modern Times (2006)
Duke Ellington, Far East Suite (1967)
Brian Eno, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (1974)
The Fall, Hex Enduction Hour (1982)
Fleetwood Mac, Tusk (1979)
Funkadelic, Maggot Brain (1971)
Grateful Dead, May 1977 (box set) (2013)
Al Green, The Belle Album (1977)
Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
GZA, Liquid Swords (1995)
Michael Hurley, Unholy Modal Rounders, Jeffrey Fredericks, & The Clamtones, Have Moicy! (1976)
Iggy Pop, Lust for Life (1977)
The Isley Brothers, 3 + 3 (1973)
Janet Jackson, Control (1986)
Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001)
Killing Joke, Night Time (1985)
King Crimson, Discipline (1981)
Kraftwerk, Trans-Europe Express (1977)
Kris Kristofferson, The Silver Tongued Devil and I (1971)
Curtis Mayfield, Curtis/Live! (1971)
Paul & Linda McCartney, Ram (1971)
Metallica, Kill ‘Em All (1983)
The Modern Lovers, s/t (1976)
Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour (2018)
My Bloody Valentine, Loveless (1991)
Willie Nelson, Shotgun Willie (1973)
New Order, Technique (1989)
Pet Shop Boys, Very (1993)
Pink Floyd, Animals (1977)
The Pretenders, s/t (1980)
Prince, Parade (1986)
Radiohead, The Bends (1995)
Redman, Muddy Waters (1996) – LP version minus skits
Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians (1978)
The Replacements, Pleased to Meet Me (1987)
The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St. (1972)
Roxy Music, Avalon (1982)
Todd Rundgren, A Wizard, A True Star (1973)
Sade, Love Deluxe (1992)
Silver Jews, American Water (1998)
Nina Simone, Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967)
Sly & the Family Stone, There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)
Sonic Youth, Sonic Nurse (2004)
Steely Dan, Gaucho (1980)
The Stooges, Fun House (1970)
Taylor Swift, Red (2012)
Talking Heads, Remain in Light (1980)
Talk Talk, Spirit of Eden (1988)
Tool, Ænima (1996)
Various Artists, American Graffiti (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1973)
Various Artists, Flower Power: The Music of the Love Generation (box set) (2011)
The Velvet Underground, s/t (1969)
Tom Waits, Bone Machine (1992)
Ween, Chocolate and Cheese (1994)
Wilco, Being There (1996)
Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
XTC, Skylarking (1986)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Ragged Glory (1990)

----------

Dave Attell, Skanks for the Memories (2003)
Todd Barry, Falling Off the Bone (2004)
David Cross, Shut Up, You Fucking Baby! (2002)
Mitch Hedberg, Strategic Grill Locations (1999)
Bill Hicks, Rant in E-Minor (1997)
Anthony Jeselnik, Caligula (2013)
Louis C.K., Hilarious (2010)
Richard Pryor, Wanted: Live in Concert (1978)
Sarah Silverman, Jesus Is Magic (2005)
Steven Wright, I Have a Pony (1985)