Pearl Jam war criticism prompts walkout

[MaryAnnDVC]

Clueless, aren't they. No one has an issue about them "wanting to bring [our troops] back safely"...duh! Morons.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/03/war.concert.walkout.ap/index.html

DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- Dozens of fans walked out of a Pearl Jam concert after lead singer Eddie Vedder took a mask of President Bush and impaled it on a microphone stand.

Several concertgoers booed and shouted Tuesday night for Vedder to shut up as he told the crowd he was against the war and Bush. He impaled the mask during the encore of the band's opening show of a U.S. tour.

"It was like he decapitated someone in a primal ritual and stuck their head on a stick," fan Keith Zimmerman said.

Vedder used a Bush mask in Australia and Japan to perform the song "Bushleaguer," from the band's latest album, "Riot Act." The song's lyrics say, "He's not a leader, he's a Texas leaguer."

During the show, Vedder said: "Just to clarify... we support the troops."

"We're just confused on how wanting to bring them back safely all of a sudden becomes non-support," he said. "We love them. They're not the ones who make the foreign policy .... Let's hope for the best and speak our opinions."

Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

The Dixie Chicks were the target of boycotts and bans after their lead singer made anti-Bush statements on a London stage last month.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I have stated this before, we buy their cds and movies to listen or watch them act. Once they open their mouths to their opinion, or exercise their right to freedom of speech, that gives us the consumer, the right to exercise our freedom of speech by not buying their products.

Am I also to believe that Eddie Vedder has a better plan then the heads of our state/country? I don't think so!

Well, he just saved me $16!

 

[nativetxn]

Okay, this is how old I am. I don't even know who this is? Apparently they think they are pretty important though.

I hope he has the courage for his convictions. He has every right to say what he did and to believe what he believes. But dealing the the consequences may not be too pleasant. If nothing else it may have an economic impact on him.

On the other hand, many people who agree with this person may decide they like his music because they have the same political leanings and start buying his cds.

I'm just glad he wasn't faced with arrest because of this, that's one of the things <i>I</i> love about my country.

 

[jamsmom]

Did he think that people paid money to go to the concert to hear his political thoughts?

 

[TinkHappy]

Idiot!!!

 

[Galahad]

This will show my age as well but....
One of our favorite performers, especially live, is James Taylor. He's about as "left" as you can get politically. In interviews he will sometimes talk about it, but not much. He almost NEVER makes any statement that is overtly political while performing. I think he understands that he'd only be reaching 1/2 his audience with something like that and that we come to hear the music. Knowing what he really thinks about things and how much he disagrees with me doesn't bother me since he's not in my face about it when I go to his concerts or buy his records.

 

[airhead]

I think its wicked cool that people actually booed and left!! The guy is a total knucklehead.

 

[camper]

The guy does have a beautiful voice, too bad he is such a dope!
For those of you that don't know him, he was the one that did the remake of "The Last KIss", you know, where oh where can my baby be?. If you saw "I am Sam", he sings the song "You've got to hide your love away".

 

[Jeff in BigD]

I've never liked Pearl Jam. I didn't think my opinion of them could be less. I was wrong.


It's funny how Eddie Vedder introduced the Ramones when they were being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame & the final words of Johnny Ramone's speech were classic:
"God bless George W. Bush & God bless the USA!"


Meanwhile VH1's #1 song is When I'm Gone by 3 Doors Down which shows the band playing shows for troops, troops shipping out & the video is "dedicated to the men & women serving our country". I like the song & think it's superior to anything Pearl Jam has ever put out in their over-rated existance. Here's a link to the video if you'd like to check it out & hear the song.



For those of you not familiar with Pearl Jam, they're a grunge band. They were pretty popular (only Nirvana was bigger at the time) during the height of the fad. There are still a few fans that listen to their music, but most people have moved on. It looks like they lost some more of their fan base now too.

 

[Steve H.]

How would anyone have noticed a couple dozen fans leaving a concert attended by 10,000+ people??

 

[Pete's Mom]

Originally posted by Steve H.
How would anyone have noticed a couple dozen fans leaving a concert attended by 10,000+ people??

Who said there were 10,000 people in attendance? Based on their recent album sales, I'd be surprised if there were 1,000.

 

[Steve H.]

I read a follow-up story to the one posted. There was actually 12,000 people at that particular concert.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

Originally posted by Steve H.
How would anyone have noticed a couple dozen fans leaving a concert attended by 10,000+ people??

Have you ever been at a concert when a girl took off her top? I think it would have been relatively easy for some to notice a bunch of pissed off concert-goers (or leavers as it were).

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I'm with Laurajean1014. Not that I was eager to run out and get any of their cd's but this really put the nail in their coffin. JMO. People can be such idiots!!