Pearl Jam Twenty on PBS

I'm curious about this, but I think we have the most rabid of all PJ fans on this thread.

Do you place them, as a band, with the Holy Trinity of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin?

 

Oh, good God.

 

I like Pearl Jam... but YGBFKM has that about right.

(And I've got The Who solidly above Led Zeppelin.)

 

Just curious because, believe it or not, I am with letters on Peral Jam being overrated. I was wondering how high they were held by others.

 

I love Pearl Jam. I don't put them anywhere close to the Beatles, Zeppelin or the Stones.

I think you have to compare apples to apples... If we're talking about best bands that started in or after 1990, I think it's safe to say Pearl Jam would be at or near the top of most of those lists.

 

Yeah, pretty much.

I don't think they quite crack the all-time top tier, but I'm not sure anyone from that era compares to the Beatles or Stones. Partially due to how fractured music had become, even then. Pearl Jam was trying to be the best in its niche and had moments where it transcended it, but it was still mainly working that niche. The Beatles, and bands like them, were bigger than that.

 

I don't think there is a band in the last 20 years that has done as much as Pearl Jam.

Maybe U2.

 

U2 is closer to 30 years.

As far as changing music or innovating, I would probably go with REM, The Pixies and Joy Division/New Order. It's just that two of those had shorter lifespans.

 

The Pixies are one of my favorite bands ever. They've influenced tons of bands, but they've never had mainstream success.

On some level that has to count for something.

 

I saw The Pixies in 04 in Vancouver, was shocked at how hard tickets were to get. I really underestimated how many people absolutely love this band.

They are easily in my top 5.

 

U2 had already put together a RNRHOF career before Pearl Jam ever released a note. They've had another one since.

Pearl Jam right now is in the middle-level of RNRHOF performers, but there's every reason to think they have some more great music left in them which could boost them to the top echleon.

They are, however, the greatest American band of the last 20 years (picking up the torch from R.E.M.). That's partially due of course to the fact a lot of other bands have flamed out, but that's part of the point -- they flamed out and PJ didn't.

 

Enjoyed the doc, drags a little toward the end though. Made me want to climb up shit and jump into a crowd.