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Not for You: Pearl Jam and the Present Tense
There has never been a band like Pearl Jam. The Seattle quintet has recorded eleven studio albums; sold some 85 million records; played over a thousand shows, in fifty countries; and had five different albums reach number one. But Pearl Jam's story is about much more than music. Through resilience, integrity, and sheer force of will, they transcended several eras, and shaped the way a whole generation thought about art, entertainment, and commerce.
Not for Pearl Jam and the Present Tense is the first full-length biography of America's preeminent band, from Ten to Gigaton . A study of their role in history – from Operation Desert Storm to the Dixie Chicks; "Jeremy" to Columbine; Kurt Cobain to Chris Cornell; Ticketmaster to Trump – Not for You explores the band's origins and evolution over thirty years of American culture. It starts with their founding, and the eruption of grunge, in 1991; continues through their golden age ( Vs. , Vitalogy , No Code , and Yield ); their middle period ( Binaural, Riot Act ); and the more divisive recent catalog. Along the way, it considers the band's activism, idealism, and impact, from “W.M.A.” to the Battle of Seattle and Body of War .
More than the first critical study, Not for You is a tribute to a famously obsessive fan base, in the spirit of Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch . It's an old-fashioned – if, at times, ambivalent – appreciation; a reflection on pleasure, fandom, and guilt; and an essay on the nature of adolescence, nostalgia, and adulthood. Partly social history, partly autobiography, and entirely outspoken, discursive, and droll, Not for You is the first full-length treatment of Pearl Jam's odyssey and importance in the culture, from the '90s to the present.
Not for Pearl Jam and the Present Tense is the first full-length biography of America's preeminent band, from Ten to Gigaton . A study of their role in history – from Operation Desert Storm to the Dixie Chicks; "Jeremy" to Columbine; Kurt Cobain to Chris Cornell; Ticketmaster to Trump – Not for You explores the band's origins and evolution over thirty years of American culture. It starts with their founding, and the eruption of grunge, in 1991; continues through their golden age ( Vs. , Vitalogy , No Code , and Yield ); their middle period ( Binaural, Riot Act ); and the more divisive recent catalog. Along the way, it considers the band's activism, idealism, and impact, from “W.M.A.” to the Battle of Seattle and Body of War .
More than the first critical study, Not for You is a tribute to a famously obsessive fan base, in the spirit of Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch . It's an old-fashioned – if, at times, ambivalent – appreciation; a reflection on pleasure, fandom, and guilt; and an essay on the nature of adolescence, nostalgia, and adulthood. Partly social history, partly autobiography, and entirely outspoken, discursive, and droll, Not for You is the first full-length treatment of Pearl Jam's odyssey and importance in the culture, from the '90s to the present.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2020
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451 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 25, 2022
Pearl Scam.
Surely this is the worst book I have ever read. Badly written, cynical, confusing, pretentious, inconsistent, self-conscious, and conceited. A writer to avoid absolutely. Bloomsbury should be ashamed for printing it.
Prior to keeping a record on Goodreads I read rock biographies almost exclusively (incidentally, the best of all time are: Up and Down with The Rolling Stones by Roger Sanchez, Pink Floyd: Pigs Might Fly by Mark Blake and The Clash: Passion is a Fashion by Pat Gilbert). I was eager to read a book about Pearl Jam, their uncompromising integrity matched with phenomenal popularity is a story worth writing. This half-baked mess of a book does not tell that story. This is not a book about Pearl Jam, it is a book about the author Ronen Givony.
This is not just a case of my expectations not being met: This book objectively fails in every respect. As a book about Pearl Jam; as a cultural and political history of America in the 90s; and as personal reflection on fandom. None would work even in isolation. Givony is not a historian or even an expert. He’s a slightly embarrassed Pearl Jam fan and classical musician (as he is often eager to remind us).
In this context, for the author to think that the reader wants to hear about his reactions to 9/11 or his thoughts on American foreign policy is nothing short of blood-boiling arrogance. Pearl Jam are a political band, and every cultural biography needs to be embedded in its historical context, but there are whole chapters where Pearl Jam are not mentioned at all while Givony indulges in these self-congratulatory tangents about history and culture with all the sophistication of a seventh grade debating competition.
Mr Givony is a terrible writer. His written voice is unbearably self-conscious, sarcastic, and snide. Overusing hackneyed comedic puns and inserts to hide his obvious embarrassment at stooping so low as to write a Pearl Jam book. A position that the author actively admits in the lengthy, personal, and overblown introduction.
Likewise, he has no talent for structuring a narrative. Trying to be clever, chapters often just end up being confusing. He also assumes knowledge to the point of leaving important events out. Why would anyone do this in a book that is surely supposed to inform?
The precious few moments when he is describing Pearl Jam’s career (i.e., the reason that the reader spent money on the book) are terribly balanced. Dedicating so many pages to things that Eddie Vedder says on stage in different live bootlegs and – I am being deadly serious – describing the author’s own experience watching YouTube videos of Pearl Jam footage. Yet there is no mention of how Pearl jam worked in the studio; inter-band relationships and politics; or how key works were composed. If you want to know about Pearl Jam, you would be better directed to Wikipedia.
Bloomsbury should not have printed this book and you should not read it. I can only wait for a writer of talent to attempt to tell Pearl Jam’s story and hope that my appreciation for Pearl Jam is not tainted by this selfish, pointless book.
No stars
Surely this is the worst book I have ever read. Badly written, cynical, confusing, pretentious, inconsistent, self-conscious, and conceited. A writer to avoid absolutely. Bloomsbury should be ashamed for printing it.
Prior to keeping a record on Goodreads I read rock biographies almost exclusively (incidentally, the best of all time are: Up and Down with The Rolling Stones by Roger Sanchez, Pink Floyd: Pigs Might Fly by Mark Blake and The Clash: Passion is a Fashion by Pat Gilbert). I was eager to read a book about Pearl Jam, their uncompromising integrity matched with phenomenal popularity is a story worth writing. This half-baked mess of a book does not tell that story. This is not a book about Pearl Jam, it is a book about the author Ronen Givony.
This is not just a case of my expectations not being met: This book objectively fails in every respect. As a book about Pearl Jam; as a cultural and political history of America in the 90s; and as personal reflection on fandom. None would work even in isolation. Givony is not a historian or even an expert. He’s a slightly embarrassed Pearl Jam fan and classical musician (as he is often eager to remind us).
In this context, for the author to think that the reader wants to hear about his reactions to 9/11 or his thoughts on American foreign policy is nothing short of blood-boiling arrogance. Pearl Jam are a political band, and every cultural biography needs to be embedded in its historical context, but there are whole chapters where Pearl Jam are not mentioned at all while Givony indulges in these self-congratulatory tangents about history and culture with all the sophistication of a seventh grade debating competition.
Mr Givony is a terrible writer. His written voice is unbearably self-conscious, sarcastic, and snide. Overusing hackneyed comedic puns and inserts to hide his obvious embarrassment at stooping so low as to write a Pearl Jam book. A position that the author actively admits in the lengthy, personal, and overblown introduction.
Likewise, he has no talent for structuring a narrative. Trying to be clever, chapters often just end up being confusing. He also assumes knowledge to the point of leaving important events out. Why would anyone do this in a book that is surely supposed to inform?
The precious few moments when he is describing Pearl Jam’s career (i.e., the reason that the reader spent money on the book) are terribly balanced. Dedicating so many pages to things that Eddie Vedder says on stage in different live bootlegs and – I am being deadly serious – describing the author’s own experience watching YouTube videos of Pearl Jam footage. Yet there is no mention of how Pearl jam worked in the studio; inter-band relationships and politics; or how key works were composed. If you want to know about Pearl Jam, you would be better directed to Wikipedia.
Bloomsbury should not have printed this book and you should not read it. I can only wait for a writer of talent to attempt to tell Pearl Jam’s story and hope that my appreciation for Pearl Jam is not tainted by this selfish, pointless book.
No stars
February 23, 2021
This is an odd book. It is as much about the author as it is about Pearl Jam. It is also about the history of politics in the last 30 years as much as the other two topics.
I read this book because it was recommended by JamBase. I do not agree with that recommendation.
The author is extremely opinionated. He at least admits to this during the intro to the book, but I found it aggravating. I used to be a person who had extremely strong opinions about what music was good and bad that I needed to be made known and argue about and defend. I hope that is less true now: I like music that I like and I try to listen to stuff that maybe I didn't know that I like, but I really don't care at all if people like the music they like. I don't need to argue with people what is right and wrong in an area that is completely opinion based. Reading this book took me back to that teenage world of fighting over preferences, and I didn't like returning to it.
The author, in their strong opinions, is very focused on a song being good or horrible/cheesy almost solely based on the lyrics. He almost never discusses the music itself (which is odd, since I seem to recall him mentioning that he is a classical musician in the intro).
Some good things that came out of reading this book: I re-listened to all of Pearl Jam's albums with fresh ears. I found that I like No Code and Yield more than I had in the past, and that I'm not sure why I always hated Jack Irons as a drummer before. The author is right, Jack wrote some really good parts. Yes, I still miss Dave Abbruzzese, but it is possible that Matt Cameron is actually my least favorite Pearl Jam drummer. I also reconfirmed that I very much like some albums that the author dismisses.
I had really strong reactions to reading this book. If I was reading a book and it was putting me to sleep, switching to this one woke me up too much. It goes back to my frustration with his very strong opinions (I always react too strongly to someone else's strong opinions).
The author says they wrote it because there weren't other/better Pearl Jam books out there. Maybe that is the case, and maybe I wish there were, but this is not the one I wish I had spent my time with.
I read this book because it was recommended by JamBase. I do not agree with that recommendation.
The author is extremely opinionated. He at least admits to this during the intro to the book, but I found it aggravating. I used to be a person who had extremely strong opinions about what music was good and bad that I needed to be made known and argue about and defend. I hope that is less true now: I like music that I like and I try to listen to stuff that maybe I didn't know that I like, but I really don't care at all if people like the music they like. I don't need to argue with people what is right and wrong in an area that is completely opinion based. Reading this book took me back to that teenage world of fighting over preferences, and I didn't like returning to it.
The author, in their strong opinions, is very focused on a song being good or horrible/cheesy almost solely based on the lyrics. He almost never discusses the music itself (which is odd, since I seem to recall him mentioning that he is a classical musician in the intro).
Some good things that came out of reading this book: I re-listened to all of Pearl Jam's albums with fresh ears. I found that I like No Code and Yield more than I had in the past, and that I'm not sure why I always hated Jack Irons as a drummer before. The author is right, Jack wrote some really good parts. Yes, I still miss Dave Abbruzzese, but it is possible that Matt Cameron is actually my least favorite Pearl Jam drummer. I also reconfirmed that I very much like some albums that the author dismisses.
I had really strong reactions to reading this book. If I was reading a book and it was putting me to sleep, switching to this one woke me up too much. It goes back to my frustration with his very strong opinions (I always react too strongly to someone else's strong opinions).
The author says they wrote it because there weren't other/better Pearl Jam books out there. Maybe that is the case, and maybe I wish there were, but this is not the one I wish I had spent my time with.
October 15, 2020
Pearl Jam were undoubtedly one of the pioneers of the grunge and alternative rock scene around Seattle, Washington, so I was excited to read their first-ever biography. Not For You: Pearl Jam and the Present Tense is, however, very different to most biographies and charts the band's substantial milestones alongside the political, social and environmental climate across the globe at the time, and for that very reason I found it captivating from start to finish. Right from the beginning of their career in 1989 and through to 2019, the year's are punctuated by ruminations on about time, rebellion, fame, disenchantment, civil discourse, the idea of the mainstream, the desire of a fan, and what a band can do to answer it. It sets the gigs, appearances and music into context creating an original and fascinatingly unique read at once about a much-loved band and the wider world. Many thanks to Bloomsbury Academic for an ARC.
January 23, 2021
This book has a lot of information to share about Pearl Jam and I learned a lot from reading it. However, I found the book a bit boring at parts, especially because the author frequently includes paragraph-long quotes from other people. Many of these quotes are relevant but a lot of them seem like they easily could have been summarized by the author or edited out of the book.
I took issue with the author frequently inserting his own opinions. He noted in the beginning that he would share his opinions about the band but it seemed like he was under the assumption that his reader agreed with his opinions, which was off putting. I’m not sure why it was necessary to frequently put down the Red Hot Chili Peppers, for example.
I also would have appreciated more time spent on Stone, Jeff and Mike. Much of the book was focused on Eddie Vedder and the drummers.
Overall, it’s an interesting read for anyone interested in Pearl Jam but it would have benefited from some editing.
I took issue with the author frequently inserting his own opinions. He noted in the beginning that he would share his opinions about the band but it seemed like he was under the assumption that his reader agreed with his opinions, which was off putting. I’m not sure why it was necessary to frequently put down the Red Hot Chili Peppers, for example.
I also would have appreciated more time spent on Stone, Jeff and Mike. Much of the book was focused on Eddie Vedder and the drummers.
Overall, it’s an interesting read for anyone interested in Pearl Jam but it would have benefited from some editing.
November 20, 2022
No.
Firstly. I guess. On the list of many things that are issues with this book. This isn't a book about Pearl Jam. This is more a book about one fans experience of Pearl Jam and his obsession with psychoanalysing Eddie Vedder. We get very little about the other members of Pearl Jam, Stone, Jeff and Mike though the treatment of Dave Abbruzzese is obviously a sore point for the author (with good reason, Abbruzzese was treated appallingly by the band) so we get a fair chunk devoted to him but it's less about Abbruzzese as a person but more about his fit with the band. But he seems to be the only person that rates this treatment. Only Stone gets a passing mention as a sort of mediator while there's endless content on Eddie's semi dictatorship.
Secondly. This reads like a list of what shows to watch on YouTube and huge arse segments of whatever was said to the press. This is such a weird book. Like it has no idea what its aims are. It's the collection of a hyperfixation and sometimes reads like the author is trying to justify his interest in them. Which songs are definitive versions, songs he could never to hear again, the lacklustre studio output since the 90s. Cringe af lyrics. Etc.
Thirdly, in a wider perspective, we get no sense of the space Pearl Jam occupied within the Seattle scene it came from. Other than this weird pitting of Nirvana and Pearl Jam against each other. Of course, as gen-x the absolute worst thing you could do was express some form of ambition and that was one of many crimes Pearl Jam committed. The author also was on some sort of degenerative opinion of Green River and Mother Love Bone, the Pearl Jam origin bands. And for some reason especially critical of Andrew Wood's lyrical efforts?
And for an author who seems to revolve so much of the output of this book around Eddie Vedder there is very little about how Eddie is the only frontman alive out of the Seattle big four, while also being the only frontman who didn't originate from Washington state. Though we do get the audacious story of Eddie just walking into the sing with Chris Cornell uninvited on his first day in Seattle. But nothing about their friendship? There's more about whatever rivalry Kurt Cobain and Eddie had. Which... is a weird choice.
If you want to read more about Pearl Jam (look... I'm not even that much of a fan, just an invested interest in early nineties Seattle) you're going to get way more from Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge with less speculation about Eddie Vedder's personality contradictions. Whatever this was, it just wasn't it.
Firstly. I guess. On the list of many things that are issues with this book. This isn't a book about Pearl Jam. This is more a book about one fans experience of Pearl Jam and his obsession with psychoanalysing Eddie Vedder. We get very little about the other members of Pearl Jam, Stone, Jeff and Mike though the treatment of Dave Abbruzzese is obviously a sore point for the author (with good reason, Abbruzzese was treated appallingly by the band) so we get a fair chunk devoted to him but it's less about Abbruzzese as a person but more about his fit with the band. But he seems to be the only person that rates this treatment. Only Stone gets a passing mention as a sort of mediator while there's endless content on Eddie's semi dictatorship.
Secondly. This reads like a list of what shows to watch on YouTube and huge arse segments of whatever was said to the press. This is such a weird book. Like it has no idea what its aims are. It's the collection of a hyperfixation and sometimes reads like the author is trying to justify his interest in them. Which songs are definitive versions, songs he could never to hear again, the lacklustre studio output since the 90s. Cringe af lyrics. Etc.
Thirdly, in a wider perspective, we get no sense of the space Pearl Jam occupied within the Seattle scene it came from. Other than this weird pitting of Nirvana and Pearl Jam against each other. Of course, as gen-x the absolute worst thing you could do was express some form of ambition and that was one of many crimes Pearl Jam committed. The author also was on some sort of degenerative opinion of Green River and Mother Love Bone, the Pearl Jam origin bands. And for some reason especially critical of Andrew Wood's lyrical efforts?
And for an author who seems to revolve so much of the output of this book around Eddie Vedder there is very little about how Eddie is the only frontman alive out of the Seattle big four, while also being the only frontman who didn't originate from Washington state. Though we do get the audacious story of Eddie just walking into the sing with Chris Cornell uninvited on his first day in Seattle. But nothing about their friendship? There's more about whatever rivalry Kurt Cobain and Eddie had. Which... is a weird choice.
If you want to read more about Pearl Jam (look... I'm not even that much of a fan, just an invested interest in early nineties Seattle) you're going to get way more from Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge with less speculation about Eddie Vedder's personality contradictions. Whatever this was, it just wasn't it.
December 27, 2020
A lot of words for a poor opinion
November 12, 2024
This is a deeply flawed biography, for all the reasons elucidated by other reviewers here. But it met my need for reading an overview of this band’s long career, both to refresh my memory as a casual fan, and to learn about parts and detours I hadn’t heard about. (The Roskilde section, and linking that to The Who and Townshend, was probably the best bit overall.)
Writing books is hard, and it seems the author went so far down this particular rabbit hole he lost himself. I appreciate the honesty he showed toward the end about how it was three years in the making, including 40 publisher rejections - and that when his friends read early drafts, they told him it was tedious and felt like a dissertation. (The final text didn’t quite feel that way to me, so he’s improved with feedback, thankfully.)
Nonetheless, as a writer I respect the hustle, and I don’t agree this book shouldn’t exist, as some other reviewers suggested. All it does is leave the door open for another author to approach the idea of a well-written band biography, because this ain’t it, though it has some charm, mostly in its tactless and somewhat artless execution thanks to its POV of a one-eyed superfan.
Maybe Steven Hyden’s book on the band does a better job of attacking that challenge - if that’s the case, please let me know? - but for the time being I’m all PJ’d out after reading this in the space of 48 hours. I did enjoy revisiting their catalogue while reading, though, and finding some gems I hadn’t heard before.
Writing books is hard, and it seems the author went so far down this particular rabbit hole he lost himself. I appreciate the honesty he showed toward the end about how it was three years in the making, including 40 publisher rejections - and that when his friends read early drafts, they told him it was tedious and felt like a dissertation. (The final text didn’t quite feel that way to me, so he’s improved with feedback, thankfully.)
Nonetheless, as a writer I respect the hustle, and I don’t agree this book shouldn’t exist, as some other reviewers suggested. All it does is leave the door open for another author to approach the idea of a well-written band biography, because this ain’t it, though it has some charm, mostly in its tactless and somewhat artless execution thanks to its POV of a one-eyed superfan.
Maybe Steven Hyden’s book on the band does a better job of attacking that challenge - if that’s the case, please let me know? - but for the time being I’m all PJ’d out after reading this in the space of 48 hours. I did enjoy revisiting their catalogue while reading, though, and finding some gems I hadn’t heard before.
July 29, 2020
Not for You: Pearl Jam and the Present Tense by Ronen Givony really struck a sweet spot for me. Pearl Jam is a group I really liked for a time in the 90s, then just never kept following them. So in my mind, with the exception of two later concerts (I only saw them five times total), they were forever stuck in time for me. Even hearing new stuff didn't unstick them. This book not only gave me some insight into the group and their fans, but also into my own feelings about the band. I love when a book helps to explain me to me.
In the early 90s I was a "nontraditional" student as an undergrad, meaning I was a bit older than most undergrads. My first undergrad degree was about a decade earlier and was mostly military experience in electronics and some correspondence courses coupled with a few in person classes, so the early 90s were really my college years, even if I was an old man of just over 30. So I was in a place where a lot of people were listening to this new sound, and like them I found it empowering (though I never found anything more empowering for me than much of the music I grew up with, but I think that is true of most people of any generation) but I also wasn't completely enamored of Pearl Jam and a few other groups. Come to find out, liking Pearl Jam is problematic for a lot of people.
What appeals to me in Givony's style is the way he reflects on some of the whys of his fanhood. Even if he ultimately at times just throws up his hands and says "just because." It was in his reflections, sometimes purely personal and sometimes through critiquing the music or the activism, where I was able to better understand the things that did appeal to me and the things that really didn't matter. In the end, I came away with a better appreciation of the group and what they did or tried to do and a better understanding of my previous ambiguity about them. Now I can say I do like them and feel like I can say why, to some degree.
For readers who like Pearl Jam this will be the kind of read you'll love even when you're arguing with it. You might disagree with some things or understand things different, but Givony never just makes a bold statement without offering some rationale. For the more casual fan, which I consider myself to be, this will fill in gaps as well as show you a lot of the history you probably missed. It is a good read and really does engage the reader as much as simply explain to the reader.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
In the early 90s I was a "nontraditional" student as an undergrad, meaning I was a bit older than most undergrads. My first undergrad degree was about a decade earlier and was mostly military experience in electronics and some correspondence courses coupled with a few in person classes, so the early 90s were really my college years, even if I was an old man of just over 30. So I was in a place where a lot of people were listening to this new sound, and like them I found it empowering (though I never found anything more empowering for me than much of the music I grew up with, but I think that is true of most people of any generation) but I also wasn't completely enamored of Pearl Jam and a few other groups. Come to find out, liking Pearl Jam is problematic for a lot of people.
What appeals to me in Givony's style is the way he reflects on some of the whys of his fanhood. Even if he ultimately at times just throws up his hands and says "just because." It was in his reflections, sometimes purely personal and sometimes through critiquing the music or the activism, where I was able to better understand the things that did appeal to me and the things that really didn't matter. In the end, I came away with a better appreciation of the group and what they did or tried to do and a better understanding of my previous ambiguity about them. Now I can say I do like them and feel like I can say why, to some degree.
For readers who like Pearl Jam this will be the kind of read you'll love even when you're arguing with it. You might disagree with some things or understand things different, but Givony never just makes a bold statement without offering some rationale. For the more casual fan, which I consider myself to be, this will fill in gaps as well as show you a lot of the history you probably missed. It is a good read and really does engage the reader as much as simply explain to the reader.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
November 26, 2020
Nothing can soothe me so much as blasting a Pearl Jam song and singing along at the top of my lungs.
I loved this book for all it wasn’t. It wasn’t an in-depth look at the artists personal lives. It wasn’t a critical look into every word of the songs. Instead it was a book for fans written by a fan. Givony starts out with the following “First, a confession, and a caveat: I’ve only seen them fifty-seven times.” As a self diagnosed super fan I totally get this sentence but so will the million other concept goers that have experienced a Pearl Jam show first hand.
The author takes the reader through a journey of the Band’s history via the albums. While I didn’t always agree with his opinions of the songs I still loved the trip. I recommend this book to the super fan and the causal fan alike.
I loved this book for all it wasn’t. It wasn’t an in-depth look at the artists personal lives. It wasn’t a critical look into every word of the songs. Instead it was a book for fans written by a fan. Givony starts out with the following “First, a confession, and a caveat: I’ve only seen them fifty-seven times.” As a self diagnosed super fan I totally get this sentence but so will the million other concept goers that have experienced a Pearl Jam show first hand.
The author takes the reader through a journey of the Band’s history via the albums. While I didn’t always agree with his opinions of the songs I still loved the trip. I recommend this book to the super fan and the causal fan alike.
February 26, 2022
Really around 3.5 stars. There were parts of this book I really, really loved and parts I wondered how this guy could claim to be someone that is a fan writing this book, but doesn't like Ten or anything after Yield. It's a good book about Pearl Jam that also talks about what is going on in the world as Pearl Jam writes and records albums, goes on tour and fights ticketmaster. But the majority of the book focuses on the era of Ten, Vs and Vitalogy, which I admit are three of their better albums. But I also really like Binaural and the author calls the first half of the album garbage, which I disagree with (see Breakerfall, Nothing as It Seems, Gods Dice, Light Years). The author also calls Backspacer a terrible album and once again I disagree. Good songs like The Fixxer, Got Some, Supersonic, Gonna See My Friend, Thoughts Unknown, Just Breathe, Amongst the Waves, etc. But at the same time the author really brings me back down memory lane when talking about the first three albums. The author doesn't really interview anyone for this book, but it still feels like you get to know everyone in the band pretty well. I kind of feel bad for the original drummer and when you read it in a book, Vedder kind of comes of as someone who just rambles at a concert. That being said, I love this band, and this book is above average. PJ fans should like.
April 24, 2022
A ver, es Pearl Jam y yo todo lo que sea Pearl Jam me lo meriendo tan ricamente, pero el libro tiene pasajes y pasajes sobre el contexto sociopolítico de EEUU en los 90 y principios de los 00 que sinceramente, no esperaba (ni quería) encontrar en un libro sobre el grupo.
Esto y que el autor me cae regulinchis.
Por lo demás bien, larga vida a Pearl Jam.
Esto y que el autor me cae regulinchis.
Por lo demás bien, larga vida a Pearl Jam.
August 5, 2024
Five stars if you are a smitten Pearl Jam fan, probably no stars if you’re not. I listened to it on Spotify. While I am not part of the Jamily, having never seen PJ in person, I am obsessed with them at the present. I recommend MTVs Pearl Jam Unplugged video and the album “Ten”, as well as Neil Young’s Mirrorball backed up by PJ. Also, the soundtrack for film Into the Wild by Eddie Vedder is beautiful.
August 2, 2021
I hated this book. As a Pearl Jam fan it was an exceedingly frustrating read. In a lot of ways I felt the author was trying to pander to both sides of the equation. On one hand, trying to identify himself as a “true fan” who loves the band, but on the other hand trying to pander to the much larger (book buying) public who feel Pearl Jam haven’t made a good album since 1998.
There were interesting sections and I particularly enjoyed the authors use of setting up the political environment as context to the albums and shows. Equally I felt the chapter on Thomas Young was outstanding and I will likely find Young’s biography to read next.
My biggest issue with the book is the dismissal and lack of exploration of Pearl Jam’s 2000-2021 work. I’ll give the author 2014’s Lightning Bolt wasn’t all that good but to dismiss Avacado, Backspacer and Gigaton speaks of lack of critical review and dismissal to fit a preconceived narrative. I felt at times the author contradicted himself complaining the band wasn’t covering new ground yet complaining other work too experimental, liking songs he claimed to hate, etc etc
All in all this book was well researched and well written but frustrating and seemingly inauthentic as the author tried to play to both sides of the Pearl Jam coin.
There were interesting sections and I particularly enjoyed the authors use of setting up the political environment as context to the albums and shows. Equally I felt the chapter on Thomas Young was outstanding and I will likely find Young’s biography to read next.
My biggest issue with the book is the dismissal and lack of exploration of Pearl Jam’s 2000-2021 work. I’ll give the author 2014’s Lightning Bolt wasn’t all that good but to dismiss Avacado, Backspacer and Gigaton speaks of lack of critical review and dismissal to fit a preconceived narrative. I felt at times the author contradicted himself complaining the band wasn’t covering new ground yet complaining other work too experimental, liking songs he claimed to hate, etc etc
All in all this book was well researched and well written but frustrating and seemingly inauthentic as the author tried to play to both sides of the Pearl Jam coin.
October 25, 2021
You might not know this, but I'm married to a Pearl Jam superfan. In fact, I've seen Pearl Jam in concert more times than I've seen some of my very favorite bands. (It is what it is.) I actually really enjoy reading about Pearl Jam, IF (big if) the book is good.
Look, all you have to know is that there are paragraphs and paragraphs of quotes from random places: things said on Pearl Jam radio, things said in interviews, things said in concert, things said...in documentaries. JUST SO MANY WORDS. I truly don't understand why this author didn't synthesize those paragraphs into something comprehensible. Truly, a terrible choice.
(Also, I have serious quibbles with his analysis of Pearl Jam's career and importance in the music world, and I have SERIOUS quibbles with his opinions about which PJ songs are great and which are not. [How do you hate Given to Fly, I ask you.] I don't think this book should exist, because this man loves Pearl Jam too much to adequately assess their career. You know what would have been more interesting? A memoir that relates how this man relates to Pearl Jam. AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE MEMOIRS.)
Also, holy gods is this book overlong, overly wordy, and thus somewhat boring. SKIP SKIP SKIP don't even read this if you're a superfan.
Look, all you have to know is that there are paragraphs and paragraphs of quotes from random places: things said on Pearl Jam radio, things said in interviews, things said in concert, things said...in documentaries. JUST SO MANY WORDS. I truly don't understand why this author didn't synthesize those paragraphs into something comprehensible. Truly, a terrible choice.
(Also, I have serious quibbles with his analysis of Pearl Jam's career and importance in the music world, and I have SERIOUS quibbles with his opinions about which PJ songs are great and which are not. [How do you hate Given to Fly, I ask you.] I don't think this book should exist, because this man loves Pearl Jam too much to adequately assess their career. You know what would have been more interesting? A memoir that relates how this man relates to Pearl Jam. AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE MEMOIRS.)
Also, holy gods is this book overlong, overly wordy, and thus somewhat boring. SKIP SKIP SKIP don't even read this if you're a superfan.
August 27, 2020
Not for You: Pearl Jam and the Present Tense is not your typical band biography. More than a gossipy retelling of behind the scenes drama, this is a thorough examination of the band’s recording and concert history. The author isn’t afraid to share his opinions on what he sees as the band’s triumphs as well as their missteps. It’s an intelligent examination of what has worked and what hasn’t. Particularly insightful is the recounting of current events that shaped Pearl Jam’s music and performances. As a casual listener of Pearl Jam, I appreciated the recap of what I’ve missed over the years.
February 24, 2024
An arduous read. I got too far in to turn back. The author seems to be embarrassed by his enjoyment of his subject matter. Yes. You have attended 50 or so shows. But did you enjoy any?
Like many I know, he enjoys five albums in the catalog and admits not knowing much past that. That is apparent. And like the many that I know like that, I toned him out on the subject of Pearl Jam.
Unfortunately, I feel the author is one who would immediately scour my reading library and hold in contempt my thoughts or reviews.
Like many I know, he enjoys five albums in the catalog and admits not knowing much past that. That is apparent. And like the many that I know like that, I toned him out on the subject of Pearl Jam.
Unfortunately, I feel the author is one who would immediately scour my reading library and hold in contempt my thoughts or reviews.
December 22, 2021
Let it be said: If Pearl Jam, the scene they were born of, or recent history aren't your thing, then much of this book is not for you.
If you lend yourself to any of the above though (especially the first two), then I'd urge you to take a look. Well researched, unashamedly opinionated, nostalgic and contemplative. As a modest Pearl Jam fan who grew up in the nineties, I really enjoyed it.
If you lend yourself to any of the above though (especially the first two), then I'd urge you to take a look. Well researched, unashamedly opinionated, nostalgic and contemplative. As a modest Pearl Jam fan who grew up in the nineties, I really enjoyed it.
January 14, 2025
not for me
December 1, 2020
Si pudiera describir este libro en una palabra, esta palabra sería “contexto”, porque Givoli narra mucho de la historia de Pearl Jam asociada a eventos y situaciones específicas desde el final de la década de los 80s hasta ahora. Pero antes de adentrarme en un review debo decir que como se espera de un lector de esta obra soy un fan más de la banda y, en mi caso, muy protector de la calidad de trabajo que han hecho siempre. Con eso en cuenta, procedo.
Primero lo bueno: el libro tiene una estructura interesante, guiado por sucesos importantes que van coincidiendo con la historia de PJ, donde podemos ver el interés del autor en establecer la época como un periodo entrañable (lo fue!). Las menciones de tours y conciertos se hacen de manera detallada y la narración profundiza mucho en shows en particular y el impacto del grupo en diferentes momentos a través de los medios de comunicación.
Sin embargo (y acá comienza lo malo) muchas veces esa profundidad con la que se cuentan ciertas cosas (como monólogos en un concierto, por ejemplo) se hace a expensas de los propios músicos. Givony le tira duro a Vedder durante todo el libro, casi como si se tratara más de un fan de Nirvana y Cobain al que no le quedó más remedio que seguir a la única banda que sobrevivió a la época y al líder de esta a quien evidentemente no respeta en demasía (apenas menciona con desgano los dos discos de Vedder como solista). Y aunque se siente un cariño que este fan/autor le tiene a PJ, por sus conciertos y su impacto en temas muy importantes con los que cualquiera quisiera verse involucrado; es precisamente ese detalle que echa por la borda la percibida objetividad con la que parece iniciar el texto. Pasa todo lo contrario, la subjetividad y la emisión de juicios de valor hacia tal o cual canción o disco de la banda deja en evidencia esa actitud de “yo los conocí cuando eran buenos” que muchos de nosotros no soportamos en los fans de la música, es una especie de complejo de experto que tiene que elegir las canciones menos populares como sus favoritas en un afán de alejarse de las masas. El mejor reflejo de esto es que el autor dedica el primer 70% del libro a los primeros 10 años de existencia de PJ casi que procede a enumerar rápidamente y con desgano los siguientes 20, que él considera cargados de mediocridad, irrespetando de paso no solo a los miembros del grupo del que está lucrando con el libro, sino a quienes llegaron a quererlos del año 1998 a la fecha.
Se respeta mucho el impresionante trabajo de investigación y la cantidad de horas dedicadas a ver videos que hay detrás de este texto y eso es de agradecer, pero sinceramente me decepcionó el tono de superioridad con que está escrito.
Primero lo bueno: el libro tiene una estructura interesante, guiado por sucesos importantes que van coincidiendo con la historia de PJ, donde podemos ver el interés del autor en establecer la época como un periodo entrañable (lo fue!). Las menciones de tours y conciertos se hacen de manera detallada y la narración profundiza mucho en shows en particular y el impacto del grupo en diferentes momentos a través de los medios de comunicación.
Sin embargo (y acá comienza lo malo) muchas veces esa profundidad con la que se cuentan ciertas cosas (como monólogos en un concierto, por ejemplo) se hace a expensas de los propios músicos. Givony le tira duro a Vedder durante todo el libro, casi como si se tratara más de un fan de Nirvana y Cobain al que no le quedó más remedio que seguir a la única banda que sobrevivió a la época y al líder de esta a quien evidentemente no respeta en demasía (apenas menciona con desgano los dos discos de Vedder como solista). Y aunque se siente un cariño que este fan/autor le tiene a PJ, por sus conciertos y su impacto en temas muy importantes con los que cualquiera quisiera verse involucrado; es precisamente ese detalle que echa por la borda la percibida objetividad con la que parece iniciar el texto. Pasa todo lo contrario, la subjetividad y la emisión de juicios de valor hacia tal o cual canción o disco de la banda deja en evidencia esa actitud de “yo los conocí cuando eran buenos” que muchos de nosotros no soportamos en los fans de la música, es una especie de complejo de experto que tiene que elegir las canciones menos populares como sus favoritas en un afán de alejarse de las masas. El mejor reflejo de esto es que el autor dedica el primer 70% del libro a los primeros 10 años de existencia de PJ casi que procede a enumerar rápidamente y con desgano los siguientes 20, que él considera cargados de mediocridad, irrespetando de paso no solo a los miembros del grupo del que está lucrando con el libro, sino a quienes llegaron a quererlos del año 1998 a la fecha.
Se respeta mucho el impresionante trabajo de investigación y la cantidad de horas dedicadas a ver videos que hay detrás de este texto y eso es de agradecer, pero sinceramente me decepcionó el tono de superioridad con que está escrito.
December 20, 2020
What enticed me most about this book was exploring how/why an extremely obsessive fan like me spent so many years hiding it. I think I got closer to understanding this, through the eyes of someone else.
Givony leaves the main points of Not For You unstated and I suspect that was intentional – after all, he especially values PJ’s early protest music like Yellow Ledbetter for being so subtle about how it approaches its subject matter (!) But because of this, readers of Givony's book spend a lot of their time re-living numerous early 90’s Vedder rants, guided by a writer whose fascination with them seems to fall into the old grooves of tabloid/media stories from long ago (“I’m not making this up….EV really said/did this sulky/grouchy thing, and then that one, and that one!”). The other downside of avoiding direct expression is that even though I consider myself a conscientious reader, some of the anecdotes (especially the one about Trevor Wilson, the actor from the Jeremy video) still haven’t coalesced into any meaningful point to me.
The themes that Givony will not articulate in words are of repeated disappointment, failure, and loss. Finding that the PJ audience is disgustingly closed-minded and rude in this way, and then that one, and that one. Fighting against Ticketmaster, against the corporate takeover of America, and for so many vital causes, and losing every single time. Being increasingly immersed in a culture where the authenticity, effort, and idealism PJ stood for are things to ridicule and dismiss, rather than value. Yes, the book is that depressing! Major portions of this book describe the domestic terrorism in the US at women’s health clinics. Genocide in Rwanda. The Iraq war and its aftermath. Police murders of Black Americans whose names we don’t commonly know/say, because they died in the early 90s.
That more recent developments (such as Trumpism, the death of Chris Cornell, and aging) are barely mentioned in this book at all only magnifies the weight of the earlier stories. I don't quite know what to say about all of this, except that in the scheme of things, Givony’s dismissing attitude towards so many of the PJ songs that I love from the last 20 years hardly matters.
Givony leaves the main points of Not For You unstated and I suspect that was intentional – after all, he especially values PJ’s early protest music like Yellow Ledbetter for being so subtle about how it approaches its subject matter (!) But because of this, readers of Givony's book spend a lot of their time re-living numerous early 90’s Vedder rants, guided by a writer whose fascination with them seems to fall into the old grooves of tabloid/media stories from long ago (“I’m not making this up….EV really said/did this sulky/grouchy thing, and then that one, and that one!”). The other downside of avoiding direct expression is that even though I consider myself a conscientious reader, some of the anecdotes (especially the one about Trevor Wilson, the actor from the Jeremy video) still haven’t coalesced into any meaningful point to me.
The themes that Givony will not articulate in words are of repeated disappointment, failure, and loss. Finding that the PJ audience is disgustingly closed-minded and rude in this way, and then that one, and that one. Fighting against Ticketmaster, against the corporate takeover of America, and for so many vital causes, and losing every single time. Being increasingly immersed in a culture where the authenticity, effort, and idealism PJ stood for are things to ridicule and dismiss, rather than value. Yes, the book is that depressing! Major portions of this book describe the domestic terrorism in the US at women’s health clinics. Genocide in Rwanda. The Iraq war and its aftermath. Police murders of Black Americans whose names we don’t commonly know/say, because they died in the early 90s.
That more recent developments (such as Trumpism, the death of Chris Cornell, and aging) are barely mentioned in this book at all only magnifies the weight of the earlier stories. I don't quite know what to say about all of this, except that in the scheme of things, Givony’s dismissing attitude towards so many of the PJ songs that I love from the last 20 years hardly matters.
January 19, 2026
“You can spend your time alone re-digesting past regrets
Or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who can't forgive yourself
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense.”
I’ve read a fair amount of music biography books, and they all use a similar formula where the author focuses on the first 1-3 albums of the band and then skims over the last chunk of the band’s catalog.
Ronen Givony is no different; he goes into meticulous detail on the first 3 albums and then doesn’t really focus on the last several albums, but what was going on in the world at the time, therefore painting a picture of what influenced the albums. Or at least his opinion of what influenced the albums. And that’s what the reader gets with this book: Givony’s opinions and insights as a Pearl Jam fan. He has no access to the band, but he does have access to the book “Five Against One” and the movie/ book “Pearl Jam 20,” where he relies on these two sources throughout the entirety of his book. I didn’t know you could write a book by copying and pasting from other sources with some clever personal insights, but here we are.
Givony is just a fan who has been to several shows and felt that he should write a book about a band that impacted him. So… I guess you can file this under fan-nonfiction?
If you are a fan of Pearl Jam and have never read a book about the band, this might be good for you. But if you’ve read any material out there about the band, this will most likely be a repeat of old news. Maybe someday an author will take the time and go into detail about this band covering the last half of their catalog.
Or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who can't forgive yourself
Makes much more sense to live in the present tense.”
I’ve read a fair amount of music biography books, and they all use a similar formula where the author focuses on the first 1-3 albums of the band and then skims over the last chunk of the band’s catalog.
Ronen Givony is no different; he goes into meticulous detail on the first 3 albums and then doesn’t really focus on the last several albums, but what was going on in the world at the time, therefore painting a picture of what influenced the albums. Or at least his opinion of what influenced the albums. And that’s what the reader gets with this book: Givony’s opinions and insights as a Pearl Jam fan. He has no access to the band, but he does have access to the book “Five Against One” and the movie/ book “Pearl Jam 20,” where he relies on these two sources throughout the entirety of his book. I didn’t know you could write a book by copying and pasting from other sources with some clever personal insights, but here we are.
Givony is just a fan who has been to several shows and felt that he should write a book about a band that impacted him. So… I guess you can file this under fan-nonfiction?
If you are a fan of Pearl Jam and have never read a book about the band, this might be good for you. But if you’ve read any material out there about the band, this will most likely be a repeat of old news. Maybe someday an author will take the time and go into detail about this band covering the last half of their catalog.
July 2, 2021
Have you ever read a clickbait article with a title like "10 Signs You May Not Be Drinking Enough Water" and it turns out to be the personal experience of the author, an otherwise healthy 20-something, who describes in great detail how she figured out she wasn't drinking enough water, plus some stuff that other people wrote on Reddit and Twitter, and maybe a quote from a doctor at the end? If you were fine with that, and you really like Pearl Jam, you might just like this 430-page book about a guy who has seen 57 PJ concerts, but really only likes their music from the 90s, and has strong opinions even among those songs about which are great and which are terrible. He spends the first 250 pages or so reviewing the era he didn't see live based on bootlegs and other peoples' descriptions. This doesn't purport to be a biography, but rather a "fan's notes," according to the author. But since you can't debate him like the guy at the end of the bar, it gets a bit tedious. And, like all PJ discussions, it's rather heavy on Vedder and light on the rest of the band and other key figures in their orbit. Boom Gaspar gets one mention in the whole book. Anyway, the PJ superfan might enjoy it, but it's not the intro biography that somebody should get busy writing.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 18, 2021
People often ask me why I've seen Pearl Jam 20 times in concert and I'll come up with some non-crazy sounding reason. But, really, why would anyone see a band that many (or many, many more) times? This book gives those reasons. I'm not going to say that Pearl Jam changed my life, but they did change how and why I listen to music. I've made lifelong friends with people I met at Pearl Jam shows because we like the same band, so maybe Pearl Jam did change my life. Either way, I'm done apologizing for seeing them live every chance I get.
The author of this book basically writes off everything that Pearl Jam has put out after the first five albums and can mostly be seen as correct for doing so. He does come off as a little bit pretentious in his hatred of the latter works but if we're being honest, everything after Riot Act has been mediocre. But up until then Pearl Jam earned the title of best band on the 90s and for people like me they found the sweet spot in our musical hearts and took up residence.
Anyways, the first half of this book is amazing (at least for music fans of a certain age) and deserves 7/5 stars. The stories related and music referenced gave me goosebumps multiple times. The second half strays from the music(which admittedly isn't as good as the earlier stuff) and more into the author's opinions and loses steam because of it.
The author of this book basically writes off everything that Pearl Jam has put out after the first five albums and can mostly be seen as correct for doing so. He does come off as a little bit pretentious in his hatred of the latter works but if we're being honest, everything after Riot Act has been mediocre. But up until then Pearl Jam earned the title of best band on the 90s and for people like me they found the sweet spot in our musical hearts and took up residence.
Anyways, the first half of this book is amazing (at least for music fans of a certain age) and deserves 7/5 stars. The stories related and music referenced gave me goosebumps multiple times. The second half strays from the music(which admittedly isn't as good as the earlier stuff) and more into the author's opinions and loses steam because of it.
November 29, 2021
“Not For You” says a lot about this book, overall. If you are a fan of Pearl Jam and/or are interested in reading about the rise of the band, then this book is “Not For You”. This reads like a bad magazine article, only infinity longer. There is no rhyme or reason, or structure, to this book whatsoever. The author makes Pearl Jam out to be a bunch of “has beens”, with a small cult following, and seemed to have no idea the magnitude this band had on music, future musicians and bands, and the overall history of rock! Pearl Jam are one of the biggest bands to come out of the 1990’s and, to this day, have a HUGE fanbase! But, you wouldn’t know it by reading this book.
I love memories and musical biographies! But this book jumps around like a coked out kangaroo! Quoting articles from one source, then jumping around to others, I couldn’t make any sense out of it. He had all these sources to pull from and should have just took his time and pieced together something that is easy to follow, with some sort of order.
If you’re a fan of Pearl Jam, or at least interested enough that you want to learn their history, as individuals and a band, then I suggest looking elsewhere.
I love memories and musical biographies! But this book jumps around like a coked out kangaroo! Quoting articles from one source, then jumping around to others, I couldn’t make any sense out of it. He had all these sources to pull from and should have just took his time and pieced together something that is easy to follow, with some sort of order.
If you’re a fan of Pearl Jam, or at least interested enough that you want to learn their history, as individuals and a band, then I suggest looking elsewhere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2025
I was excited to read a book about Pearl Jam but didn't look at the reviews before purchasing. I was hoping that this book had a deep dive on the members of Pearl Jam. Instead this book is filled with really long quotes not directly related to Pearl Jam. This book is about Pearl Jam from the perspective of a fan, who won't really admit that he is a huge fan of them. He completely glosses over how they formed and how the band was operating so it didn't feel like a true book dedicated to Pearl Jam.
It really felt like I was reading a dissertation with all of these sources, long ass quotes, and opinions. I thought it was interesting to reference the political climate here and there since it always has an impact on culture and music, but started skimming when it was long winded paragraphs related to politics. It was fun to look up certain Youtube videos that he was referencing but writing out the transcriptions from these videos aren't exactly necessary. I loved the Pearl Jam 20 documentary and makes me want to watch it again and the St Louis performance with the sign language interpreter.
It really felt like I was reading a dissertation with all of these sources, long ass quotes, and opinions. I thought it was interesting to reference the political climate here and there since it always has an impact on culture and music, but started skimming when it was long winded paragraphs related to politics. It was fun to look up certain Youtube videos that he was referencing but writing out the transcriptions from these videos aren't exactly necessary. I loved the Pearl Jam 20 documentary and makes me want to watch it again and the St Louis performance with the sign language interpreter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2020
I loved Pearl Jam in the 90s. Unfortunately, I eventually lost track of their newer music, though their old stuff remains a favorite of mine, able to take me back to a moment in time. So, when I saw this book, I was excited to receive a copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review.
I feel this book so hard. While I like Pearl Jam, they aren't "my band" -- but I do have a band that plays the same role in my life as Pearl Jam does for the author. At times reading this book was like having a conversation with a friend about songs and setlists and our last (or next) shows. I thoroughly enjoyed that "conversation" with Mr. Givony, as well as seeing what I've missed with Pearl Jam over the years. The book was well written and researched, and despite the author's love for the band and music, it was very objective. I appreciated the current events in relation to Pearl Jam's songwriting and evolution as a band.
This was an excellent read, and I'm sure I'll be back to reread it (and definitely listening to more Pearl Jam).
I feel this book so hard. While I like Pearl Jam, they aren't "my band" -- but I do have a band that plays the same role in my life as Pearl Jam does for the author. At times reading this book was like having a conversation with a friend about songs and setlists and our last (or next) shows. I thoroughly enjoyed that "conversation" with Mr. Givony, as well as seeing what I've missed with Pearl Jam over the years. The book was well written and researched, and despite the author's love for the band and music, it was very objective. I appreciated the current events in relation to Pearl Jam's songwriting and evolution as a band.
This was an excellent read, and I'm sure I'll be back to reread it (and definitely listening to more Pearl Jam).
April 7, 2022
It's not a book for everyone, it might be "Not for you", but if you happen to like PJ or grew up listening to their music, this is definitely a book worthy of your time. It's not only about PJ, but of that era when we were young and dumb, when important things happened, but we only lived our lives and only now understand what was actually going on. Many facts about the band and their actions that I wasn't aware of, many details about their concerts and albums, beautifully written by a true fan with a great sense of (self-)humor. This book made me buy several PJ's vinyl albums (when I listened to them back then there were only cassettes!) and listen to their concerts from around the world on You Tube. It made me remember their concert some 20 years ago in Budapest, a long bus drive from Zagreb, explosion of emotions there and great time. I hope I'll see them some time in the near future, to check that feeling of togetherness formed by completely different people that would never share anything if it wasn't for PJ. Read the book slowly and enjoy it thoroughly :)
November 11, 2020
Reading this felt like having a long, fascinating conversation with a levelheaded Pearl Jam fan who has done some great research on the band and the surrounding political/economic/cultural climate. I don't agree with all of his opinions (it would have been a boring read if I did!) but the views presented are undoubtedly valid.
My only complaint is that I wish there was... more. The author goes into such detail until about the year 2000 and then we kind of speed through the rest. It's a long book but I would have gladly read more of it.
The line that hooked me, from page 4: "It creeps up on you: one day, you're a casual fan, happy to take in a show every once in a while. All of a sudden, you are a sociopath with opinions on the definitive version of 'Daughter'." Too true.
My only complaint is that I wish there was... more. The author goes into such detail until about the year 2000 and then we kind of speed through the rest. It's a long book but I would have gladly read more of it.
The line that hooked me, from page 4: "It creeps up on you: one day, you're a casual fan, happy to take in a show every once in a while. All of a sudden, you are a sociopath with opinions on the definitive version of 'Daughter'." Too true.
April 5, 2021
I've read a lot of mixed thoughts on this one and, while I can certainly understand the disappointment on some fronts, I think the disappointment comes more from wanting this book to be something it very much isn't. It's not a biography of the band, nor is it a deep dive into their catalog. Rather, this is an overview of the band's career as filtered through the last thirty years of pop culture, politics and wider trends. I can understand why rabid Pearl Jam fans were annoyed by Givony's wide dismissal of everything the band released after No Code, but it's honestly refreshing to not read a book that rabidly proclaims everything a band does as pure genius (though I do think Givony is wrong on quite a few counts).
September 28, 2022
Pearl Jam have long divided opinion amongst music fans, even amongst their own fan base. Pearl Jam people argue and debate over the groups recording output, their favourite songs, the differing styles each of the bands drummers have brought to the studio and live shows, recordings, producers bootlegs, setlists and a whole lot more besides.
Knowing that it’s easy to see that this book is won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, like all fans, the author is a passionate Pearl jam fan and sometimes passion can be misconstrued. Perhaps that’s why there’s a few negative reviews?
I personally think it’s a terrific history of the band, the era and the politics of the time and I’d encourage any Pearl Jam person to invest their time in the pages of this book.
Knowing that it’s easy to see that this book is won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, like all fans, the author is a passionate Pearl jam fan and sometimes passion can be misconstrued. Perhaps that’s why there’s a few negative reviews?
I personally think it’s a terrific history of the band, the era and the politics of the time and I’d encourage any Pearl Jam person to invest their time in the pages of this book.
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