[Pearl Jam] Concert-goers jam exits after anti-Bush display

Rocky Mountain News ^ | 040303 | Mark Brown

[dep]

Incensed fans walked out of Pearl Jam's concert Tuesday after lead singer Eddie Vedder impaled a mask of President Bush on a microphone stand, then slammed it to the stage.

Most of Vedder's antiwar remarks earlier in the Pepsi Center show were greeted with mixed cheers and scattered boos. But dozens of angry fans walked out during the encore because of the macabre display with the Bush mask, which he wore for the song Bushleaguer, a Bush- taunting song from the band's latest album, Riot Act.

"When he was sharing his political views in a fairly benign manner - supporting our troops, opposing policy - that's OK," said Keith Zimmerman, of Denver.

"When he takes what looks like the head of George Bush on a stick, then throws it to the stage and stomps on it, that's just unacceptable. I love Pearl Jam, but that was just way over the edge. We literally got up and left."

Others joined Zimmerman, some complaining about the lyrics of Bushleaguer, which in part call Bush "a confidence man" and say, "He's not a leader / he's a Texas leaguer."

"I wasn't sure if it was really happening," said Kim Mueller. "We looked at each other and realized he really did have George Bush's head on a stick and was waving it in the air, then slam-med it to the ground and step-ped on it."

"It was like he decapitated someone in a primal ritual and stuck their head on a stick," Zimmerman said. "It kinda blows away the Dixie Chicks."

The Dixie Chicks were the target of boycotts and bannings after making an anti-Bush statement on a London stage in March. (On Wednesday, the Marshall Tucker Band announced it would play a May 1 concert in Spartanburg, S.C., as an alternative to the U.S. tour-opening show in nearby Greenville by the Dixie Chicks that same day.)

Vedder has used the Bush mask in previous shows in Australia and Japan, but Denver's U.S. tour opener was the first show since war broke out in Iraq.

Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis couldn't be reached for comment. The Seattle band plays Oklahoma City tonight.

Before Do the Evolution, Vedder told the crowd the tale of a Vietnam vet who expressed severe reservations about war in Iraq to Vedder. The singer was incensed when someone in the crowd yelled, "Shut up!"

"Did someone just say, 'Shut up'? I don't know if you heard about this thing called freedom of speech, man. It's worth thinking about it, because it's going away," Vedder said. "In the last year of being able to use it, we're sure as (expletive) going to use it and I'm not gonna apologize."

Later in the show, he added to that.

"Just to clarify . . . we support the troops," Vedder said to cheers. "Our problem is certainly not with anybody over there doing something that not too many of us would do right now, not for these reasons.

"So to the families and those people who know those folks and are related to those folks and are married to those folks, we send our support. We're just confused on how wanting to bring them back safely all of a sudden becomes nonsupport. We love them, we support them. They're not the ones who make the foreign policy. . . . Let's hope for the best and speak our opinions."

It was after that when Vedder put on the Bush mask and a sparkling silver jacket. He took off the mask, mounted it on the mike stand, then slammed it to the floor.

[elfman2]

"If an "artist" promotes their politics in their 'free time' thats one thing, but as GA Rob said, when it becomes part of their performance thats a different story. "

Sorry, but it has to go a step further than that because art at its core is a medium of communication. Though skills across various crafts and technologies, art empowers its creator to promotes a message and evoke a public reaction. That's the essence of art.

Recognizing that, it's the artist's responsibility to restrict using the notoriety and fame from one "message" to communicate another if he wants the two to be viewed independently. An artist promoting his politics while being interviewed for his music, is like an Islamic cleric promoting jihad while addressing his congregation (or whatever it's called in Islam). Just as the cleric can't shield criticism of his church behind a freedom of religion ideal, the artist can't shield criticism of his performances behind a "separate the artist from the art" ideal. That's because the two are too closely related. There's not clear distinction from the expression of values and the promotion of values.

Every artist (and cleric) of course has a right to espouse his personal views. But it's his responsibility to exercise desecration in their promotion if the wants to keep the independence of his art. He must strive to not mix the promotion of one with the other. He must not use public appearances that are made possible only by his art to promote his politics. It's of course inevitable that people will place greater weight on is private opinions due to his fame, and that's fine, but it's his responsibility to resist temptation and refrain from publicly expressing his politics if he wants to protect his art from opposition to it.

[wardaddy]

You're too kind. Slingshots and .50 caliber lead balls.

[Ga Rob]

That's my plan....thanks!! I am not going to throw away $90 just to make some statement, the band already has my money. Plus this will be the last concert for quite along while...new baby June 5, after that....any money that would be spent on a concert can go in the college fund.

[shhrubbery!]

What do you expect from a band with an X-rated moniker?

[Conservative til I die]

"Did someone just say, 'Shut up'? I don't know if you heard about this thing called freedom of speech, man. It's worth thinking about it, because it's going away," Vedder said.

LOL. You know, I just went 10 rounds with some Pearl Jam fan on usenet who said the exact same thing. Do you have to be a liberal or just have a teenager's mindset to think that someone responding to your free speech with someo of his own = suppression of freedom of speech?

[College Repub]

The name comes from Ed's Great Grandmother Pearl. She had a recipe for jam that would make people hallucinate. Hence, Pearl's Jam.

[Ga Rob]

But that is sorta my point. I do not care what they do...drugs, have sex with animals, vote DEM or GREEN. I enjoy music for the sheer enjoyment. I have seen over 500 concerts in my life, starting with Bob Dylan when I was 4(long story).

I guess it goes back to my raising by my GranPa(RIP). He always taught me to be your own man, don't let other people define who you are. I never identify with the artists really....I just love the music, any music, that's me.

[=Intervention=]

Part of music is the lyrics. The lyrics reveal what the artist thinks is important. That's the reason why I don't go to see some bands, while other bands, I do. I find it difficult to enjoy a band that's promulgating a message that's B.s.

-=I=-

[PizzaDriver]

These fools misunderstand their "Free Speach Rights.

They are protected, only, from Government Reaction.
Yet they expect "a polite audience", and undying loyalty from everyone. They want the Constitution to protect them from Public Opinion & from their own foolish excesses.

[God luvs America]

Freep their message board, they moved it...


http://forums.sonymusic.com/forum.jsp?forum=489&code=smobbs

[Teacher317]

I think you're being a bit too mysterious for the liberal lurkers around here. The subtle nuances of your post may be lost on their intellectual capacities. Please do try to communicate your feelings more clearly in the future. ;^)

[shhrubbery!]

The name comes from Ed's Great Grandmother Pearl. She had a recipe for jam that would make people hallucinate. Hence, Pearl's Jam.

Cute cover story. Don't tell me you believe it.

[Let's Roll]

Vedder, good for you, you exercised your First Amendment rights and your audience/CD purchasers will now exercise their right to stop putting money in your pocket.

[College Repub]

It's true.

[Skooz]

Jefferson Airplane do Volunteers...........

I met the Airplane's lead guitarist, Jorma Kaukenen and spent a lot of time with him several years ago. He's a really great guy. He seems quite conservative and is a proud American. He raises the US flag every morning at his guitar camp and keeps a calendar of US military victories: "Ahh...this is the anniversary of (some such Revolutionary War battle). On this day 198 years ago, we kicked the Brits' a$$...."

I also understand he has a pretty decent gun collection.

[al_c]

Pearl Jam is still around? I thought they disappeared after Vedder's grammy "speech" when he said, "This award means nothing to me. It would've meant something to my dad but he's dead" then wallked off stage.

What a class act he is.

[Pharmboy]

PJ Ping...

[Gasshog]

pearl jam=semen

The semen luvers at the message board are daring anyone to come "troll" on the holy ground of their god pearljam as they worshhip them

[wardaddy]

That's nice to hear. I always liked his licks...especially when he and Cassady went off to Hot Tuna as well. That grungy metal album they did...yellow cover??....nice.

Regards.

[Ranier Wolfcastle]

...this is what was interesting about Pearl Jam's venture into radio. In between cuts, a male monotone voice oozing vulgar Marxism droned on about manipulation of the media, the evils of corporations, and the sins of America generally. The recorded voice belonged to Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Noam Chomsky, the linguistic theorist and hard-core leftist whose career has bizarrely branched into the music business....is now working on an album that combines Chomsky readings with original music by REM, Pearl Jam, and other groups.
-Heterodoxy, March, 1996.