July 23, 2020: Sometimes I Burn Like a Dot on the Sun (Read on the Porch, Episode 63)

Hi Jessi and Kate,

I started to really get into Pearl Jam just after they released Riot Act. However, it was one of the last of their records I listened to as I was collecting their catalog. I'm not sure why some of the community will go as far to say they dislike Riot Act, but I think for many it's not so much hated as it is overlooked. Maybe it's because the tracks that seldom get discussed like Cropduster, Get Right, Ghost and Help Help, seem to not hold up as strongly as the "lesser tracks" on many of their other records. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy pretty much every track on Riot Act, but I rarely find myself putting any of those songs on a playlist.

I actually got the Live at the Garden DVD before I bought Riot Act. At that time I didn't know many of the tracks other than Save You and I Am Mine. You Are really stood out when I first watched Live at the Garden, and it still continues to. It was my favorite performance out of the setlist from that show. I honestly think that performance sounds better than the recorded version. When I hear the song, I get the vision of strobe lights up until Ed sings "sometimes I burn like a dot on the sun." I then get the image of looking up at the sun beating down on me as Boom's keyboard resonates behind Ed's vocals. I fully agree this song is truly unique. There really isn't another song like it in the catalog. I love the comment you guys had calling this Matt F'n Cameron's masterpiece. I really dig a lot of Matt's songs, but this is probably my favorite.

One more thing, Jessi. I hear you on 1/2 Full. It continues to grow on me. I love Mike's "Red Mosquito" like performance and the aggressiveness in Ed's vocals. I hope you guys cover that song in a future episode.

Forced to endure, what I could not forgive,

Chris

Comments

December 26, 2020: Someday at Christmas

Hi Brad and Brad, First, I hope you guys have had a Happy Holidays. Secondly, I really enjoy your solo episodes. They have a deejay format to them which also feels personable in getting to know each of your lives and what has influenced you to be who you are now. I hadn't taken the time to get to know Someday at Christmas until after listening to BradB's recent episode. Pearl Jam does a great job in covering the song, and I prefer Stevie Wonder's version over the Jackson 5. Especially, after reading the lyrics and reading some interpretations of the song. At the time the song was released, the Vietnam War was still underway. The lyrics seem to voice opposition to the war itself, but also express the hope for racial and economic equality. Unfortunately, that message still resonates strongly. Stevie Wonder was one of the artists that shaped my musical interests when I was a teenager. I'm very glad the guys chose to cover this song for a Christmas single and have

October 17, 2010: RIP Mozart for Guitar

Hi Brad and Brad, I first want to mention that I can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did while listening to you two and Clint Wells go on about spoonfuls of flour and uncooked spaghetti. I almost had to pull my car over as I was driving home during that part of the episode! Since Eddie Van Halen passed away on October 6th, I've been listening to a lot of Van Halen. I didn't really get into them until 10-15 years ago, but I consider them to be one of my favorite bands of all-time. Eddie was truly an innovator on shredding guitar solos and may be my favorite lead guitarist ever. I saw Mike's comment on Pearl Jam's Twitter feed referencing how he began playing guitar shortly after their first record came out. He goes so far to say "it sounded like Eddie was from another planet" and "Eddie was like Mozart for guitar. Changed everything and he played with Soul." I know the guys have covered Van Halen here-and-there and I looked

December 31, 2020: Low Light

Hi Jessi and Kate, I have been way behind on my podcasts the last several weeks. The main reason is because myself and a friend started our own podcast! It's not Pearl Jam themed , however it's consumed a decent amount of my week preparing for each recording. So we now have a hit on the Dink-O-Meter for both of you. First Jessi and now Kate! I can't remember if I have proposed the Dink-O-Meter to you yet, but I have it as a three-tiered system: Dinky: Just your average dinky, will only skip if streaming Rinky-Dinky: Automatic skipper, even when listening to vinyl Stinky-Dinky: It's like nails on a chalkboard to you Based on Jessi's response to Parachutes, I have that somewhere between Rinky-Dinky and Stinky-Dinky. I would have to let Jessi be the final judge on that. For Kate's remarks to Low Light, I have it somewhere between Dinky and Rinky-Dinky, however I'm inclined to believe it's closer to Dinky because I wasn't able to note as many hot

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