Pearl Jam to stop playing Bu$hleaguer live.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

from www.theskyiscrape.com

About an hour before the PJ show in Buffalo, Mike McCready was interviewed by local radio station 103.3 The Edge. Mike said that due to the reactions of fans during the tour while Bushleaguer was being performed (he cites the boos recieved the other night at Uniondale), the band has reached a decision to no longer play the song live. (Whether it's for the rest of this tour or forever, no one knows). He goes on to say that the one thing they don't want to do is alienate their fans. Additionally, Mike remarks that the band is as American as anyone and he hopes that people won't misunderstand the meaning behind the song.



I was at the show in question here... wednesday night at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island. Eddie came out for the second encore wearing a shiny silver smoking jacket and the now infamous George W. Bush mask. The band went through Bu$hleaguer, off Riot Act, and I must say musicaly it's a very haunting song performed live (i thought it was just garbage on the cd... political affiliations aside... just not their best work musicaly). Anyway, I'll post the explanation of what happened next from the description on www.theskyiscrape.com

Tonight's show at Uniondale, NY:

setlist: Long Road, Rearviewmirror, Animal, Save You, Get Right, I Am Mine, Corduroy, Present Tense, In Hiding, Even Flow, Elderly Woman, Jeremy, You Are, I Am A Patriot, Blood, Not For You, Better Man, Porch
encore: Last Kiss, Thumbing My Way, Crazy Mary, Down, Do The Evolution, Daughter/(WMA), Alive
encore 2: Bushleaguer, Know Your Rights, Rockin' In The Free World

notes:
- During Do the Evolution, the mic cuts out and the crowd has to sing the last verse as Ed scrambles over to use Stone's mic.
- Last Kiss is played backwards for the people seated behind the stage.
- During Bushleager, Ed puts the Bush mask on the mic stand and feeds it some wine. This results in some mixed reactions from the crowd including some U-S-A chants. Ed goes off on a little tirade about his right to free speech, resulting in more mixed reactions. Pearl Jam goes on to play Know Your Rights and RitFW, after which Ed has a few more words and then slams his mic stand to the floor and walks off the stage, visibly annoyed with the crowd.

(Thanks Judd/Naveed/Shannon/Rob/Brennan!)

Over and over, people tend to think that freedom of speech also means freedom of consequence. Free speech is a two way street. You have the right to say what ever you want, and in turn I have the right to agree or disagree with what you said. If you are going to say something that might be controversial, you have to be prepared that your audience may not agree with what you said. Eddie was very immature in his actions following the booos from the crowd. After Bu$hleaguer, they went through the clash's know your rights, then neil young's keep on rocking in the free world. after free world, eddie gave a mock U-S-A chant, in response to what the crowd did to him after Bu$hleaguer, slammed his microphone stand to the ground and stormed off the stage. Within 20 seconds the house lights were on, and obviously there wasn't a chance of them comming back. I dunno... I guess if we have the right to disagree with eddie, eddie then again has the right to get annoyed with us and walk of the stage in a very Axl Rose-esque moment

 

[martha]

This whole U-S-A thing is such bullshit. I'm so sick of all these "Americans" drowning out opposition and protest using their "patriotism" as an excuse. If we continue in this vein, Ashcroft will easily outlaw opposing viewpoints, and these idiots will roll over and let him do it.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I don't have much to say about the issue, but about the setlist -

Last Kiss is played backwards? How on earth is that done?
I'm glad they put the WMA tag onto Daughter.
Ending with RITFW rather than Yellow Ledbetter
CRAZY MARY back in the set!!!
IN HIDING!!!!!
And they began with Long Road and RVM. Killer, killer.

Ok, back on topic, will ye!

 

[STING2]

I just got back from the show at Penn State! Pearl Jam played for nearly a whopping 4 HOURS! It was actually 3 hours and 25 minutes to be exact, but still! Bushleaguer was not played.

Eddie briefly got a little controversial and got some boos from the crowd. Interestingly, he spent a good bit of time talking about a member of the Roadcrew who had just been activated to go to Iraq. He wanted everyone to applaud his service and wish him well.

MARTHA,

I'm sick of the rather hypocritical tone from people who are the left or anti-Bush towards others that support the President and are vocal about it. If one person or 10,000 people want to scream USA, that is their right!

"If we continue in this vein, Ashcroft will easily outlaw opposing viewpoints, and these idiots will roll over and let him do it."

So if your patriotic, support Bush and believe in his goals, your an Idiot? I hope I have not learned something new about liberals. I suppose you wish "Bush Patriots" aka "idiots" would simply roll over and let the liberals have their agenda. Sorry, I'm not going to do that!

 

[martha]

MARTHA,

I'm sick of the rather hypocritical tone from people who are the left or anti-Bush towards others that support the President and are vocal about it. If one person or 10,000 people want to scream USA, that is their right!

"If we continue in this vein, Ashcroft will easily outlaw opposing viewpoints, and these idiots will roll over and let him do it."

So if your patriotic, support Bush and believe in his goals, your an Idiot? I hope I have not learned something new about liberals. I suppose you wish "Bush Patriots" aka "idiots" would simply roll over and let the liberals have their agenda. Sorry, I'm not going to do that!

Of course people can scream out anything they like! I support their right to do so.

The idiots are the ones who blindly chant U-S-A in response to anything they don't agree with, thereby drowning out any real debate on the issues with which they disagree. It seems that some kind of "patriotic" chant is frequently the only response to any challenge to Bush and the policies of his administration lately.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

yertle- they meant the band was backwards so as to face the crowd behind the stage, who had seen the bands backs for the entire show up to that point.

back to the matter of hand...

thank you sting. that is exactly my point. eddie has the right to his opinion. but we inturn have the right to not agree with his opinion. it goes back and forth. if he has the right to talk down and insult the president, which he 100% does, then we as the crowd in turn has the right to boooo eddie if we don't agree with him.

yes... people have the right to dissent. if you want to disagree with the war/bush's policies, whatever... that's fine. I believe it was Voltaire who said "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." But that goes both ways. I have the right to agree with the President, to support Bush, to agree with his policies, and the right to boooo a man i'm paying money to see if he says/does something that i do not agree with.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Of course people can scream out anything they like! I support their right to do so.

The idiots are the ones who blindly chant U-S-A in response to anything they don't agree with, thereby drowning out any real debate on the issues with which they disagree. It seems that some kind of "patriotic" chant is frequently the only response to any challenge to Bush and the policies of his administration lately.

how, perhaps, would you like a crowd of 20,000 to respond instead... one at a time in a nice, calm town hall style meeting?

it's a person's right to feel that someone disrespecting an image of the President of the United States to be unpatriotic. Eddie obviously didn't agree, and I guess that's his right to. He mocked the crowd with his own "U-S-A" chant after RitFW, right before slamming his microphone stand to the ground and walking off the stage,

sincerly,
blind idiot

 

[verte76]

It seems like this was something Pearl Jam *decided* to do. They may feel that putting a political song in their set is kind of a pain because the political atmosphere is tense. I don't like some of the stuff that's going on either, Clear Channel banning the Dixie Chicks is one thing. To protest some of us are buying Dixie Chicks CD's. However, Pearl Jam decided, on their own, that playing Bushleager wasn't such a great idea because of all of the emotion and tension in the political climate these days. I've felt some strong emotions myself, especially over the whole artifacts debacle. Hell, some Iraqis are more rational about this stuff than I am. PJ just wants to give their fans some fun and I guess they think Bushleager doesn't fit in right now. I haven't heard anything about PJ getting banned anywhere or whatever. That would piss me off. Their decision not to play a particular song because they don't think it fits in right now does not.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it's been a slow decline for Bu$hleaguer... they played it first in Denver, on the opening night of the tour. Some people walked out, it got reported in the papers, but it was apparently blown out of proportion.
They played it again in Nashville, I'm guessing due to the whole uproar over the Dixie Chicks and all . I dunno how it went there.
I deffinetly know what happened when they played it wenesday night on long island though... and it was pretty ugly. it's no coincidence that after that show they immediately pull it from consideration for any future playlists.

 

[verte76]

Well, headache, like I said, it just obviously is not working in their shows, and they've decided to take it out. That happens in this business, and I'm sure they accept it as part of their deal with their fans. I think Pearl Jam has always really respected their fans. It's not like anyone is demanding that the band change their personal views on Iraq or Bush. Some of them simply don't like this song. That's cool.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

For the record, I love the album Riot Act. I just bought it today.

And you may now return to your regularly scheduled discussion.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

from what is now to be the last ever performance of Bu$hleaguer, from Wednesday April 30, 2003, @ the Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island... right before Eddie doused the mask with wine, cigatrettes, kissed it, spit on it, and tossed it away to the side...

on a side note... his jacket is very ZooTV Bono-esque

 

[sharky]

geez, did eddie raid the Mirrorball Man's closet? sing what you want eddie, but at least do something creative.

as for the USA chants, martha I agree with you. I was at the Yankees game on Thursday and in between innings they played an excerpt of Bush's speech saying we won the war with Iraq. In the bleachers [where I was] the crowd started chanting "U-S-A" while my cousin and I simultaneously started chanting "Where's bin Laden?" It made me a little nauseous thinking about these New Yorkers who had been devastated 18 months ago to support a war that wasn't even about securing terrorists so we wouldn't be afraid in this city anymore.

As for PJ, if you don't agree with Eddie's politics, why are you at a Pearl Jam show? You should know that is what he's going to do. I doubt many Pro-lifers would go to a PJ show for the same reason. But as mentioned, the First Amendment protects everyone. The government supporters, the government rejectors and everyone in between. I find Eddie's position that his First Amendment right is better than others more disturbing than what exactly he is saying.

 

[martha]

sincerly,
blind idiot

I doubt you are a blind idiot. Like I said, it's the chant as a replacement for discussion that I don't like. And, no, I don't expect thousands of fans to debate as one voice, but I doubt that many of those chanting simply to drown out opposition really have any ideas other than U-S-A. That's their reaction to anything they don't like. Ask them what they meant. I have a hunch they'll question you own patriotism rather than answer the question. We've seen this all over the country lately.

 

[nbcrusader]

Like I said, it's the chant as a replacement for discussion that I don't like.

I agree that chants are not the most sophisticated form of speech - certainly not a replacement for discussion.

Do you hold the same opinion of the chants used during, for example, anti-war rallys?

 

[verte76]

I don't particularly like the idea of them broadcasting a Bush speech at the ballpark. Ballparks are for baseball, not politics. If I'd been at that ballgame I would have been pissed too.

 

[martha]

Do you hold the same opinion of the chants used during, for example, anti-war rallys?

No, nor would I object to the U-S-A chant at a pro-war rally. That's the point of rallys. When the screaming and chanting is used to shut the oppostion up, that's when I object, especially when it's disguised as patriotism.

 

[nbcrusader]

When the screaming and chanting is used to shut the oppostion up, that's when I object

Isn't that a subjective standard? I would imagine it would be hard to drown out Pearl Jam, given they are the ones with the microphones.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

As for PJ, if you don't agree with Eddie's politics, why are you at a Pearl Jam show? You should know that is what he's going to do. I doubt many Pro-lifers would go to a PJ show for the same reason.

So now if I don't agree with someone's politics, I can't be a fan of their artistic talent? I'm pro-life, anti-abortion, whatever the heck you want to call it, too. But that won't stop me from attending a Pearl Jam show. I don't agree with a lot of the things the Pope says, but that won't stop me from being a Catholic. I feel sorry for anyone who would just not be a fan of something, not attend a concert, event, etc. just because they didn't believe in the same politics as the person performing.

 

[martha]

Isn't that a subjective standard? I would imagine it would be hard to drown out Pearl Jam, given they are the ones with the microphones.

No.


What I objected to was the chanting of U-S-A. I'm getting tired of that being used as a final answer for these people. If they disagree with something, they chant U-S-A, assuming that those with whom they disagree somehow don't support their country. Go ahead and boo; I think that's a more honest response that simply wrapping yourself in the flag.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

So now if I don't agree with someone's politics, I can't be a fan of their artistic talent? I'm pro-life, anti-abortion, whatever the heck you want to call it, too. But that won't stop me from attending a Pearl Jam show. I don't agree with a lot of the things the Pope says, but that won't stop me from being a Catholic. I feel sorry for anyone who would just not be a fan of something, not attend a concert, event, etc. just because they didn't believe in the same politics as the person performing.

Well said, Headache.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

What I objected to was the chanting of U-S-A. I'm getting tired of that being used as a final answer for these people. If they disagree with something, they chant U-S-A, assuming that those with whom they disagree somehow don't support their country. Go ahead and boo; I think that's a more honest response that simply wrapping yourself in the flag.

I agree, martha. I get tired of being called anti-American simply because I'm anti-war. The only concluson I can draw from those allegations of being anti-American is that people find it easy to simply accuse a person of being prejudiced agaist America, rather than actually having a discussion about why that person is opposed to some of the actions taken by the United States.

 

[STING2]

Sharky,

"geez, did eddie raid the Mirrorball Man's closet? sing what you want eddie, but at least do something creative."

"as for the USA chants, martha I agree with you. I was at the Yankees game on Thursday and in between innings they played an excerpt of Bush's speech saying we won the war with Iraq. In the bleachers [where I was] the crowd started chanting "U-S-A" while my cousin and I simultaneously started chanting "Where's bin Laden?" It made me a little nauseous thinking about these New Yorkers who had been devastated 18 months ago to support a war that wasn't even about securing terrorists so we wouldn't be afraid in this city anymore."

"As for PJ, if you don't agree with Eddie's politics, why are you at a Pearl Jam show? You should know that is what he's going to do. I doubt many Pro-lifers would go to a PJ show for the same reason. But as mentioned, the First Amendment protects everyone. The government supporters, the government rejectors and everyone in between. I find Eddie's position that his First Amendment right is better than others more disturbing than what exactly he is saying"

It makes me a little nauseous when people fail to appreciate the threat that Saddam posed to the region and the world as so clearly demontrated by history, and fail to recognize the accomplishments of our Service Men and Women who have removed this serious threat.

Your safe in New York City and going to baseball games today partly because right now there are 8,000 US service men and women in Afghanistan who work day and night in difficult conditions hunting for members of Al Quada. Their doing an excellent job! How many times has New York City been attacked in the past 18 months? The ones chanting USA know.

Since your so obessed with one person, Bin Ladin, I wonder if you would approve of a military invasion of Iran to get him, if he is indeed alive and hiding there? If Bin Ladin is dead, which is a likely possibility, he may be underneath a 100 feet of ruble and dirt and won't be found for another 5,000 years.

I think its rather silly that you have to agree with a musicians politics to like and enjoy their music. If in five years Eddie Vedder changed his mind on abortion and became a pro-lifer, would you stop listening to his music?

 

[80sU2isBest]

Good points, Sting2.

 

[BVS]

It makes me a little nauseous when people fail to appreciate the threat that Saddam posed to the region and the world as so clearly demontrated by history, and fail to recognize the accomplishments of our Service Men and Women who have removed this serious threat.

Your safe in New York City and going to baseball games today partly because right now there are 8,000 US service men and women in Afghanistan who work day and night in difficult conditions hunting for members of Al Quada. Their doing an excellent job! How many times has New York City been attacked in the past 18 months? The ones chanting USA know.

This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread. Yes the troops have done a great job. But it has nothing to do with Bushleaguer, Pearl Jam, or anything else in this thread. Pearl Jam didn't say they didn't support the troops anywhere in that song, no one even suggested anything of the sort.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the thing that they have to realize, pearl jam and anyone else really, is that if they voice strong, at times disrespectful opinions against the commander-in-chief durring a time of war, they're going to be thought of by some, right or wrong, as being anti-american. i happen to disagree with this thinking. i think eddie's right to say or sing whatever he wants is one of the most american things out there, even though i disagree with what he did/said in this particular instance.

 

[martha]

If in five years Eddie Vedder changed his mind on abortion and became a pro-lifer, would you stop listening to his music?

Probably. I stopped listening to Steel Pulse when they went off the right-wing deep end. I couldn't stand their anti-woman lyrics, so I stopped buying their records. I don't buy Toby Keith records, either.



edit: typing issues

 

[martha]

And STING2 proves our point. We must not think a whole lot of our troops if we don't scream out the initials of our country at a ball game or a concert.

 

[martha]

The ones chanting USA know.

I doubt it. They know that if they yell loud enough, they don't have to hear the other side.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Probably. I stopped listening to Steel Pulse when they went off the right-wing deep end. I couldn't stand their anti-woman lyrics, so I stopped buying their records. I don't buy Toby Keith records, either.

Just out of curiosity, would you only stop listening to Pearl Jam if they actually expressed pro-life views in their music, or just if one of their members were to state that they were pro-life in an interview? Not that I can ever imagine that happening, of course.