Considering what they did on the last tour and the track "Bushleaguer" on Riot Act, I wouldn't have been all that shocked. What strikes me as funny is the person who was shocked at the lyrics to "Bushleaguer". Did she actually pick up the last album? Its kind half spoken word so they were never that hard to understand, plus there's lyrics in the liner notes.
"You're watching FOX. Shame on you!" --Jay Sherman, The Critic
"Like an Iraqi soldier dressed in civilian clothes, Fox News has crept in under the false cover of objectivity to unleash a blitzkrieg of bias so right wing that channel-surfers often mistake it for a eugenics infomercial. The only nod at an actual exchange of ideas is Hannity bitch-slapping the hapless Colmes while slobbering permaguest Bill Bennett slowly undoes his belt buckle in anticipation of giving that liberal fucker his final comeuppance. It's enough to scare the teeth right out of Ann Coulter's vagina" ---Mr. Cranky Reviews The War Coverage
It's not like he hasnt' been slamming Bush for three years now. People just get all uppity about it because we're at war.
Seriously, if you go to a Pearl Jam concert and don't expect Eddie to bitch about the President (or John Howard at the Australia shows), then you're probably in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Pearl Jam - Live in Little Rock: 69 Days & Counting
Any true PJ fan follows the band enough to know that not only has Ed been doing this stuff in Australia and Japan, but he couldn't stand the original Bush either. It is nothing new and if people don't like the fact that there is the right to free speech in this country, I'm glad they will walk out and waste their money. Serves them right.
It's also great that at least Ed won't back down like the Dixie Chicks. He'll be the first to admit that you don't have to agree with him, but he will not be sorry for his viewpoint. Rock fucking on, Eddie.
There were close to 12,000 people at the April 1st Denver show. It’s possible two dozen left during encore but it was not noticeable amongst the 11,976 who were loudly applauding and enjoying the evening’s music. It just made a better headline to report otherwise. [You’ll note the writer doesn’t mention this in his review of the show from the day prior. And it is little more than a mention in any of the show reviews.]
Dissension is nothing we shy away from – it should just be reported about more accurately. Ed’s talk from the stage centered on the importance of freedom of speech and the importance of supporting our soldiers as well as an expression of sadness over the public being made to feel as though the two sentiments can’t occur simultaneously.
After reading that all I can say is.... god damnit!!!!... I',m looking forward to seeing PearlJam even more on May 2nd at HSBC Arena here in Buffalo (only 24 days, hehe Manical Clown)I'm so sick of free Americans having to apologise for there right to there opinion. Those supposed fans should be ashamed for walking out on PJ, anyone who follows them know that from the time they came on the scene they've been very vocal on big issues and were also major supporters of Ralph Nader in the 2000 even performing at benifits. They've always had great disdain for Bush and its mostly because he's a good ol' boy from Texas and just like I felt he would do the first chance he got, he got our country into a war. I don't understand why putting a mask of dubya' on a mic stand and slamming it to the ground constitites such a backlash from these poser fans, but I'm glad that Eddie, Jeff, Stone,Mike and Matt have enogh love, yes love for there country and patriotism and integrity to say what they feel and not back down like the other poser artists like the Dixie Chicks and Madonna, who are driven by the almighty dollar not by there own beliefs, the music world so needs more REAL people like Eddie Vedder.
"You go ahead and talk about your psalms and your "John 3:16", Well "Austin 3:16" says I just whupped your ASS!!".
o_O ... maybe hearing that he "butchered" Let It Be got to him? (shrug) He's, as far as I've heard, a psycho, so maybe this wasn't so unexpected... I'm still a little head-explodey over this, though.