What was Slash's big problem with Pearl Jam?

[Vincent Vega]

Back in the mid '90s, Slash slammed Axl in interviews by saying Axl wanted Guns to go into a Pearl Jam inspired direction. He even pointed out to Axl to Pearl Jam's troubles in 1995 with Ticketmaster with glee, showing he was "right", that Pearl Jam was failing.

What would've been so bad with going with a Pearl Jam sort of route? Pearl Jam were just as much hard rock as Guns were. They had a similar sort of sound by 1991, raw, if groovier.

[Jumpin' Jack Flash]

I'm guessing it's because they didn't have that bluesy, sleazy sound that Saul is so fond of.

Well, they really are a shitband so I don't blame him. Although, I do admire that shit they did with Ticketmaster in the mid 90s...took some balls.

[Vincent Vega]

I'm guessing it's because they didn't have that bluesy, sleazy sound that Saul is so fond of.

Well, they really are a shitband so I don't blame him. Although, I do admire that shit they did with Ticketmaster in the mid 90s...took some balls.

Yeah but their musical source of inspiration was the same as Slash's own--Led Zep, Aerosmith, crap like that.

I don't really consider Pearl Jame a "Grunge" band in the same way Nirvana are. To me, two different sounds, two different mindsets.

[level up]

Because he didn't like Pearl Jam? Slash wore an STP hat in 1995 so he must have liked them. He also thought Nirvana were 'brilliant'. He has his own style and that'd be kind of insulting, like telling someone they are pretty but that they should get a breast augmentation.

This is kind old news by the way. I'm not certain what else can be learned from a few quotes here and there. Ultimately Slash and Axl didn't get along and that was it. There were a lot of barriers and inequities and the relationship ended.

[Dead Flower]

i doubt slash had any problem with pearl jam, and i doubt axl had any desire to turn gnr into pearl jam.

[Vincent Vega]

i doubt slash had any problem with pearl jam, and i doubt axl had any desire to turn gnr into pearl jam.

Then why did Slash claim Axl wanted to?

""Everybody used to go, "What's gonna happen when Guns is no longer.. when a new fad comes along?" or whatever. And I'd be, "I don't give a fuck". And I watched it happen, and it didn't matter to me. With Axl it mattered a hell of a lot. Next thing you know, he wants to be Pearl Jam, right? Why? I hate Pearl Jam anyway, so what's the point? And it's great to watch Pearl Jam going through what they're going through, cos I'm going, "See Axl?"-- Slash, November 1995.

[Dead Flower]

Maybe Slash just pulled a popular band name out of his ass to use as an example of Axl chasing different sounds?

I mean, Pearl Jam? No one hates Pearl Jam. They are the most inoffensive band ever.

And why would Axl want GnR to be like PJ? They're both just a rock bands. McCready and Gossard both share the same influences as Slash. The biggest difference between the bands is the vocal styles of Vedder and Axl.

Just another random decade old quote that doesn't make much sense or reveal anything.

I doubt even Slash could tell you what he meant by it.

[appetite4illusions]

Because he didn't like Pearl Jam? Slash wore an STP hat in 1995 so he must have liked them. He also thought Nirvana were 'brilliant'. He has his own style and that'd be kind of insulting, like telling someone they are pretty but that they should get a breast augmentation.

Slash had made it clear on more than a few occasions that modern alternative music turned him off, the exception being Soundgarden, which he always championed.

In the years since, when asked about how he felt about STP, the only thing he said was that he thought Scott was talented; throwing the rest of the guys under the bus.

And I'd love to see a quote where Slash calls Nirvana brilliant. He took umbrage to Kurt calling his music junk. He's gone on to praise Dave Grohl as a rock icon, but not without adding "I would never expect that from a guy coming from Nirvana."

[Vincent Vega]

Maybe Slash just pulled a popular band name out of his ass to use as an example of Axl chasing different sounds?

I mean, Pearl Jam? No one hates Pearl Jam. They are the most inoffensive band ever.

And why would Axl want GnR to be like PJ? They're both just a rock bands. McCready and Gossard both share the same influences as Slash. The biggest difference between the bands is the vocal styles of Vedder and Axl.

Just another random decade old quote that doesn't make much sense or reveal anything.

I doubt even Slash could tell you what he meant by it.

Considering he DIRECTLY referenced PJ's troubles that year (1995) with Ticketmaster--as both a public example and a private one to Axl--I'd say Pearl Jam was a direction Axl wanted to take.

Here's another comment, FIVE YEARS later, in 2000, from Slash:

"This all happened in the brake between the end of the "Illusions"-tour and the proposed beginning of recordings for the next GN'R album. On the first Snakepit-record I used some ideas which were really planned for the next GN'R-record, but Axl and I disagreed on the future direction of the band. I played Axl a demo with some of my ideas for songs, and all he said was: "I don't feel like playing this kind of music." I answered: "But this could be a excellent Gunner-record, hundred percent in GN'R style." He didn't really care 'cause he only wanted to play industrial and Pearl Jam-sounding crap.

So I kept the songs for myself and went on the road with my friends to do the Snakepit-tour. Playing in small clubs and opening for bigger acts in stadiums gave me a lot of pleasure. When the moment came to return, I rather wanted to tour further with my Snakepit for a couple of months, but the record-company sort of held a gun to my head: "Slash, get off the stage, Axl wants to record the new album." When Axl and I got together, we still couldn't see eye to eye however, which made me decide to leave GN'R in October '96. "

Even Gilby said Axl wanted Guns to pursue a Pearl Jam-esque direction:

"My last conversation with [Axl] was when he called me and was trying to explain what he wanted to do. And, basically, it was: I want to change the sound of the band. You know, I want to go more into a current direction. You know, I want to use, you know, more industrial type things. You know, he was really into bands like Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails. And I just kinda laughed and said: You know, look - I want to play guitar in a loud version of The Rolling Stones, you know?" (Gilby, Spin, 07/99)

Edited December 19, 2010 by Indigo Child

[Stro]

That's pretty interesting, you know. You know, I think Pearl Jam is, you know, kinda cool, you know.

[Vincent Vega]

That's pretty interesting, you know. You know, I think Pearl Jam is, you know, kinda cool, you know.

I know, ya I know, Slash can do no or say no wrong ever, ya I know, so now, like you know, you don't like PJ anymore, cause, you know, Slash said he hates them, I know, you know.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Indigo Child

[Stro]

That was all about Gilby's crazy usage of "you know". Nothing to do with Slash. Not every single god damn fucking topic is Slash vs Axl.

[GivenToFly]

I think Axl could learn a few things from Pearl Jam today (or could have in the last few years). By that I mean accepting that the band is not the huge rockstars that everyone casually likes, but a cult phenomenon with a very loyal core fanbase. Also, drop the big stages and the standard setlists and do more intimate shows, changing the songs a lot and playing fan favorites. And most importantly, take a lesson from Pearl Jam, and market your material. We, the fans, will take anything we can get, it's not like there's something that won't sell. Live recordings, demos, remasters/remixes, iTunes releases, anything. But I don't really expect anything like this from Axl. Musically, he may say he constantly wants to move forward, but in the way he sees the music industry, he's still stuck in 1990.