Spiritwalker Site Forum

Pearl Jam and the Bush mask episode...

dreamtime - 4-4-2003 at 06:41 AM

From BBC News:

April, 03, 2003

Dozens of fans walked out of a Pearl Jam concert in the US after singer Eddie Vedder impaled a mask of President Bush on a microphone stand.

Several members of the audience booed and shouted for Vedder to shut up as he told the crowd he was against the war and Mr Bush.

The incident happened during the encore of the band's opening show of a US tour in Denver, Colorado.

Vedder had used the Bush mask at previous shows in Australia and Japan, said that the band was behind the efforts of US soldiers in Iraq.

"Just to clarify... we support the troops," he said. "We're just confused on how wanting to bring them back safely all of a sudden becomes non-support. "We love them. They're not the ones who make the foreign policy. Let's hope for the best and speak our opinions."

But it was too much for some fans who left the venue in protest.

One, Kim Mueller, told Denver's Rocky Mountain News: "I wasn't sure if it was really happening.

"We looked at each other and realised he really did have George Bush's head on a stick and was waving it in the air, then slammed it to the ground and stepped on it."

Madonna has reacted to criticism of her video. Fan Keith Zimmerman added: "It was like he decapitated someone in a primal ritual and stuck their head on a stick."

Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis was not available for comment.

Pearl Jam are the latest music artists to get caught up in controversy about the war in Iraq.

Country superstars the Dixie Chicks have had their CDs destroyed and their shows boycotted after singer Natalie Maines said the group was ashamed of President Bush.

Madonna is withdrawing a promotional video for her forthcoming single, which shows her in combat gear and a grenade being hurled at a Mr Bush lookalike.










[Edited on 4-4-2003 by dreamtime]

Homer - 4-4-2003 at 07:58 AM

Pearl Jam sucks. I've never understood what the big deal was about them anyway and now they're still playing grunge music 11 years after that trend ended,

The Chixie Dicks, er, I mean "Dixie Chicks" are just a case of someone speaking without thinking first and know they're backpedaling to try and cover their redneck asses,

as far as Madonna, ... there needs to be a yawning or gagging smiley here for Madonna ... her heyday is LONG since over with now. She's just trying to get publicity any way she can to try and revive her longdead career and sell more records that have all sounded the same for almost twenty years now ...

what's that old expression, something about "There's no such thing as bad publicity"? ...

... gag me with a spoon ...

[Edited on 4-4-2003 by Homer]

moya - 4-4-2003 at 09:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtime"Just to clarify... we support the troops," he said. "We're just confused on how wanting to bring them back safely all of a sudden becomes non-support. "We love them. They're not the ones who make the foreign policy. Let's hope for the best and speak our opinions."


says it all

romi - 4-4-2003 at 11:24 AM

America - Land of the freedom and the free speech.... :lol: This makes me laugh..... I don't know where is that America. I can't find it in the map.
Like this one... God save America .... :lol: First America fuck the world when wants, and then pray to God to save the country.
What an amazing fucking contradiction.

Cultpjfan - 4-4-2003 at 12:05 PM

Again.......
It's someone elses opinion.
Freedom of speech and all that.
Fuck the War....Fuck George Bush,Fuck Saddam,Fuck Blair.
There is neither a right or a wrong side to all this.
It was inevitable from the day one,deal with it,it's happening.
And as for Pearl Jam still playing grunge 11 years after the fact....sorry Homer but your wrong on that one,they mellowed out and don't play as they once did.
I'd rather Pearl Jam play than Pink.
Go figure.
Anywaym
Pub time.
Thanks for making my blood boil.
And to quote Eddie......
I know I was born and I know I will die,the inbetween is mine.
I AM MINE.

Planet Girl - 4-4-2003 at 07:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by romi
America - Land of the freedom and the free speech.... :lol: This makes me laugh..... I don't know where is that America. I can't find it in the map.
Like this one... God save America .... :lol: First America fuck the world when wants, and then pray to God to save the country.
What an amazing fucking contradiction.


Obviously..u r Euro..TRASH

Obviously , a french sympathizer.

Go and eat your cheese. I will Send Burt Simpson after you later.

And hey whoever you are...Americans are here....Ready Willing..Waiting


To shed our blood for YOU...


always have been alwaywilll

U make me sick .

Planet Girl



get a life you little ....hey ....bh says i can't say it,...................................:flame::flame::flame::flame::flame::flame:

BlackHeaven - 4-5-2003 at 01:17 AM

Calm down Angel:angel:
Its ok, we know Americas great, Does anyone elses opinion really matter?
Lets go Napalm something:cool:

romi - 4-5-2003 at 03:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Planet Girl

U make me sick .



Then puke, or try to see a doctor.

LAND OF THE FREEDOM AND OF THE FREE SPEECH...... BULLSHIT.

dotmusic.com

munki - 4-8-2003 at 05:01 AM

Pearl Jam have denied reports that there was a mass exodus at the band's show in Denver recently, after frontman Eddie Vedder spoke about the conflict in Iraq.

It was claimed last week that a noticeable walk-out took place at the gig on Tuesday, following Vedder's comments on the importance of freedom of speech, in relation to the ongoing war.

However, the band have issued a statement contradicting the original story, which was printed in Denver's 'Rocky Mountain News', insisting they are not frightened of "dissension".

They did not chose to deny reports that Vedder put on a mask of US president George W Bush, before impaling it on a microphone stand and throwing it to the ground.

The statement reads: "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. Dissension is nothing we shy away from - it should just be reported about more accurately."

The band conclude: "Ed's talk from the stage centered [sic] 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."

JayRoberto - 4-8-2003 at 06:42 AM

There's always more than one side to a story ...

Government + media = ppl driven like cattle.

JRoberto

gabewave - 4-8-2003 at 07:33 AM

Once again JayRoberto your voice of reason rings strong truth. Damn dude, you truly are one of the few great people left in this world.

romi - 4-8-2003 at 09:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by gabewave
you truly are one of the few great people left in this world.


Both of you. ;)