I think out of the four if Mike said he had to leave for health reasons or something but he really wanted them to carry on they would. I think if Stone or Jeff left they would be pissed if the others kept going. Jeff for sure would be really offended even if publicly he said differently that fucker is a hot head. Can't replace Ed. Well they could but it would be a disaster.

An All Encompassing Trip angle?

No, you're right, which is why I'm torn about the band these days. I do still try my absolute best to appreciate everything I can about their output but I don't get to go to many shows so that's pretty much all I have.

Yeah I can't see them continuing if anyone left. Even Matt.

agreed

Ed goes way out of his way to constantly complement Matt.

It's more than just "Matt's a great drummer".

It's also "I am a vain asshole that has now alienated every member of this band and without Matt here to quietly validate my ego-maniacism, the power dynamic in the band would shift against my favor, as the band would not accept my proposed appointee/replacement; and rather than having to actually get to know and respect a new member of the band who may have an interest in the production of music as art with a purpose other than exercising one's vanity, I would rather just run off solo and retain complete control and be embraced by the mindless merch- buying mouth-breathing hordes to bask in my aroma of my own spray-tanned glory; and the rest of the band will acquiesce to that because none of them actually totally lost themselves like I did during the post-riot act conformism grab"

I seriously love your enthusiasm. I hope you never change, 96583UP.

you complete me

now where we're we... oh yeah:

"Let's all give a hand for the greatest drummer in the world, Matt Cameron"

is code for

"Yesss Matt, Yessss. We looove you Matt, I looove you - you would neeever leave people who looove you, right? Sure we respect your connection to Soundgarden, and support you in your artistic choices in aaaany way you see fit. But all I'm saying is, why would you want to even temporarily leave a group that is so supporting and loving and nurturing...? Everything you could ever want is right here- in the temporal nexus! ... But, yesssss "Nudedragons, 4-evah!" ah ha ta ta ta ta! Jean Tripplehorn and I find them sooo amusing. To think they were once called "Frowngarden", oh-me-oh-my! ... Here Matt, have some more turkish delight. Don't you just love turkish delight?"

Matt: "Well, I was thinking of recording another album with Chris and Ben and Kim in 2015 - you know, after the tour dies down and all - hey, that turkish delight is pretty good, I think I'll grab another piece of--"

Ed: "NOOOO, ahem, I mean, that's all for now my boy. that's all for now. say, how's about we go out there for the first encore and start with a good old version of The Fixer, hmm?? Then you can have some more turkish delight."

Matt: "Well, OK mister. That sounds pretty good. Jam on!"

The funny thing is they do it for the reactions.

96583UP speaks truth.

I can't see the band continuing if any of them left, but I can see one of Mike, Jeff, Stone not wanting to tour, but still record as a band. They'd handpick their touring replacement, pay him a modest sum per show, then 1099 him at the end of the year. He could also keep all the quarters 10C members throw at him during the show.

Honestly? They could really lose anybody besides Ed.

Would they stay together if they did? No probably not, but in terms of could they?

Honestly all of the band members are pretty expendable. Probably from most to least expendable it's Boom, then Jeff, then Stone, then Mike though. Jeff really doesn't add all that much, and Stone and Mike are good but honestly neither are all that great. Stone's best stuff seems to have been his song-writing since I know he did a lot of the earlier songs. But since he does less now anyways, it doesn't matter as much.

But really anybody besides Eddie Vedder could go and they could pretty easily continue. Not that any of them are bad, but none of them are good enough to be irreplaceable like a Slash or something.

By 'best' I meant one thing, that their songs would be more interesting (most of the band members have a better imagination than Ed). In actual fact their 'dynamic' would be ruined and they'd split up if Ed left because the band is (sadly) all about Ed's whims now.

Speaking totally hypothetically, if you said to me "You have to pick four of the five members of Pearl Jam to make an album without the fifth. What group of four would you most be interested in hearing what they came up with?" I absolutely would be most interested in hearing what Stone, Jeff, Matt, and Mike would come up with. Honestly, you can even drop Mike from that. I'd love to hear a record made by Stone, Jeff, and Matt.

I'm kind of ready for some of that imagination from the band now myself. I think Ed if he wants to can go that direction just as well as anyone in the band. I just don't think that is where his head is right now. I'd like them to do a 180 on the next record. I'm ready for it.

A thousand times this.

Stone or Matt on vocals? Or instrumental?

I would imagine they'd both end up performing vocals on it, but it could very possibly end up being largely instrumental as well.

I absolutely agree. I don't think Lightning Bolt is life-endingly bad, I really don't. But I just want some engagement and genuinely interesting ideas. I'm bored of just having my ears superficially tickled by this band, I want them to peg me.

Yup.

I know I've slated Matt a lot but I really have been impressed with Matt's drumming: in his earlier stuff with PJ (even live), in his drumming with Soundgarden, and especially in Hater. When I saw that interview snippet when he said he enjoys making records more than playing live, it literally hurt. Because I know. I can hear it.