This June 1st article by Greg Wyshynski makes the following statement.
Eddie Vedder and the boys were on top of the world in the early 1990s, and then suffered public indifference and critical blasting for the next decade. But they kept making the albums they wanted to make, and touring around in sold-out shows their true fans. Now, despite not having appeared in an MTV video since the "Ten” album, PJ has become a cult sensation on the road – "Entertainment Weekly" just did a piece on the band's massive touring success – and its latest album was well-received both critically and financially.
By being the band they want to be, Pearl Jam is relevant again. And by finally ignoring what others think it should be and where it should be seen, the NHL is starting to build that same kind of street cred.
I'm a big-time fan of both Pearl Jam and the NHL and I've never cared one iota what the public and media thought of either. My love of both is strictly based on an appreciation for the product. When Pearl Jam's sales began to fall over the past decade, I was still there spinning the discs and buying tickets to the shows. When the United States all but abandoned our national sport, I was there not giving a shit.
Pearl Jam and the NHL are indeed a lot alike. They stayed true to the trade, made the grade and in the clubs and the pubs their records were played. In the end, that has made all the difference. Spin the black circle... both of you forever more.
