Expectations can kill any music, good or bad. Pearl Jam has been the victim of high expectations ever since their first album 'Ten'. 'No Code' was a turning point for the band and personally I don't think they've 'lost it' or anything. Instead of relying on the past for future succes, Pearl Jam decided to look ahead and try new things, expand their sound and keep on rocking it out live. They're one of the most sincere bands I can think of and I truly admire them.

My first contact with PJ was a live concert in 2000 at Pinkpop, Landgraaf. Truly an immense experience and I was just totally impressed. I immediately bought a couple of albums, including 'Binaural', which was then just released. It's a failure in terms of sales but to me a triumph in terms of introspective songwriting. I liked the atmosphere of the album and immediately catched on to the energy these guys let across. I've been a big fan ever since, not just because of the music but also because I can relate with these guys on a more personal level. Their political ideas, views on science and evolution, life in general and commercialism just seem to fit really well with my own experiences. Add to that the fact that they probably have the greatest fanbase in the world which they treat with the utmost respect and generousness and I've said enough.