Colin took some time to tell the band's fans how the feel about popularity, criticism, and the general headspace of the band. And then he made one of the best "selling out" analogies ever. Check it out, and pay attention.

 

On reactions to On Letting Go:

its all good if some people dont feel the new album… (or the song titles haha) we make our records for ourselves as much as we make it to be shared and we are completley satisfied with it and to the ones that DO get it… well our connection just means that much more. know what im saying? we're connected to all of you whether you love us or hate us or just pretend to like us. now let me tell you a story…

 


On selling out:

i was in six grade. i was just starting to get really into music and i had the best thing ever…. a best friend with a hot older sister who knew about all of these bands that noone else knew about…her name was erica b.

she got me into blur when they were still playing in little shitty bars in the states and then she showed me a live recording of a band she told me was named "pearl jam." their first album wasnt out yet and i fell in love with the band even tho the tape was live and sounded shitty and yada yada. then "ten" comes out and they are instantly the biggest thing ever. i was sad. i was the only kid in the school to have a pearl jam shirt before and then all of the sudden it seems like it was a prerequisite to have one to get into class.
i felt like i lost my special relationship with them (even tho i never got to meet them or converse with them on a message board haha)
one part of me wanted to cheer for their success and another wanted to store them in my closet and never let them leave… i was making more friends because of it ironically… so i was torn.

i told my mother how i was confused and didnt know if i wanted to continue liking pearl jam.
she said "everybody loves grilled cheese but that doesn't mean it all of the sudden tastes bad."

i still buy every record that pearl jam puts out.
  

And now, I wish we had a kitchen here, because I'd like some grilled cheese.

 

I also think Colin has given us all some sage advice on how to deal with bands becoming popular, and not quite knowing how to deal with it.