Pearl Jam is an American
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
band that formed in Seattle,
WashingtonWashington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the...
in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included
Eddie VedderEddie Vedder is an American musician who serves as the lead singer and one of three guitarists for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Vedder left the Southern California music scene and moved to Seattle, Washington in 1990 to join Pearl Jam where he rose to fame amid the grunge movement of the...
(lead vocals, guitar),
Jeff AmentJeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician who serves as the bassist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Stone Gossard, Dave Krusen, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
(bass guitar),
Stone GossardStone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Dave Krusen, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
(rhythm guitar), and
Mike McCreadyMichael David McCready is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Dave Krusen, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
(lead guitar). The band's current drummer is
Matt CameronMatthew David Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam...
, formerly of
SoundgardenSoundgarden was a Grammy Award winning American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, who has been with the band since 1998.
Formed after the demise of Ament and Gossard's previous band
Mother Love BoneMother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's personality and compositions helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning late 1980s/early 1990s Seattle music scene...
, Pearl Jam broke into the mainstream with its debut album,
TenTen is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike...
. One of the key bands of the
grungeGrunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
movement in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam was criticized early on—most notably by
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
frontman
Kurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the rock band Nirvana....
—as being a corporate cash-in on the
alternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s...
explosion. However, over the course of the band's career its members became noted for their refusal to adhere to traditional music industry practices, including refusing to make
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
s and engaging in a much-publicized boycott of
TicketmasterTicketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is a ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. All US ticket sales for US venues are fulfilled at the Ticketmaster sole fulfillment center located in Charleston, West Virginia...
. In 2006,
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
described the band as having "spent much of the past decade deliberately tearing apart their own fame."
Since its inception, the band has sold over thirty million records in the U.S., and an estimated sixty million worldwide. Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries from the alternative rock breakthrough of the early 1990s, and is considered one of the most influential bands of the decade. Allmusic calls Pearl Jam "the most popular American rock & roll band of the '90s."
Formation: 1984–1990
Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were members of pioneering grunge band
Green RiverGreen River is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. The band was active from 1984 to 1988. Although the band had little commercial impact outside of its native Seattle, Green River proved to have significant influence on the genre later known as grunge, both with its...
during the mid-1980s. Green River toured and recorded to moderate success but disbanded in 1987 due to a stylistic division between the pair and bandmates
Mark ArmMark Arm is the vocalist for the grunge band Mudhoney. He is also credited with coining the term "grunge" to describe his style of rock music...
and
Steve TurnerSteve Turner is an American guitarist, most famous for his work with Seattle band Mudhoney.Turner's first band was called The Ducky Boys. The line up included future Pearl Jam member Stone Gossard. The Ducky Boys split around 1983....
. In late 1987, Gossard and Ament began playing with
MalfunkshunMalfunkshun is a band formed in 1980 by Andrew Wood and his brother Kevin Wood. Malfunkshun, along with Green River, U-Men and Skin Yard are considered the "godfathers" of grunge.-History:...
vocalist
Andrew WoodAndrew Wood , born in Columbus, Mississippi, was the lead singer of the band Mother Love Bone, and earlier the singer and bassist of Malfunkshun. He was only 24 when he died of a heroin overdose coupled with a cerebral hemorrhage just before the release of Mother Love Bone's debut album Apple...
, eventually organizing the band
Mother Love BoneMother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's personality and compositions helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning late 1980s/early 1990s Seattle music scene...
. In 1988 and 1989, the band recorded and toured to increasing interest and found the support of the
PolyGramPolyGram was the name from 1972 of the major label recording company started by Philips as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999, it was sold to Seagram and merged with MCA Music Entertainment, to form Universal Music Group....
record label, which signed the band in early 1989. Mother Love Bone's debut album,
AppleApple is the only full-length studio album by the American rock band Mother Love Bone. It was released on July 19, 1990 through Stardog/Mercury Records.-Overview:...
, was released in July 1990, four months after Wood died of a
heroinHeroin, or diacetylmorphine , also known as diamorphine , is a semi-synthetic opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. It is the 3,6-diacetyl ester of morphine...
overdoseThe term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
.
Ament and Gossard were devastated by the death of Wood and the resulting demise of Mother Love Bone. Gossard spent his time afterwards writing material that was harder-edged than what he had been doing previously. After a few months, Gossard started practicing with fellow Seattle guitarist Mike McCready, whose band Shadow had broken up; McCready in turn encouraged Gossard to reconnect with Ament. After practicing for a while, the trio sent out a five-song demo tape in order to find a singer and a drummer. They gave former
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most of the band's existence, the members have been vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith...
drummer
Jack IronsJack Steven Irons is an American musician who is best known as the former drummer of the American rock bands Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eleven, and Pearl Jam. He has also worked with Joe Strummer and The Latino Rockabilly War, Redd Kross, Raging Slab, and The Les Claypool Frog Brigade...
the demo to see if he would be interested in joining the band and to distribute the demo to anyone he felt might fit the lead vocal position.
Irons passed on the invitation but gave the demo to his basketball buddy, San Diego,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
singer
Eddie VedderEddie Vedder is an American musician who serves as the lead singer and one of three guitarists for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Vedder left the Southern California music scene and moved to Seattle, Washington in 1990 to join Pearl Jam where he rose to fame amid the grunge movement of the...
. Vedder was the lead vocalist for a San Diego band,
Bad RadioBad Radio was a four piece, American progressive funk rock band that formed in San Diego, California in 1986. The band is most notable for having featured future Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder as its lead singer from 1988–1990...
, and worked part time at a gas station. He listened to the tape shortly before going surfing, where lyrics came to him. He then recorded the vocals to three of the songs ("Alive", "
Once"Once" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Once" is the first track on the band's debut album, Ten . On Ten, it is preceded by a brief interlude of the album's closing hidden track,...
", and "Footsteps") in what he later described as a "mini-opera" entitled
Mamasan. Vedder sent the tape with his vocals back to the three Seattle musicians, who were impressed enough to fly Vedder out to Seattle for an audition. Within a week, Vedder had joined the band.
With the addition of
Dave KrusenDavid Krusen is an American musician who is best known for being the original drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam and for his work on the band's debut album, Ten...
on drums, the band took the name
Mookie BlaylockDaron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock , is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent thirteen years in the NBA with three teams.-Professional career:...
, in reference to the then-active All-Star basketball player. The band played its first official show at the Off Ramp Café in Seattle on October 22, 1990, and soon signed to
Epic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was founded in 1953 as a jazz label, and was eventually expanded to several genres of music. The label manages several imprints as well.-History:...
. However, concerns about trademark issues necessitated a name change; the band's name became "Pearl Jam". In an early promotional interview, Vedder said that the name "Pearl Jam" was a reference to his great-grandmother Pearl, who was married to a Native American and had a special recipe for
peyoteLophophora williamsii , better known by its common name Peyote, , is a small, spineless cactus. It is native to southwestern Texas and through central Mexico...
-laced jam. In a 2006
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
cover story however, Vedder admitted that this story was "total bullshit" (even though he indeed had a great-grandma named Pearl). Ament and McCready explained that Ament came up with "pearl", and that the band later settled on "Pearl Jam" after attending a concert by
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
, in which he extended his songs as improvisations of 15-20 minutes in length, a practice known as
jammingA jam session is a musical act where musicians gather and play without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements; improvisation....
.
Ten and the grunge explosion: 1991–1992
Pearl Jam entered Seattle's
London Bridge StudioLondon Bridge Studio is a Seattle recording studio that has hosted and recorded many influential artists, producers and engineers since 1985. Founded by brothers Rick Parashar and Raj Parashar as a private studio space, the studio surged to fame with the 1991 release of Pearl Jam's multiplatinum...
s in March 1991 to record its debut album,
TenTen is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike...
. McCready said that "
Ten was mostly Stone and Jeff; me and Eddie were along for the ride at that time." Krusen left the band in May 1991 after checking himself into rehabilitation; he was replaced by
Matt ChamberlainMatthew Chamberlain is an American session musician. He has appeared on hundreds of records with sales totaling more than 80 million worldwide. He won a Grammy for his performance on The Wallflowers' 1996 album, Bringing Down the Horse, and was nominated Musician of the Year at the 2004 CMAs...
, who had previously played with
Edie Brickell & New BohemiansEdie Brickell & New Bohemians is a rock band that originated in Texas in the mid-1980s. The band is best known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. Their music contains elements of rock and folk...
. After playing only a handful of shows, one of which was filmed for the "Alive" video, Chamberlain left to join the
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
band. Chamberlain suggested
Dave AbbruzzeseDavid James Abbruzzese is an American musician who was the drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994. He replaced drummer Matt Chamberlain in 1991, shortly before the release of the band's debut album, Ten...
as his replacement. Abbruzzese joined the group and played the rest of Pearl Jam's live shows supporting
Ten.
Released on August 27, 1991,
Ten (named after Mookie Blaylock's jersey number) contained eleven tracks dealing with dark subjects like depression, suicide, loneliness, and murder.
Ten's musical style, influenced by classic rock, combined an "expansive harmonic vocabulary" with an anthemic sound. The album was slow to sell, but by the second half of 1992 it became a breakthrough success, being certified gold and reaching number two on the
Billboard charts.
Ten produced the hit singles "Alive", "
Even Flow"Even Flow" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Even Flow" was released in 1992 as the second single from the band's debut album, Ten . The song peaked at number three on the Billboard...
", and "
Jeremy"Jeremy" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by bassist Jeff Ament, "Jeremy" was inspired by a newspaper article Vedder read about a high school student who killed himself in front of his classmates. "Jeremy" was...
". Originally interpreted as an anthem by many, Vedder later revealed that "Alive" tells the semi-biographical tale of a son discovering that his father is actually his stepfather, while his mother’s grief turns her to sexually embrace her son, who strongly resembles the biological father. The song "Jeremy" and its accompanying video were inspired by a true story in which a high school student shot himself in front of his classmates.
Ten stayed on the
Billboard charts for more than two years, and has gone on to become one of the highest-selling rock records ever, going
thirteen times platinumIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
.
With the success of
Ten, Pearl Jam became a key member of the Seattle grunge explosion, along with
Alice in ChainsAlice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released...
,
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and
SoundgardenSoundgarden was a Grammy Award winning American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
. The band was criticized in the music press;
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
music magazine
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it...
said that Pearl Jam was "trying to steal money from young alternative kids' pockets." Nirvana's
Kurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the rock band Nirvana....
angrily attacked Pearl Jam, claiming the band were commercial
sellouts"Selling out" refers to the compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society...
, and argued
Ten was not a true alternative album because it had so many prominent guitar leads. Cobain later reconciled with Vedder, and they reportedly were on amicable terms before Cobain's death in 1994.
Pearl Jam
touredThe Ten Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its debut album, Ten. It was the band's first full-scale tour after a short tour of the United States in 1991.-History:...
relentlessly in support of
Ten. Ament stated that "essentially
Ten was just an excuse to tour," adding, "We told the record company, 'We know we can be a great band, so let's just get the opportunity to get out and play.'" The band's manager, Kelly Curtis, stated, "Once people came and saw them live, this lightbulb would go on. Doing their first tour, you kind of knew it was happening and there was no stopping it." Early on in Pearl Jam's career, the band became known for its intense live performances. Looking back at this time, Vedder said that "playing music and then getting a shot at making a record and at having an audience and stuff, it's just like an untamed force...But it didn't come from jock mentality. It came from just being let out of the gates." In 1992, Pearl Jam made television appearances on
Saturday Night Live and
MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged was a TV series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments. The show received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
and took a slot on that summer's
LollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring alternative rock, hip hop, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups...
tour with the
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most of the band's existence, the members have been vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith...
,
SoundgardenSoundgarden was a Grammy Award winning American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, and
MinistryMinistry was an American industrial metal band founded by frontman Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed...
, among others. The band contributed two songs to the soundtrack of the 1992
Cameron CroweCameron Bruce Crowe is an American screenwriter and film director. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine, for which he still frequently writes....
film
Singles: "
State of Love and Trust"State of Love and Trust" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by guitarist Mike McCready and bassist Jeff Ament, "State of Love and Trust" first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1992 film, Singles...
" and "
Breath"Breath" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Breath" first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1992 film, Singles. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror ...
". Ament, Gossard and Vedder appeared in
Singles under the name "Citizen Dick"; their parts were filmed when Pearl Jam was known as Mookie Blaylock.
Dealing with success: 1993–1995
The band members grew uncomfortable with their success, with much of the burden of Pearl Jam's popularity falling on frontman Vedder. While Pearl Jam received four awards at the 1993
MTV Video Music AwardsThe MTV Video Music Awards, also called the VMAs, were established at the end of the summer of 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top music videos of the year...
for its video for "Jeremy", including
Video of the YearThe MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category. He has been...
and
Best Group VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
, the band refused to make a video for "
Black"Black" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the fifth track on the band's debut album, Ten . Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Black" is a soliloquy by a broken-hearted man, who is remembering his absent...
" in spite of pressure by the label. This action began a trend of the band refusing to make videos for its songs. "Ten years from now," Ament said, "I don't want people to remember our songs as videos."
Pearl Jam headed into the studio in early 1993 facing the challenge of following up the commercial success of its debut. McCready said, "The band was blown up pretty big and everything was pretty crazy." Released on October 19, 1993, Pearl Jam's second album,
Vs.Vs. is an album by the Boston post-punk band Mission of Burma. It was a fully realized follow-up to their EP Signals, Calls, and Marches...
, sold a record 950,378 copies in its first week of release and outperformed all other entries in the
Billboard top ten that week combined.
Vs. included the singles "Go", "
Daughter"Daughter" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released in 1993 as the second single from the band's second studio album, Vs. . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by guitarist Stone Gossard. The...
", "
Animal"Animal" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released in 1994 as the third single from the band's second studio album, Vs. . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by guitarist Stone Gossard. The song...
", and "
Dissident"Dissident" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released in 1994 as the fourth single from the band's second studio album, Vs. . The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
". Paul Evans of
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
said, "Few American bands have arrived more clearly talented than this one did with
Ten; and
Vs. tops even that debut." He added, "Like
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock music history. He was also the author of several books of poetry ...
and
Pete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, Vedder makes a forte of his psychological-mythic explorations...As guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready paint dense and slashing backdrops, he invites us into a drama of experiment and strife." The band decided, beginning with the release of
Vs., to scale back its commercial efforts. The members declined to produce any more music videos after the massive success of "Jeremy" and opted for fewer interviews and television appearances. Industry insiders compared Pearl Jam's tour that year to the touring habits of
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
, in that the band "ignored the press and took its music directly to the fans." During the
Vs. TourThe Vs. Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its second album, Vs. It was the band's first tour since the 1993 European/North American Tour.-History:...
, the band set a cap on ticket prices in an attempt to thwart
scalpersTicket resale is the act of reselling tickets for admission to events. Tickets are bought from licensed sellers and are then sold for a price determined by the individual or company in possession of the tickets. Tickets sold through secondary sources may be sold for less or more than their face...
.
By 1994, Pearl Jam was "fighting on all fronts", as its manager described the band at the time. Pearl Jam was outraged when, after it played a pair of shows in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
, it discovered that ticket vendor
TicketmasterTicketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is a ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. All US ticket sales for US venues are fulfilled at the Ticketmaster sole fulfillment center located in Charleston, West Virginia...
had added a service charge to the tickets. The
United States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice is a Cabinet department in the United States government designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans...
was investigating the company's practices at the time and asked the band to create a memorandum of its experiences with the company. Gossard and Ament soon testified at a subcommittee investigation in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
The band eventually canceled its 1994 summer tour in protest. After the Justice Department dropped the case, Pearl Jam continued to boycott Ticketmaster, refusing to play venues that had contracts with the company. Music critic
Jim DeRogatisJames "Jim" DeRogatis is an American music critic. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer. He is also the Pop Music Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times...
noted that along with the Ticketmaster debacle, "the band has refused to release singles or make videos; it has demanded that its albums be released on
vinylA gramophone record, commonly known as phonograph record, vinyl record, or simply record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc...
; and it wants to be more like its '60s heroes,
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
, releasing two or three albums a year." He also stated that sources said that most of the band's third album
VitalogyVitalogy is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994 through Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded while touring behind its previous album Vs....
was completed by early 1994, but that either a forced delay by Epic or the battle with Ticketmaster were to blame for the delay.
Pearl Jam wrote and recorded while touring behind
Vs. and the majority of the tracks for its next album,
Vitalogy, were recorded during breaks on the tour. Tensions within the band had dramatically increased by this time. Producer
Brendan O'BrienBrendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, and engineer.At 14 he was the guitarist for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 70s he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...
said, "
Vitalogy was a little strained. I'm being polite—there was some imploding going on." After Pearl Jam finished the recording of
Vitalogy, drummer Dave Abbruzzese was fired. The band cited political differences between Abbruzzese and the other members; for example, Abbruzzese disagreed with the Ticketmaster boycott. He was replaced by Jack Irons, a close friend of Vedder and the former and original drummer of the
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most of the band's existence, the members have been vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith...
. Irons made his debut with the band at Neil Young's 1994
Bridge School BenefitThe Bridge School Benefit is an annual non-profit charity concert held in Mountain View, California, every October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The concerts are all organized by musician Neil Young and his wife, Pegi....
, but he was not officially announced as the band's new drummer until its 1995
Self-Pollution satellite radio broadcast, a four-and-a-half hour long pirate broadcast out of Seattle which was available to any radio stations that wanted to carry it.
Vitalogy was released first on November 22, 1994 on vinyl and then two weeks later on December 6, 1994 on CD and cassette. The CD became the second-fastest-selling in history, with more than 877,000 units sold in its first week.
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for allmusic.com. He is the author of many of artist biographies and record reviews for allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the...
of Allmusic said that "thanks to its stripped-down, lean production,
Vitalogy stands as Pearl Jam's most original and uncompromising album." Many of the songs on the album appear to be based around the pressures of fame. The song "
Spin the Black Circle"Spin the Black Circle" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 8, 1994 as the first single from the band's third studio album, Vitalogy . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by...
", a homage to vinyl records, won a
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
in 1996 for
Best Hard Rock PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance has been awarded since 1990. In 1989 it was presented as Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance until the following year, when the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance category was formed. From 1992 to 1994 the award was presented as the...
.
Vitalogy also included the songs "Not for You", "
Corduroy"Corduroy" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the eighth track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to...
", "
Better Man"Better Man" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Better Man" is the eleventh track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy...
", and "
Immortality"Immortality" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 6, 1995 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Vitalogy . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard...
". "Better Man" , a song originally written and performed by Vedder while in Bad Radio, reached number one on the
Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, spending a total of eight weeks there. Considered a "blatantly great pop song" by producer Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam was reluctant to record it and had initially rejected it from
Vs. due to its accessibility.
The band continued its boycott against Ticketmaster during its
1995 tourThe Vitalogy Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its third album, Vitalogy. It was the band's first tour since the 1993-1994 Vs. Tour.-History:...
for
Vitalogy, but was surprised that virtually no other bands joined in. Pearl Jam's initiative to play only at non-Ticketmaster venues effectively, with a few exceptions, prevented it from playing shows in the United States for the next three years. Ament later said, "We were so hardheaded about the 1995 tour. Had to prove we could tour on our own, and it pretty much killed us, killed our career." In the same year Pearl Jam backed
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
, whom the band had noted as an influence, on his album
Mirror BallMirror Ball is a studio album by Neil Young featuring Pearl Jam, released on June 27, 1995 through Reprise Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.-Recording:...
. Contractual obligations prevented the use of the band's name anywhere on the album, but the members were all credited individually in the album's liner notes. Two songs from the sessions were left off
Mirror Ball: "
I Got Id"I Got Id" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam featuring Neil Young. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Got Id" appears as the A-side to the 1995 Merkin Ball single. The song reached number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart,...
" and "Long Road". These two tracks were released separately by Pearl Jam in the form of the 1995 EP,
Merkin BallMerkin Ball is a two-song EP by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam featuring Neil Young, released on December 5, 1995 through Epic Records. Merkin Ball is a companion to Neil Young's 1995 album, Mirror Ball...
.
No Code and Yield: 1996–1999
Following the round of touring for
Vitalogy, the band went into the studio to record its follow-up,
No CodeNo Code is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy , in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio...
. Vedder said, "Making
No Code was all about gaining perspective." Released on August 27, 1996,
No Code was seen as a deliberate break from the band's sound since
Ten, favoring
experimentalExperimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, and/or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
ballads and noisy
garage rockGarage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name. In the early 1970s, some rock critics retroactively labelled it as punk rock...
ers. David Browne of
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
stated that "
No Code displays a wider range of moods and instrumentation than on any previous Pearl Jam album." The lyrical themes on the album deal with issues of self-examination, with Ament stating, "In some ways, it's like the band's story. It's about growing up." Although the album debuted at number one on the
Billboard charts, it quickly fell down the charts.
No Code included the singles "
Who You Are"Who You Are" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Stone Gossard, "Who You Are" was released on July 30, 1996 as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, No Code . The...
" , "
Hail, Hail"Hail, Hail" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarist Mike McCready, "Hail, Hail" was released in 1996 as the second single from the band's fourth studio album,...
", and "Off He Goes". As with
Vitalogy, very little touring was done to promote
No Code because of the band's refusal to play in Ticketmaster's venue areas. A
European tourThe No Code Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its fourth album, No Code. It was the band's first tour since the 1995 Vitalogy Tour.-History:...
took place in the fall of 1996. Gossard stated that there was "a lot of stress associated with trying to tour at that time" and that "it was growing more and more difficult to be excited about being part of the band."
Following the short tour for
No Code, the band went into the studio in 1997 to record its follow-up. The sessions for the band's fifth album represented more of a team effort between all members of the group, with Ament stating that "everybody really got a little bit of their say on the record...because of that, everybody feels like they're an integral part of the band." On February 3, 1998, Pearl Jam released its fifth album,
YieldYield is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on February 3, 1998 through Epic Records. Following a short tour for its previous album, No Code , Pearl Jam went into the studio in 1997 to record its follow-up...
. The album was cited as a return to the band's early, straightforward rock sound. Tom Sinclair of
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
stated that the band has "turned in an intermittently affecting album that veers between fiery garage rock and rootsy,
acousticAcoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
-based ruminations. Perhaps mindful of their position as the last alt-rock ambassadors with any degree of clout, they've come up with their most cohesive album since their 1991 debut,
Ten." Lyrically,
Yield continued with the more contemplative type of writing found on
No Code, with Vedder saying, "What was rage in the past has become reflection."
Yield debuted at number two on the
Billboard charts, but like
No Code soon began dropping down the charts. It included the singles "
Given to Fly"Given to Fly" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Mike McCready, "Given to Fly" was released on January 6, 1998 as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, Yield . "Given to Fly" proved to be...
" and "
Wishlist"Wishlist" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Wishlist" was released on May 5, 1998 as the second single from the band's fifth studio album, Yield . The song peaked at number six on both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Billboard charts...
". The band hired comic book artist
Todd McFarlaneTodd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
to create an animated video for the song "
Do the Evolution"Do the Evolution" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Do the Evolution" is the seventh track on the band's fifth studio album, Yield . Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the...
" from the album, its first music video since 1992. A documentary detailing the making of
Yield,
Single Video TheorySingle Video Theory is a music documentary directed by Mark Pellington that follows the making of Yield, the fifth album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. It was released first on VHS on August 4, 1998, and then on DVD on November 24, 1998.-Overview:The film was shot in 16mm film...
, was released on VHS and DVD later that year.
In April 1998, Pearl Jam once again changed drummers. Jack Irons left the band due to dissatisfaction with touring and was replaced with former Soundgarden drummer
Matt CameronMatthew David Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam...
on an initially temporary basis, but he soon became a permanent replacement for Irons. Pearl Jam's 1998
Yield TourThe Yield Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its fifth album, Yield. It was the band's first tour since the 1996 No Code Tour.-History:Pearl Jam promoted Yield with tours in Oceania, and North America in 1998...
in North America marked the band’s return to full-scale touring. The band's
anti-trustCompetition law, known in the United States as antitrust law, has three main elements:*prohibiting agreements or practices that restrict free trading and competition between business entities. This includes in particular the repression of cartels....
lawsuit against Ticketmaster had proven to be unsuccessful and hindered live tours. Many fans had complained about the difficulty in obtaining tickets and the use of non-Ticketmaster venues, which were judged to be out-of-the-way and impersonal. For this tour and future tours, Pearl Jam once again began using Ticketmaster in order to "better accommodate concertgoers." The 1998 summer tour was a big success, and after it was completed the band released
Live on Two LegsLive on Two Legs is the first major live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 24, 1998 through Epic Records. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA in the United States.-Overview:...
, a live album which featured select performances from the tour.
In 1998, Pearl Jam recorded "
Last Kiss"Last Kiss" is a song that was written by Wayne Cochran in 1962 and originally performed by Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders, although their version of the song had little success. The song was later covered by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, Wednesday, Pearl Jam, and several international...
", a cover of a 1960s ballad made famous by
J. Frank Wilson and the CavaliersThe Cavaliers formed around 1955 with leader/guitarist Sid Holmes, bassist Lewis Elliott, saxophonist Rob Zeller, drummer Ray Smith and vocalist Alton Baird. Baird was drafted shortly after the group formed; the band brought in J. Frank Wilson, stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base, in the early...
. It was recorded during a soundcheck and released on the band's 1998
fan clubA fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fanclubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fanclubs that are run by someone associated with the person or...
Christmas single. The following year, the cover was put into heavy rotation across the country. By popular demand, the cover was released to the public as a single in 1999, with all of the proceeds going to the aid of refugees of the
Kosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts in Kosovo:#Early 1998–1999: War between Yugoslav police forces, Yugoslav paramilitaries, and the Kosovo Albanian insurgents....
. The band also decided to include the song on the 1999 charity compilation album,
No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar RefugeesNo Boundaries: A Benefit For The Kosovar Refugees was released on June 15th, 1999 by Epic Records featuring a handful of various artists to help raise money for the Kosovar refugees. It was released in Australia on June 21, 1999 and that also has music from Australian singer Jebediah and New...
. "Last Kiss" peaked at number two on the
Billboard charts and became the band's highest-charting single.
Binaural and the Roskilde tragedy: 2000–2001
Following its full-scale tour in support of
Yield, the band took a short break, but then reconvened toward the end of 1999 and commenced work on a new album. On May 16, 2000, Pearl Jam released its sixth studio album,
BinauralBinaural is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on May 16, 2000 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Yield , Pearl Jam took a short break before reconvening toward the end of 1999 to commence work on a new...
. It was drummer Matt Cameron's studio recording debut with the band. The title is a reference to the
binaural recordingBinaural recording is a method of recording audio which uses a special microphone arrangement intended for replay using headphones. Dummy head recording refers to a specific method of capturing the audio, generally using a bust including pinnae...
techniques that were utilized on several tracks by producer
Tchad BlakeTchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, Travis, Crowded House, Finn Brothers, Bernard...
, known for his use of the technique.
Binaural was the first album since the band's debut not produced by Brendan O'Brien, although O'Brien was called in later to remix several tracks. Gossard stated that the band "were ready for a change."
Jon ParelesJon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s a contributing writer and...
of
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
said, "Apparently as tired of grunge as everyone except
CreedCreed is an American rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band disbanded in 2004 after three multi-platinum albums, selling an estimated 35 million records worldwide, including 26 million records in the United States alone...
fans, Pearl Jam delve elsewhere." He added, "The album reflects both Pearl Jam's longstanding curse of self-importance and a renewed willingness to be experimental or just plain odd." The album is lyrically darker than the band's previous album
Yield, with Gossard describing the lyrics as "pretty sombre."
Binaural included the singles "
Nothing as It Seems"Nothing as It Seems" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by bassist Jeff Ament, "Nothing as It Seems" was released on April 25, 2000 as the first single from the band's sixth studio album, Binaural . The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
" , one of the songs featuring binaural recording, and "Light Years". The album sold just over 700,000 copies and became the first Pearl Jam studio album to fail to reach platinum status.
Pearl Jam decided to record every show on its 2000
Binaural TourThe Binaural Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its sixth album, Binaural. It was the band's first tour since the 1998 Yield Tour.-History:...
professionally, after noting the desire of fans to own a copy of the shows they attended and the popularity of
bootleg recordingA bootleg recording is an audio and/or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist, or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
s. The band had been open in the past about allowing fans to make amateur recordings, and these
"official bootlegs"The Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs are a large, continually growing series of live albums by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam noted the desire of fans to own a copy of the shows they attended and the popularity of bootleg recordings...
were an attempt to provide a more affordable and better quality product for fans. Pearl Jam originally intended to release them to only fan club members, but the band's record contract prevented it from doing so. Pearl Jam released all of the albums in record stores as well as through its fan club. The band released 72 live albums in 2000 and 2001, and set a record for most albums to debut in the
Billboard 200 at the same time.
Pearl Jam's 2000 European tour ended in tragedy on June 30, with an accident at the
Roskilde FestivalRoskilde Festival is held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
in
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
. Nine fans were crushed underfoot and suffocated to death as the crowd rushed to the front. After numerous requests from Festival officials to stop playing, the band finally stopped and tried to have the crowd step back but it was already too late. The two remaining dates of the tour were canceled, and the band seriously considered retiring after this event. Pearl Jam was initially blamed for the accident, but was later cleared of responsibility.
A month after the European tour concluded, the band embarked on its two-leg 2000 North American tour. On performing after the Roskilde tragedy, Vedder said that "playing, facing crowds, being together—it enabled us to start processing it." On October 22, 2000, the band played the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, celebrating the tenth anniversary of its first live performance as a band. Vedder took the opportunity to thank the many people who had helped the band come together and make it to ten years. He noted that "I would never do this accepting a Grammy or something." The song "Alive" was purposely omitted from all shows on this tour until the final night in Seattle. The band performed that night for over three hours, playing most of its hits along with covers such as "
The Kids Are Alright"The Kids Are Alright" is a song written by Pete Townshend of The Who. It appears as the seventh track on the group's first album, My Generation . While not a huge hit at the time , the song, along with the album's title track, would become anthems for the group and the Mod movement of England in...
" and "
Baba O'Riley"Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by Pete Townshend. Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the middle eight: "Don't cry/don't raise your eye/it's only teenage wasteland"...
" by
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
. After concluding the Binaural Tour, the band released
Touring Band 2000Touring Band 2000 is the second DVD release by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, culled from performances from the North American legs of the band's 2000 Binaural Tour...
the following year. The DVD featured select performances from the North American legs of the tour.
Following the events of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Vedder and McCready were joined by
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
to perform the song "Long Road" from the
Merkin Ball EP at the
America: A Tribute to HeroesAmerica: A Tribute to Heroes was a benefit concert organized by actor George Clooney and broadcast by the four major United States television networks in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon...
benefit concert. The concert, which aired on September 21, 2001, raised money for the victims and their families.
Riot Act: 2002–2005
Pearl Jam commenced work on a new album following a year-long break after its full-scale tour in support of
Binaural. McCready described the recording environment as "a pretty positive one" and "very intense and spiritual." Regarding the time period when the lyrics were being written, Vedder said, "There's been a lot of mortality...It's a weird time to be writing. Roskilde changed the shape of us as people, and our filter for seeing the world changed." Pearl Jam released its seventh album,
Riot ActRiot Act is the seventh studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 12, 2002 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Binaural , Pearl Jam took a year-long break. The band then reconvened in the beginning of 2002 and...
, on November 12, 2002. It included the singles "
I Am Mine"I Am Mine" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Am Mine" was released on October 8, 2002 as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act . The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart...
" and "
Save You"Save You" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on February 11, 2003 as the second single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by guitarist...
". The album featured a much more
folkThe term folk music originated in the 19th century as a term for musical folklore. It has been defined in several ways; as music transmitted by word of mouth, music of the lower classes, music with no known composer...
-based and experimental sound, evident in the presence of
B3The Hammond organ is an electric organ which was invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s, it became a standard...
organist
Boom GasparKenneth E. Gaspar , more commonly known as Boom Gaspar, is an American musician who has performed with the American rock band Pearl Jam as a piano/keyboard/organ player since 2002.-Early life:...
on songs such as "
Love Boat Captain"Love Boat Captain" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by Vedder and keyboardist Boom Gaspar, "Love Boat Captain" was released on February 18, 2003 as a single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act .-Origin...
".
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for allmusic.com. He is the author of many of artist biographies and record reviews for allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the...
of Allmusic said "
Riot Act is the album that Pearl Jam has been wanting to make since
Vitalogy—a muscular
art rockArt rock is a term describing a subgenre of rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture." Art rock is an "intrinsically album-based" form, which takes "advantage of the format's capacity for longer, more complex compositions and...
record, one that still hits hard but that is filled with ragged edges and odd detours." The track entitled "Arc" was recorded as a vocal tribute to the nine people who died at the Roskilde Festival in June 2000. Vedder only performed this song nine times on the 2003 tour, and the band left the track off all released bootlegs.
In 2003, the band embarked on its Riot Act Tour, which included tours in Australia and North America. The band continued its official bootleg program, making every concert from the tour available in CD form through its official website. A total of six bootlegs were made available in record stores:
PerthPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. With a population of 1,650,000 , Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average....
,
Tokyo, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the city of Tokyo in the eastern part of the prefecture, totaling over 8 million people....
,
State CollegeState College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre county. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 38,420, and roughly double...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
, two shows from
Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City. It is also the name of the entity which owns the arena and several of the professional sports franchises which play there. There have been four incarnations of...
, and
MansfieldMansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population is 22,191. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
. At many shows during the 2003 North American tour, Vedder performed Riot Acts "Bu$hleaguer", a commentary on
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
, with a rubber mask of Bush, wearing it at the beginning of the song and then hanging it on a mic stand to allow him to sing. The band made news when it was reported that several fans left after Vedder had "impaled" the Bush mask on his mic stand at the band's
DenverThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Colorado, in the United States. Denver is a consolidated city-county located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
,
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...
show.
In June 2003, Pearl Jam announced it was officially leaving Epic Records following the end of its contract with the label. The band stated it had "no interest" in signing with another label. The band's first release without a label was the single for "
Man of the Hour"Man of the Hour" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Man of the Hour" accompanies the closing credits of the 2003 film, Big Fish, and is the first track on the film's soundtrack album. It was released as a single on November 26, 2003...
", in partnership with
Amazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is an American-based multinational electronic commerce company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, it is America's largest online retailer, with nearly three times the Internet sales revenue of the runner up, Staples, Inc....
. Director
Tim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, producer, writer and artist. He is famed for his dark and quirky films, such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, which he co-wrote and produced...
approached Pearl Jam to request an original song for the soundtrack of his new film,
Big FishBig Fish is a 2003 fantasy drama film adapted from the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace. The film was directed by Tim Burton and stars Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, and Jessica Lange. Finney plays Edward Bloom, a former traveling salesman from the Southern United States...
. After screening an early print of the film, Pearl Jam recorded the song for him. "Man of the Hour", which was later nominated for a Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television...
, can be heard in the closing credits of Big Fish
.
The band released Lost DogsLost Dogs is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003 through Epic Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.-Overview:...
, a two-disc collection of rarities and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
s, and Live at the GardenLive at the Garden is the fourth DVD release by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, recorded on July 8, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was released on November 11, 2003.-Overview:...
, a DVD featuring the band's July 8, 2003 concert at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City. It is also the name of the entity which owns the arena and several of the professional sports franchises which play there. There have been four incarnations of...
through Epic Records in November 2003. In 2004, Pearl Jam released the live album, Live at Benaroya HallLive at Benaroya Hall is a two-disc live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, recorded on October 22, 2003 at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, Washington and released on July 27, 2004 through BMG.-Overview:...
, through a one-album deal with BMG. 2004 marked the first time that Pearl Jam licensed a song for usage in a television show; a snippet of the song "Yellow Ledbetter"Yellow Ledbetter" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Mike McCready, "Yellow Ledbetter" was an outtake from the band's debut album, Ten...
" was used in the final episode of the television series FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. The series revolved around a group of friends in the area of Manhattan, New York City, who occasionally live together and share living expenses. The series was produced by...
. Later that year, Epic released rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003)
, a Pearl Jam greatest hits collection spanning 1991 to 2003. This release marked the end of Pearl Jam's contractual agreement with Epic Records.
Pearl Jam played a show at Easy Street Records in Seattle in April 2005; recordings from the show were compiled for the Live at Easy StreetLive at Easy Street is a live EP by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam that includes songs taken from a surprise in-store performance at Easy Street Records in West Seattle on April 29, 2005.-Overview:...
album and released exclusively to independent record stores in June 2006. The band embarked on a Canadian
cross-country tourThe Pearl Jam 2005 North American/Latin American Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It was the band's first tour since the 2004 Vote for Change tour.-History:...
in September 2005, kicking off the tour with a fundraising concert in Missoula, Montana for Democratic politician
Jon TesterJon Tester is an organic farmer and junior U.S. Senator from the state of Montana, and a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his election in 2006, he served as President of the Montana State Senate.-Background:...
, then playing the Gorge Amphitheater before crossing into Canada. After touring Canada, Pearl Jam proceeded to open a
Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 in London when multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup...
concert in Pittsburgh, then played two shows at the
BorgataBorgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey owned by Marina District Development Corporation, LLC. The name means "little village" in Italian. The $1.1 billion casino hotel features 2,000 rooms at Renaissance Pointe...
casino in
Atlantic CityAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. Famous for its boardwalk, casino gambling, sandy beaches, shopping centers, view of the Atlantic Ocean, and as the inspiration for the board game Monopoly, Atlantic City is a resort community located on Absecon Island on the...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
, before closing the tour with a concert in Philadelphia,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
. The official bootlegs for the band's 2005 shows were distributed via Pearl Jam's official website in
MP3MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression. It is a common audio format for consumer audio storage, as well as a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on...
form. Pearl Jam also played a
benefit concertA benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
to raise money for
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States...
relief on October 5, 2005, at the
House of BluesHouse of Blues is a chain of music halls and restaurants founded in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock, and Dan Aykroyd. House of Blues is a venue for live music and southern-inspired cuisine that emphasizes "inspiration of music for the soul".-Overview:The first HOB opened its doors...
in Chicago,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
. On November 22, 2005, Pearl Jam began its first Latin American tour.
Move to J Records: 2006–2008
The work for Pearl Jam's follow-up to Riot Act began after its appearance on the 2004
Vote for ChangeThe Vote for Change tour was a politically-motivated American popular music concert tour that took place in October 2004. The tour was presented by MoveOn.org to benefit America Coming Together. The tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote...
tour. The time period between the two albums was the longest gap between Pearl Jam's studio albums to date and the new album was its first release for a new label.
Clive DavisClive Davis is an American record producer, executive and a leading music industry executive. He has won multiple Grammy awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From 1967-72 he was the President of Columbia Records, was the founder and president of Arista Records in the late...
announced in February 2006 that Pearl Jam had signed with his label,
J RecordsJ Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and is distributed through the RCA Records Group.-Company history:...
, which like Epic, is part of the Sony BMG group. The band's eighth studio album,
Pearl JamPearl Jam is the eighth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam and its debut release for J Records. Released on May 2, 2006, it was the band's first full-length studio release in almost four years, the longest gap between Pearl Jam's studio albums to date. Following its...
, was released on May 2, 2006. A number of critics cited Pearl Jam
as a return to the band's early sound, and McCready compared the new material to Vs.Vs. is an album by the Boston post-punk band Mission of Burma. It was a fully realized follow-up to their EP Signals, Calls, and Marches...
in a 2005 interview. Ament said, "The band playing in a room—that came across. There’s a kind of immediacy to the record, and that’s what we were going for." Chris Willman of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
said that "in a world full of boys sent to do a man's job of rocking, Pearl Jam can still pull off gravitas." Current socio-political issues in the United States are addressed on the album. "World Wide Suicide"World Wide Suicide" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "World Wide Suicide" was released through digital music stores on March 14, 2006 as the first single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam...
", a song criticizing the Iraq WarThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
and U.S. foreign policy, was released as a single and topped the Billboard
Modern Rock chart; it was Pearl Jam's first number one on that chart since "Who You Are"Who You Are" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Stone Gossard, "Who You Are" was released on July 30, 1996 as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, No Code . The...
" in 1996, and first number one on any chart in the United States since 1998 when "Given to Fly"Given to Fly" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Mike McCready, "Given to Fly" was released on January 6, 1998 as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, Yield . "Given to Fly" proved to be...
" reached number one on the Mainstream Rock chart. Pearl Jam
also included the singles "Life Wasted"Life Wasted" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Life Wasted" was released on August 28, 2006 as the second single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam . The song peaked at number...
" and "Gone"Gone" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Gone" was released through digital music stores on October 7, 2006 as the third single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam...
".
To support Pearl Jam, the band embarked on its
2006 world tourThe Pearl Jam 2006 World Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its eighth album, Pearl Jam. It was the band's first tour since the 2005 North American/Latin American Tour.-History:...
. It toured North America, Australia and notably Europe; Pearl Jam had not toured the continent for six years. The North American tour included three two-night stands opening for
Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersFor the New York based band, see The HeartbreakersTom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a Heartland rock band, most of whose members are from the United States of America. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Benmont Tench, all of whom had been members of Mudcrutch...
. The band served as the headliners for the Leeds and Reading festivals, despite having vowed to never play at a festival again after
RoskildeRoskilde Festival is held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
. Vedder started both concerts with an emotional plea to the crowd to look after each other. He commented during the Leeds set that the band's decision to play a festival for the first time after Roskilde had nothing to do with "guts" but with trust in the audience.
In 2007, Pearl Jam recorded a cover of
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
's "
Love, Reign o'er Me"Love, Reign o'er Me" is a song by the English rock band The Who. Written by guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend, "Love, Reign o'er Me" was released on October 23, 1973 as the second single from the band's sixth studio album and second rock opera, Quadrophenia . It is the final song on the...
" for the
Mike BinderMike Binder is an award-winning American screenwriter, film director and actor. As an actor Binder was featured in Steven Spielberg's Minority Report with Tom Cruise, and Rod Lurie's The Contender with Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, and Jeff Bridges...
film, Reign Over Me
; it was later made available as a music downloadA music download is the transferal of a music file from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment if required....
on the iTunes Music StoreThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple Inc. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, it was as of April 2008 the number-one music vendor in the United States. As of January 2009, the store has sold 6 billion songs, accounting for 70% of...
. The band embarked on a 13-date European tourThe Pearl Jam 2007 European Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It was the band's first tour since the 2006 World Tour.-History:...
, and headlined LollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring alternative rock, hip hop, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups...
in Grant ParkGrant Park is a large park in the Loop community area of , United States. The park's most notable features are Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain and the Art Institute of Chicago. Grant Park is frequently referred to as the city's front yard...
, on August 5, 2007. The band released a CD box set in June 2007, entitled Live at the Gorge 05/06Live at the Gorge 05/06 is a seven-disc live box set by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 26, 2007 through Rhino/WEA. The box set documents the band's 2005 and 2006 shows at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington....
, that documents its shows at The Gorge AmphitheatreThe Gorge Amphitheatre is a 25,000 seat concert venue located above the Columbia River Gorge in George, Washington. Administered by LiveNation, it is considered one of the premier and most scenic concert locations in North America and the world...
, and in September 2007 a concert DVD, entitled Immagine in CorniceImmagine in Cornice, Italian for "picture in a frame," is a live concert film documenting the 2006 five-concert tour of Italy by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. It was released on September 25, 2007.-Overview:...
, which documents the band's Italian shows from its 2006 tour was released.
In June 2008, Pearl Jam performed as the headline act at the
Bonnaroo Music FestivalThe Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual, four to five-day music festival, created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, first held in 2002. The festival is held at Great Stage Park on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, southeast of Nashville, Tennessee...
. The Bonnaroo appearance took place amidst a
twelve-date tourThe Pearl Jam 2008 United States Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It was the band's first tour since the 2007 European Tour.-History:...
in the Eastern United States. In July 2008, the band performed at the
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
tribute to The Who alongside
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
,
IncubusIncubus is an American Grammy Award-nominated rock band, from Calabasas, California. Formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school. The band expanded to include bassist Alex Katunich , and Gavin Koppell...
and
The Flaming LipsThe Flaming Lips are an American rock band.The band is known for their lush, multi-layered, psychedelic arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song and album titles The Flaming Lips (formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983) are an American rock band.The band is known for their lush,...
. In the days prior to
Election Day 2008On November 4, 2008, the United States held a general election. The result was a significant victory for the Democratic Party on the national level, as they increased majorities in both houses of Congress and won the Presidency.-President:...
, Pearl Jam digitally released through its official website a free documentary film, entitled
Vote for Change? 2004Vote for Change? 2004 is a 2008 documentary film produced and directed by Rick Charnoski and Coan Nichols. It follows the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam on the 2004 Vote for Change tour.-Plot:...
, which follows the band's time spent on the 2004 Vote for Change tour.
Reissues and
Backspacer
: 2009–present
On March 24, 2009, Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten
, was reissued in four editions, featuring such extras as a remastering and remix of the entire album by Brendan O'Brien, a DVD of the band's 1992 appearance on MTV Unplugged
, and an LP of its September 20, 1992 concert at Magnuson ParkMagnuson Park is a 350 acre park on Sand Point at Pontiac Bay, Lake Washington, in the Sand Point neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The park is the second largest in Seattle after 534 acre Discovery Park in Magnolia...
in Seattle. It is the first reissue in a planned re-release of Pearl Jam's entire catalogue that will lead up to the band's 20th anniversary in 2011. A Pearl Jam retrospective movie directed by Cameron Crowe is also planned to coincide with the anniversary.
Pearl Jam began work for the follow-up to Pearl Jam
in early 2008. In 2009, the band began to build on instrumental and demo tracks written during 2008. The band's ninth studio album, Backspacer
, was released on September 20, 2009. Backspacer debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard music charts, the band's first album to debut at No. 1 in 13 years. The album was the group's first album to be produced by Brendan O'Brien since Yield
. McCready said, "I like the sparseness of the songs and the way that Brendan pulled us together and made us play as good as we could." The music on the record features a sound influenced by popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and New WaveNew Wave is a genre of rock and pop music that emerged in in the middle to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, and...
. Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for allmusic.com. He is the author of many of artist biographies and record reviews for allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the...
of Allmusic said that "prior to Backspacer, Pearl Jam wouldn't or couldn't have made music this unfettered, unapologetically assured, casual, and, yes, fun." Regarding the lyrics, Vedder said, "I've tried, over the years, to be hopeful in the lyrics, and I think that's going to be easier now." "
The Fixer"The Fixer" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by drummer Matt Cameron and guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, "The Fixer" was released on August 24, 2009 as the first single from the band's ninth studio...
" was chosen as the album's first single. Pearl Jam did not re-sign its record deal with J Records, and the band released the album through its own label Monkeywrench Records in the United States and through
Universal Music GroupUniversal Music Group is the largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry. It is the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
internationally. Pearl Jam reached a deal with
TargetTarget Corporation, usually known simply as Target, is an American retailing company that was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1902 as the Dayton Dry Goods Company. In 1962, the company opened its first Target store in nearby Roseville...
to be the exclusive
big-box storeA big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
retailer for the album in the United States. The album also saw release through the band's official website, independent record stores, online retailers, and
iTunesiTunes is a proprietary digital media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod digital media players as well as the iPhone...
. In an interview McCready revealed that Pearl Jam may finish the Backspacer
outtakes in the next six months, and told San Diego radio station KBZTKBZT is a commercial modern rock music radio station in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 94.9 FM.-History:During the 1970s and '80s, KBZT was known as "KBest95" but in the 1980s morphed from oldies into soft rock, before being sold to Sandusky Radio and becoming "Y95" in 1987...
that the band may release an EP in 2010 consisting of those songs, while Vedder instead suggested that the songs may be used for the band's next studio album.
On June 1, 2009, Pearl Jam played a new song from Backspacer
called "Got Some" on the first episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienThe Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show on NBC, which premiered on June 1, 2009. It is the replacement for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and part of NBC's long running Tonight Show franchise...
. In August 2009, Pearl Jam headlined the
Virgin FestivalThe Virgin Festival is a rock festival held in the United States and Canada, a spin-off from the V Festival held in the UK...
, the
Outside Lands Music and Arts FestivalThe Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is a music festival held annually in San Francisco, California at Golden Gate Park. The first edition occurred August 22-24 in 2008, and included over 60 musical acts from around the world, as well as several art installations...
, and played five shows in Europe and three in North America. In October 2009, Pearl Jam headlined the
Austin City Limits Music FestivalThe Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day music festival in Austin, Texas's Zilker Park. The Festival brings together more than 130 bands on eight stages, including rock, country, folk, indie, Americana, hip-hop, reggae, and bluegrass, and attracts a crowd of more then 65,000...
. The Austin City Limits appearance took place amidst the fourteen-date North American leg of the band's
Backspacer TourThe Backspacer Tour is a current concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its ninth album, Backspacer. It is the band's first tour since the 2008 U.S...
. An additional leg consisting of a tour of Oceania will take place afterward. Tour dates for 2010 are still in the planning stages.
Musical style and influences
Compared with the other
grungeGrunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
bands of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam’s style is noticeably less heavy and harkens back to the
classic rockClassic rock was originally conceived as a radio station programming format which evolved from the album oriented rock format in the early-1980s...
music of the 1970s. Pearl Jam has cited many
punk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and classic rock bands as influences, including
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
,
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
, and the
RamonesThe Ramones were an American rock band often regarded as the first punk rock group. Formed in Forest Hills, Queens, New York in 1974, all of the band members adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname 'Ramone', though none of them were actually related. They performed 2,263 concerts, touring...
. Pearl Jam’s success has been attributed to its sound, which fuses "the riff-heavy stadium rock of the '70s with the grit and anger of '80s post-punk, without ever neglecting hooks and choruses." Gossard's rhythm guitar style is known for its sense of beat and groove, while McCready's lead guitar style, influenced by artists such as
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
, has been described as "feel-oriented" and "rootsy."
Pearl Jam has broadened its musical range with subsequent releases. As he had more influence on the band's sound, Vedder sought to make the band's musical output less
catchyA hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
. He said, "I felt that with more popularity, we were going to be crushed, our heads were going to pop like grapes." By 1994’s
VitalogyVitalogy is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994 through Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded while touring behind its previous album Vs....
, the band began to incorporate more punk influences into its music. The band’s 1996 album, No CodeNo Code is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy , in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio...
, was a deliberate break from the musical style of TenTen is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike...
. The songs on the album featured elements of garage rockGarage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name. In the early 1970s, some rock critics retroactively labelled it as punk rock...
, worldbeatIn popular music, worldbeat refers to any style of music which fuses folk music, often from non-traditional sources with Western rock or other pop influences....
, and experimentalismExperimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-twentieth century, particularly in North America, and whose most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
. After 1998’s YieldYield is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on February 3, 1998 through Epic Records. Following a short tour for its previous album, No Code , Pearl Jam went into the studio in 1997 to record its follow-up...
, which was somewhat of a return to the straightforward rock approach of the band's early work, the band dabbled with experimental art rockArt rock is a term describing a subgenre of rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture." Art rock is an "intrinsically album-based" form, which takes "advantage of the format's capacity for longer, more complex compositions and...
on 2000’s BinauralBinaural is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on May 16, 2000 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Yield , Pearl Jam took a short break before reconvening toward the end of 1999 to commence work on a new...
and folk rockFolk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
elements on 2002’s Riot ActRiot Act is the seventh studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 12, 2002 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Binaural , Pearl Jam took a year-long break. The band then reconvened in the beginning of 2002 and...
. The band’s 2006 album, Pearl JamPearl Jam is the eighth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam and its debut release for J Records. Released on May 2, 2006, it was the band's first full-length studio release in almost four years, the longest gap between Pearl Jam's studio albums to date. Following its...
, was cited as a return to the band’s early sound. The band's 2009 album, Backspacer, contains elements of
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and
New WaveNew Wave is a genre of rock and pop music that emerged in in the middle to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, and...
.
Critic Jim DeRogatis describes Vedder's vocals as a "
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock music history. He was also the author of several books of poetry ...
-like vocal growl." Greg Prato of Allmusic said, "With his hard-hitting and often confessional lyrical style and Jim Morrison-esque baritone, Vedder also became one of the most copied lead singers in all of rock." Vedder's lyrical topics range from personal ("Alive", "Better Man") to social and political concerns ("Even Flow", "World Wide Suicide"). His lyrics have often invoked the use of
storytellingStorytelling is the conveying of events in words, images, and sounds often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture and in every land as a means of entertainment, education, preservation of culture and in order to instill moral values...
and have included themes of
freedomFreedom is the right to act according to ones will without being held up by the power of others. From a philosophical point of view, it can be defined as the capacity to determine your own choices...
,
individualismIndividualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses independence and self-reliance. Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires, while opposing most external interference upon one's choices, whether by society, or any other group or...
, and sympathy for troubled individuals. When the band started, Gossard and McCready were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively. The dynamic began to change when Vedder started to play more rhythm guitar during the Vitalogy era. McCready said in 2006, "Even though there are three guitars, I think there's maybe more room now. Stone will pull back and play a two-note line and Ed will do a
power chordIn music, a power chord is a chord consisting of only the root note of the chord and the fifth, usually played on electric guitar, and typically through an amplification process that imparts distortion...
thing, and I fit into all that."
Legacy
While Nirvana had brought grunge to the
mainstreamMainstream is, generally, the common current of thought of the majority. However in the reality, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct. It is a term most often applied in the arts...
in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam quickly outsold them, and became "the most popular American rock & roll band of the '90s" according to Allmusic. Pearl Jam has been described as "
modern rockModern rock is a term commonly used to describe a rock music format found on American commercial radio. Generally beginning with late 1970s punk but referring especially to rock music since the 1980s, the phrase "modern rock" is used to differentiate the music from "classic rock", which focuses on...
radio's most influential stylists – the workmanlike midtempo chug of songs like "Alive" and "Even Flow" just melodic enough to get
moshMoshing or slamming refers to the activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively push or slam into each other. Moshing is frequently accompanied by stage diving, crowd surfing, mic swinging, instrument smashing, and headbanging...
ers singing along." The band inspired and influenced a number of bands, ranging from
SilverchairSilverchair is an Australian alternative rock band. The band formed as Innocent Criminals in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1992, with their current lineup of vocalist and guitarist Daniel Johns, bass guitarist Chris Joannou, and drummer Ben Gillies...
to
Puddle of MuddPuddle of Mudd is an American rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. They achieved success on rock radio and some success in the mainstream, and their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over 5 million copies. To date the band has sold over 8 million albums, and have had a string of #1 mainstream...
and
The StrokesThe Strokes is an American rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. They rose to fame in the early 2000s as leaders in the garage rock revival. The band's members are Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr...
. Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries in the grunge scene like
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and
SoundgardenSoundgarden was a Grammy Award winning American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
.
Pearl Jam has been praised for its rejection of rock star excess and its insistence on backing causes it believes in. Music critic
Jim DeRogatisJames "Jim" DeRogatis is an American music critic. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer. He is also the Pop Music Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times...
said in the aftermath of the band's battle with Ticketmaster that it "proved that a rock band which isn't comprised of greed heads can play stadiums and not milk the audience for every last dime... it indicated that idealism in rock 'n' roll is not the sole province of those '60s bands enshrined in the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, and other people who have in some major way influenced the music...
." Eric Weisbard of
SpinSpin is a music magazine. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr., it competes with industry stalwart Rolling Stone. Madonna was the artist on the cover of the first issue.-History:...
said in 2001, "The group that was once accused of being synthetic grunge now seem as organic and principled a rock band as exists." In a 2005 USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
reader's poll, Pearl Jam was voted the greatest American rock band of all time. In April 2006, Pearl Jam was awarded the prize for "Best Live Act" in EsquireEsquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
s Esky Music Awards. The blurb called Pearl Jam "the rare superstars who still play as though each show could be their last." Pearl Jam's fanbase following (often referred to as the "Jamily") has been compared to that of the
Grateful DeadThe Grateful Dead were an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock—and for live performances of long musical...
's, with
Rolling Stone magazine stating that Pearl Jam "toured incessantly and became one of rock's great arena acts, attracting a fanatical, Grateful Dead-like cult following with marathon, true-believer shows in the vanishing spirit of Bruce Springsteen, the Who and U2."
When asked about Pearl Jam's legacy in a 2000 interview, Vedder said, "I think at some point along the way we began feeling we wanted to give people something to believe in because we all had bands that gave that to us when we needed something to believe in. That was the big challenge for us after the first record and the response to it. The goal immediately became how do we continue to be musicians and grow and survive in view of all this... The answers weren’t always easy, but I think we found a way."
Campaigning and activism
Throughout its career, Pearl Jam has promoted wider social and political issues, from
pro-choicePro-choice describes the political and ethical view that a woman should have complete control over her fertility and the choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy. This entails the guarantee of reproductive rights, which includes access to sexual education; access to safe and legal abortion,...
sentiments to
opposition to George W. Bush's presidencyGeorge W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, has inspired a variety of public perceptions regarding his policies, personality, and performance as a head of state. In the U.S. and elsewhere, journalists, polling organizations, and others have documented the expression of an evolving...
. Vedder acts as the band's spokesman on these issues. The band has promoted an array of causes, including awareness of
Crohn's diseaseCrohn's disease is an inflammatory disease of the intestines that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from anus to mouth, causing a wide variety of symptoms...
, which lead guitarist Mike McCready suffers from,
TicketmasterTicketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is a ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. All US ticket sales for US venues are fulfilled at the Ticketmaster sole fulfillment center located in Charleston, West Virginia...
venue monopolization and the environment and wildlife protection, among others. Guitarist Stone Gossard has been active in environmental pursuits, and has been an advocate of Pearl Jam's
carbon neutralBeing carbon neutral, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset...
policy, offsetting the band's environmental impact. Vedder has advocated for the release of the
West Memphis 3The West Memphis 3 is the name given to three teenagers who were tried and convicted of the murders of three children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas, United States in 1993. Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley,Jr., was sentenced to life in prison, plus 40...
for years and
Damien EcholsDamien Wayne Echols is one of the three men convicted in a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas.-Crimes:Echols was convicted of murder by a jury and sentenced to die by lethal injection...
, a member of the three, shares a writing credit for the song "Army Reserve" (from
Pearl JamPearl Jam is the eighth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam and its debut release for J Records. Released on May 2, 2006, it was the band's first full-length studio release in almost four years, the longest gap between Pearl Jam's studio albums to date. Following its...
). The band publicizes such causes via its official website and includes links to alternative news sources.
The band, and especially frontman Eddie Vedder, have been vocal supporters of the pro-choice movement. In 1992,
SpinSpin is a music magazine. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr., it competes with industry stalwart Rolling Stone. Madonna was the artist on the cover of the first issue.-History:...
printed an article by Vedder, entitled "Reclamation", which detailed his views on abortion. In an
MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged was a TV series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments. The show received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
concert the same year, Vedder stood on a stool and wrote "PRO-CHOICE!" on his arm in protest when the band performed the song "Porch". The band are members of a number of pro-choice organizations, including
Choice USAChoice USA is a reproductive rights non-profit organization in the United States based in Washington, D.C. and Oakland, California. It is youth-led, with a focus on pro-choice movements....
and Voters for Choice.
As members of
Rock the VoteRock the Vote is a 501 non-profit organization founded in Los Angeles in 1990 by Jeff Ayeroff for the purposes of political advocacy. Rock the Vote works to engage youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities...
and
Vote for ChangeThe Vote for Change tour was a politically-motivated American popular music concert tour that took place in October 2004. The tour was presented by MoveOn.org to benefit America Coming Together. The tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote...
, the band has encouraged voter registration and participation in
United States electionsThe United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal , state and local level. On a national level, the head of state, the President, is elected indirectly by the people, through an Electoral College. In modern times, the electors virtually always vote with the popular vote...
. Vedder was outspoken in support of
Green PartyThe Green Party of the United States is one of the political parties in the United States, and similar in mission to many of the worldwide Green Parties. The Greens, a voluntary association of state parties, have been active as a nationally recognized political party since 2001...
presidential candidate
Ralph NaderRalph Nader is an American attorney, author, lecturer, political activist, and former candidate for President of the United States. He ran as an independent candidate in 2004 and 2008, and a Green Party candidate in 1996 and 2000. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection,...
in 2000, and Pearl Jam played a series of concerts on the Vote for Change tour in October 2004, supporting the candidacy of
John KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, and is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee....
for
U.S. PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
. In a
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
feature showcasing the Vote for Change tour's performers, Vedder told the magazine, "I supported Ralph Nader in 2000, but it's a time of crisis. We have to get a new administration in."
Vedder usually comments on politics between songs, often to criticize U.S. foreign policy, and a number of his songs, including "Bu$hleaguer" and "
World Wide Suicide"World Wide Suicide" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "World Wide Suicide" was released through digital music stores on March 14, 2006 as the first single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam...
", are openly critical of the Bush administration. At Lollapalooza 2007, Vedder spoke out against
BP AmocoBP plc is the third largest global energy company, the 5th largest company in the world, the UK's largest company, a multinational oil company with headquarters in St James's, City of Westminster, London...
dumping effluent in Lake Michigan, and at the end of "Daughter", he sang the lyrics "George Bush leave this world alone/George Bush find yourself another home". In the beginning of the second encore Vedder invited Iraq war veteran Tomas Young, the subject of the documentary
Body of WarBody of War, directed by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue, is a 2007 documentary following Tomas Young, an Iraq War veteran paralyzed from a bullet to the spine, on a physical and emotional journey as he adapts to his new body and begins to question the decision to go to war in Iraq.As Tomas's journey...
, onto the stage to urge an end to the war. Young in turn introduced
Ben HarperBenjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American musician, known for his guitar-playing skills and his activism.-Early life:Harper was born in Claremont, in California's Pomona Valley. He began playing guitar as a child...
, who contributed vocals to "No More" and "Rockin' in the Free World". The band has since discovered that some of the Bush-related lyrics were excised from the
AT&TAT&T Inc. is the largest provider of local, long distance telephone services in the United States, and also serves digital subscriber line Internet access. AT&T is the second largest provider of wireless service in the United States, with over 77 million wireless customers, and more than 150...
webcast of the event, and are questioning whether that constitutes censorship. AT&T later apologized and blamed the censorship on contractor
Davie Brown EntertainmentDavie Brown Entertainment was founded in 1980 by Jim Davie, who had created the "Pepsi Challenge" marketing program, and Brad Brown, as the entertainment marketing agency of PepsiCo, which was concerned about how much exposure its primary competitor, The Coca-Cola Company, had in the entertainment...
.
Pearl Jam has performed numerous benefit concerts in aid of charities. For example, the band headlined a Seattle concert in 2001 to support the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
' efforts to combat world hunger. The band added a date at the Chicago House of Blues to its 2005 tour to help the victims of
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States...
; the concert proceeds were donated to
Habitat for HumanityHabitat For Humanity International , generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, ecumenical Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing. Homes are built using volunteer labor and are sold...
, the
American Red CrossThe American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States, and is the designated U.S...
and the Jazz Foundation of America.
Discography
- Ten
Ten is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike...
(1991)
- Vs.
Vs. is an album by the Boston post-punk band Mission of Burma. It was a fully realized follow-up to their EP Signals, Calls, and Marches...
(1993)
- Vitalogy
Vitalogy is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994 through Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded while touring behind its previous album Vs....
(1994)
- No Code
No Code is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy , in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio...
(1996)
- Yield
Yield is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on February 3, 1998 through Epic Records. Following a short tour for its previous album, No Code , Pearl Jam went into the studio in 1997 to record its follow-up...
(1998)
- Binaural
Binaural is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on May 16, 2000 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Yield , Pearl Jam took a short break before reconvening toward the end of 1999 to commence work on a new...
(2000)
- Riot Act
Riot Act is the seventh studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 12, 2002 through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Binaural , Pearl Jam took a year-long break. The band then reconvened in the beginning of 2002 and...
(2002)
- Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is the eighth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam and its debut release for J Records. Released on May 2, 2006, it was the band's first full-length studio release in almost four years, the longest gap between Pearl Jam's studio albums to date. Following its...
(2006)
- Backspacer (2009)
See also
Further reading
- Clark, Martin. Pearl Jam & Eddie Vedder: None Too Fragile (2005). ISBN 0-859-65371-4
- Jones, Allan. Pearl Jam - The Illustrated Story, A Melody Maker Book (1995). ISBN 0-793-54035-6
- Neely, Kim. Five Against One: The Pearl Jam Story (1998). ISBN 0-140-27642-4
- Prato, Greg. Grunge is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music (2009). ISBN 978-1-55022-877-9
- Wall, Mick. Pearl Jam (1996). ISBN 1-886-89433-7