Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder Says Ten ‘Getting Too Big’ Almost ‘Crushed’ Pearl Jam
In lieu of the coming 30th anniversary of Pearl Jam’s debut full-length, Ten, which was released on Aug. 27, 1991, Eddie Vedder and guitarist Mike McCready recall the album’s titanic success, and it’s titanic weight on the band following its intractable success in a recent feature from the latest issue of Classic Rock magazine. Upon its release, it didn’t do that well. That is, until it gained traction after MTV put “Jeremy” in heavy rotation. The band wasn’t expecting such a sudden jump into the limelight and was overwhelmed. Vedder thought that, with the mass popularity of the album on their backs, fame would do them in. “It’s getting too big too quickly,” he remembered. “We were going to be crushed, our heads were going to pop like grapes.” Even after releasing their sophomore fol...
Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan on Gish Influencing Pearl Jam and Nirvana
Billy Corgan is only too happy to talk about the influence the Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish LP — 30 years old this year — had on the burgeoning alt-rock scene. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Corgan said, “I remember having a conversation with Eddie Vedder when we were on tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He told me how much of an influence Gish was on their first record.” Others, too, were fans of the Chicago foursome, Corgan said. “Through the years, I’ve talked to many, many people who really pointed to Gish as the game-changer in their mind about how to approach guitar and how to record.” Gish, produced by Butch Vig and Corgan in 1990-1991, “had a lot to do with how Nevermind was recorded,” Corgan says. Vig produced that album for Nirvana, also in 1990-1991. ...
Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival to Return in September
Last year, Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival was pushed to literally a calendar year later because of the pandemic. On Wednesday, the fest confirmed its return to Southern California on the last weekend of September with a slightly tweaked lineup. Retaining the same lineup, which includes several classic rock bands and singer-songwriters, Vedder’s festival will also mark Pearl Jam’s first official shows since 2018 and coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Ten. Friday night’s headliners are recent SPIN cover subjects Kings of Leon and Vedder himself (he’s headlined every Saturday since the fest’s inception in 2016) on top of Pearl Jam’s festival-closing set on Sunday night. Last year, Pearl Jam released Gigaton, and you can read our review of that album here. ...
Watch Eddie Vedder Play With Josh Klinghoffer and Foo Fighters Perform With AC/DC’s Brian Johnson at Global Citizen’s VAX Live Event
On Saturday night, Global Citizen aired VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World — a virtual event aimed “to help end COVID-19 for all, end the hunger crisis, resume learning everywhere, protect the planet, and advance equity for all.” The hourlong show, hosted by Selena Gomez, kicked off with Eddie Vedder playing two songs with a backing band that featured former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and the rhythm section of White Reaper. Together, they thrashed through a punky version of Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy track “Corduroy” and a cover of Little Steven Van Zandt’s 1984 anthem “I Am a Patriot.” “We need governments to stop stockpiling vaccines — and to share their excess doses. Now. We need pharmaceutical companies to provid...
Eddie Vedder, Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard and More to Play Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert
The 34th Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert announced this year’s lineup, and it includes Eddie Vedder, Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard, Valerie June, Angélique Kidjo, Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal, and Rubin Kodheli. The event will take place virtually—instead of its usual venue of Carnegie Hall—on Feb. 17 and will begin with a personal message from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Tickets are on sale, ranging from $25 to $50, and unique sponsor level cyber-tables start at $5,000. Information on all available packages is here. It will be streaming via Mandolin, a livestream site that has been aiding artists in the difficult task of connecting with fans during the pandemic. Some past participants of Tibet House US Benefit Concert include Alabama Shakes, Patti Smith, Carly Simo...
Eddie Vedder Adds Four New Songs to Matter of Time Single
Eddie Vedder gifted fans with the five-song Matter Of Time bundle, a set of acoustic songs and covers performed and recorded throughout 2020, including a version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Growin’ Up.” The collection expands a previously released two-song EP, and includes the addition of “Future Days” from the 2020 Game Awards, and energetic at-home performances of the Pearl Jam classics “Porch” and “Just Breathe.” The Pearl Jam frontman initially introduced Matter Of Time in November with the title track “Matter of Time” and “Say Hi” as part of a digital livestream to benefit the EB Research Partnership (EBRP), which was co-founded by Vedder and his wife Jill to raise awareness and funds about EB, a life-threatening genetic disorder. In September, Vedder released two versions of the new...
Alice in Chains Honored by Metallica, Mastodon, Korn, Eddie Vedder at MoPop Benefit
Last night, Alice in Chains were honored as the recipients of the 2020 Founder’s Award from the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop). Metallica, Korn, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Mark Lanegan and Alice in Chains themselves performed more than 20 songs during the livestream event that paid tribute to the Seattle quartet. Additionally, friends and fans ranging from Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder to Iron Man actor Robert Downey, Jr. shared congratulations. Alice in Chains themselves were shown in often-humorous segments, touring the museum exhibits, which include Jimi Hendrix guitars, DEVO jumpsuits, and numerous items of iconic horror film memorabilia. The virtual event was viewed by more than 275,000 people worldwide and raised more than $600,000 to keep the museum and its educational and co...
Stone Gossard Calls Eddie Vedder His ‘Muse’: ‘I Write Every Song For Eddie, Ultimately’
Stone Gossard and Eddie Vedder have been making music together for 30 years, and while some relationships may get stale after the three-decade mark, the Pearl Jam guitarist feels a different sentiment: his singer is his “muse.” During a recent interview with Kerrang!, Gossard opened up about that relationship. “I write every song for Eddie, ultimately,” he confessed. “He’s my muse. I would love to write 50 songs a year with him, but it’s just not on the cards; it just doesn’t work like that for him. When he’s in a writing process, it’s different than it is for me. I can write all the time. The way Ed really operates, the way that he loves to get music, is for something that’s immediate for you coming in at a time when he’s ready to connect with it. He likes to be in the process w...
Eddie Vedder Shares New Solo Songs, ‘Matter of Time’ and ‘Say Hi’
Eddie Vedder delivered two new powerful songs during his Venture Into Cures benefit event last night. As previously reported, “Matter of Time” and “Say Hi” are tunes that were inspired by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic connective tissue disorder. “Say Hi” is an oft-sought after live favorite now officially available for the first time. “Matter of Time” is a moving piano-and-vocals ballad that Vedder dedicates to all people who live with EB. And while “Matter of Time” was a song for everyone with EB, “Say Hi” is dedicated to Eli Meyer, “a brave 6-year-old afflicted with Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa.” Poignant lyrics include, “with all our imperfections / your light shines through in all direc...
Eddie Vedder Will Perform Two New Songs at Venture Into Cures Benefit
Eddie Vedder and his wife Jill will be joined by celeb friends for Venture Into Cures, a one-hour virtual event that will see the Pearl Jam frontman perform two new songs — “Matter of Time” and a new version of “Say Hi” — inspired by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic connective tissue disorder. The Vedders co-founded the EB Research Partnership, whose mission to find a cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa will be supported by the Nov. 18 benefit. Joining them will be Judd Apatow, Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern, Billie Eilish, Chris Hemsworth, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, Gaten Matarazzo, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz, Adam Sandler and Renée Zellweger, and musical performances by Jon Batiste, Alessia Cara, Andra Day, Glen Hansard, Adam Levine, Keb’ Mo’, Lukas, Micah and Willie Nels...
Eddie Vedder Opens Up About Chris Cornell on Howard Stern Show
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was interviewed by Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show for the first time ever and spoke about such personal topics as openly about struggling with Chris Cornell’s death, how he handled Pearl Jam’s initial success (he wishes he’d dealt with it better) and also missing a show by his own Seattle supergroup, Temple of the Dog. Stern, a big fan, told Vedder, “it’s very intimidating to meet you.” During the course of the three-hour interview, Vedder also said that while he’s been ok during the pandemic, he’s “worried for everybody. It’s a shame we’re looking at new levels of infection we haven’t seen before. It’s just so incredibly disturbing and irresponsible.” He also spoke about having a Mother’s Day dance party in the garage, voting in swing states a...
Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder, Stevie Nicks and More Celebrate Tom Petty’s 70th Birthday
Tom Petty would’ve turned 70 on October 20, and to celebrate the milestone birthday some of the late rockstar’s friends, colleagues, and admirers joined forces for a virtual party. After nearly three hours of covers on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio from dozens of artists including the Raconteurs and the Killers, a three-hour-long livestream kicked off that featured more covers and birthday wishes, both new and archival. Among the performances, Foo Fighters put their spin on “Honey Bee,” the Flaming Lips covered “Listen To Your Heart,” Beck did “Don’t Come Around Here” with Jeffertitti, Spoon performed “Breakdown,” Margo Price brought a country flare to “Crawling Back To You,” Brandi Carlile did “Wildflowers,” and the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench reunited to close o...
