Friday, July 31, 2009

Australia Dates, New Zealand to Follow?

Still no official annoucement from Pearl Jam, but Ticketek has announced three dates for which they will be selling tickets.




Pearl Jam will be returning to Australia for the first time in 3 years, bringing with them their old touring mates, Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Liam Finn.



Pearl Jam is one of the most influential live bands of the modern era. Beginning with their iconic debut album, 'Ten', in 1991 and continuing through to today, the quintet have consistently combined the perfect amalgam of punk aesthetics with anthemic, classic rock sounds, and in the process have created one of the most respected catalogues in rock history. For the past 18 years, Pearl Jam has remained a relevant cultural and political force, having completed countless international tours and selling over 60 million records worldwide.


It's been 3 years since Pearl Jam last toured Australia and New Zealand and their Australian fans clearly haven't forgotten them with two songs appearing in Triple J's recent Hottest 100 of All Time list ('Alive' at No. 24 and 'Better Man' at No. 39).





TOUR DATES:
Tuesday 17 November - Adelaide Oval
Sunday 22 November - Sydney Football Stadium
Wednesday 25 November - QSAC Stadium Brisbane




Will there also be New Zealand dates?  GrungeReport seems to think it will be AMI Stadium in Christchurch at some point in November.

The discussion continues here.

September 20th Is For Chumps

If you have Verizon Wireless, there's really no reason to wait until the release of Backspacer to hear all of the tracks, or at least part of the tracks.  You can start rocking out right now with The Fixer and Got Some ringtones.


BASKING RIDGE, N.J., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning this week, fans who love legendary rock band Pearl Jam can find exclusive ringtones and ringback tones only at Verizon Wireless. Verizon Wireless is giving customers a sneak peak of Pearl Jam's much-anticipated new album, Backspacer, before it is released on Sept. 20, 2009. One exclusive ringtone and ringback tone will be available from VZW Tones or at www.vzw.com/mp3 for download and purchase each Thursday leading up to the album release, with the final three songs available the week of Sept. 17, 2009.

The new exclusive Pearl Jam ringtones and ringback tones from their forthcoming album, Backspacer, will be released as follows:


      
  • Available Now: "The      Fixer" and "Got Some"
  •   
  • Aug. 6: "Amongst The      Waves"
  •   
  • Aug. 13: "Just      Breathe"
  •   
  • Aug. 20: "Gonna See My      Friend"
  •   
  • Aug. 27: "Supersonic"
  •   
  • Sept. 3: "Force of      Nature"
  •   
  • Sept. 10: "Speed of      Sound"
  •   
  • Sept. 17: "Johnny      Guitar" / "Unthought Known" / "The End"


At the dawn of the '90s, Pearl Jam came together to form one of the most influential bands of the modern era. Beginning with their iconic debut album, Ten, in 1991 and continuing through to today, the quintet have consistently combined the perfect amalgam of punk aesthetics with anthemic, classic rock sounds, and in the process have created one of the most respected catalogs in rock history. For the past 18 years, Pearl Jam has remained a relevant cultural and political force, having completed countless international tours and selling over 60 million records worldwide.


For more information on mobile music from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com/music. For information on Pearl Jam, visit www.pearljam.com.


About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.



It's all part of the Backspacer Master Plan.



The discussion continues here.

Buy Backspacer at Target and Get a Vault Key

This one almost slipped by me because I didn't see that this article posted by Billboard.com has multiple pages.  It appears as though shopping at Target will get you a few live shows.


The Target discs will link to a virtual "vault" of 11 concerts spanning Pearl Jam's career, from which fans can choose two. The band will also create an organic cotton T-shirt to be sold at Target, with proceeds earmarked for the hunger relief charity Feeding America. And in September, a Cameron Crowe-directed TV ad will air featuring footage shot during a private performance at Seattle's Showbox in late May.



Is that enough to make me go to Target and buy a second copy of Backspacer?  I don't know.  I guess I have a little under two months to decide.

The discussion continues here.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Judd Apatow, Director, Into The Wild Fan




I can’t stop listening to this record.  I only wish it was a double album.  I saw Eddie Vedder in New York, and he played a part in Walk Hard.  My greatest rock ‘n’ roll moment.



Thank you, GrungeReport, for that nice tidbit from Judd Apatow while being interviewed about his recent iTunes playlist.

Ten Club Poster Pre-Sale



It's already been reported at TwoFeetThick and PearlJam.com, but if you're going to any of the shows listed below, you can buy your poster right now and have it shipped to your house following the show.  No more fighting, biting, and smiting just to get home with a smudged poster.


Calgary August 8

Toronto August 21
Chicago August 23
Chicago August 24
San Francisco August 28


The discussion continues here.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

All That's Sacred, Episode #11


All That's Sacred, Episode #11 is now available.
Episode #11 didn’t come together as initially intended. I had planned to play a number of listener requests from my ever-growing list. However, my internet connection decided to crap out a few days ago before I could download many of those songs. As a result, I pieced together the following podcast from bootlegs in my collection at the last minute while melting in my un-air-conditioned office. Luckily, the internet repair guy showed up ¾ of the way through, thereby making it possible for a timely upload. And despite the unexpected diversions, I’m pretty happy with how the alternative came together. Hope you like it too.

I’m always thankful for you taking the time to tune in to the podcast. I’m also always thrilled to hear from other Pearl Jam fans. If you want to contact me, please do so via email, Facebook, Twitter, or leave a comment on this post.






Backspacer Artwork About To Be Revealed



Pearl Jam has posted a game to unveil the artwork for Backspacer.  Think you've got what it takes?  You'll get a free download for your efforts.



SPOILER ALERT: Our forums have already found all of the images.  The discussion continues here.

Here It Is ... Backspacer!

 It appears as though we have a final image of the Backspacer album cover.


Speed of Sound: The TSIS Review



If you've completed the Backspacer artwork puzzle or cheated and found the link on our forums, than you've heard a demo of Speed of Sound.  If you're at work or seeing this on your Blackberry, maybe you're wondering what the song is like.  For such wonderment, I defer to stip.







First Impressions of Speed of Sound





Hard to believe this is coming from the same album that has Get Some and The Fixer.  Where those songs are forceful, assertive, and above all certain Speed of Sound is delicate, cautious, and unsure of itself.  This is a beautiful, but by no means easy first listen.  The music has the same start/stop feel of a song like Guaranteed, but none of its easy melody, which fits well with the questing nature of the lyrics.  Speed of Sound builds quite nicely too.  It ratchets up the tension without ever overwhelming itself.  It’s quiet, without surrendering the sense that something is at stake.


Eddie sounds great here, channeling the same vulnerability we’ve heard in the live version of The End that’s been circulating.  He sounds tired and exhausted in a long-suffering way. He’s clearly weighted down but his performance lacks the weakness and fatalism that dragged down so many of the songs on Riot Act.  It’s also offset by some falsetto vocalizations (we seem to be hearing more of these on this record, and that can only be a good thing.  Eddie’s voice is an instrument even without lyrics, and for too long he’s confined himself to formal vocal parts limited by the words he wrote) and some compelling harmonies.  For a demo there is a surprising amount of depth here (compare to the man of the hour, gone, or small town), a real wealth of feeling.  This sounds like a finished thought more than a template.


What the band does here will be critical.  The song needs that final push to get it into the 4/5 star range.  It’s just a tiny bit too sparse for my tastes here.  But at the same time this can very easily find itself weighted down if they add too much to it, or too much of the wrong thing.


Lyrically there is a really fascinating counterpoint in a song like Speed of Sound (or the End) compared to The Fixer (or Got Some).  Whereas the later are brimming with confidence and optimism these are quiet and meditative numbers—lost, where the others are found.  Their records don’t often come from these kind of divergent headspaces.  They slingshot between anger and uncertainty perhaps, or hope and fear, but not known and unknown.  I’m reluctant to comment too much on this when we’re only going by fan transcriptions of demos, but the song is animated by a sense of loss, but his isn’t a sister song to Elderly Woman, where the singer is haunted by everything they never did. Instead the singer is mourning the loss of something more tangible—something once held and since surrendered, perhaps due to the fears, doubts, or self-destruction of the singer.  He’s coming to grips with his own failures to live, his own failures to feel, his own fear of peace and happiness, and he’s starting to realize that he’s running out of time.  The speed of sound metaphor works great here, both as a vision of energy, happiness, and movement (the way speed is a stand in for meaning, power, and agency—see Born to Run, although Eddie has long been drawing water from that well) but also the way in which a door is rapidly closing—that life is moving fast, and if he doesn’t find his peace soon, his way to slow it down, it will have moved far beyond his grasp, and he’ll be left behind. There’s almost a Tom Waits feel to that sentiment, although Waits would have used a train metaphor.  You’re on the train, watching the person you love or the life you wanted to live recede into nothing as you gather speed leaving the station.


As a first impression this demo is a 3 star song for me, but in fairness this is a challenging songs and these are growers for me.  It is full of great potential and promise, but they could also end up crushing this one under its own weight if they do too much with it.  I’m certainly eager to hear the finished version at any rate











Yesterdays, How quick they change
All lost and long gone now
Want to remember anything moving at the speed of sound
With the speed of sound


And yet I’m still holdin’ tight to this dream of distant light
In that, somehow I’ll survive, but this night has been a long one
Waiting on a sun that just don't come


Can I forgive what I cannot forget
And live a lie?
I could give it one more try


Why deny this, drive inside, just looking for some peace
Every time I get me some it gets the best of me


Not much left, you see


And yet I’m still holdin’ tight to this dream of distant light
In that, somehow I’ll survive, but this night has been a long one
Waiting on a word that never comes


A whisper in the dark
Is that you or just my thoughts
I'm wide awake and reaching out


It’s gone so quiet now
Could it be I’m farther out


Movin’ faster than the speed of sound







The discussion continues here.

Name All 104 Pearl Jam Songs ... GO!

I'm not even going to attempt it (or admit that I attempted it) for fear that I will fail miserably, but Sporcle.com has a game that will test how fast you can name all of Pearl Jam's album tracks.  Today is clearly the day for Pearl Jam games.  So much for your job.  You have twelve minutes!!







Friday, July 24, 2009

Tonight: GrungeFest in Nashville, TN

According to the Nashville Scene, you can get your fix of "Pearl Jam," "Soundgarden," "Alice in Chains," and "Rage Against the Machine" at Cannery Ballroom, Friday night (7/24/2009) at 9pm.



For fans of the ’90s grunge movement, there is probably no greater moment in the history of recorded music than Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike.” The song, which showcasedEddie Vedder and Chris Cornell out-wailing each other in a blood-and-thunder tribute to fallen Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood, is the “American Pie” for the flannel-clad generation. Of course, the glory days of grunge hit the wall when Kurt Cobain put a shotgun in his mouth, pulled the trigger and blew CandleboxSeven Mary Three and Bush out the back of his head, effectively ending an era. For those of you who still hunger for the sounds of Seattle, 102.9 The Buzz’s Grungestock fest will feature tribute bands Ten (Pearl Jam), Badmotorfinger (Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog), Facelift (Alice in Chains) and Nashville’s one-and-only all-female tribute to Rage Against the Machine, Take the Power Back. Why this is a “stock” festival as opposed to a “palooza” is anyone’s guess. 
I am seriously considering the 8 hour drive tomorrow just to see an all-female tribute to Rage Against the Machine!

Win VIP Tickets to Outside Lands

 


Actually, I'd prefer you NOT take advantage of this contest by Head Count for a free pair of tickets and airfare to the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, because winning is the only way I can afford to go.  Still, it's my duty to report it!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Eddie Vedder: Top Ten Songwriter

 411mania.com writer, Andrew Moll, listed his Top Ten Songwriters [of all time?  currently?] this week.  Despite a continuing debate on the merits of The Fixer(the lyrics were most likely Ed's, even though the song is credited to Matt Cameron), we'll go ahead and prais our hometown hero for the honor.



In Pearl Jam's early days, Eddie Vedder wasn't the one writing most of the songs, as that was up to Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. But it was Vedder providing the lyrics that made him a generational leader, against his best efforts. But the way songs like "Black" were written, it would be impossible for people not to latch onto what Vedder was singing. That connection with fans has only grown over the years as Vedder has penned classic Pearl Jam tracks like "Better Man," "Wishlist," "I Am Mine" and "World Wide Suicide." Vedder's talent has always been writing intensely personal lyrics that people can apply to their own lives. A lyric like "Everything has chains...absolutely nothing's changed," ends up meaning a lot to many listeners.



As much as Vedder writes about personal things, he's also as good as anyone at writing political statements. Lyircs from tracks like "Do the Evolution," "Grievance," and "Marker in the Sand" look at the political world with a skeptical eye, while the song "Bushleaguer" provides an excellent satirical take on everybody's favorite President. But Vedder's speciality is the personal, no doubt. He and Pearl Jam become stars by being direct and earnest and they haven't changed that approach at all. Whether he's whimsical on "Elderly Woman..." or exhausted on "All or None," Eddie Vedder knows how to tap into his own mind and make his statements mean something to rest of us as well.


Stone Gossard Radio Interviews

Stone called into 104.5 FM in Philadelphia to talk about The Fixer and Backspacer.  It's ... um ... y'know ... like ... a little more, ... um ... clear why Stone isn't always the ... like ... media face of the band.  You can listen to the interview here, or you can read my weak-ass summary of hot points.



On "pop elements" in The Fixer and Backspacer:

I think the band definitely progressed and did some things we haven’t done before.  When people talk about “pop” I think it’s about a simplicity of melody and a simplicity of arrangement that doesn’t over complicate a good idea or a great lyric.  I think the Fixer is a great example.  You really hear something about Eddie’s personality in the lyric and you get a view that a lot of people don’t get from him which is a sort of optimistic and playful melody and lyric.

We’ve made a couple of political and pointed records, the last two in particular, and just to move away from that is great, because it allows you to go back to that when you need to and it refreshes everybody, and it comes down to a beat and a melody and your friends and a lyric and a poem and something that’s important to you.

This record has a lot of things that are very different from The Fixer, it’s got some beautiful Ed ballads that are reminiscent of the Into The Wild Soundtrack as well as some really great rockers.

 



On album leaks,

I’m surprised it hasn’t leaked yet.  That’s the shock.  You don’t want to have people hearing a leaked version as a first source.  It’s inevitable that those things happen.  I don’t spend much time stressing about it.



What's going on with Brad and your solo work?

Brad has got their feelers out toward each other.  There is speculation that we’re going to do some more dates.  I know we have a record that we finished last year, that we’ve kinda been figuring out when to put out and where.  I would keep an eye on the Pearl Jam website and look onto my page, and if there is any new Brad stuff, you’ll hear it first there.

I like making records.  Sure.  That was eight years ago, so I’m always recording and doing stuff.  I can imagine doing some touring maybe with Brad and doing some songs by myself.





UPDATE: Let me add a Stone Gossard interview on 103.9FM (Phoenix).



Thanks CoMaToSeD for the catch.



The discussion continues here.

An Ambitious Tribute

60 Days of Pearl Jam?  So, says Charles Peelle of the Indianapolis Pop Culture Examiner.  I've been your humble blogger since April, and I can tell you, it's a big under taking.  I can also tell you, I ain't postin' all 60 articles on theskyiscrape.com.  




Monday saw the release of "The Fixer," the lead single from Pearl Jam's upcoming ninth album, "Backspacer," due out September 20th. In celebration of the new PJ, I am going to work my way back through the hugely influential band's glorious catalogue and rank their songs, albums, live moments, etc.

I will attempt to pay tribute to the greatest band of this generation every day, and if I happen to miss one or two, I promise to make up for it. If any of my readers are unfamiliar or only vaguely familiar with the band, my wish is to provide an introduction to the band and demonstrate why their following is so devoted, why their shows continue to sell out and why they were voted by USA Today readers as the greatest American band of all time.

 To begin, I am going to rank and review all of Pearl Jam's original songs, in descending order of course. This list will exclude anything released under any name other than Pearl Jam, hidden tracks (with one sole exception), solo material and songs from "Backspacer." It will include cover songs recorded in the studio and released to the public, such as "Crazy Mary" and "Love Reign O'er Me." We begin with the bottom ten, the lowest of the low for the best of the best.

Maybe when Mr. Peelle is done ranking all 162 Pearl Jam songs, we'll post a summary for you up here, but (I haven't reminded you in a while) I'm lazy, so I promise nothing.  In the meantime, try using Charles Peelle's RSS Feed to follow his updates, and ...



... the discussion continues here.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

All That's Sacred, Episode #10

Episode #10 is now available.



To celebrate podcast #10 I implored you to send me song ideas to recreate the album TEN track listing using live tracks culled from the last 19 years -- and boy did you deliver! I’ve been immersed in TEN songs for the last two weeks and listening to a ton of material! Unfortunately, I can’t play all of the awesome suggestions. I did give some preference to songs that had multiple requests. Plus, I accounted for sound quality and flow. I also wanted to make sure that the song selection represented the band’s entire career to date and wasn’t weighted in one time period or tour. And here is the end result. I’m sure some of you might be rolling your eyes at some of these song selections but ultimately I think it turned out pretty well. I hope you enjoy it as well.




Then head to our forums to discuss it!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Backspacer Press Junket

Twofeetthick has caught three interviews about Backspacer in the past two days and posted great summaries here and here.

If you MUST hear the interviews for yourself, the sources are below.

(1) Ed spoke with BBC DJ Zane Lowe.  You can listen on the BBC website iPlayer starting at the 33:55 mark.

(2) Mike McCready spoke with San Diego DJ Holloran (FM 94.9 KBZT).  You can listen to an mp3 of that interview at GrungeReport.net.

(3) Mike McCready called into "The Mountain" on Seattle's 103.7 FM.  You can listen to that here.

The discussion continues here.

Signed Guitar Auction For Charity

 The Ten Club has announced a charity auction to benefit CCFA and Advocacy for Patients.  You can bid on a guitar signed by Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, Duff McKagan, and Robin Trower.






You also get all of this!!!


* One Lotus Stratocaster guitar with natural wood grain with tortoise-shell pick guard and gig bag
* Guitar autographed by Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Duff McKagan and Robin Trower
* One 2009 Flight to Mars Goodie Bag, filled
* One 2009 Flight to Mars concert poster, designed by artist Brad Klausen, framed
* One 2009 Flight to Mars concert t-shirt
* One Shadow '86 concert t-shirt
* One Mike McCready guitar pick
* One Pearl Jam "Ten" Legacy Edition CD

The discussion continues here.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Did You Get Your Fix(er) On?

 Did you remember that The Fixer debuts today?  I haven't seen it for sale yet, but it is streaming at Pearl Jam's myspace page (which is, surprisingly, NOT myspace.com/pearljam).



You might start to thinking about things while you're listening to the song.  I can't seem to stop myself from imagining the Cameron Crowe directed video featuring this song,that has been filmed for Target.



"When something's up, I wanna shed a little light on it."

(Show a trendy, dorm-room lamp.)

"When something's cold, I wanna put a little fire on it."

(Show new Glade Effects candles.)

"When something's old, I wanna put a bit of shine on it."

(Show sexy model buffing a car with Turtle Wax.)

"When something's broke, I wanna put a bit of fixin' on it."

(Show Gorilla Glue.)



I'm not criticizing Pearl Jam for the exclusive deal they signed with Target, this is just the image that I haven't been able to get out of my head all morning.



The discussion continues here.

The Fixer: The TSIS Review



by stip

When something’s dark let me shed a little light on it

When something’s cold let me put a little fire on it

If something’s old I wanna put a bit of shine on it

When something’s gone I wanna fight to get it back again

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Fight to get it back again

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah



When something’s broke I wanna put a bit of fixin on it

When something’s bored I wanna put a little excitement on it

If something’s low I wanna put a little high on it

When something’s lost I wanna fight to get it back again

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Fight to get it back again

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah



When signals cross I wanna put a little straight on it

If there’s no love I want to try to love again


I’ll say your prayers I’ll take your side

I'll find us a way to make light

I'll dig your grave

We'll dance and sing

What's saved could be

One last lifetime



Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Fight to get it back again

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah







Pearl Jam has a history of releasing difficult tracks as challenging first singles (who you are, nothing as it seems, I am mine—even given to fly is not instantly catchy). The Fixer is much more in the vein of a Worldwide Suicide or Spin the Black Circle—quick, fun, and catchy as hell.  And in that respect this was an excellent choice.  A first listen on the radio is not the time to challenge listeners.  A single should capture your attention, draw you in, and make you want to hear more, and The Fixer certainly does that. 

Musically this has an 80s new wave meets jangly R.E.M. feel to it (with some unusual flourishes like the piano intro into the bridge).  In fact, I think this sounds like it could have been an R.E.M. song (that’s a good thing to my ears).  The band is perfectly balanced, to the point that it is hard to distinguish any one particular band member or part of the song.  No one is an individual star here.  It’s a little weird, actually, since most Pearl Jam songs usually have a dominant riff and some solos and flourish to color it.  When I listen carefully individual moments and little hidden high spots pop out but (at least on the myspace stream, which granted is not the best way to hear music) they recede when you’re not specifically listening to them. It’s hard to say if that means this song will get old faster or if it’ll be full of little discoveries that will keep it fresh.
Eddie said in an interview earlier this year that writing felt different after Bush. He certainly sounds like a weight has been lifted from him. There is a hope and optimism in the performance that has been missing for a long long time.  Even songs like World Wide Suicide with catchy, upbeat music has an undercurrent of anger to them.  In The Fixer Eddie sounds almost relieved, and there’s an unaffected enthusiasm to his performance.  This has the punch of the vocals on S/T filtered through the expansiveness of Into The Wild.  He makes very smart choices here.  It has energy and punch without any strain.



Lyrically the song is about a returning sense of agency, of feeling that a person can take a broken life or a broken world and put it back together again.  It’s not a very subtle song lyrically (usually this message is implicit in Pearl Jam songs—it’s very in your face here), and while there aren’t many memorable lyrics the repetition, delivery, and vocal melody make the whole much stronger than its parts (and the last lyric in each verse leading into the ‘fight to get it back again’ line work really well).  I think my favourite moment in the song may be the way Eddie delivers the line leading into the bridge (If there’s no love I want to try to love again)—the way his voice drops and sounds almost unsure of himself, as if he’s not sure if this is still okay anymore.  And then the bright piano fill jumps in, answering his question.  Yes, it finally is.



The only two criticisms I’d make of what is otherwise a strong single is the uh huh huhs that start the song (and come out of the bridge).  Normally I love Eddie’s wordless vocalizations but they seem a little too hushed given the energy of the rest of the song.  And for gods sake stop with the fucking fade outs.  Just end your damn songs!



I’d give this 4 stars. Bring on the rest of the record!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Questions About Pearl Jam's Ticket Prices



Although Digital City only asks the question, "Are Pearl Jam tickets too expensive?" in this article, the implied answer appears to be, "yes."




Moody '90s grunge act Pearl Jam are back on tour selling ticketsthrough their former enemy Ticketmaster, although during the feud, it was Rainbow Ticketmaster. With accusations of a Ticketmaster/Live Nation monopoly, do they really have a choice, especially considering their age and the lack of youthful rebellion?



The tour is in support of their new album 'Backspacer' out Sept. 20 which the only place outside of an indie record store or fan club is at behemoth retailer Target. With tickets at $66 for their Chicago and Seattle shows and $75 for the LA shows, has Pearl Jam completely sold out? And that's before a $12 service charge in addition to online ordering fees. It's enough to make an elderly woman behind the counter In a small town scream.

The tour kicks off in Canada on August 8 with a few dates in Europe before bringing their pearls and jam to the U.S. starting with those pricey shows in in Chicago before heading to Seattle and then California. For a full set of Pearl Jam tour dates, check out Tour Tracker.



One of the nostalgic story lines of the tour is that Pearl Jam will be the last sounds the historic Spectrum Arena will hear. After Pearl Jam's Oct. 28-30 dates, the Philadelphia landmark will be demolished. Tickets for those shows are $77.

Hearts and thoughts, they fade away...

The discussion continues here.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Porch Video Coming to Fuel TV August 17th

Last month, Fuel-TV announced a contest to appear in a video for Porch.  We now have a rough air date for that video.  According to billboard.biz, that video is scheduled to air the week of August 17th.  If you sent in a video, let us know, we'll look for you!



The discussion continues here!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Ten Club Announces Shepherd's Bush Presale

 The Ten Club has announced the details for the ticket pre-sale for their August 11th show, starting Monday.




Do you live in the UK? Do you want to go gigging? We are pleased to announce an additional opportunity to see Pearl Jam live on their European Tour ... on August 11, 2009, the band will perform at the intimate Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, England and the Ten Club wants to give you a chance to attend.

Do you live in the UK? Do you want to go gigging? We are pleased to announce an additional opportunity to see Pearl Jam live on their European Tour ... on August 11, 2009, the band will perform at the intimate Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, England and the Ten Club wants to give you a chance to attend.

THIS PRE-SALE IS LIMITED TO UK AND IRELAND MEMBERS ONLY. Ten Club pre-sale tickets will be available online only at https://www.pearljam.com/max with a Visa or Mastercard. No phone, mail, or email orders.

The Ten Club ticket pre-sale will start at 5pm UK local time (9am Pacific) on July 20th and end promptly at 8pm UK local time (12pm Pacific) on July 21st. You must be active as of July 15th, 2009 and your Ten Club address must reside in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Ireland to qualify.



Ten Club tickets will be sold as a lottery purchase. You will make your ticket order, but this DOES NOT guarantee you will have tickets to the show. Your credit card will be authorized for the ticket order, but funds will not be collected unless your order is selected. To avoid having immediate funds withheld, we suggest NOT using a debit card for the ticket purchase.




The discussion continues here.

 

Would We Buy Backspacer If It Was a Mookie Blaylock Album?

 MTV News recently published an article making the case for the Sears Tower's name change by arguing that changing names has been good for several artists in the music world.  One of those artists?  Our own ... Mookie Blalock.



Pearl Jam: Though they have always recorded as Pearl Jam, the grunge-era quintet originally began its life as Mookie Blaylock. What's a Mookie Blaylock? He was the point guard for the Atlanta Hawks in the early '90s, and most of the bandmembers were big basketball fans. They switched to Pearl Jam in time to sign their recording contract, but they still paid homage to their former name on their first album Ten, which was Blaylock's jersey number. 



Why It Worked
: Though "Pearl Jam" still sounds a little silly 20 years later, it seems unfathomable that the band would have gotten the amount of respect that they've accumulated had they stuck with their original name.

Tom Tomorrow Publishes His First Kids' Book

 Here's a little sneak peak.  You can preview a little more at verysillymayor.com.







 

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

All That's Sacred, Episode #9

Episode #9 is now available.



Lots of excitement in Pearl Jam-land these days: Tour presale, Backspacer presale, The Fixer teased last night on the broadcast of the MLB All Star Game, and All That’s Sacred #9!!! Ok, that last one might not be as thrilling as those that preceded it but I’m hoping you still find it entertaining. After all, this entire podcast is made up of listener requests and clocks in as the longest show ever! As always, thanks to everyone for tuning in and for your contributions to this podcast. I always like hearing from other fans and if you have anything to send my way, please do so by leaving a comment on this post, shooting me an email, or on my All That’s Sacred Facebook group page.




Then head to our forums to discuss it!

Supersonic

 It seems that the Ten Club has slipped in a little change without telling us.  The Fixer single for sale on the Goods page now lists Supersonic as a b-side instead of the album track, Got Some.  Your begging and crying for a non-album b-side has been rewarded.



EDIT: I lied.  Supersonic is on Backspacer.  Please continue whining.



The discussion continues here.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Lowdown Releases Today

The Lowdown, interview CD, is out today.  It doesn't appear to contain any exclusive interviews, but like NBC taught us, if you haven't heard it, it's new to you!







 

Pearl Jam Adds One in London - August 11

 For those of you keeping count, this brings this announcement by NME brings the total of Pearl Jam shows before the end of the year to twenty.



O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

London, England

August 11th, 2009

Tickets go on sale July 23rd.



The venue only holds about 2000, so this should be a cozy, intimate show.

The Fixer Creeps Into Our World

First, a repost from TwoFeetThick:



Kat doesn’t say much else in this Message Pit post, but she doesn’t need to:

Catch “The Fixer” the new single from Pearl Jam on tonight’s broadcast of the MLB All Star Game on Fox, 8pm ET

HOME RUN!  So tune in to the Major League Baseball All-Star baseball game on your local Fox channel tonight, 8 Eastern, 5 Pacific and you will be able to hear PJ’s new single “The Fixer”…what smart exposure!

There will be a webcast of the game, perhaps available here.

Thanks BKS for once again hitting it out of the park.

UPDATE:  Alan Cross at ExploreMusic.com had a listen to The “Fixer”, and had this to say:

The Obama Administration has done wonders for Eddie Vedder’s mood.  He sounds…happy.  I mean, Beach Boys happy. The new Pearl Jam single, “The Fixer,” can only be described as a windows down, radio up summer drivin’ song.  The first fifteen seconds sounds like a cousin to “Worldwide Suicide,” but then it shifts into this, er, joyful gear where Eddie seems positively gleeful. 

The chorus (“If I could get it back again/Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”) is singalong stuff, right down to the piano (!?!  At least I think it’s a piano.  Or it could be some kind of tightly-strung steel-stringed instrument) and the cowbell. 
Yes, Pearl Jam has added more cowbell.By the time the song faded away after two minutes and fifty-five seconds, I was initially left with a “What the hell was THAT?” feeling.  It’s still Pearl Jam—but an optimistic, post-Dubya one. “The Fixer” will be released to radio on Monday.  The album, Backspacer, is scheduled for September 21 (but that could change).



Second, a post from Tom Tomorrow's blog:



The slow reveal



Since this is up on the Pearl Jam site now in the form of a pre-order for a 7-inch white vinyl single (click on CD/DVD/Vinyl), I guess I can feature a better look at it here as well. Keep in mind, this is only one small piece of the actual CD/album cover* — I didn’t spend close to six months working on this one image …!



*and slightly altered at that.



… adding: it’s a little weird, watching this cover begin to sneak out into the world in bits and pieces. This is like hearing the first three or four bars of a song — there’s much more to come, and I wish I could show you the whole thing. It’s a very cool package, the product of a long, intensive collaboration, and I’m really quite proud of it. This image alone is just a hint…



posted by Tom Tomorrow at 5:51 PM | link


Tom Tomorrow ain't kidding.  The slow reveal.  The release of Backspacer is going to drive hardcore Pearl Jam fans up a wall.



The discussion continues here!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Get Thee to the Goods Section

 Surprise!  The 10C has begun a presale of Backspacer on CD and Vinyl and the Fixer on 7" vinyl.






The Fixer/Got Some: $5.99 (+ $4.00 S&H), 7" White vinyl 45 rpm record. Street date 8/24. We'll get it to you as close to then as possible. Item must be purchased separately.



Backspacer Ten Club/Indie Package CD: $13.99, Hard-bound book style jacket ala the Avocado package.  Street date 9/20.  We'll do our best to have it to you by then.  Order before 9/1 and get free shipping in the U.S.



Backspacer Vinyl: $19.98 (+ $7.50 S&H), 180-gram vinyl. 24-page full-sized (11.75" x 11.75") full-color booklet, Original art by Tom Tomorrow (This Modern World).  Release date 9/20. We'll do our best to deliver to you by then. 






Official Tracklist:

1. Gonna See My Friend

2. Got Some

3. The Fixer

4. Johnny Guitar

5. Just Breathe

6. Amongst The Waves

7. Unthought Known

8. Supersonic

9. Speed Of Sound

10. Force Of Nature

11. The End




The discussion continues here!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Given To Cast, Update and Contest

The Given To Cast podcast is gearing up to return to the scene.  In preparation of their return to the web-waves, Mario is offering free goodies to new subscribers to the blog.



Hey guys, I just wanted everyone here to know that you can subscribe to my podcast at http://www.giventocast.blogspot.comAnd for the first 25 subscribers, I will send you a FREE gift. And BTW, it's free to subscribe too. Here's how you do it:



1. Go to http://www.giventocast.blogspot.com and enter your email in the SUBSCRIBE box on the right side ofthe page.



2. Type in security word in pop up box and hit ENTER.



3. Go to your inbox of the email you entered and click the link to "CONFIRM" subscription.



4. Once you are confirmed, email me at mario@giventocast.com with you mailing info. and if you're one of the first 25 subscribers, I will send you a FREE gift that you can't buy ANYWHERE.



5. Enjoy the emails of daily updates in your inbox that will include podcasts, band info and much more... including SUBSCRIBER ONLY contests.!!! 



Thanks to all my listeners and the next podcast will be up very soon.


Thursday, July 9, 2009

More Than You Thought

 THERE is the announcement!  Finally, back to work everyone!  Even for those of you in Seattle, LA, San Diego, and Philadelphia can relax.  You've got a few days before the sale begins (July 13th).




 

In support of their anticipated new release, Backspacer, in stores September 20th, Pearl Jam will be spending some time back on the road, with a series of select North American tour dates.

The tour kicks off in the band's hometown of Seattle, WA with two shows at the Key Arena on September 21st and 22nd, and closes with two shows at Philadelphia's historic Spectrum on October 28th and 30th.

Ben Harper and Relentless 7 will open all dates, except for the Spectrum Theater shows. All dates are subject to change.

DATE CITY VENUE PRE-SALE DATE/TIME
Sep-21 Seattle, WA Key Arena July 13th, 10am PDT
Sep-22 Seattle, WA Key Arena July 13th, 12pm PDT
Sep-30* Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amp. July 14th, 10am PDT
Oct-1* Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amp. July 14th, 12pm PDT
Oct-6* Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amp. July 14th, 2pm PDT
Oct-7* Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amp. July 14th, 4pm PDT
Oct-9 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena July 15th, 10am PDT
Oct-28 Philadelphia, PA Spectrum July 15th, 12pm PDT
Oct-30 Philadelphia, PA Spectrum July 15th, 2pm PDT

 




The Ten Club ticket pre-sale will begin Monday, July 13th Pacific.You must be active as of July 7, 2009 to qualify for the ticket pre-sale opportunity. Ten Club pre-sale tickets are available online only athttps://www.pearljam.com/max with a Visa or Mastercard. No phone, mail, or email orders.

Ten Club tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis. We will stagger ticket sales to control web traffic, so please pay attention to the corresponding pre-sale dates and times. Pre-sale tickets are first come first serve, while supplies last. Pre-sales for any available tickets will remain open until Thursday, July 16th at 5pm PDT. Confirmations will not be sent until the pre-sale has ended.

For wheelchair accessible seating, please contact us at 1-800-724-8038 before making a ticket purchase.

The discussion continues here!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

All That's Sacred, Episode #8

Episode #8 is now available.



Episode #8 is all about “You” and hopefully will provide some entertaining listening as you refresh the 10C site endlessly in the next day or two!



As always, thanks for all the great comments and suggestions – keep ‘em coming! I particularly welcome ideas for podcast #10 where I plan on playing TEN in its entirety, in order, and comprised of live tracks culled from the last 19 years. So I need ideas. What are the best live versions of the songs on TEN in your opinion? I also was wondering what the interest was in hearing covers of Pearl Jam songs on the podcast from either other known artists or fans of the band who are musicians themselves. I’ve had this idea suggested and I am sitting on the fence right now so convince me for or against it. Contact me via email or Facebook or leave a comment on this post. Thanks again!




Then head to our forums to discuss it!

The Tour Info Trickles In

 We were promised news about Philadelphia and Australia today.  The Ten Club is pushing their announcement off until tomorrow, but Philadelphia Magazine did briefly post three dates for the Wachovia Spectrum, October 28th, 30th, and 31st.



Stay tuned for more, and discuss the Philly dates here.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Required Reading? Heavy Rotation, edited by Peter Terzian

Last month, Harper Collins released a collection of omages to great albums, which just happened to include a contribution by author, Joshua Ferris, about Ten.


 

In Heavy Rotation, twenty of our most acclaimed contemporary writers pay homage to the record albums that inspired them. Benjamin Kunkel remembers how the Smiths' Queen Is Dead transformed him into an adolescent Anglophile. Pankaj Mishra describes how a bootleg cassette of ABBA's Super Trouper evoked a world far from his small Indian village. Kate Christensen relives her years as an aspiring novelist in Brooklyn listening to Rickie Lee Jones's Flying Cowboys. And Joshua Ferris recalls his head-banging passion for Pearl Jam's Ten.

Exploring music from the Talking Heads to the Hedwig and the Angry Inchsoundtrack, this extraordinary anthology is a moving, funny, uplifting, and unforgettable celebration of the unique and essential relationship between life and music.



You can also listen to a recent interview with editor, Terzian, and Ferris (describing why Ten changed his lifeon WNYC's webcast here.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Philadelphia/Australia Announcement Coming

Sea at the Pit recommends you get your 10C membership up to date this weekend for a tour announcement concerning Philly and Oz.  Of course, we already knew about Australia.



As the sun was setting in the west, we had a visit from a little birdie who seemed like he was in a great hurry.

“Where are you going?” we asked. He said, “I have to pack my bags and saddle up my horse.”

“Birds have bags?” we questioned.

With eyes wide the bird stared at us stupefied for a few minutes and then said, “Tweet!”

“Just be sure your fan club memberships/addresses are up to date by July 7 at midnight PT.” said the bird as he flew off heading east tweeting “mmmm Cheesesteaks, and soon Vegemite … tweet”

 

Ed Review Round Up

A lot of times we wonder why Pearl Jam won't visit us here in the South.  Well, Eddie made it down, and you can see ... not so much with the press coverage.  Still, with the exception of Atlanta, there was lots of love to go around.







Albany Shows
Albany Times Union (again): http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=808326&category=ARTS



 
Philadelphia Shows




Baltimore Shows


 
Nashville Shows




 
Memphis Show
 

 
Maui Show


 
Honolulu Shows