Friday, December 28, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #1

THE PEARL JAM / SOUNDGARDEN TOUR


That combination of news items led fans and many, many, many, many news sources to contemplate the possibility of a joint Pearl Jam / Soundgarden Tour.  Of course, the hurdle to overcome here is how does drummer, Matt Cameron, who plays furiously for both bands on this theoretical double ticket put in six hours of mad drumming without spontaneously combusting in the middle of night two?


Sure, there was brainstorming ... bring in Jack Irons, Dave Grohl, Jimmy Shoaf ... mix in Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell solo sets ... use a Tupac-style hologram of Matt ... put Matt in the center of a rotating stage while both bands play on opposite sides.  The rumors even saw Adam Levine begging to play drums for Pearl Jam so that both bands could tour together.

In the end, Matt Cameron and Chris Cornell have both seen fit to shoot down the rumor.  We've got a decent idea of how 2013 is shaping up, and though everyone here at TSIS would drool on our Temple of the Dog Reunion Tour tickets, we're very hopeful that April showers bring May Pearl Jam albums.  Because we've been waiting a very, very long time.


Thursday, December 27, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #2

BRIAN FARIAS



I'd like to link to the story where we originally announced that one lucky, charter member of the Ten Club was going to Amsterdam with the band, but frankly ... I was too jealous to report it in the first place.  Back in June, Pearl Jam announced that they had dug up their first ten fan club members and were going to celebrate them by offering one of them a trip to Amsterdam to see the band over the course of two nights.

Brian Farias of Rhode Island was their man.  As if the trip wouldn't have been enough of a prize, Eddie and Jeff surprised him by asking him to write the setlist for the second night.  All of us have our opinions of a perfect setlist from the absurd to the standard, but frankly, Brian nailed it.  Here's what he had to say to Tim Bierman, Ten Club Manager, about the process.
Ed ended up bringing me back into the dressing room and we talked for a long time about lots of things from when I first met him up to the present. Then he gave me a god education on what he goes through when he makes a set list. Which really helped me in making my final list. 
He gave me his Master List which had all of the Pearl Jam songs and covers that they play. He also showed me a list of all the songs that they've ever played in the Netherlands. So he kind of showed me his process, his research that he does before every show, which is so above and beyond anything I've ever heard of a band doing. He really takes into consideration what these people possibly never heard.

He did encourage me to go for it and write down whatever I wanted. He did write down four songs that I might want to include, which I did and ironically he scratched two of them.
Brian's Final Set List
What was the highlight of the show?
Every Pearl Jam fan has their bucket list. The only one on mine of the regular songs is "Bugs". He originally told me he couldn't do it, because he didn't have the accordion. So I kinda cut a deal with him and asked if he could just do a few lines from it a cappella, then I could just check it off my list. And you saw what happened - He took it one step further by learning it on guitar and turning it into a totally different feeling song.

Did Brian have a "must hear" song?
... right off the bat, the 28 songs that they played the night before were off the board. And there's "Release". It's a song I've heard man, many times but it's one I have to hear. I won't ever get sick of it and I definitely have to hear it. It's a song that means a lot to me.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #3

99 PROBLEMS



Pearl Jam seemed like an odd fit to co-headline Jay-Z's Made In America Festival this fall in Philadelphia, but they were excited about the prospect of playing the same festival as Jay-Z, Santigold, and Odd Future.  After a great set of hits and rockers, Jay-Z stepped onto the stage, and Matt Cameron's bass began to ring out.  Next thing you know, Pearl Jam was a backing band for Jay-Z's 99 Problems.



Pearl Jam once performed with Cypress Hill on The Real Thing for 1993's Judgement Night soundtrack, but since Stone's Loosegroves Records folded in the late nineties, we haven't seen the band collaborate with rappers very often, but they didn't miss a step.  The song was possibly the best performance from the band this year.
"Matt [Cameron] absolutely killed it," Ament says. "['99 Problems'] sounds like a really simple song, but there are a lot of holes in it and Matt nailed all of those. Someone also showed me a quick two-minute clip of everything afterwards and I was really happy with the lighting, too."
If forced to find a downside, it's that we can't buy the bootleg.  Is it coming?  Maybe, but we might have to wait for Ron Howard's Made In America documentary.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Pearl Jam Releases Their Christmas Single ON CHRISTMAS!

Fans have been known to give Pearl Jam grief over the timing of their Fan Club Single (previously known as the Christmas Single).  They used to be a nice holiday treat from the band, but fans eventually began to view them as an entitlement delivered as much as nine months too late.

No more!


Ten Club members can check their Subscriptions section for a download of the 2012 Fan Club Single.  Two recordings from the 2011 Pearl Jam Twenty Destination Weekend in East Troy, Wisconsin.

A: All Night (featuring Glen Hansard, Liam Finn, and Joseph Arthur) recorded September 4th, 2011
B: In the Moonlight (featuring Josh Homme) recorded September 3rd, 2011

Is this a tease of things to come in 2013?  If so, 2013 will definitely not be < 2012!

Merry Christmas!

Someday at Christmas from Eric T on Vimeo.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Soundgarden B-Sides?


Could Soundgarden be working on an album of B-Sides?  Kim Thayil tells Hails and Horns "yes."  Oh, and maybe a compilation of soundtrack and single releases.  Oh, and maybe an album of covers too.
We never put out the B-sides because we went from Telephantasm to Live on I-5 then we started recording the new album. So the B-sides compilation has been put on hold. We want it to be a standalone album of Soundgarden originals that were not compiled in an album format. It might be two or three albums. There’s one that would be originals that were only available on compilation records for other labels or movie soundtracks, or B-sides in Australia and Europe. We also want to do an album of some covers that we’ve recorded. Then I want to do an album of some instrumental stuff and some dub mixes.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #4

MISSOULA, MONTANA

Pearl Jam tried pretty hard to avoid those us here in the United States this year.  Anyone with a U.S. Tour shirt sporting four dates on the back can attest to that.  They were swept up into a couple of festival appearances, but only one stand-alone date.



In a year that Democrats were fighting to hold onto control of the Senate, Pearl Jam decided to throw their support behind one embattled Democrat, John Tester.  Many of the best seats were only available through Tester's website, including two recliners on the side of the stage raffled off to two lucky donors.



It wasn't the first show Pearl Jam has show Pearl Jam has done in support of Tester, but it's significant in that it was the only opportunity for fans west of the Mississippi to see Pearl Jam in 2012.  Missoula is a hard day's drive from Seattle, but it's doable for Pearl Jam's most ardent fans.  That combined with a relatively intimate venue led to an incredible show.  In the end, Tester won.  Was it because of Pearl Jam?  We're still waiting to hear from Nate Silver.


The stand-alone show allowed Pearl Jam to bust our rarities like Ghost.



... but they still ripped up rockers like Comatose.



Look for #3 on Wednesday, December 26th, and have a Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #5

THE BOOTS



We'd like to feature Pearl Jam's new website on the list, but the changes were maybe not substantial enough, and frankly, the site is still in "Beta," so it's apparently a work in progress.  However, the changes to PearlJam.com brought something great along with them!  Vault Release #2: The Vic Theatre show from 2007.  This was also the first vault release available to all fans.  You'll remember in 2011, when then opened the vault, the first installment was only available to PJ20 attendees.

This change also brought a change in bootleg management from Kufala to the larger Nugs, who has handled Phish's live catalog for some time.  With this change has come a significant delay (2 months +) between shows and release of the bootlegs, but by all accounts, the sound quality is as good as Pearl Jam bootlegs have ever been, so fans are forgiving.

Also, with the release of their show in Missoula on bootleg, Pearl Jam has instituted an "Instant Classic" program, in which the band can designate certain shows to sell for a limited time for only $5.  You've missed your chance to pick up the Montana show for $5, but you can still get it at PearlJam.com or you can pick up hard copies at Rockin' Rudy's in Missoula.



Here's to hoping we see more great vault releases in 2013!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #6

WHILE MY HEART BEATS / ACTS

Back in 2011, Jeff hinted that we could expect great things from him in 2012 when he handed PJ20 attendees a CD single for When the Fire Comes, so we weren't totally surprised in June when he announced his second solo album, While My Heart Beats, was on the way.  Well, OK, we were a little surprised since the announcement came mere hours before the album.




With help from long-time Jeff Ament contributor, Richard Stuverud, and half of Pearl Jam (Mike and Matt), Jeff pulled off great sophomore effort that possibly eclipsed his earlier effort, Tone, and by handing off the vocals to Joseph Arthur on When the Fire Comes, hinted at his next big project ...


A mere two months after the release of While My Heart Beats, Jeff announced that he and Richard Stuverud had recorded another album with Joseph Arthur.  Calling the band, RNDM (pronounced "random"), the band set off on a tour of North America to promote their album, Acts.


The publicity also kicked up a lot of questions about the current state of Pearl Jam, and although we're sure an album is forthcoming, it's obvious that with customized stocking caps and a constantly running tumblr that Jeff, Richard, and Joseph are having a lot of fun with their latest project.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Above Deluxe and West of Memphis Pre-Orders

Both the deluxe reissue of Mad Season's Above and the soundtrack for West of Memphis (featuring Eddie Vedder's Satellite) are currently available for pre-sale.


Above is available at PearlJam.com for $24.99
Above (Deluxe Edition) is a three-disc set comprised of two CDs and one DVD. Release date is 4/16/2013.

West of Memphis: Voices for Justice is available on iTunes or Amazon for $10.99.  The release date is January 15, 2013.
TRACKLISTING
1. Henry Rollins (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) - Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 9
2. Natalie Maines - Mother
3. Lucinda Williams - Joy
4. Camp Freddy - The Jean Genie
5. Tonto's Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp & Bruce Witkin - Little Lion Man
6. Marilyn Manson - You're So Vain
7. Band of Horses - Dumpster World (Live)
8. Citizen Cope - DFW
9. Eddie Vedder - Satellite
10. Bill Carter - Anything Made of Paper
11. The White Buffalo - House of Pain
12. Bob Dylan - Ring Them Bells
13. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - West of Memphis Score Suite
14. Tonto's Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) - Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 16

BONUS TRACK
15. Patti Smith - Wing (Recorded Live at Voices For Justice Benefit Concert - August 28, 2010)

DIGITAL ONLY BONUS TRACK
16. Bill Carter - Road to Nowhere

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #7

UNITED WE STAND

If there was a theme to 2013 for the Pearl Jam fan, it was "we might put out an album."  Even though that didn't come to pass, it gave the individual members of Pearl Jam a chance to work with friends on some of their other projects.  Stone Gossard was the first out of the gate with his band, Brad, fronted by Shawn Smith of Satchel and Pigeonhed.



In April, Brad released, United We Stand, their first album in two-years (the shortest gap between albums to date), and then took off on a national tour.  With Pearl Jam still meandering their way to a new album, Brad has also announced their first European tour ever starting in February.




Along with the announcement of a new album, Brad also announced that they were signing with a new label, Razor & Tie, who would be re-issuing special editions of their back catalog, the first of which became available earlier this year.  Welcome to Discovery Park, the long out-of-print third album was the first to drop, probably because fans had nowhere outside of eBay to get that album.  The reissue includes two bonus tracks and re-designed artwork by Regan Hagar.  If this is any indication, we're going to really enjoy all of the Brad re-issues.



Monday, December 17, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #8

LET'S WELCOME OUR SPECIAL GUEST, EDDIE VEDDER!

For some, 2012 is the year that Eddie Vedder toured Europe and the Southern United States (and somehow missed the Durham Performing Arts Center! No. No, I'm not bitter!), but for others, 2012 was the year that Eddie Vedder was everywhere.




Everywhere Eddie went this year, he hopped up on stage to sing the chorus, popped into a studio to provide backing vocals, or got a truly awesome Ani DiFranco tatoo.  If Eddie didn't appear at your concert or event, well ... maybe you weren't really trying.  


Where did we see the Ed Walk Ons in 2012?


January 13th, Portlandia 




January 14th, Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years Of Amnesty International with Pete Townshend

February 3rd, Kingdom Come by Po & the 4Fathers
April 17th, Jack Johnson's Best of Kōkua Festival



May 20th, Karaoke Night at Stanley's Kitchen and Tap

June 22nd, Jimmy Fallon's Blow Your Pants Off
September 7th, Wrigley Field with Bruce Springsteen



September 20th, Obama Fundraiser in Tampa
October 19th, Epidermolysis Bullosa with Big Daddy Sunshine
October 20th, Bridge School Benefit
October 12th, 12.12.12: The Concert for Sandy Relief with Roger Waters



Unrelated to his guest appearances, but as a bonus video, we should also mention that Ed also released a video for Sleeping By Myself on Halloween featuring the Kanile'a ukulele factory in Hawaii:


Friday, December 14, 2012

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #9

RECORD STORE DAY

Actually, it's "days" because there were two Record Store Days in 2012, April 21st and November 23rd.  Record Store Day began in 2007 as a way to support and celebrate the small, independent, brick & mortar stores that serve as music retail, social gathering hubs, radio stations, and yes, advocates for vinyl.  Artists have since supported the day by creating special releases and reissues available in limited quantities only in participating stores to drive customers to their local wax shop on Record Store Day.


This year, there were no Pearl Jam releases for Record Store Day, but the individual members showed up in force with SIX different RSD releases and several free in-store events.




What did the impassioned collector nail down?

Eddie Vedder - Love Boat Captain / Wishlist - live versions of two Pearl Jam favorites were recorded at The Orpheum in Minneapolis during Eddie Vedder's 2011 solo tour.

Mike McCready & Star Anna - Keep On / Call Your Girlfriend - Mike McCready collaborated with Star Anna on this single.  The B-side is Star Anna’s acoustic cover of Robyn’s dance-pop hit.


Brad - Water’s Deep / Pressure is On - Brad is led by Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) and vocalist Shawn Smith (Satchel/Pigeonhead). This limited 7” features b-sides from Brad’s album United We Stand.


Po & the 4Fathers - Kingdom Come / Do Ya - Boom Gaspar (organ/keyboard for Pearl Jam) joined a crew of Hawaiian music all-stars in 2010 to create a sound of modern day Maoli music.  Eddie Vedder contributes his vocals to “Kingdom Come” and Stone Gossard is featured on guitar on “Do Ya”.


Willie Nelson - Just Breathe - The special Record Store Day EP Just Breathe features the title track, a cover of the Pearl Jam song, as well as “Come On Back Jesus” and “Can I Sleep In Your Arms”


Mad Season - River of Deceit / I Don't Know Anything (Live)Limited Edition 10", colored vinyl single with the first single from the album Above
If you don't live in Seattle, these are the in-store appearances you missed.




Look for #8 on Monday!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Comfortably Numb

By now you've at least heard about Eddie's killer work on Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb with Roger Waters.  Hopefully, you've also seen it, but in case you missed it, Fuse has posted a video, so you have no excuse to not be watching it right now.


They also posted a great video on YouTube of a backstage interview with Roger Waters about what it was like to perform with Eddie.


If you'd still like to donate to the relief effort, you can do so here, or you can pre-order the album of the concert (available December 18) including the performance by Eddie and Waters as well as Cut Me Some Slack by Paul McCartney and the surviving members of Nirvana (my personal favorite performance of the night).

Top Ten Pearl Jam Moments of 2012, #10

MIKE MCCREADY BRANCHES OUT

The wait for Mike’s solo album, first announced around 1995, continues, however Mike has begun to build his brand in 2012.  On the surface, Mike may not look as busy as Jeff Ament who managed to cut three full-length LPs since the last Pearl Jam album, he's no slouch.


Pearl Jam Porto Alegre, Brazil 11-11-11

Arguably Mike's biggest project of the year was working with Actor/Director, Matthew Lillard on the score/soundtrack for Fat Kid Rules the World. You can download one of the songs here. Mike's also been busy with the reissue of Mad Season's Above which includes a remaster, new recordings with guest artists, a DVD, and a boxed set.




No doubt, those are to business projects that'll keep a man busy, but if you were paying attention, you would also have caught Mike out touring with Flight to Mars, releasing a single for both Record Store Days this year (April 21 & November 23), and performing with Duff McKagan, Duff's new band, Walking Papers, Brandi Carlile, Billy Cox of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys, Soundgarden, RNDM, Soundgarden and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.





Oh, and did we mention he's also continuing his advocacy for those suffering with Crohn's disease, and he cut an ad in support of the Affordable Care Act?



Though he hasn't given up hope on his solo album, we here at TSIS aren't holding our breath.  Still, we salute Mr. McCready on a fantastic 2012.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Mike on Crohn's and Colitis Awareness

Pearl Jam Sao Paulo, Brazil 11-3-11

This week, as part of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week, Mike wrote a piece for the Huffington Post about his struggles with Crohn's and how important Jennifer Jaff was to him and others who suffered.
I was successful beyond my wildest dreams musically, but very sick physically. I had "accidents" on stage, and spent the first song of my lifelong dream of opening for the Rolling Stones in a side-stage Porta Potty. My band knew about my disease and was supportive, but for the most part, I didn't talk about it; I was ashamed and didn't know anyone who really knew anything about it anyway.
Read the whole article here.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Ed to Host SiriusXM Show of his Favorite Records


Ed will be capping off his North American Tour tomorrow night, and then the next day he heads into the (radio) studio to spin some of his favorite records for a new show on SiriusXM called, ... hang onto your hats here ... "The Eddie Vedder Radio Show."  Those of you missing Self-Pollution Radio, should look for the premiere this Wednesday at 5pm ET (is that the old All Encompassing Trip slot?).  It's a "limited-run" show, and there is no news on how "limited" it may be, so check it out while you can.

December 3: Eddie in Clearwater

Friday, November 30, 2012

Edward Norton, The Stone Gossard Interview

Pearl Jam Toronto, Canada  9-11-2011

Pearl Jam Radio played an Edward Norton interview by Stone Gossard earlier today.  If you missed it, you have a chance to catch it again tomorrow and Sunday.
Stone Gossard Interviews Edward Norton

Stone Gossard and Edward Norton sit down for an exclusive conversation that touches on each artist’s path to success, career highlights thus far, their recent charitable efforts and future projects.

Airtime: Thursday, November 29, 5 pm ET
Rebroadcasts: Friday, 10 am; Saturday, 12 pm; Sunday, 8 pm ET

November 30: Eddie in Ft. Lauderdale

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Eddie Vedder to Play Sandy Relieve Concert


Eddie Vedder will be among an impressive group of musicians playing on the 12th of December in support of those in the path of Hurricane Sandy.  Information about a broadcast will be forthcoming, but ticket information is available at the official 121212 website.
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, The Madison Square Garden Company and The Weinstein Company —the same group that produced and sponsored the historic 9/11 benefit “The Concert for New York City”— have come together once again to present "12.12.12" the Concert For Sandy Relief.

This special one-night-only live music event —presented by Chase— will help provide assistance to people throughout the tri-state area who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. "12.12.12" the Concert For Sandy Relief will occur on December 12, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Tickets will go on sale Monday, December 3 at 12:00 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster phones, outlets and www.ticketmaster.com, www.thegarden.com and www.radiocity.com. Tickets will be available at a variety of price levels. Ticketmaster has generously agreed to waive its ticket service charges. Starting at 9 a.m. (ET) on December 3rd, Chase credit or debit card members will have first access to a limited number of tickets for purchase before they go on sale to the general public.

November 27: Eddie in Orlando / RNDM in Seattle / SG in LA



Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Third Annual Ten Club Rock & Art Poster Convention

Posters

The Ten Club has announced their Third Annual Rock & Art Poster Convention for December 2nd from 1-6pm (local time).  If you're a major poster collector, it's going to be a do-not-miss event.  Even if you're not, the price (free) makes it worth popping in to see what kind of merchandise may be on sale.
Pearl Jam's Ten Club announces the third annual Ten Club Poster Convention, returning this year to the Showbox Market on December 2 with free entry for attendees. Following last year's event at the sold-out PJ20 Festival, the Ten Club Poster Convention will feature the debut of the Pearl Jam Pop Up Shop, stocked with rare posters and merchandise items. These items have never been available anywhere other than through the Ten Club store at www.pearljam.com.

"We've got some rare stuff like Vinyl LP box sets from Pearl Jam's acoustic show at Benaroya Hall that were never sold and we'd love to see some hardcore fans have the opportunity to pick up some of these rare things in person." - Tim Bierman, Ten Club Manager

A number of artists from around the country will be on hand to sell and sign their work and meet their fans. All artists attending this year's event have created posters for Pearl Jam shows, including; amesbros, Frank Kozik, Chuck Sperry and more. Munk One, Jeff Soto and Maxx242 will be creating a live painting throughout the event, which will be available for purchase. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to buy works from artists like this: http://www.munkone.com/home/?p=288. Proceeds from the sale of these paintings will go to charity.

November 21: Eddie in Memphis / RNDM in LA


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

RNDM In-Stores and Live Broadcast

RNDM!!

RNDM has announced that they will be doing some in store appearances on this last leg of their tour:
RNDM will also be performing stripped down sets and signing albums at a few local independent record stores in Long Beach, Portland, and Seattle. Don't miss these intimate performances.

Tonight Tuesday Nov 20 at 7pm - Fingerprints Music
Sunday Nov 25 - Music Millennium
Tuesday Nov 27 - Easy Street Records
Also, if you're a SiriusXM subscriber, you'll have a chance to hear their LA show live on the Pearl Jam Channel:
Hear RNDM performing live at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA.

Tune in on SiriusXM's Pearl Jam Radio - Ch. 22
On-Air Time: Weds 11/21 @ 11 PM ET
More info at: siriusxm.com/pearljam

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Up Close & Personal with Soundgarden (and McCready's Solo Album!)

KDGE is was kind enough to upload the video of their Soundgarden interview to YouTube.


Look for Matt Cameron's answer on the next Pearl Jam album (they're expecting to hit the studio in March). He drops a little news about a solo album from the one original Pearl Jam member who has, until now, denied us the pleasure.

From forum member, joostone:
When asked for updates on PJ's next record Matt answered that everyone is really really busy...Ed and Jeff are touring, Mike working on a solo record with Barret Martin and Duff (Kim said it's really good!). But they probably will enter the studio in early spring to finish the record..

November 17: Mike McCready in Seattle