Well, yes, and as it turns out, there were some pretty amazing things that happened in 2017. Hopefully, rehashing them will get you ready for 2018's European Tour, and (we hope) that new album that is coming out soon.
Of Potato Heads and Polaroids and Pearl Jam Anthology
This year saw us expanding our Pearl Jam library a bit. First, in May we got Mike McCready's collection of Polaroids in Of Potato Heads and Polaroids, a compendium of photographs snapped my Mike McCready over his years in Pearl Jam. Scantly narrated and beautifully curated, the book includes photos of friends, family, bandmates, and yes, Mr. Potato Head.
The book is a lot of fun and still available via the Ten Club or Amazon.
Also in May, Pearl Jam announced the release of Pearl Jam Anthology, a transcription of all 130 Pearl Jam album tracks by Hal Leonard Publishing. Reception of this book and the announcement was, well ... mixed.
The book is unquestionably an enjoyable collection of music you can use to learn and master Pearl Jam's catalogs, but fans were quick to point out that it's missing many classic songs that were never part of Pearl Jam's studio albums (Man of the Hour, Let Me Sleep, Footsteps, and Hold On to name a few), making the subtitle "The Complete Scores" a bit of a misnomer.
Then came some more technical problems. Fans have complained that the writing is too small or that McCready's solos are not transcribed. There are even multiple lyrical mistakes. Add in the six month production delay, and many fans found the hefty $75 price tag on this book to be too high.
It's a great volume for the collector or the musician, but we'll simply link to the Ten Club and Amazon so you can make your own decision.
