Recent Stories with tag stone gossard

If 2009 was an unusually nostalgic year in local music for certain wistful Seattle Gen-Xers, 2010 was the opening cymbal crash of an encore. Defunct old favorites reunited. Extant old favorites continued to soar. A tight-knit community that first rocked the world a quarter-century ago grew ever closer, through remembrance of lost friends and the sharing of new music. Here are five 2010 music-related events that tickled those Seattleites who’ve been listening all these years. (Part one here.)

 

5. Cameron Crowe Shoots Pearl Jam Film

Director Cameron Crowe’s relationship with Pearl Jam goes all the way back to 1991, when he shot Singles in town, casting Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Eddie Vedder as members of local rock band Citizen Dick (wink, wink). In 2010, Crowe was shooting the band again, this time to commemorate its 20th anniversary. (He also directed the video for Backspacer single "The Fixer.") As reported in June, Crowe and crew were spotted in Madrona and Capitol Hill, presumably recapturing important locales from the band's past. Details on the film, Pearl Jam Twenty, are hazy, but it will see some sort of release this year. (Just in: said film will be accompanied by a soundtrack and book.) Stay tuned.

4. Pigeonhed Brings Back the Funk

Twenty years have passed—today—since Pearl Jam took Seattle’s Off Ramp stage and played as a band for the first time, baritone-throated San Diego surfer Eddie Vedder at the mic.

The band is still together. Playing another Bridge School benefit this weekend, in fact. And yes, you are that old.

To commemorate the date of its inaugural 1990 show and provide further proof that Pearl Jam is its generation’s Rolling Stones, the band will commandeer outer space to unleash a commercial-free, 24/7 stream of tunes: Pearl Jam Radio. Cue the official announcement:

Pearl Jam Radio will launch with a special airing of the band's 10th anniversary concert recorded in Las Vegas on October 22, 2000. The concert will be heard in its entirety on Friday, October 22 at 6:00 pm ET. The first day of Pearl Jam Radio on SIRIUS XM will also feature rarely heard highlights from the band's very first concert performance on October 22, 1990 at Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle, Washington.

In addition to these launch day specials, Pearl Jam Radio will feature archival concerts from throughout the band's celebrated 20-year career, rarities, unreleased material from the band's personal music library and music from the band's side projects, including solo and pre-Pearl Jam music.... (more)

 

So there's your taste of how the new Brad record, Best Friends?, sounds and what the band thinks about it, courtesy of shaggy guitarist Stone Gossard, drummer Regan Hagar, and frontman Shawn Smith. It drops on Pearl Jam's Monkeywrench label, half a dozen years after it was recorded, on August 10. (Yes, it was worth the wait.)

More welcome news from the on-again, off-again band: A High Dive record release show on the day it's issued, and an in-store gig at Queen Anne's Easy Street Records two days later. And, for an appetizer, why not tune in to KEXP on August 4 (at noon) to hear a live studio performance?

There's no telling how long Brad will keep the live shows going—due partially to PJ's success, Brad has never been a full-time gig—so catch them while you can. And pick up the new record to show Shawn, Regan, and Stone you want them to continue making time to make new music.

Axeman Kevin Wood told me several years ago that if his Mother Love Bone-fronting brother Andrew was still alive, he’d probably be a "talk show host or a reality series panel judge." Even if he were a living TV personality, I suspect Andy would be appearing at the (original) Showbox on Wednesday, when the reunited Brad and Satchel, along with the remaining members of MLB, will take fans back two decades.

News of Satchel's return (including a new record) hit late last year, and after much local grassroots hype, the reunited trio rocked the Croc February 18. Though dissolved for 13 years between gigs, Shawn Smith, Regan Hagar, and John Hoag sounded sharp—and heavy.

A sardine-packed thirty- and forty-something crowd was all smiles and shouts throughout the night. Stuck On A Bus, a seriously talented School of Rock quintet featuring Hagar's daughter on vocals, induced the giddiness with Led Zeppelin ("Whole Lotta Love," "Kashmir") and Black Sabbath ("War Pigs") covers, among others. (The kids, who'll rock the High Dive on Friday, effortlessly outshined sandwich act With Friends Like These.)

And then came Satchel and its effects pedals. You haven't heard a true "wall of sound" until you've heard Smith and Hoag's axes duel. That and Hagar's pounding kit (and guest bassist Jeremy Lightfoot's groove) had everyone stomping. The band killed tracks from their 90s albums EDC and The Family, barely pulling punches for the latter's softer songs. (Smith did settle behind the keys and croon unaccompanied through several songs) At least half the nearly two-hour set featured heavy new tunes, presumably off Satchel's new record, Heartache and Honey. They've since played the Sunset, and will follow Wednesday's show with an April 30 High Dive gig.... (more)

Fresh from Pearl Jam's official YouTube channel, the band's guitarist (and friends, including drummer Josh Freese) lovingly and face-contortingly covers Rick Astley's classic, meme-spawning (and iPhone worming) hit.

 

How can you not love that? Only thing missing is Gossard standing up and shaking those hips and fists. And I'm glad that's missing. (Hat tip to Sound on the Sound.)

Some digits you may or may not have added up after witnessing—or regrettably only hearing about—one or both of this week's legend-building Pearl Jam shows:

0 Beers allowed in KeyArena's bowl. Signs at all lower-level entrances proclaimed the venue's dryness. The irony of this wasn't lost on Eddie Vedder. Between encores on night two, he pointed out that when the Key was actually used as a sports arena, alcohol could be consumed anywhere. He recalled being in the audience for a Paul McCartney show, frustrated that the authorities apparently worried that alcohol and "All You Need is Love" was a dangerous combo.

1 Cigarettes lit and quickly puffed by Vedder during an extended PJ jam each night. Also the number of songs played from the band's early '00s Binaural ("Insignificance") and Riot Act ("Save You") records.

2 Eyes exposed on both nights by the normally bespectacled Stone Gossard. The guitarist's usual tight haircut was also eschewed for a late-'80s Steve Turner-style shaggy 'do. Check the cover of... (more)