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Jam Still A Gem To Fans
Photo from Vandenberg Communications
Pearl Jam, the longest-lived and most successful of the early-'90s Seattle scene, will perform Thursday in Tampa.
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Published: June 8, 2008
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The Seattle warehouse that holds Pearl Jam's practice space also is home to its fan club, management and press offices.
"We're very much in-house," Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready says by telephone on his way to rehearsal. "We try to be as do-it-yourself as possible."
That's a sentiment more common among young bands with more independent spirit than commercial prospects.
Pearl Jam, on the other hand, is a veteran act with a wall full of platinum discs and legions of fans worldwide. It's the longest-lived and most successful of the early-'90s Seattle scene, which also included Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.
But Pearl Jam, which also includes singer Eddie Vedder, bassist Jeff Ament, guitarist Stone Gossard and former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, always has done things differently, even at the risk of sales and fans.
Although MTV embraced the videos taken from the band's debut, 1991's "Ten," Pearl Jam refused to make any more clips until "Do the Evolution" in 1998, from its fifth album, "Yield."
In the mid-'90s, the band charged Ticketmaster with unfair business practices. The Justice Department eventually ruled in favor of Ticketmaster, and Pearl Jam's tour of non-Ticketmaster venues was hampered by weather, medical problems and legal issues.
In 2003, Vedder displayed his feelings about the U.S. invasion of Iraq by spearing a George W. Bush mask at some concerts, outraging some fans.
Despite it all, Pearl Jam's fans - most of them, anyway - have remained adamantly faithful to the band, sending its most recent album, 2006's "Pearl Jam," to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
McCready says the band's relationship with its fans has continued to grow over the years.
"I think if anything, it's more ingrained in our philosophy for us and our fans," he says.
One example is the Wishlist Foundation, a charitable organization set up by fans.
"They hold parties prior to our shows and raise money for some of our causes," McCready says. "It's all of their own volition. It's kind of happened organically. Our relationship with our fans is stronger than ever."
The band's upcoming tour, which gets under way Wednesday in West Palm Beach and includes a stop Thursday in Tampa, is sure to reward fans, especially those with a deep knowledge of the band's catalog.
The band's next album is "in its infancy stage," McCready says, so although new material isn't likely to find its way into the set lists, McCready promises some surprises.
"We'll be doing some of our more interesting B-sides," McCready says. "We'll be doing some stuff the fans have not heard in a long time."
The band's involvement, if any, in the upcoming presidential election hasn't been discussed, McCready says.
In 2004, the band was part of the Rock for Change tour, which sought to unseat President Bush. Also involved were R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen, The Dave Matthews Band and John Fogerty.
"Right now we're just relearning the songs, trying to get as tight as possible," McCready says. "But knowing our band, we'll do something politically oriented that our fans will either love or be pissed off by."
ON TOUR
Pearl Jam
WITH: Kings of Leon
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
WHERE: St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa
COST: $69.75; (813) 301-2500
Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568 or cross@ tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( EvolutionBaby ) on June 8, 2008 at 2:55 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sweet article
"We'll be doing some stuff the fans have not heard in a long time."
Gah- if only lack of money and time didn't hold me in Seattle
Sounds like they are rarin' to go!
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Posted by ( pj10 ) on June 8, 2008 at 6:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is it Thursday yet???
It's a shame that Tampa radio stations did not play much of the 2006 Pearl Jam album. "Life Wasted" has to be one of their best rocking songs that nobody has heard!
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Posted by ( tallguy007 ) on June 8, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
wish i was going but hey i know the show well be great.glad they are still around playing.
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Posted by ( damarch ) on June 8, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
$69.75 for a concert tix? And that's not including service charges... Pearl Jam is a good band, but no one is worth that kind of $$. Maybe they should stop Bush-bashing and lower their tix prices so fans can actually go.
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Posted by ( EvolutionBaby ) on June 8, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
"$69.75 for a concert tix? And that's not including service charges... Pearl Jam is a good band, but no one is worth that kind of $$. "
I would disagree,Yes $70 is more expensive than most of their shows, but I just flew to Ca to see Eddie by himself & it was so worth it.
PJ gives you your moneys worth & then some.
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