Sep 13, 2011

Pearl Jam Twenty Book Review

Pearl Jam is celebrating their 20 years of Rock and Roll together in grand style. A tour that started Sept. 3/4 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin is now racing across Canada from Montreal to Vancouver and then off to South America. A documentary movie about Pearl Jam just played TIFF this past weekend in TO and now a book has been released today. Pearl Jam has definitely covered all the bases for fans.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of the Pearl Jam Twenty book and having had the chance to immerse myself into the pages of the book for the last week and all I can say is wow. Titled Pearl Jam Twenty this book is jam packed with pictures and interviews that chronicles the Seattle grunge legends past twenty years. The book is a must have for Pearl Jam fans. Reading and seeing the pictures has only heightened my enthusiasm for the upcoming Pearl Jam show here in Ottawa.





Some of the highlights of the book:

-I first started following Pearl Jam from the beginning so I really enjoyed reading and seeing pictures of how the band first formed. Taken right from interviews from band members (present/past), friends, and colleagues it's great to read how it all started- Ten.

-Eddie Vedder's take on his various scaffold/rafter diving incidents into the audience during those early years of Pearl Jam. "I'm in the band and I can do what I want." EV

-Hearing about Mike McCready life changing moment after seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan  at the Gorge in 1990.

- The tragedy (the death of nine fans during their appearance at the Roskilde festival,) and controversy (battles with Ticketmaster, and the firing of drummer Dave Abbruzzese) are interesting to hear about. Peoples reactions and the aftermath.

- Hearing about about all the different stories regarding all the tours and especially all the different jams along the way Neil Young in particular.


- Cool pictures of a receipt from Eddie Vedder's bank account ($10.99 in 1991) and a receipt for a corduroy jacket.

-Hearing how all the records (Ten, VS, Vitalogy, Mirror Ball, No Code, Yield, Riot Act, etc...  ) came to be. 

If your a PJ fan or just a fan of rock n' roll pick this book up its a great read from a great band. The stories through various interviews and the great pictures gives you a behind the scenes insight into the energy, enthusiasm, passion and power of a great influential rock and roll band.  They rose out of the grunge scene twenty years ago and are still going strong today mostly because they're true to their fans and their music.



3 comments:

Chris said...

Loving your taste in music Sean. If I ever win the lottery I would follow them on tour.

Ottawa Golf Blog said...

That would be cool. PJ has become our generations Grateful Dead.

Mike Game said...

I have seen Keegan Bradley playing a few times. This kid has a lot of golf in his hands. I really like his game. You can tell his is working very hard on his game and getting better and better every year