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Article-Times Union-"VEDDER HITS THE ROAD ALONE" B.S.9/22/09
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VEDDER HITS THE ROAD ALONE
KEVIN LANAHAN
KEVIN LANAHAN SPECIAL TO THE TIMES UNION
4 June 2009
Times Union
PV10
In the Cameron Crowe's 1992 film "Singles," Matt Dillon plays a lead singer for the fictitious grunge band "Citizen Dick" and laments: "Where are the anthems of our youth? Where is the 'Misty Mountain Hop' ... the 'Iron Man' of today?"
These lines were directed at Eddie Vedder, the lead singer and guitarist for the then-unknown but real-life upstart Pearl Jam.
By the time "Singles" was released, Vedder would lead Pearl Jam into the explosive grunge-era along with other Seattle-based bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice and Chains and Screaming Trees. Rock 'n' roll -- and Seattle -- would never be the same.
Pearl Jam's first issue "Ten" (1991) would become certified platinum 13 times, and the band would go on to superstardom. But, like punk before it, grunge burned out quickly. By 1995, many of the bands had broken up, disillusioned and spiritually bruised by sudden fame.
Pearl Jam, however, continues to survive having cut eight studio albums, with its ninth "Backspacer" set for release on Sept. 22. The album will be produced by Brendan O'Brien, who was behind the controls during the "Ten" sessions. O'Brien also remixed "Ten" at the band's direction for the recent reissue, sold only through the Web site http://www.Pearljam.com. The band will tour Europe and North America, beginning in August.
But before the band hits the road again, Vedder takes a short sabbatical from Pearl Jam to open the East Coast leg of his solo tour with two sold-out shows at Albany's Palace Theatre on Monday and Tuesday. Opening for Vedder is Liam Finn, son of Split Enz and Crowded House frontman Neil Finn -- who happens also to be a good friend of Vedder's.
At a time when the music industry's biggest highlight is "American Idol," Vedder has left behind his upstart grunge image and has emerged as an elder statesman of the kind of rock 'n' roll with roots in garage bands and run-down taverns.
For proof, search "Eddie Vedder" on YouTube and you will see him onstage with standard bearers of rock 'n' roll: singing "Wild Horses" with the Rolling Stones; "No Surrender" with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; "Any Way You Want It" with the Ramones; "Roadhouse Blues" with the surviving members of "The Doors."
That YouTube search also shows Vedder giving to young bands of today -- the bands influenced by Pearl Jam and the Northwest music tradition of the '90s: there's Vedder banging two tambourines to shreds and singing with Kings of Leon on their raucous "Slow Night, So Long"; and there he is again joining the Strokes on their cover of Marvin Gayes', "Mercy, Mercy Me."
So what should we expect from Vedder during his solo two-night stay here in Albany? If last year's West Coast tour serves as a hint, Vedder will play tunes from the "Into the Wild" movie soundtrack for which he wrote most of the music ("Guaranteed" from that soundtrack won Vedder a Grammy award in 2008).
He's also likely to offer some Pearl Jam standards and a grab bag of interesting covers that display a breadth of musical interests and allegiances -- from crooners by Cat Stevens and James Taylor to Daniel Johnston and Phil Ochs protest songs.
Vedder also does a beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" (which can also be seen on YouTube), just his voice and his Fender Telecaster ringing out. If we're lucky he'll play that one in Albany.
The '90s are gone. The members of Pearl Jam are all grown up, and a good many of their fans have grown up with them. But, as Vedder reminds us, the heart of rock 'n' roll beats on.
Kevin Lanahan is a freelance writer from Clifton Park.
BOX:
Eddie Vedder
Where: Palace Theatre, 19 Clinton Ave., Albany
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
Tickets: Both shows are currently sold out
Contact: 465-3334; http://www.palacealbany.com
Caption: Eddie Vedder will play two sold-out shows at the Palace Theatre in Albany.
VEDDER HITS THE ROAD ALONE
KEVIN LANAHAN
KEVIN LANAHAN SPECIAL TO THE TIMES UNION
4 June 2009
Times Union
PV10
In the Cameron Crowe's 1992 film "Singles," Matt Dillon plays a lead singer for the fictitious grunge band "Citizen Dick" and laments: "Where are the anthems of our youth? Where is the 'Misty Mountain Hop' ... the 'Iron Man' of today?"
These lines were directed at Eddie Vedder, the lead singer and guitarist for the then-unknown but real-life upstart Pearl Jam.
By the time "Singles" was released, Vedder would lead Pearl Jam into the explosive grunge-era along with other Seattle-based bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice and Chains and Screaming Trees. Rock 'n' roll -- and Seattle -- would never be the same.
Pearl Jam's first issue "Ten" (1991) would become certified platinum 13 times, and the band would go on to superstardom. But, like punk before it, grunge burned out quickly. By 1995, many of the bands had broken up, disillusioned and spiritually bruised by sudden fame.
Pearl Jam, however, continues to survive having cut eight studio albums, with its ninth "Backspacer" set for release on Sept. 22. The album will be produced by Brendan O'Brien, who was behind the controls during the "Ten" sessions. O'Brien also remixed "Ten" at the band's direction for the recent reissue, sold only through the Web site http://www.Pearljam.com. The band will tour Europe and North America, beginning in August.
But before the band hits the road again, Vedder takes a short sabbatical from Pearl Jam to open the East Coast leg of his solo tour with two sold-out shows at Albany's Palace Theatre on Monday and Tuesday. Opening for Vedder is Liam Finn, son of Split Enz and Crowded House frontman Neil Finn -- who happens also to be a good friend of Vedder's.
At a time when the music industry's biggest highlight is "American Idol," Vedder has left behind his upstart grunge image and has emerged as an elder statesman of the kind of rock 'n' roll with roots in garage bands and run-down taverns.
For proof, search "Eddie Vedder" on YouTube and you will see him onstage with standard bearers of rock 'n' roll: singing "Wild Horses" with the Rolling Stones; "No Surrender" with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; "Any Way You Want It" with the Ramones; "Roadhouse Blues" with the surviving members of "The Doors."
That YouTube search also shows Vedder giving to young bands of today -- the bands influenced by Pearl Jam and the Northwest music tradition of the '90s: there's Vedder banging two tambourines to shreds and singing with Kings of Leon on their raucous "Slow Night, So Long"; and there he is again joining the Strokes on their cover of Marvin Gayes', "Mercy, Mercy Me."
So what should we expect from Vedder during his solo two-night stay here in Albany? If last year's West Coast tour serves as a hint, Vedder will play tunes from the "Into the Wild" movie soundtrack for which he wrote most of the music ("Guaranteed" from that soundtrack won Vedder a Grammy award in 2008).
He's also likely to offer some Pearl Jam standards and a grab bag of interesting covers that display a breadth of musical interests and allegiances -- from crooners by Cat Stevens and James Taylor to Daniel Johnston and Phil Ochs protest songs.
Vedder also does a beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" (which can also be seen on YouTube), just his voice and his Fender Telecaster ringing out. If we're lucky he'll play that one in Albany.
The '90s are gone. The members of Pearl Jam are all grown up, and a good many of their fans have grown up with them. But, as Vedder reminds us, the heart of rock 'n' roll beats on.
Kevin Lanahan is a freelance writer from Clifton Park.
BOX:
Eddie Vedder
Where: Palace Theatre, 19 Clinton Ave., Albany
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
Tickets: Both shows are currently sold out
Contact: 465-3334; http://www.palacealbany.com
Caption: Eddie Vedder will play two sold-out shows at the Palace Theatre in Albany.
Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
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Comments
wow. that's a lot of factual errors. glad to see people are pumped to see him though