Pearl Jam and Corporate Rock 2.0

DeRamos

Once upon a time (and presently for many), major corporations owned a band's discography, publishing rights, and probably their very souls. Nowadays, the band has the ability to own the corporation(s). (And they don't even have to be The Beatles, or even Pearl Jam!)

I don't know if I'm infringing on any forum rule regarding posting publicly-available information about several privately-owned companies relating to Pearl Jam. If so, I apologize in advance. Anyhow, this info is really really really interesting, especially if you run a business, play in a rock band, or both:

Pearl Jam, L.L.C., organized in 1995: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search ... =601646200
LLC Members: Gossard, Vedder, McCready, and Ament (no Cameron). Likely managed by band management.

Ten Club, LLC, organized in 2000: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search ... =602085302
LLC Members: Cameron, Ament, Gossard, McCready, and Vedder. Likely managed by the same upstanding and outstanding individuals who run these forums and the Pearl Jam website! Cheers to all of you! THANK YOU!

Monkeywrench, Inc., incorporated in 2003: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search ... =602270509
Officers: President McCready, Vice President Gossard, Secretary Ament, Treasurer Cameron, and Chairman Vedder. By all indications, Monkeywrench is now the band's one and only record label! Yeah!

(We have to start calling Mike "El Presidente" and Ed "Chairman Vedder"! LOL)

Vitalogy Foundation, incorporated in 2004: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search ... =602387492
Officers: President Ament, VP McCready, VP Vedder, Secretary Kelly Curtis, and Treasurer Gossard (no Cameron). They've been doing some non-profit good as of late. Maybe we'll see a "vitalogy.org" or something in the near future!

Pearl Jam Touring, Inc., incorporated in 2006: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search ... =602595323
Officers: President Gossard, VP McCready, VP Cameron, Treasurer Ament, and Secretary Vedder. Going by the name, I'd say PJ Touring Incorporated is responsible for all the kickass shows we've been seeing, since the Avocado Album (and informally, before then).

(The band needs to play "Hail to the Chief" for Stone at every concert, or at least "Hail, Hail.")

It takes several formal business entities to handle employees, large tours, merchandise, albums, revenue, expenses, and dun dun DUN!taxes. I personally think it's awesome that Pearl Jam is a "Corporate Rock 2.0" band, and that's a very good thing (especially for the fans!). If any of the five entities (or others that I may have missed) were to go public, I'd totally buy stock in Pearl Jam!

Cheers,
Ryan

thefin190

This is good stuff, and this is why I believe they made such an accessible album. Its not the matter of selling out, but the band realizes that if they don't sell albums, they don't just lose a royalty check but they actually take a loss and don't make any money. Also, they probably realize the best way to change bad business practices is not by protesting the system, but rather create a better system to compete.

I am willing to give my money to a band any day that sells organic cotton t-shirts that were made in the USA and post their support to Food Inc. on their home page.

Kloddz

Interesting stuff!

(With Presidents McCready, Ament and Gossard, we almost have a full-fledged Mt. Rushmore!)