I'm a (younger) child of the 90's but I am a new kid around here, and I hate to admit that my love for Pearl Jam is new. Hate this because it reminds me how many glorious years of the most inspirational beautiful soulful music I have missed out on over the years. I have been into various types of music over the years, but not too much rock and no PJ. I first witnessed the enigma that is Pearl Jam when I got to attend my first rock concert after a fluke incident landed me an extra ticket. I have NEVER ever in my life been so incredibly drawn in-- as though each note dug roots deeper and deeper into my soul. I had never experienced music like this. I immediately bought tickets to the next night's show in a nearby town, and TEN. My fascination bordering on obsession only deepened after listening to this record over and over, and over again. I will never forget the feeling of listening to Alive for the first time... I needed more. I went out right away and bought VS, Vitalogy, and No Code. I needed to see them perform again and watch Eddie transform into his intensely passionate completely-lost-in-the-song self; I've lost count of how many times I've watched the Unplugged DVD. I would give many many things to go back to 1991 and get to be at one of their tiny shows in the early days. I went through the full progression of the band's music from Ten to Backspacer in a short period of time, and yes, my mind was completely blown. I loved each record more than the last and yet somehow just about love each one equally. There is nothing like the feel of PJ liner notes in your hand as the big record spins out that melodic fix; every morning I feel the urge to play a PJ record. No day goes by without at least a little Pearl Jam.
Not too many things in this world are real anymore; not too many things can speak to your soul. Before Pearl Jam, I felt lost and struggling to find ground. I don't care if it sounds cliche, Pearl Jam saved me; changed my life and will forever be my guiding light. This music and the raw authenticity and soul that Eddie Vedder pours into each lyric, each vocal, has let me know there are beautiful things in this world. There is much good and a good journey to be had. As I have seen many 10C fans write, "Pearl Jam is a way of life." I feel very lucky to have the privilege of sharing a small piece of the beauty they continue to contribute to this world.
Your story gave me goose bumps, not just because you told it beautifully, but because I relate to it, thanks for sharing :thumbup:
Wendy Testaburger
" we're going to take this to some level that people aren't going to forget... and if that means risking your life, we're going to do it!..." EV
I knew about PJ in the early nineties, but I wasn´t a fan, I liked Nirvana and Hole a lot though. But then ... a couple of years ago, I was on youtube listening to a psychology teacher and saw that she had a Pearl Jam video among her favourite videos. I thought that was strange for a 60 year old woman and got curious. It was PJ performing Last Kiss in Argentina. I was blown away, mostly because of the passion in Eddie´s performance. He was so present in the moment, it was beautiful to watch. It wasn´t like anything I remebered about PJ when I was a sad teenager.
I started listening, got into Backspacer and Just Breathe, suddenly I loved all the songs on Backspacer. I started buying records, I had like 20 years of music to explore. Discovered "Into the wild", it came out in 2007 when I had a baby and didn´t listen to music at all - this music became magical to me. I continued, suddenly "I got id/shit" just hit me, and then another, and another, it was like I was in this musical universe and I had all the time I wanted to listen and explore. A lot of the songs grew on me slowly, it wasn´t love at first listening with all of them, but I just felt a magical feeling. Tried to get my friends into PJ, it didn´t work and I felt lonely in this experience.
In December I got my first PJ ticket to Stockholm 2012, and a month ago, I got a ticket for Ed solo in London. I still have a lot to explore and I´m quite new in here too, but I´m very grateful to this 60 year old psychology teacher who showed me the way to Pearl Jam. It was like it was meant to be, and finally, I was ready for Pearl Jam. I also love their intuition, their kindness etc. And of course, I have a huge crush on Eddie Pearl Jam has also helped me through a lot of shit during these years and I´m so very grateful to them for that.
I loved each record more than the last and yet somehow just about love each one equally. There is nothing like the feel of PJ liner notes in your hand as the big record spins out that melodic fix; every morning I feel the urge to play a PJ record. No day goes by without at least a little Pearl Jam.
I would also like to add that I´m not sad that I missed out on 18 years of Pearl Jam, like some of the others here have written about. Because in my case, I was definitely not ready for Pearl Jam. But life has formed me and made me to the person I am today, and in 2010, I was finally ready to take it all in. And then everything felt so right about PJ to me. They know about what it´s like to lose somebody you love for example, and I´ve got a lot of strength from that, having lost both my parents. And nowadays I know much more who I am, and what kind of values I have personally, and I´ve been so happy to discover that I share many of my values with Pearl Jam. I just love their way of using their intuition and being genuine.
I think I´ve never been so proud of being a fan of a band before. I have thought to myself that I´m gonna stick with them for the rest of my life, and I just love it that they are exploring and experimenting, and I just want to follow them to see what they are up to. Another thing I deeply respect and admire with them is that they are the only band I know who have written a song from an abused woman´s perspective (Betterman). How Eddie could put himself in that woman´s shoes amazes me, and I love it that that song means so much to him personally (from what I´ve read). And that they have personally contacted the families who lost their sons in Roskilde and Stone is actually friends with a Swedish middleaged couple who goes to PJ concerts nowadays ... I mean, this is a band who has self respect and dignity, and that comes out in their music, I can hear it in their music, and also: the love for music is heard in their music.
"I gather speed from you fucking with me"
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
I would also like to add that I´m not sad that I missed out on 18 years of Pearl Jam, like some of the others here have written about. Because in my case, I was definitely not ready for Pearl Jam. But life has formed me and made me to the person I am today, and in 2010, I was finally ready to take it all in. And then everything felt so right about PJ to me. They know about what it´s like to lose somebody you love for example, and I´ve got a lot of strength from that, having lost both my parents. And nowadays I know much more who I am, and what kind of values I have personally, and I´ve been so happy to discover that I share many of my values with Pearl Jam. I just love their way of using their intuition and being genuine.
I think I´ve never been so proud of being a fan of a band before. I have thought to myself that I´m gonna stick with them for the rest of my life, and I just love it that they are exploring and experimenting, and I just want to follow them to see what they are up to. Another thing I deeply respect and admire with them is that they are the only band I know who have written a song from an abused woman´s perspective (Betterman). How Eddie could put himself in that woman´s shoes amazes me, and I love it that that song means so much to him personally (from what I´ve read). And that they have personally contacted the families who lost their sons in Roskilde and Stone is actually friends with a Swedish middleaged couple who goes to PJ concerts nowadays ... I mean, this is a band who has self respect and dignity, and that comes out in their music, I can hear it in their music, and also: the love for music is heard in their music.
Amen!!!! I never thought about it that way, until I read your post! Its so true, I wasnt ready for them either!!!! I really want to meet you!!
Wendy Testaburger
" we're going to take this to some level that people aren't going to forget... and if that means risking your life, we're going to do it!..." EV
I would also like to add that I´m not sad that I missed out on 18 years of Pearl Jam, like some of the others here have written about. Because in my case, I was definitely not ready for Pearl Jam. But life has formed me and made me to the person I am today, and in 2010, I was finally ready to take it all in. And then everything felt so right about PJ to me. They know about what it´s like to lose somebody you love for example, and I´ve got a lot of strength from that, having lost both my parents. And nowadays I know much more who I am, and what kind of values I have personally, and I´ve been so happy to discover that I share many of my values with Pearl Jam. I just love their way of using their intuition and being genuine.
I think I´ve never been so proud of being a fan of a band before. I have thought to myself that I´m gonna stick with them for the rest of my life, and I just love it that they are exploring and experimenting, and I just want to follow them to see what they are up to. Another thing I deeply respect and admire with them is that they are the only band I know who have written a song from an abused woman´s perspective (Betterman). How Eddie could put himself in that woman´s shoes amazes me, and I love it that that song means so much to him personally (from what I´ve read). And that they have personally contacted the families who lost their sons in Roskilde and Stone is actually friends with a Swedish middleaged couple who goes to PJ concerts nowadays ... I mean, this is a band who has self respect and dignity, and that comes out in their music, I can hear it in their music, and also: the love for music is heard in their music.
Amen!!!! I never thought about it that way, until I read your post! Its so true, I wasnt ready for them either!!!! I really want to meet you!!
I want to meet you too! And I´m sure it´s gonna happen!! One day!
"I gather speed from you fucking with me"
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
Pearl Jam is a funny band for me and I would say its only as my years have increased and in the past 5 years have I gone from a fan to one of those super fan, collector, weirdos like so many of you
I have an older brother by 4 years, so when I was 10, he was 14 and he got ten on tape for either Christmas 1991 or 1992. I forget which now. I was mad into GNR, Nirvana and whatever my brother was listening to and was drawn to ten but as I was so young they were just cool songs I could sing. Porch actually reminds me of family holidays in England driving by the beach.
Anyway a very weird thing happened, my brother started to get "out" of rock and started to listen to loads of hip hop/trip hop/dance/drum and bass and it was my Mum who had originally bought ten for my brother that went out and got Vs when it was released. I again listened to this loads and it was great and she also went out and got Vitalogy and No Code when they came out as well. Same again I was into them but it hadn't "clicked" like it does now. guess there were so many bands I was getting into in those days and also as I was hitting 13/14/15 I got into metal and so looked for the heavier stuff.
My second gig ever was PJ at Wembley in '96 on the No Code tour and they were really incredible live but still I wasn't obsessed. As the 90's progressed and turned into the 00's I still got copies of the records off my mum and liked them but they dropped by the wayside for my slightly as Riot Act bored me at first. I was mad into hardcore/punk at this point and they weren't hitting me as those fast and hard bands were. I'll be honest and say I kinda lost interest but that flame was of course still held by my mum. As I hit my mid-twenties I started to listen to Pj again and then kinda realised how important they had been in my life, how they had always been there in the background and how they were a very important link in me and my mums relationship.
I tried desperately to get Astoria tickets but that didn't happen, but we managed to get Jool's Holland live tickets and that on reflection might be the catalyst to what sparked my now obsession. I saw them that summer at reading which was and still might be my favourite gig I have seen of theirs and from then until now I have been beyond obsessed.
I have now filled in the gaps of what I missed which was mainly Binaural and Riot Act and I kick myself for ever writing off Riot Act as boring. It's now me and my Mums thing and everyone in our family thinks we are mental. We got to see them at Shepherds Bush and the O2 and we are gonna see them 4 times this summer, twice in Manchester, twice in Berlin and I am going both nights for Eddie vedder solo but my Mum can only make one of them. I joined the tenclub late year which was the final cementing of how I feel about this band. I've never been in a "fan club" before as I always thought they were a bit sad but it's been brilliant so far and this year it is only going to get better with the Euro tour.
They are now my favourite band hands down and I feel like my obsession has been a very weird 15 year on/off shadow which has only blossomed properly in the past 5 years. I am envious of people who have felt that spark since 1992 but I guess I am making up for lost time now
I just need to add that on being involved in hardcore/punk for the better part of my life, the values instilled of friendship, community, diy, ethics, social awareness etc have really made a huge impact in my life and for me Pearl jam embodies all of this yet still works within the sphere of being one of the biggest bands in the world. it amazes me and it goes to show how you can do stuff on your own and how you can be into social awareness and be very downbeat and cool about it and it not be part of the public's image of you, case in point Eddie Vedders involvement with the WM3. case not in point Bono and his self back patting of being into cool social awareness. U2 miss that point where PJ hit it on every single aspect of their being.
I think PJ as a band fits into that part of my life so perfectly and I feel like the music they make is being made by people who are very similar in outlook to myself. That helps a lot. I don't hold them as people on this god-like status that others do of famous people, but just some dudes who got lucky and make amazing music.
Pearl Jam is a funny band for me and I would say its only as my years have increased and in the past 5 years have I gone from a fan to one of those super fan, collector, weirdos like so many of you
I have an older brother by 4 years, so when I was 10, he was 14 and he got ten on tape for either Christmas 1991 or 1992. I forget which now. I was mad into GNR, Nirvana and whatever my brother was listening to and was drawn to ten but as I was so young they were just cool songs I could sing. Porch actually reminds me of family holidays in England driving by the beach.
Anyway a very weird thing happened, my brother started to get "out" of rock and started to listen to loads of hip hop/trip hop/dance/drum and bass and it was my Mum who had originally bought ten for my brother that went out and got Vs when it was released. I again listened to this loads and it was great and she also went out and got Vitalogy and No Code when they came out as well. Same again I was into them but it hadn't "clicked" like it does now. guess there were so many bands I was getting into in those days and also as I was hitting 13/14/15 I got into metal and so looked for the heavier stuff.
My second gig ever was PJ at Wembley in '96 on the No Code tour and they were really incredible live but still I wasn't obsessed. As the 90's progressed and turned into the 00's I still got copies of the records off my mum and liked them but they dropped by the wayside for my slightly as Riot Act bored me at first. I was mad into hardcore/punk at this point and they weren't hitting me as those fast and hard bands were. I'll be honest and say I kinda lost interest but that flame was of course still held by my mum. As I hit my mid-twenties I started to listen to Pj again and then kinda realised how important they had been in my life, how they had always been there in the background and how they were a very important link in me and my mums relationship.
I tried desperately to get Astoria tickets but that didn't happen, but we managed to get Jool's Holland live tickets and that on reflection might be the catalyst to what sparked my now obsession. I saw them that summer at reading which was and still might be my favourite gig I have seen of theirs and from then until now I have been beyond obsessed.
I have now filled in the gaps of what I missed which was mainly Binaural and Riot Act and I kick myself for ever writing off Riot Act as boring. It's now me and my Mums thing and everyone in our family thinks we are mental. We got to see them at Shepherds Bush and the O2 and we are gonna see them 4 times this summer, twice in Manchester, twice in Berlin and I am going both nights for Eddie vedder solo but my Mum can only make one of them. I joined the tenclub late year which was the final cementing of how I feel about this band. I've never been in a "fan club" before as I always thought they were a bit sad but it's been brilliant so far and this year it is only going to get better with the Euro tour.
They are now my favourite band hands down and I feel like my obsession has been a very weird 15 year on/off shadow which has only blossomed properly in the past 5 years. I am envious of people who have felt that spark since 1992 but I guess I am making up for lost time now
I would also like to add that I´m not sad that I missed out on 18 years of Pearl Jam, like some of the others here have written about. Because in my case, I was definitely not ready for Pearl Jam. But life has formed me and made me to the person I am today, and in 2010, I was finally ready to take it all in. And then everything felt so right about PJ to me. They know about what it´s like to lose somebody you love for example, and I´ve got a lot of strength from that, having lost both my parents. And nowadays I know much more who I am, and what kind of values I have personally, and I´ve been so happy to discover that I share many of my values with Pearl Jam. I just love their way of using their intuition and being genuine.
You put this in a beautiful and truthful way ... I'm glad you have been able to find strength.
I must admit that had Pearl Jam come along earlier in my life I wouldn't have been in a position to appreciate or even understand the depth of the music. I wouldn't have been able to value the meaningful ways that the band lives life and contributes to society. I went through some intense experiences recently that irreversibly changed me and made me realize who I am not, but the rest of the world didn't make sense to me, until Pearl Jam. I found Pearl Jam-- or rather, Pearl Jam found me in a time when I desperately needed to hear a real person talking about the real things in life: the hard things, the shit things, the dark things, and the beautiful things- with passion and honesty. To see someone put genuine character and honest experience above all else was so incredibly inspiring. Watching them take care of those around them, actively striving to make the world a better place and not for PR. This is so rare nowadays. I had finally found what I was looking for. This fated meeting helped shape the person I am today. I'm grateful for the shit in life that pulled me down, because of it I found something powerful that brought me to a higher state of being.
--Writing this, I cannot believe how incredibly hard it is to capture the essence of Pearl Jam. It's not just THAT unworldly VOICE combined with the perfect band, those soul-wrenching songs, that so very rare character, the fact that Eddie can understand and beautifully explain life in ways far beyond me, or a million other things I could try to talk about here. It's just... Pearl Jam.
I would also like to add that I´m not sad that I missed out on 18 years of Pearl Jam, like some of the others here have written about. Because in my case, I was definitely not ready for Pearl Jam. But life has formed me and made me to the person I am today, and in 2010, I was finally ready to take it all in. And then everything felt so right about PJ to me. They know about what it´s like to lose somebody you love for example, and I´ve got a lot of strength from that, having lost both my parents. And nowadays I know much more who I am, and what kind of values I have personally, and I´ve been so happy to discover that I share many of my values with Pearl Jam. I just love their way of using their intuition and being genuine.
You put this in a beautiful and truthful way ... I'm glad you have been able to find strength.
I must admit that had Pearl Jam come along earlier in my life I wouldn't have been in a position to appreciate or even understand the depth of the music. I wouldn't have been able to value the meaningful ways that the band lives life and contributes to society. I went through some intense experiences recently that irreversibly changed me and made me realize who I am not, but the rest of the world didn't make sense to me, until Pearl Jam. I found Pearl Jam-- or rather, Pearl Jam found me in a time when I desperately needed to hear a real person talking about the real things in life: the hard things, the shit things, the dark things, and the beautiful things- with passion and honesty. To see someone put genuine character and honest experience above all else was so incredibly inspiring. Watching them take care of those around them, actively striving to make the world a better place and not for PR. This is so rare nowadays. I had finally found what I was looking for. This fated meeting helped shape the person I am today. I'm grateful for the shit in life that pulled me down, because of it I found something powerful that brought me to a higher state of being.
--Writing this, I cannot believe how incredibly hard it is to capture the essence of Pearl Jam. It's not just THAT unworldly VOICE combined with the perfect band, those soul-wrenching songs, that so very rare character, the fact that Eddie can understand and beautifully explain life in ways far beyond me, or a million other things I could try to talk about here. It's just... Pearl Jam.
Thank you so much! I can relate to what you are writing too, and that was one of the reasons I joined Ten Club. I figured that there must be a lot of people here that have similar thoughts on this band, who aprreciate them and who can really see them. (None of my friends like PJ, I have really tried!) Thank you for your beautiful writing about this.
"I gather speed from you fucking with me"
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
Thanks. This is one of the main reasons I joined too, and it's so cool to see so many people get together and share these thoughts, we have a strong PJ family here. So cool. Yet another example of the positivity that Pearl Jam manifests in everything it creates
I am 51 and I grew up with a ton of great bands. There were so many great bands and concerts that I went to: Neil Young, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, The Who, The Stones- the list goes on. I saw them all. I got busy starting a career and having kids, but kept thinking music sucked anymore compared to when I was growing up. I was stuck playing all the oldies. Then when I was 31, Ten came out. I bought it and played the sh-- out of it. But life took me astray- kids, husband, work and I did not follow PJ beyond Ten. Then my boys in middle school started blaring PJ from their rooms. I was like wow, that is awesome music. This was 1997. I started listening to them every once in a while. Then I had surgery and a long recovery and bought a whole bunch of PJ - cd's, PJ definitely got me through that horrible time. Then I saw them live. That was it for me, once I saw them live I am addicted and cannot get enough. The music and lyrics speak to me and PJ helps me get through many situations Thank God for them
Comments
Your story gave me goose bumps, not just because you told it beautifully, but because I relate to it, thanks for sharing :thumbup:
" we're going to take this to some level that people aren't going to forget... and if that means risking your life, we're going to do it!..." EV
"
Awesome
So true.... I always read the liner notes!!!
I think I´ve never been so proud of being a fan of a band before. I have thought to myself that I´m gonna stick with them for the rest of my life, and I just love it that they are exploring and experimenting, and I just want to follow them to see what they are up to. Another thing I deeply respect and admire with them is that they are the only band I know who have written a song from an abused woman´s perspective (Betterman). How Eddie could put himself in that woman´s shoes amazes me, and I love it that that song means so much to him personally (from what I´ve read). And that they have personally contacted the families who lost their sons in Roskilde and Stone is actually friends with a Swedish middleaged couple who goes to PJ concerts nowadays ... I mean, this is a band who has self respect and dignity, and that comes out in their music, I can hear it in their music, and also: the love for music is heard in their music.
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
Amen!!!!
" we're going to take this to some level that people aren't going to forget... and if that means risking your life, we're going to do it!..." EV
"
I want to meet you too!
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
I have an older brother by 4 years, so when I was 10, he was 14 and he got ten on tape for either Christmas 1991 or 1992. I forget which now. I was mad into GNR, Nirvana and whatever my brother was listening to and was drawn to ten but as I was so young they were just cool songs I could sing. Porch actually reminds me of family holidays in England driving by the beach.
Anyway a very weird thing happened, my brother started to get "out" of rock and started to listen to loads of hip hop/trip hop/dance/drum and bass and it was my Mum who had originally bought ten for my brother that went out and got Vs when it was released. I again listened to this loads and it was great and she also went out and got Vitalogy and No Code when they came out as well. Same again I was into them but it hadn't "clicked" like it does now. guess there were so many bands I was getting into in those days and also as I was hitting 13/14/15 I got into metal and so looked for the heavier stuff.
My second gig ever was PJ at Wembley in '96 on the No Code tour and they were really incredible live but still I wasn't obsessed. As the 90's progressed and turned into the 00's I still got copies of the records off my mum and liked them but they dropped by the wayside for my slightly as Riot Act bored me at first. I was mad into hardcore/punk at this point and they weren't hitting me as those fast and hard bands were. I'll be honest and say I kinda lost interest but that flame was of course still held by my mum. As I hit my mid-twenties I started to listen to Pj again and then kinda realised how important they had been in my life, how they had always been there in the background and how they were a very important link in me and my mums relationship.
I tried desperately to get Astoria tickets but that didn't happen, but we managed to get Jool's Holland live tickets and that on reflection might be the catalyst to what sparked my now obsession. I saw them that summer at reading which was and still might be my favourite gig I have seen of theirs and from then until now I have been beyond obsessed.
I have now filled in the gaps of what I missed which was mainly Binaural and Riot Act and I kick myself for ever writing off Riot Act as boring. It's now me and my Mums thing and everyone in our family thinks we are mental. We got to see them at Shepherds Bush and the O2 and we are gonna see them 4 times this summer, twice in Manchester, twice in Berlin and I am going both nights for Eddie vedder solo but my Mum can only make one of them. I joined the tenclub late year which was the final cementing of how I feel about this band. I've never been in a "fan club" before as I always thought they were a bit sad but it's been brilliant so far and this year it is only going to get better with the Euro tour.
They are now my favourite band hands down and I feel like my obsession has been a very weird 15 year on/off shadow which has only blossomed properly in the past 5 years. I am envious of people who have felt that spark since 1992 but I guess I am making up for lost time now
2006 Jools Holland, London / Reading festival
2007 Wmbly London
2009 SBE London / O2 London
2012 MEN 1/ MEN 2 / Berlin 1 / Berlin 2 / EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2013 NY 1/ NY 2 / Philly 1 / Philly 2
2014 AMS 1 / AMS 2 / Leeds / MK
2017 EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2018 LDN 1 / BCN / LDN 2
2022 LDN 1 / LDN 2
I think PJ as a band fits into that part of my life so perfectly and I feel like the music they make is being made by people who are very similar in outlook to myself. That helps a lot. I don't hold them as people on this god-like status that others do of famous people, but just some dudes who got lucky and make amazing music.
2006 Jools Holland, London / Reading festival
2007 Wmbly London
2009 SBE London / O2 London
2012 MEN 1/ MEN 2 / Berlin 1 / Berlin 2 / EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2013 NY 1/ NY 2 / Philly 1 / Philly 2
2014 AMS 1 / AMS 2 / Leeds / MK
2017 EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2018 LDN 1 / BCN / LDN 2
2022 LDN 1 / LDN 2
You and your Mum.. that's totally awesome :0
You put this in a beautiful and truthful way ... I'm glad you have been able to find strength.
I must admit that had Pearl Jam come along earlier in my life I wouldn't have been in a position to appreciate or even understand the depth of the music. I wouldn't have been able to value the meaningful ways that the band lives life and contributes to society. I went through some intense experiences recently that irreversibly changed me and made me realize who I am not, but the rest of the world didn't make sense to me, until Pearl Jam. I found Pearl Jam-- or rather, Pearl Jam found me in a time when I desperately needed to hear a real person talking about the real things in life: the hard things, the shit things, the dark things, and the beautiful things- with passion and honesty. To see someone put genuine character and honest experience above all else was so incredibly inspiring. Watching them take care of those around them, actively striving to make the world a better place and not for PR. This is so rare nowadays. I had finally found what I was looking for. This fated meeting helped shape the person I am today. I'm grateful for the shit in life that pulled me down, because of it I found something powerful that brought me to a higher state of being.
--Writing this, I cannot believe how incredibly hard it is to capture the essence of Pearl Jam. It's not just THAT unworldly VOICE combined with the perfect band, those soul-wrenching songs, that so very rare character, the fact that Eddie can understand and beautifully explain life in ways far beyond me, or a million other things I could try to talk about here. It's just... Pearl Jam.
Thank you so much! I can relate to what you are writing too, and that was one of the reasons I joined Ten Club. I figured that there must be a lot of people here that have similar thoughts on this band, who aprreciate them and who can really see them. (None of my friends like PJ, I have really tried!) Thank you for your beautiful writing about this.
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.