When/How did you discover Pearl Jam?

PJ_Soul

The day of Ten's release a musical friend of mine who was "hip to the scene", lol, played me the album in his car. We just sat in a parking lot and smoked and listened. I fell in love with the band immediately.

JH6056

For me I first became aware of PJ with the Alive video, BUT... I didn't really like it.  I swear, I used to watch MTV then and keep repeating the chant "Hair is NOT an instrument!!  Stop playing your hair!!" and I felt that way about PJ LOL!  Hey, you gotta admit, there's a lot of hair swinging in that video...

So I kinda ignored them for awhile, but then the Spin  magazine came out with Ed on the cover near a fence, and I read the interview with him and article on them and was fascinated.  There was obviously a lot more to him and PJ than I'd first thought. 

Then I was at a Fugazi show in the Bay Area while they were recording Vs. and Stone and Ed were at the show.  I had a really good quiet convo with Ed at the very end, he even told me about a secret show they were going to play (turned out to not stay a secret, it was the Slims show).  And even though my boyfriend and I had a HUGE fight the night of the Slims show over me wanting so badly to go to the show and I then missed it, I did see them months later at a theater and was front row center, so right up under Ed I couldn've easily tied his shoe laces together from where I was standing (but of course I did NOT!).

So I became aware with Alive, but I became a permanent fan with my 1st live show in Oct '93.  Couldn't believe at Charlottesville '13 it was exactly 20 yrs later within just 2 days of my 1st ever show, and was all blubbery and in happy tears for that whole amazing C'ville show too.  And got a tambourine.  And now Seattle 2.  Just can't believe they keep bringing it like that!

MR242791

JH6056 said:

For me I first became aware of PJ with the Alive video, BUT... I didn't really like it.  I swear, I used to watch MTV then and keep repeating the chant "Hair is NOT an instrument!!  Stop playing your hair!!" and I felt that way about PJ LOL!  Hey, you gotta admit, there's a lot of hair swinging in that video...

So I kinda ignored them for awhile, but then the Spin  magazine came out with Ed on the cover near a fence, and I read the interview with him and article on them and was fascinated.  There was obviously a lot more to him and PJ than I'd first thought. 

Then I was at a Fugazi show in the Bay Area while they were recording Vs. and Stone and Ed were at the show.  I had a really good quiet convo with Ed at the very end, he even told me about a secret show they were going to play (turned out to not stay a secret, it was the Slims show).  And even though my boyfriend and I had a HUGE fight the night of the Slims show over me wanting so badly to go to the show and I then missed it, I did see them months later at a theater and was front row center, so right up under Ed I couldn've easily tied his shoe laces together from where I was standing (but of course I did NOT!).

So I became aware with Alive, but I became a permanent fan with my 1st live show in Oct '93.  Couldn't believe at Charlottesville '13 it was exactly 20 yrs later within just 2 days of my 1st ever show, and was all blubbery and in happy tears for that whole amazing C'ville show too.  And got a tambourine.  And now Seattle 2.  Just can't believe they keep bringing it like that!

wow another great story.  that's awesome you got a tambourine.  and there was a lot of hair back then lol

DJ253147

andyfarrimond said:

2006 - one of my friends from the old U2 Zootopia fan club convinced me to give them a listen - never been the same since.

My story is not that different from Andy’s who I had the pleasure to connect with on through a transaction a few months back). Though I had bought Ten near it’s debut and loved the big hits they were too heavy for my wife. Along came Small Town and I didn’t get it but the wife loved it. We didn’t pay any attention to PJ other than on FM radio for many years I honestly just assumed they’d fallen by the wayside. Now we’re both well north of the median age of the band way too old for the scene at those early gigs. I continued in my classic rock//U2/REM/scene but by chance there was a very solid younger guy from work who was into PJ. I always remember asking after the Vancouver 2005  show did they cover Baba? ( yes they did). That piqued my interest and I began to check out the forum a bit. By chance I befriended a guy at the 2005 U2 preparty in Portland and we stayed in touch. My first boot was the July 22,2006 Gorge show and the more we  listened the more we liked it. Anyway that friend from the preparty got tix for the 2006 U2/PJ Honolulu show and urged me to do the same. Well last minute we did and that 1 hr. set by PJ was an absolute game changer. Seattle 2 was show number 18 for us...,and once again we hooked up with that friend and his family for the Seattle 2 show. I refer to that chance meeting as the power in them music. Oh and very quickly we came to appreciate what a cool, thoughtful and intelligent group of fans we are amongst at the gigs.
(sorry to be so long winded)

jcmitchell28

I was a sophomore at Texas Tech in 91/92 trying my best to listen to edgy music and be relevant.  I was in on PJ early due in large part to the Tech radio station KTXT.  Those were simpler times my friends. 

2-feign-reluctance

BMG Music Club ----> Lolla' 1992

MR242791

DJ253147 said:

andyfarrimond said:

2006 - one of my friends from the old U2 Zootopia fan club convinced me to give them a listen - never been the same since.

My story is not that different from Andy’s who I had the pleasure to connect with on through a transaction a few months back). Though I had bought Ten near it’s debut and loved the big hits they were too heavy for my wife. Along came Small Town and I didn’t get it but the wife loved it. We didn’t pay any attention to PJ other than on FM radio for many years I honestly just assumed they’d fallen by the wayside. Now we’re both well north of the median age of the band way too old for the scene at those early gigs. I continued in my classic rock//U2/REM/scene but by chance there was a very solid younger guy from work who was into PJ. I always remember asking after the Vancouver 2005  show did they cover Baba? ( yes they did). That piqued my interest and I began to check out the forum a bit. By chance I befriended a guy at the 2005 U2 preparty in Portland and we stayed in touch. My first boot was the July 22,2006 Gorge show and the more we  listened the more we liked it. Anyway that friend from the preparty got tix for the 2006 U2/PJ Honolulu show and urged me to do the same. Well last minute we did and that 1 hr. set by PJ was an absolute game changer. Seattle 2 was show number 18 for us...,and once again we hooked up with that friend and his family for the Seattle 2 show. I refer to that chance meeting as the power in them music. Oh and very quickly we came to appreciate what a cool, thoughtful and intelligent group of fans we are amongst at the gigs.
(sorry to be so long winded)

  Small Town, another great song.  and yeah, PJ is big and not big at the same time, it's amazing.  people are always surprised when I tell them I'm a PJ fan and how their shows always sell out and fans go crazy about the merch.  I love being a PJ fan.  thanks for sharing.

BookieMaylock

I'm the youngest of five children. My oldest sister (11 years older than me) LOVES music, and she was saddled with taking care of me most of the time, and so from birth on, (luckily) most of my life had an amazing soundtrack sponsored by her favorite bands: Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, ELP, CSN/Y, etc. etc. ETC!  When we were together, which was always, there was music. In fact, she helped me learn to read by showing me how to follow along with the lyrics printed inside the album covers. 

When I graduated from high school it made sense that I would try to get a job at a record store- its where I belonged- I think I told them that when I gave them my application- I didn't even ask how much it paid (I didn't care) and that's probably why I got the job.  One of my first tasks on my first day there was to help to put up a display in the corner window for a band I'd never heard of. We stapled dozens of album flats to the walls, bending and bowing them to create interesting shapes and give it some dimension, and we hung 50 red plastic apples on clear fishing line from the ceiling at various heights- we even got some apple air scented air freshener to spray around near there (we wanted it to feel immersive). As we listened to the band's music (which was the tradition at the store- play the band's music while you put up their display) and I was steeped in the awesomeness of the whole experience; being out of school and having an unbelievably lucky and amazing new job, and the cool people who worked there and shopped there, and this new amazing music playing so loud on the huge speakers that the whole place vibrated (and also, I was probably a little high on apple air freshener ...) that band was quickly becoming MY BAND and these songs were being pressed into a new life soundtrack that I was now creating for myself, separate from (but still part of) the one my sister had started for me when I was a child.  But, when I finally overcame my fear of sounding like a "know nothing poser" to ask the guy I was helping if he knew more about the band, he told me that Andy Woods, the lead singer, had died of an overdose in the spring, and the album we were listening to would be the only Mother Love Bone album.  He told me a little bit about how young he was, what a shame it was because of how talented they all were, how it was sad that he died before Apple was released- it was such a fantastic album. But I really loved it, I told him- already feeling entitled for more music from them I guess, I felt robbed of something.  "You know Alice in Chains, right? You know Soundgarden..." that's what he said- I did know them, a little, but then after that, after talking to him (over the course of the year and then the rest of my life to today), I REALLY started to know them. (In fact, that guy gave me a red vinyl "Louder than Love" album that I still cherish). He's the one who introduced me to MudHoney.  Of course, none of these bands were the same as MLB (no band will ever be), but they all came from the same place (and I don't mean Seattle). This was my music.

I think it was in the winter that we heard at the record store that Stone and Jeff were starting a new band. We couldn't wait.
When Temple of the dog came out in the Spring, there was NO WAY we weren't all over it. It was fucking amazing.
And then Pearl Jam.  And just like my first day in that corner display, I heard them for the very first time on a pre-released record store promo copy, over huge speakers that shook the store... it was so powerful and so full of energy and life and soul- all I could think is "they came back!"... MY BAND. They have been this for me, from that day until now. 

I wasn't able to see them live until THIS YEAR (when i had the time I didn't have the money, when I had the money I didn't have the time... it all finally worked out for me 27 years or so later). Saw three shows (both shows in Seattle, and Missoula).  Gotta tell ya, there was a moment during Crown of Thorns (Night 2, Safeco) when I saw Jeff and Stone playing together and I just couldn't stop the tears from falling (really, I didn't want to).  I'm pretty sure that just for a moment, I caught the scent of apples in the air...

Thanks Pearl Jam.

ryph raph

The 1st week of August 1991.

A friend managed a local record store, he gave me a Epic Audio By - Ways promo cassette that had Black & Jeremy on it.

Told me that if I liked Temple and Mother Love, which he also turned me on to, that I would like these guys to.

Still have the tape.

Twenty seven and counting.

JOEJOEJOE

Saw them open for RHCPs and Nirvava in December 1991.

lukin1023

My older brother brought home Vitalogy the day it came out, I was 13.  We popped it in the CD player and I have been hooked ever since.  My brother passed away about 10 years ago, Pearl Jam's music helped me get thru that and many, many things since.  I'm flying out for Wrigley night 2 tomorrow with my younger brother.  It will be the first time we have seen them together, I think a drink or two will be in order!  

Mookies Uncle

2-feign-reluctance said:

BMG Music Club ----> Lolla' 1992

In the ealry 90's heard some PJ on the radio , but then I picked Ten as one of my 6 CD's for a penny (from Columbia House iirc) and have followed them ever since

JH6056

BookieMaylock said:

I'm the youngest of five children. My oldest sister (11 years older than me) LOVES music, and she was saddled with taking care of me most of the time, and so from birth on, (luckily) most of my life had an amazing soundtrack sponsored by her favorite bands: Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, ELP, CSN/Y, etc. etc. ETC!  When we were together, which was always, there was music. In fact, she helped me learn to read by showing me how to follow along with the lyrics printed inside the album covers. 

When I graduated from high school it made sense that I would try to get a job at a record store- its where I belonged- I think I told them that when I gave them my application- I didn't even ask how much it paid (I didn't care) and that's probably why I got the job.  One of my first tasks on my first day there was to help to put up a display in the corner window for a band I'd never heard of. We stapled dozens of album flats to the walls, bending and bowing them to create interesting shapes and give it some dimension, and we hung 50 red plastic apples on clear fishing line from the ceiling at various heights- we even got some apple air scented air freshener to spray around near there (we wanted it to feel immersive). As we listened to the band's music (which was the tradition at the store- play the band's music while you put up their display) and I was steeped in the awesomeness of the whole experience; being out of school and having an unbelievably lucky and amazing new job, and the cool people who worked there and shopped there, and this new amazing music playing so loud on the huge speakers that the whole place vibrated (and also, I was probably a little high on apple air freshener ...) that band was quickly becoming MY BAND and these songs were being pressed into a new life soundtrack that I was now creating for myself, separate from (but still part of) the one my sister had started for me when I was a child.  But, when I finally overcame my fear of sounding like a "know nothing poser" to ask the guy I was helping if he knew more about the band, he told me that Andy Woods, the lead singer, had died of an overdose in the spring, and the album we were listening to would be the only Mother Love Bone album.  He told me a little bit about how young he was, what a shame it was because of how talented they all were, how it was sad that he died before Apple was released- it was such a fantastic album. But I really loved it, I told him- already feeling entitled for more music from them I guess, I felt robbed of something.  "You know Alice in Chains, right? You know Soundgarden..." that's what he said- I did know them, a little, but then after that, after talking to him (over the course of the year and then the rest of my life to today), I REALLY started to know them. (In fact, that guy gave me a red vinyl "Louder than Love" album that I still cherish). He's the one who introduced me to MudHoney.  Of course, none of these bands were the same as MLB (no band will ever be), but they all came from the same place (and I don't mean Seattle). This was my music.

I think it was in the winter that we heard at the record store that Stone and Jeff were starting a new band. We couldn't wait.
When Temple of the dog came out in the Spring, there was NO WAY we weren't all over it. It was fucking amazing.
And then Pearl Jam.  And just like my first day in that corner display, I heard them for the very first time on a pre-released record store promo copy, over huge speakers that shook the store... it was so powerful and so full of energy and life and soul- all I could think is "they came back!"... MY BAND. They have been this for me, from that day until now. 

I wasn't able to see them live until THIS YEAR (when i had the time I didn't have the money, when I had the money I didn't have the time... it all finally worked out for me 27 years or so later). Saw three shows (both shows in Seattle, and Missoula).  Gotta tell ya, there was a moment during Crown of Thorns (Night 2, Safeco) when I saw Jeff and Stone playing together and I just couldn't stop the tears from falling (really, I didn't want to).  I'm pretty sure that just for a moment, I caught the scent of apples in the air...

Thanks Pearl Jam.

Wow. Wow and more WOW!!! I'm all tears from your story!  The power of good, heart-originating music!  I love your story, thanks for sharing!

Hey while in Seattle did you see the PJ exhibit at MoPio? If so, what did you think of the Andy Wood statue with the faint soundtrack behind it?

JH6056

Hey OP, when I first saw this thread, to be honest I kinda rolled my eyes a little, cuz how many times here has that question been asked?  But wow, this whole discussion is a reminder that you can never ask this question too many times. Even the most common stories are of people who had their lives changed by music. And those stories NEVER GET OLD!

And some of them... give new life to the music and to me

cp3iverson

Jeremy ‘92

Seattle1974

It was fall of my senior year of H.S. (Nov '91).   I didn't know them.   They opened for the Chili Peppers at Roseland.    Blew me away and have been hooked ever since.  

BookieMaylock

JH6056 said:

BookieMaylock said:

I'm the youngest of five children. My oldest sister (11 years older than me) LOVES music, and she was saddled with taking care of me most of the time, and so from birth on, (luckily) most of my life had an amazing soundtrack sponsored by her favorite bands: Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, ELP, CSN/Y, etc. etc. ETC!  When we were together, which was always, there was music. In fact, she helped me learn to read by showing me how to follow along with the lyrics printed inside the album covers. 

When I graduated from high school it made sense that I would try to get a job at a record store- its where I belonged- I think I told them that when I gave them my application- I didn't even ask how much it paid (I didn't care) and that's probably why I got the job.  One of my first tasks on my first day there was to help to put up a display in the corner window for a band I'd never heard of. We stapled dozens of album flats to the walls, bending and bowing them to create interesting shapes and give it some dimension, and we hung 50 red plastic apples on clear fishing line from the ceiling at various heights- we even got some apple air scented air freshener to spray around near there (we wanted it to feel immersive). As we listened to the band's music (which was the tradition at the store- play the band's music while you put up their display) and I was steeped in the awesomeness of the whole experience; being out of school and having an unbelievably lucky and amazing new job, and the cool people who worked there and shopped there, and this new amazing music playing so loud on the huge speakers that the whole place vibrated (and also, I was probably a little high on apple air freshener ...) that band was quickly becoming MY BAND and these songs were being pressed into a new life soundtrack that I was now creating for myself, separate from (but still part of) the one my sister had started for me when I was a child.  But, when I finally overcame my fear of sounding like a "know nothing poser" to ask the guy I was helping if he knew more about the band, he told me that Andy Woods, the lead singer, had died of an overdose in the spring, and the album we were listening to would be the only Mother Love Bone album.  He told me a little bit about how young he was, what a shame it was because of how talented they all were, how it was sad that he died before Apple was released- it was such a fantastic album. But I really loved it, I told him- already feeling entitled for more music from them I guess, I felt robbed of something.  "You know Alice in Chains, right? You know Soundgarden..." that's what he said- I did know them, a little, but then after that, after talking to him (over the course of the year and then the rest of my life to today), I REALLY started to know them. (In fact, that guy gave me a red vinyl "Louder than Love" album that I still cherish). He's the one who introduced me to MudHoney.  Of course, none of these bands were the same as MLB (no band will ever be), but they all came from the same place (and I don't mean Seattle). This was my music.

I think it was in the winter that we heard at the record store that Stone and Jeff were starting a new band. We couldn't wait.
When Temple of the dog came out in the Spring, there was NO WAY we weren't all over it. It was fucking amazing.
And then Pearl Jam.  And just like my first day in that corner display, I heard them for the very first time on a pre-released record store promo copy, over huge speakers that shook the store... it was so powerful and so full of energy and life and soul- all I could think is "they came back!"... MY BAND. They have been this for me, from that day until now. 

I wasn't able to see them live until THIS YEAR (when i had the time I didn't have the money, when I had the money I didn't have the time... it all finally worked out for me 27 years or so later). Saw three shows (both shows in Seattle, and Missoula).  Gotta tell ya, there was a moment during Crown of Thorns (Night 2, Safeco) when I saw Jeff and Stone playing together and I just couldn't stop the tears from falling (really, I didn't want to).  I'm pretty sure that just for a moment, I caught the scent of apples in the air...

Thanks Pearl Jam.

Wow. Wow and more WOW!!! I'm all tears from your story!  The power of good, heart-originating music!  I love your story, thanks for sharing!

Hey while in Seattle did you see the PJ exhibit at MoPio? If so, what did you think of the Andy Wood statue with the faint soundtrack behind it?

Wouldn't have missed it for anything!  It's perfect.

Allspread

Pearl Jam - I'm the "right" age - 49 - I was in my early 20's when Ten was released.  Which I bought, and liked, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.  I got a copy of Vs. and then kept on keeping on with all my jambands like the Dead, Widespread Panic, Phish and their related ilk.  (Which I'm still doing) -

I didn't give Pearl Jam a second thought.  I didn't have cable TV until I was in my 30's, so I never saw all the music video back in the day. They'd be on broadcast TV every once in a while on a talk show ... big fight with TicketMaster, huh? ... all those kids got killed at Roskilde ... that's about it.  Didn't get any of their later albums.  

10+ years ago after my life had come crashing down on me, divorced after 13 years, job I hated so very badly and finally quit - I met a woman my age in my neighborhood, also divorced, also really into music and we started dating - 

We had some music in common - Ryan Adams, Wilco, a lot of Americana.  She's not into jambands.  I was trying to describe the jamband concert experience to her one night "Well, they play a different set list every night, and people dance all night and sing along, and people travel all over the place for shows, devoted fan base ..." and she said 

"Sounds like going to see Pearl Jam" - and my reaction was "really? Pearl Jam?  those 90's Seattle guys?"

So I started listening ... and listening some more ... and one thing led to another ...

These guys are fucking amazing. 

We've now been married 4 years after a 5+ year courtship.  Returned from our 3rd Pearl Jam European tour last month. 

Spent this past Saturday night screaming our heads off at Wrigley Field.  

Funny how life works out, huh?

MR242791

BookieMaylock said:

I'm the youngest of five children. My oldest sister (11 years older than me) LOVES music, and she was saddled with taking care of me most of the time, and so from birth on, (luckily) most of my life had an amazing soundtrack sponsored by her favorite bands: Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, ELP, CSN/Y, etc. etc. ETC!  When we were together, which was always, there was music. In fact, she helped me learn to read by showing me how to follow along with the lyrics printed inside the album covers. 

When I graduated from high school it made sense that I would try to get a job at a record store- its where I belonged- I think I told them that when I gave them my application- I didn't even ask how much it paid (I didn't care) and that's probably why I got the job.  One of my first tasks on my first day there was to help to put up a display in the corner window for a band I'd never heard of. We stapled dozens of album flats to the walls, bending and bowing them to create interesting shapes and give it some dimension, and we hung 50 red plastic apples on clear fishing line from the ceiling at various heights- we even got some apple air scented air freshener to spray around near there (we wanted it to feel immersive). As we listened to the band's music (which was the tradition at the store- play the band's music while you put up their display) and I was steeped in the awesomeness of the whole experience; being out of school and having an unbelievably lucky and amazing new job, and the cool people who worked there and shopped there, and this new amazing music playing so loud on the huge speakers that the whole place vibrated (and also, I was probably a little high on apple air freshener ...) that band was quickly becoming MY BAND and these songs were being pressed into a new life soundtrack that I was now creating for myself, separate from (but still part of) the one my sister had started for me when I was a child.  But, when I finally overcame my fear of sounding like a "know nothing poser" to ask the guy I was helping if he knew more about the band, he told me that Andy Woods, the lead singer, had died of an overdose in the spring, and the album we were listening to would be the only Mother Love Bone album.  He told me a little bit about how young he was, what a shame it was because of how talented they all were, how it was sad that he died before Apple was released- it was such a fantastic album. But I really loved it, I told him- already feeling entitled for more music from them I guess, I felt robbed of something.  "You know Alice in Chains, right? You know Soundgarden..." that's what he said- I did know them, a little, but then after that, after talking to him (over the course of the year and then the rest of my life to today), I REALLY started to know them. (In fact, that guy gave me a red vinyl "Louder than Love" album that I still cherish). He's the one who introduced me to MudHoney.  Of course, none of these bands were the same as MLB (no band will ever be), but they all came from the same place (and I don't mean Seattle). This was my music.

I think it was in the winter that we heard at the record store that Stone and Jeff were starting a new band. We couldn't wait.
When Temple of the dog came out in the Spring, there was NO WAY we weren't all over it. It was fucking amazing.
And then Pearl Jam.  And just like my first day in that corner display, I heard them for the very first time on a pre-released record store promo copy, over huge speakers that shook the store... it was so powerful and so full of energy and life and soul- all I could think is "they came back!"... MY BAND. They have been this for me, from that day until now. 

I wasn't able to see them live until THIS YEAR (when i had the time I didn't have the money, when I had the money I didn't have the time... it all finally worked out for me 27 years or so later). Saw three shows (both shows in Seattle, and Missoula).  Gotta tell ya, there was a moment during Crown of Thorns (Night 2, Safeco) when I saw Jeff and Stone playing together and I just couldn't stop the tears from falling (really, I didn't want to).  I'm pretty sure that just for a moment, I caught the scent of apples in the air...

Thanks Pearl Jam.

wow your story gave me goosebumps.

MR242791

lukin1023 said:

My older brother brought home Vitalogy the day it came out, I was 13.  We popped it in the CD player and I have been hooked ever since.  My brother passed away about 10 years ago, Pearl Jam's music helped me get thru that and many, many things since.  I'm flying out for Wrigley night 2 tomorrow with my younger brother.  It will be the first time we have seen them together, I think a drink or two will be in order!  

The wrigley shows were great