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15 Years of Backspacer

SeaSea Posts: 3,046
edited September 20 in The Porch
15 Years of Backspacer
News September 20 2024


On September 20, 2009, Pearl Jam released their ninth studio album, Backspacer. A month prior, “The Fixer” debuted as the leading single. Its music video, directed by Cameron Crowe, contained live footage of the band’s performance at The Showbox. Watch more of Pearl Jam’s live performances and album commentary in the Making of Backspacer, a short film by Danny Clinch.

Cartoonist Tom Tomorrow took the lead on the album’s artwork. For its direction, Tom suggested that, “rather than just illustrating songs, what if at least some of the images on the cover were directly inspired by the band's own memories and experiences? Images, incidents, dreams, anything that had left a psychic mark, though preferably things that were not widely known, had not been analyzed to death in interviews and so on.” His other goal? “To take the CD cover back to the days of vinyl, when album art was something that you spent time poring over.” And just like that, the band began months of collaboration with Tom.

In celebration of the album’s 15th anniversary, put your twist on Backspacer’s deeply coded art. Reimagine these cartoons in a medium of your choosing (crayons, MS Paint, markers, or even doodling on your Instagram Story). Download each blank cartoon below. If sharing to socials, be sure to tag PearlJam for a chance to be reshared.






Post edited by Sea on
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Comments

  • deb1211deb1211 Posts: 1,674
    Happy 15
  • elwayvedderelwayvedder South Jersey Posts: 9,135
    cool tidbit on the artwork - there's art work on the cover for Pendulum, which didn't make the album (obviously)
    www.operationyellowribbon.org
  • Johnny AbruzzoJohnny Abruzzo Philly Posts: 11,714
    "We'll commemorate the 15th anniversary of Backspacer by playing literally just two songs from it all year." ;)
    Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; Phila, PA 10/21/13; Phila, PA 10/22/13; Baltimore Arena 10/27/13;
    Phila, PA 4/28/16; Phila, PA 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
    Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; Phila, PA 9/7/24; Phila, PA 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24

    Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
  • Go AnimalGo Animal Posts: 6,023
    Just gonna leave this right here for next Friday, please & thank you:
    1. Oceans
    2. Marker in the Sand
    3. Lukin
    4. Corduroy --> "Good Evening"
    5. Gonna See My Friend
    6. Got Some
    7. The Fixer
    8. Johnny Guitar
    9. Just Breathe --> "That was Side A. Here's the start of another Side A"
    10. Scared of Fear
    11. React, Respond
    12. Even Flow
    13. Not For You
    14. Wreckage (or Won't Tell)
    15. Superblood Wolfmoon
    16. In Hiding
    17. Porch (or RVM) -- --encore break-- --
    18. Picture in a Frame (EV)
    19. Amongst the Waves
    20. Unthought Known
    21. Supersonic
    22. Speed of Sound
    23. Force of Nature
    24. The End -- -- "That was Side B. Don't let this be the end."-- --
    25. Setting Sun
    26. Alive
    27. Yellow Ledbetter (or Fuckin' Up)

    PJ - 09/23/98: West Palm Beach II, 08/12/00: Tampa, 04/12/03: Orlando, 04/13/03: Tampa, 06/12/08: Tampa, 06/27/08: Hartford, 09/22/09: Seattle II, 04/11/16: Tampa, 05/01 & 05/02/16: MSG I & II, 09/18/21: Sea Hear Now, 10/01 & 10/02/21: Ohana Encore I & II, 05/06 & 05/07/22: Los Angeles I & II, 09/11/22: MSG, 09/16/22: Nashville, 09/02/23: St. Paul II, 09/07/23: Chicago II, 09/18 & 09/19/23: Austin I & II, 05/16 & 05/18/24: Las Vegas I & II, 08/29 & 08/31/24: Wrigley Field I & II, 09/03 & 09/04/24: MSG I & II, 09/27 & 09/29/24: Ohana Festival I & II

    EV - 08/04 & 08/05/08: (Eddie solo, w/Liam Finn) NYC I & II, 11/27 & 11/28/12: (Eddie solo, w/Glen Hansard) Orlando I & II, 02/09 & 02/10/22: (Eddie & the Earthlings) Chicago I & II, 09/30/23: (Eddie & the Earthlings) Ohana Festival

    Song Wishlist: Oceans, Brother, Alone, Let Me Sleep, full W.M.A., Hold On, Bugs/all of Vitalogy, Gremmie Out Of Control (BAM!), Mankind, Around The Bend (full band), Whale Song (DOUBLE BAM!), The Long Road, Don't Gimme No Lip, Pilate, Push Me Pull Me, All Those Yesterdays, Rival, Parting Ways, Ghost, Bu$hleaguer, WWS, Parachutes, Army Reserve, low octave Driftin', Strangest Tribe, Other Side, Undone, Fatal, Hitchhiker, Education, Black Red Yellow, Of the Earth, Love Reign O'er Me, Gonna See My Friend, Amongst the Waves, Santa Cruz, Infallible, Yellow Moon, Alright, Comes Then Goes, Got to Give, and the Mamasan Trilogy.

    Wanted Posters: WPB '98, Tampa/WPB '00, Tampa '03, EV Batmobile '08        ISO: any picks, or setlists from any of my shows!
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 30,566
    It looks better in black and white than it does with the digital overload of gradients.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,614
    The backspacer tours were so much fun.  Wish they played these songs more.  
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • 23scidoo23scidoo Thessaloniki,Greece Posts: 19,317
    Ι hope i never listen to the Fixer again in my life..
    Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015.
    Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
    EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.

    I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
  • whoyouare72whoyouare72 Chicago IL Posts: 2,156
    Side B of this record is awesome
  • whoyouare72whoyouare72 Chicago IL Posts: 2,156
    Who remembers these bouncy balls from the mystery boxes? 📦

  • LoujoeLoujoe Posts: 9,769
     B)
     
  • LoujoeLoujoe Posts: 9,769
    23scidoo said:
    Ι hope i never listen to the Fixer again in my life..
    This^
  • jwhjr17jwhjr17 Posts: 2,022
    23scidoo said:
    Ι hope i never listen to the Fixer again in my life..
    +1
    1998-06-30 Mpls | 2006-07-06 Las Vegas | 2010-05-03 Kansas City | 2011-07-01 St. Louis EV | 2011-07-02 Mpls EV | 2011-09-03 PJ20
    2011-09-04 PJ20 | 2011-09-17 Winnipeg | 2012-09-30 Missoula | 2012-11-18 Tulsa EV | 2013-07-19 Chicago | 2013-11-15 Dallas
    2013-11-16 OKC | 2014-10-09 Lincoln | 2014-10-17 Moline | 2014-10-19 St. Paul | 2014-10-20 Milwaukee | 2016-08-20 Chicago
    2016-08-22 Chicago | 2018-08-18 Chicago | 2018-08-20 Chicago | 2022-05-09 Phoenix | 2022-05-20 Las Vegas | 2022-09-18 St. Louis 
    2022-09-20 OKC | 2023-08-31 St. Paul | 2023-09-02 St. Paul | 2024-05-16 Las Vegas | 2024-05-18 Las Vegas | 2024-08-31 Chicago
  • jwhjr17jwhjr17 Posts: 2,022
    whoyouare72 said:
    Who remembers these bouncy balls from the mystery boxes? 📦

    Yes, I think I have a couple of them still in a box somewhere.
    1998-06-30 Mpls | 2006-07-06 Las Vegas | 2010-05-03 Kansas City | 2011-07-01 St. Louis EV | 2011-07-02 Mpls EV | 2011-09-03 PJ20
    2011-09-04 PJ20 | 2011-09-17 Winnipeg | 2012-09-30 Missoula | 2012-11-18 Tulsa EV | 2013-07-19 Chicago | 2013-11-15 Dallas
    2013-11-16 OKC | 2014-10-09 Lincoln | 2014-10-17 Moline | 2014-10-19 St. Paul | 2014-10-20 Milwaukee | 2016-08-20 Chicago
    2016-08-22 Chicago | 2018-08-18 Chicago | 2018-08-20 Chicago | 2022-05-09 Phoenix | 2022-05-20 Las Vegas | 2022-09-18 St. Louis 
    2022-09-20 OKC | 2023-08-31 St. Paul | 2023-09-02 St. Paul | 2024-05-16 Las Vegas | 2024-05-18 Las Vegas | 2024-08-31 Chicago
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,340
    mcgruff10 said:
    The backspacer tours were so much fun.  Wish they played these songs more.  
    The best tour post 2003
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • TheReplicantTheReplicant Portland, OR Posts: 28
    15 years? Too fast. Amazing album and fond memories of listening to it and being blown away by how energetic the music was and how thoughtful the lyrics were. Thanks for this post!
  • TheReplicantTheReplicant Portland, OR Posts: 28
    jwhjr17 said:
    whoyouare72 said:
    Who remembers these bouncy balls from the mystery boxes? 📦

    Yes, I think I have a couple of them still in a box somewhere.
    I'd love one if you're willing to part or trade for it!
  • xavier mcdanielxavier mcdaniel Somewhere in NYC Posts: 9,300
    I enjoyed the listening party in West Seattle at Easy Street records.
    Reading 2004
    Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
    Chicago 2007
    Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
    Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
    Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
    Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
    Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
    Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016
    Fenway 2, 2018
    MSG 2022
    St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
    MSG 2024, MSG 2024
    Philadelphia 2024
    "I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
    Things happen in the game. Nothing you
    can do. I don't go and say,
    "I'm gonna beat this guy up."
  • coco buttercoco butter Posts: 1,468
    edited September 20
    Those Philly shows at the Spectrum will always remind me of this album. I consider myself lucky to have been at one of them (10/31-Final Night) and able to hear many of the songs off Backspacer. 
    Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked... in the head... with an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does. It never happens. Sorry, Ted, that's a dumb question... skip that.
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,247
    Holy crap that went fast. I have one of those super balls. It has yellowed a bit over time.
  • BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 4,376
    edited September 20
    The Melbourne 09 show during the Backspacer tour was the best PJ show I’ve been too other than my first in ‘98. Albeit I’ve only been to 7 shows here in Australia. But it was a large crowd, same venue as the upcoming DM tour venue. I think they played about 8-9 Ten songs, still had room for 4-5 BS song's (including Force of Nature) and a mid set Oceans, Brother, Ben Harper on Red Mos and Indifference and a cover of NY’s Needle and Damage Done. 
    Post edited by BrainofBGA on
    Melbourne #1 '98
    Melbourne #2 '03
    Melbourne #3 '03
    Melbourne #1 '06
    Melbourne #3 '06
    Melbourne '09
    Melbourne '14
  • just_onejust_one Lisbon Posts: 2,203
    They really should re release it on vynil,  its the only album im missing 
  • GhostChileGhostChile Posts: 1,140
    Force of Nature is so underrated and underplayed!
    Mexico City 17/7/2003 Mexico City 18/7/2003 Mexico City 19/7/2003 Santiago Chile 22/11/2005 Santiago Chile 23/11/2005 Buenos Aires Argentina 13/11/2011 Santiago Chile 16/11/2011 Lima Perú 18/11/2011 Sao Paulo Brasil 31/3/2013 Buenos Aires Argentina 03/4/2013 Santiago Chile 06/5/2013 Santiago Chile 4/11/2015 Buenos Aires Argentina 7/11/2015 Porto Alegre Brasil 11/11/2015 Sao Paulo Brasil 14/11/2015 Brasilia Brasil 17/11/2015 Belo Horizonte Brasil 20/11/2015 Rio de Janeiro Brasil 22/11/2015 Bogota Colombia 25/11/2015 Mexico City 28/11/2015 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 8/4/2016 Miami, FL 9/4/2016 Tampa, FL 11/4/2016 Santiago Chile 13/3/2018 Santiago Chile 16/3/2018 Rome Italy 26/6/2018 Prague Czech Republic 1/7/2018 Krakow Poland 3/7/2018 Berlin Germany 5/7/2018 Barcelona Spain 10/7/2018 Dana Point, CA 1/10/2021 Dana Point, CA 2/10/2021 Seattle, WA 28/05/2024 Seattle, WA 30/05/2024
  • BF25394BF25394 Posts: 4,630
    just_one said:
    They really should re release it on vynil,  its the only album im missing 
    I don't think it's hard to find a copy.
    I gather speed from you fucking with me.
  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 28,044
    23scidoo said:
    Ι hope i never listen to the Fixer again in my life..
    Not this
    I miss igotid88
  • BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 4,376
    I’m sure Unthought Known and Just Breathe will get some air time in Oz and NZ. Amongst the Waves might make a few appearances at these dates considering both Islands are known for their surf. 
    Melbourne #1 '98
    Melbourne #2 '03
    Melbourne #3 '03
    Melbourne #1 '06
    Melbourne #3 '06
    Melbourne '09
    Melbourne '14
  • fl247556fl247556 Posts: 303
    GhostChile said:
    Force of Nature is so underrated and underplayed!
    Best song of this record 
    freddie vedder
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 30,566
    HailHailVitalogy said:
    mcgruff10 said:
    The backspacer tours were so much fun.  Wish they played these songs more.  
    The best tour post 2003
    In what way was it better than 2006?
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • EraserheadEraserhead Stoke-on-Trent Posts: 2,940
    fl247556 said:
    GhostChile said:
    Force of Nature is so underrated and underplayed!
    Best song of this record 

    Speed of Sound for me!
    Manchester 04.06.00, Leeds 25.08.06, Wembley 18.06.07, Dusseldorf 21.06.07, Shepherds Bush 11.08.09, Manchester 17.08.09, Adelaide 17.11.09, Melbourne 20.11.09, Sydney 22.11.09, Brisbane 25.11.09, MSG1 20.05.10, MSG2 21.05.10, Dublin 22.06.10, Belfast 23.06.10, London 25.06.10, Long Beach 06.07.11 (EV), Los Angeles 08.07.11 (EV), Toronto 11.09.11, Toronto 12.09.11, Ottawa 14.09.11, Hamilton 14.09.11, Manchester 20.06.12, Manchester 21.06.12, Amsterdam 26.06.2012, Amsterdam 27.06.2012, Berlin 04.07.12, Berlin 05.07.12, Stockholm 07.07.12, Oslo 09.07.12, Copenhagen 10.07.12, Manchester 28.07.12 (EV), Brooklyn 18.10.13, Brooklyn 19.10.13, Philly 21.10.13, Philly 22.10.13, San Diego 21.11.13, LA 23.11.13, LA 24.11.13, Oakland 26.11.13, Portland 29.11.13, Spokane 30.11.13, Calgary 02.12.13, Vancouver 04.12.13, Seattle 06.12.13, Trieste 22.06.14, Vienna 25.06.14, Berlin 26.06.14, Stockholm 28.06.14, Leeds 08.07.14, Philly 28.04.16, Philly 28.04.16, MSG1 01.05.16, MSG2 02.05.16
  • matt84matt84 Posts: 760
    Would love for them to start adding Getaway to the upcoming dates.
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,380
    LB ^^
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
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