There is an additional article out there in some music magazine, where Ament was even more specific. The Neil and Crazy horse concert placed them in a different venue than Nassau Coliseum, I seem to recall it was either in San Francisco or Seattle and the quote that Ament gave was that they were at the show and during a break he actually said "that was a pearl jam man" and either or Gossard or Vedder or both picked up on it and ran with it.
Do you have a source (Magazine name, issue number, etc) for this quote?
Jeff Ament's retelling of the name would place them at Nassau Coliseum on 22 February, 1991. Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Smell The Horse tour placed them in the Seattle Center Coliseum on 11 April, 1991. Your recalling of San Francisco would be the show at the Cow Palace in Daly City on 6 April, 1991.
Pearl Jam, then known as Mookie Blaylock if we are going by Ament's recollection, last known documented studio session was 29 January, 1991 at London Bridge Studios in Shoreline, Washington. The next known gathering at the same studio was on 11 March, 1991 to start production on Ten, and the new name would have been Pearl Jam given Ament and Eddie Vedder were on KISW's New Music Hour a day prior announcing the band's name change.
I would have been much more specific had my memory worked in that fashion. I've actually been trying to resurface the article it was discussed in for a while and never have been able to find it. The timeline that puts them in NY is plausible, but somewhat tricky. They were doing a small tour in support of Alice in Chains and they had a show in Portland Oregon on February 20, and then in Seattle on the 25th and 26th. But in terms of it being San Fran or Seattle that clearly makes no sense given the timeline. I still want to find that article because he definitely indicated it was said as "it/that was a pearl jam"
Assuming they can recall the "major" facts of their first major record company deal...NYC and Feb 1991, their itinerary has two plausible breaks from their west coast shows that month. Feb 2 to 6, and Feb 21 to 24.
Neil played Feb 4 at msg, that is very possible, but not too many are going to forget a trip to the famous garden vs a road trip to Nassau.
Neil also played West Point on the 23rd, but that also is a famous location, and it's a much further car ride than Nassau and very out of the way from NYC
Neil also played Jersey on the 24th. PJs tour history has them in Seattle the 25th, so seems Jersey is unlikely as well.
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any itineraries showing Mookie Blaylock's break between the 2nd to 6th and 21st to 24th of February 1991. An itinerary for the West Coast tour with Alice In Chains was on display at this year's Home and Away exhibit at MoPOP. The aforementioned dates in question are not on it. While it is possible two events can bleed into one story, it is also possible locations can combine as well in someone's memory as I have seen it done with other Artists.
Post edited by Shakescky on
i have witnessed some performances. i have soaked up a lot of memories.
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any itineraries showing Mookie Blaylock's break between the 2nd to 6th and 21st to 24th of February 1991. An itinerary for the West Coast tour with Alice In Chains was on display at this year's Home and Away exhibit at MoPOP. The aforementioned dates in question are not on it. While it is possible two events can bleed into one story, it is also possible locations can combine as well in someone's memory as I have seen it done with other Artists.
According to this book, it looks unofficial, the band's website had them playing a gig with AIC on Feb 22 but the author goes on to describe that Nassau is the most likely Neil Young show they were at.
Interestingly, pj.com now has a gap in their itinerary from the 21st to the 24th, just enough time to get rich from Epic in NYC.
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any itineraries showing Mookie Blaylock's break between the 2nd to 6th and 21st to 24th of February 1991. An itinerary for the West Coast tour with Alice In Chains was on display at this year's Home and Away exhibit at MoPOP. The aforementioned dates in question are not on it. While it is possible two events can bleed into one story, it is also possible locations can combine as well in someone's memory as I have seen it done with other Artists.
According to this book, it looks unofficial, the band's website had them playing a gig with AIC on Feb 22 but the author goes on to describe that Nassau is the most likely Neil Young show they were at.
Interestingly, pj.com now has a gap in their itinerary from the 21st to the 24th, just enough time to get rich from Epic in NYC.
The 22nd date is confirmed as having been a wrong date this snippet is from TwoFeeThick, John Reynolds, Jessica Letkemann and Kathy Davis were as plugged in as any fan back in the day.
Long and short, I have colored my memory a bit with things, it is nearly a certainty that the band was in NY, and the Horse event was at the Coliseum. Makes most logical sense.
hedonist
standing on the edge of forever Posts: 24,524
Among the many discussions about the name's origin over the years, I remember a mention of the pearl meaning on the old Sony BBS, I think. I kinda like it, makes sense to me.
The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
The youngest member of the band in 1991 was Stone Gossard at 24 (turned 25 in July). Ament was 28. Vedder was 26. And Mike, god love em, was not naming the band.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
The youngest member of the band in 1991 was Stone Gossard at 24 (turned 25 in July). Ament was 28. Vedder was 26. And Mike, god love em, was not naming the band.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
I guess you can believe that if you want. If it looks like a duck and smells like a duck.... It’s a duck. I am 47 years old and still love a good dick joke so.....
Led Zeppelin.....penis Rolling Stones...."A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the original phrase, and Muddy Waters used the Phrase "Rolling Stone" in a song. It basically means sleep with women, and dont stay with them.
Led Zeppelin.....penis Rolling Stones...."A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the original phrase, and Muddy Waters used the Phrase "Rolling Stone" in a song. It basically means sleep with women, and dont stay with them.
The story behind Led Zeppelin's name is very well known....and has nothing to do with genitals.
Led Zeppelin.....penis Rolling Stones...."A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the original phrase, and Muddy Waters used the Phrase "Rolling Stone" in a song. It basically means sleep with women, and dont stay with them.
Ah, ok. I've heard the Muddy Waters reference before. I just thought it meant travelling in general. Led Zeppelin? I've never heard of a penis reference to them before. I'd heard/read that a magazine reviewed Jimmy Page's new band and said "they'd go over like a lead balloon". In other words, they'd never be successful. So Page changed balloon to "zeppelin" and they changed the spelling of "lead" to "led" because they figured the stupid americans would pronounce it wrong, like "leeeeed".
Led Zeppelin.....penis Rolling Stones...."A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the original phrase, and Muddy Waters used the Phrase "Rolling Stone" in a song. It basically means sleep with women, and dont stay with them.
The story behind Led Zeppelin's name is very well known....and has nothing to do with genitals.
Im not discrediting how it may have originally come about, but I believe there is some serious double entendre going on there. Consider the album cover. It just looks like a giant penis. And they were notorious with their "escapades". In 2001, Greg Kot wrote in Rolling Stone that "The cover of Led Zeppelin … shows the Hindenburgairship, in all its phallic glory, going down in flames. The image did a pretty good job of encapsulating the music inside: sex, catastrophe and things blowing up."
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
The youngest member of the band in 1991 was Stone Gossard at 24 (turned 25 in July). Ament was 28. Vedder was 26. And Mike, god love em, was not naming the band.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
I guess you can believe that if you want. If it looks like a duck and smells like a duck.... It’s a duck. I am 47 years old and still love a good dick joke so.....
You can walk like whatever you want. If this is what the band meant, they would have said it long long ago, there is nothing to hide from.
Led Zeppelin Rolling Stones The Flaming Lips Butthole Surfers Mother Love Bone Sex Pistols Pearl Jam
Yes, they were immature. Yes, thats probably why they make up 30 different stories about the name.
"You wanna know how I got these scars?"
There was a single made up story, the hallucinogenic jam. That was it. And then there is the story that they needed to replace the Mookie name, and were at a Crazy Horse show. Any other story is concocted in fans minds. That it has an alternate bro meaning that they giggled at probably, sure.
Not original to me, but someone on these boards had the best quote that I like to pull out for these discussions. "Everyone knows Pearl Jam comes from Mother Love Bone." The simplest explanations are usually the correct ones.
Not original to me, but someone on these boards had the best quote that I like to pull out for these discussions. "Everyone knows Pearl Jam comes from Mother Love Bone." The simplest explanations are usually the correct ones.
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
The youngest member of the band in 1991 was Stone Gossard at 24 (turned 25 in July). Ament was 28. Vedder was 26. And Mike, god love em, was not naming the band.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
I guess you can believe that if you want. If it looks like a duck and smells like a duck.... It’s a duck. I am 47 years old and still love a good dick joke so.....
You can walk like whatever you want. If this is what the band meant, they would have said it long long ago, there is nothing to hide from.
There are obvious reasons why they wouldnt admit to this.
Near to death.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
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on2legs
Standing in the Jersey rain… Posts: 14,419
Funny thing is that in 1992 I assumed the name was referring the the creation of a pearl.... sand under pressure and all. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that it was a semen reference. Let’s not forget that the two founding members came from Mother Love Bone which is as obvious a genital references as you can have and using names like that was pretty common to the scene. Can anyone say Helmet, Hole, Third Eye Blind, Meat Puppets, etc. I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
The youngest member of the band in 1991 was Stone Gossard at 24 (turned 25 in July). Ament was 28. Vedder was 26. And Mike, god love em, was not naming the band.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
I guess you can believe that if you want. If it looks like a duck and smells like a duck.... It’s a duck. I am 47 years old and still love a good dick joke so.....
You can walk like whatever you want. If this is what the band meant, they would have said it long long ago, there is nothing to hide from.
There are obvious reasons why they wouldnt admit to this.
Admitting it is like saying your band’s name is CUM, hard to be taken seriously.
Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/23
Comments
Assuming they can recall the "major" facts of their first major record company deal...NYC and Feb 1991, their itinerary has two plausible breaks from their west coast shows that month. Feb 2 to 6, and Feb 21 to 24.
Neil played Feb 4 at msg, that is very possible, but not too many are going to forget a trip to the famous garden vs a road trip to Nassau.
Neil also played West Point on the 23rd, but that also is a famous location, and it's a much further car ride than Nassau and very out of the way from NYC
Neil also played Jersey on the 24th. PJs tour history has them in Seattle the 25th, so seems Jersey is unlikely as well.
Re: the discussion between PB11041 and Shakescky:
There is a very similar quote by Jeff Ament in 2001 Spin article, which predates the Rolling Stone article by several years. He stated, "The first time I mentioned Pearl Jam [as a band name] was when Ed, Stone, and I were watching Sonic Youth play with Crazy Horse. In the middle of Crazy Horse I turned to Stone and said, 'what about "Pearl Jam"?' "
The entire Spin piece is transcribed here:
http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/spin801.shtml
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any itineraries showing Mookie Blaylock's break between the 2nd to 6th and 21st to 24th of February 1991. An itinerary for the West Coast tour with Alice In Chains was on display at this year's Home and Away exhibit at MoPOP. The aforementioned dates in question are not on it. While it is possible two events can bleed into one story, it is also possible locations can combine as well in someone's memory as I have seen it done with other Artists.
Interestingly, pj.com now has a gap in their itinerary from the 21st to the 24th, just enough time to get rich from Epic in NYC.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Pearl_Jam_FAQ.html?id=tsFwDQAAQBAJ
Search inside for Nassau
eh, photo wont paste. scroll and see here http://www.twofeetthick.com/concert-chronology/pj1991/
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.
I get that people don’t want to think that their idols were ever so juvenile that they named their band after jism. They were a bunch of kids having fun. They weren’t taking themselves nearly as seriously as you are taking them.
These were not kids.
If they intended it even to be a double entendre they would have at some point in 28 years said so, it is not like it is some horrible embarrassment.
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
Led Zeppelin
Rolling Stones
The Flaming Lips
Butthole Surfers
Mother Love Bone
Sex Pistols
Pearl Jam
Yes, they were immature. Yes, thats probably why they make up 30 different stories about the name.
"You wanna know how I got these scars?"
Here to die.
Scared alive.
7-6-2006 Las Vegas. 7-20-2006 Portland. 7-22-2006 Gorge. 9-21-2009 Seattle. 9-22-2009 Seattle. 9-26-2009 Ridgefield. 9-25-2011 Vancouver.
11-29-2013 Portland. 10-16-2014 Detroit. 8-8-2018 Seattle. 8-10-2018 Seattle. 8-13-2018 Missoula.
Rolling Stones...."A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the original phrase, and Muddy Waters used the Phrase "Rolling Stone" in a song.
It basically means sleep with women, and dont stay with them.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
Led Zeppelin? I've never heard of a penis reference to them before. I'd heard/read that a magazine reviewed Jimmy Page's new band and said "they'd go over like a lead balloon". In other words, they'd never be successful. So Page changed balloon to "zeppelin" and they changed the spelling of "lead" to "led" because they figured the stupid americans would pronounce it wrong, like "leeeeed".
7-6-2006 Las Vegas. 7-20-2006 Portland. 7-22-2006 Gorge. 9-21-2009 Seattle. 9-22-2009 Seattle. 9-26-2009 Ridgefield. 9-25-2011 Vancouver.
11-29-2013 Portland. 10-16-2014 Detroit. 8-8-2018 Seattle. 8-10-2018 Seattle. 8-13-2018 Missoula.
In 2001, Greg Kot wrote in Rolling Stone that "The cover of Led Zeppelin … shows the Hindenburgairship, in all its phallic glory, going down in flames. The image did a pretty good job of encapsulating the music inside: sex, catastrophe and things blowing up."
Here to die.
Scared alive.
Eddies story about grandma pearls jam is widely circulated, but I don't believe that story for a second.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652
"Everyone knows Pearl Jam comes from Mother Love Bone."
The simplest explanations are usually the correct ones.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
Here to die.
Scared alive.
http://www.hi5sports.org/ (Sports Program for Kids with Disabilities)
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=3652