All Those Yesterdays: Reflections on Pearl Jam

By Matthew and Gabriel

is for Pearl Jam. Matt and Gabriel–artists, designers, gamers and music enthusiasts–met at James Madison University in 1998. They largely share similar tastes in music, and Pearl Jam is a cornerstone to their libraries and their recordings have cemented themselves in their experiences as young adults. This chat contains some of their reflections on the band and its work.

Matthew: Tell me about the first time you heard Pearl Jam. Where were you? How old were you? Was it on tape? Radio? TV? Were you so advanced as to have a CD player at the time?

Gabriel: I can't recall if I was a frequent viewer of Headbanger's Ball or not (on which they seemed to think PJ was metal enough), but I first noticed Pearl Jam through their video for "Evenflow". I was 13 in Blue Ridge, VA and going through frequent hazings as my only musical tastes at the time were for anything by Michael or Janet Jackson and C&C Music Factory. There was something exhilarating about watching them perform as it was truly different than anything I'd ever watched. Even though they were beyond us in age, they had this reach into our experience that seemed impossible to match.

Ten was the first rock album that I purchased. Being a momma's boy, I felt the need to get permission to purchase the cassette because it had a Parental Advisory sticker and I knew Vedder said the "F-word" three times. I played the hell out of that tape and even redrew the miniature poster of the band members.

M: Sounds like we had similar experiences with the album - must be why I like you so much :) I was listening to garbage at the time as well until I heard "Alive" on MTV. My mom took me to the store and said I could buy one tape and for some reason I actually debated between a Weird Al parody of Nevermind and Ten. I remember it as some kind of crossroads where I grew up and took the right path. It felt like a guilty pleasure for a long time. Pearl Jam was more raucous than anything I was listening to, but you're right on – it spoke to something our young generation had going on at the time. There was a drama to it that just wasn't there with other stuff I was aware of at the time.

None of my friends seemed to like it. They were still into Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica... Ten felt like my own little treasure for some time. Couldn't stop listening to it.

So Ten is an obvious cherry-popper and we all know the first time is the best, but barring it, what's been your favorite album over the years?

G: It's difficult to commit to one. The first three albums were released in specific, formative times of my life. Some of that is kind of a haze, too, because I informally divorced myself of Pearl Jam after Vitalogy. I suppose I became known for admiring (bordering on obsession) the band amongst my friends and the rise of singers trying to mimic Vedder was getting to me. The hype made it seem less genuine than it did in the beginning and I thought I was being handed emotions in a nice little package. I actually sold all three of those albums to disavow them! Obviously, I didn't get No Code or Yield until well beyond their release dates. So, experiencing those two albums and missing out on some of their history probably leaves those two feeling a bit more fresh to me. I'm able to listen to them now without reflecting on what life was like at the time and I have no contextual knowledge to influence my listening.

Hard-pressed, I'd probably pick Yield as many would. With No Code, it really seems like PJ was trying on a new suit, so to speak. Perhaps it was a reaction to everything they dealt with beforehand, maybe it was just growing up. Ultimately, I think Yield just finds them building on that, having fun and being serious at the same time – a juggling act. It's mature, tongue in cheek at times, and a little somber. As you and I have discussed, I fully intend to have "All Those Yesterdays" played at my funeral. It's a perfect ending.

I'm curious about your favorite as well, but which one is still on the fence for you?

M: Yield is tough to beat. It does seem like the album where it all comes together. There are arena rockers like "In Hiding", intimate things like "Wish List", and truly moving, catchy, and Beatlesque stuff like "All Those Yesterdays." Hopefully you'll have a few more years worth of songs to choose from before we celebrate your dirt nap with that one.

One album I just can't come to terms with is the self-titled Avocado recording. It just feels like the album where they finally ran out of steam. They limped along with Binaural which was better than Riot Act which was better than Avocado. I want to like it more since Vedder talked about how it was a return after the previous two downers, but I just didn't get that sense from it. It's probably time to give it another spin.

Shall we move onto a more controversial topic? I'll just throw the word out there: Backspacer.

G: HA! Well, if I had to pick my poison I'd go with Avocado every time. Time changes perspectives, as it seems it has with your view on Riot and Binaural. Those two reflect another transition for the band, but they're gritty and have a livelier spirit with Cameron new on the drums. If Avocado depicts creative struggle, Backspacer is creative bankruptcy.

Ever since that long break, everyone has been grasping for straws and merely talking up the new release as the one that redeems the band and sounds like their "best since (insert great album here)." People get old. People run out of good ideas. These guys are 10+ years older than me and I'm already running out of my own good ideas. It happens. Backspacer doesn't deserve its praise anymore than Avocado deserved the shallow praise it received. It comes in pop music packaging and undresses as candied, stock display of musical laziness. Perhaps I'm at fault for believing that previous albums were more thought out and conceptual than they really were, but I guess I'm not sensing any purpose or urgency from it. At least Vedder's writing block and the political climate were well illustrated in the Riot and Binaural albums. Those were a fitting end to a version of Pearl Jam that I really enjoyed.

Is there any harm in writing and playing music just because it's fun? No, but after building a reputation as respectable artists, expect fans to call your bullshit from time to time. In conclusion, if you name your album after a sea turtle, don't expect me to take it seriously.

So, taking in the big picture, how do you see them in the context of other bands–whether it's a generational or quality thing? I remember you saying once that they are the Led Zeppelin of our generation. Follow up question: When's the drummer going to die and what's their famous party/drinking song a la "Fool In The Rain"?

M: Ha ha... Yours is a valid perspective. You know you and I disagree on Backspacer. I like it... a lot! Vedder never sounded more soulful than he does on "Just Breathe" and "The End". He became a songwriter on the Into the Wild soundtrack and put it to good use on the album. "Johnny Guitar" is one of my new favorites. It's an epic song after only 90 seconds. I really hope they work with Brendan O'Brien again.

So I wouldn't call them the new Zeppelin anymore. Don't know if that was ever a great comparison. Pearl Jam's outlasted them and bested them in many ways. Backspacer is not In Through the Outdoor - I think it's something much more interesting. Hope the drummer never dies as Cameron smokes Bonham as well.

Pearl Jam's context? They're living legends. They're one of the few mega-bands to get out of the grunge phase with their integrity and their lives. They can still sell out a stadium. They operate on another level from most of the rest of the industry. In that respect, I don't know how much impact they have on other bands. They don't change the shape of rock like Radiohead still does with each release. But they're still vital for a lot of folks our age that were weened on what they did in the early 90's. I think they still make amazing music, and recently I think they made some of their best ;), but I do wonder how many new folks they reach. It's a shame because I think they've matured and made some really great stuff since Ten or Vs, for which most remember them.

They mined that past a bit recently - what did you think of the remaster job of Ten? How did it feel listening to it again?

G: Those are some bold assertions, sir. I guess I still agree with the Zeppelin comparison. They're the only ones that come close to filling the gap in the past 20 years. The technical skill and grandiose arrangements aren't present but they are icons by their original impact and volume of work. To some degree I think they were just as influential as Nirvana, perhaps in a negative way. Execs and audiences went searching for their sound. PJ took grunge as far as it could go and then stayed the course with mainstream rock.

Considering of all that the "industry" has offered us in the past 25 years and today, I think Pearl Jam is probably the last classic American rock band. I mean that as a compliment but I also think that's our sad state of music these days. The only other band that could join them is probably Wilco. Perhaps there are others that fall outside of my tastes but those are the big ones that will stand the test of time.

The grunge thing definitely imploded and they had this getaway car and stayed relevant without making videos. For the teens, their voice probably doesn't extend or touch a nerve. The music doesn't offer instant gratification. I find it amusing that they've become so much a staple that older folks actually like them now. My parents and many others will gladly listen to PJ on the radio, they've bought the Greatest Hits, or even picked up a particular album. The fact that they've had this retroactive effect on an audience that used to find them too loud or reckless is amazing to me.

As far as the reissue goes, I feel like such a cheater in my love for the Remix. Comparing the original with the remix, the echoing vocals were so corny and unnecessary. The guitars are much more dense and stable! I guess that really was a side effect of the 80s. Never thought I'd be the type to purchase remastered versions, and remixes generally translate to butchering of good music. Ten is fresh again. If I've got my music on shuffle and it lands on a Ten song, I have to listen to the whole thing. I love that it sounds so new and it doesn't leave me feeling nostalgic. The album doesn't sound removed from its time period and totally works within my framework of good music then and now. Pearl Jam really is that one group that I feel is my band and I'd buy all of the remastered works now if I could. For some reason, Vs. worries me. That album had so much tension and expectation behind it that I never got terribly attached. They took a relatively long time to make it and I sense that there might not be as much material to unearth or recover from that time.

Being a music fan, so much is based on the experience and memories of concerts. What was your first Pearl Jam concert? How many have you seen? After the first, are there any favorites? What would be your ideal setlist? Any memories or experiences surrounding the music/concerts that have meaning to you?

M: My first concert was Lollapalooza back in the day. It was quite a scene and I was far too young to be there, but it was an eye opener. I’m not much of a concert-goer and have only seen them one other time with you in Virginia. It was right after the show that killed a handful of people in… Denmark was it? During Binaural I think… It was a bit sedate, but a nice thing to see with a pal and would be my favorite of the two.

I’ve connected to them mostly through their recordings… music that I love is something I tend to engage privately. Brendan O’Brien is a favorite and have always tried to dig into the how and why of the mixes after I’ve listened to the albums a few times. Call me an armchair jockey, but I just don’t enjoy live performances as much. Pearl Jam certainly isn’t a “studio” band like the Flaming Lips or Radiohead are. They can work a live show very well with how their songs are structured, but I don’t like the crowds, don’t like the decibel level, and don’t like the smell of teeming masses of humanity. They make me want to start spelling “Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E”. With Pearl Jam, I’m sure I’ve missed something that a lot of folks find really special about them in not seeking out their performances.

So do tell – give us some specifics on your concert experiences with them. What have their live shows meant to you?

G: That's surprising to hear since they were young, spiteful and ferocious at that time.

Yeah, not to be too agreeable or anything, but I saw them first with you in VA Beach–before some of the later material that was difficult to get into–and that was best in terms of the sound and delivery. Even though there was a sense of hesitation, they pulled through and put on a really fun show. That and the one I saw close to DC were good arena type concerts where you could at least see huge projections of them playing.

The more intimate and loose show I witnessed was with my wife when we were living in Portland. We made a point to travel to the Columbia River Gorge to see the first of their two night shows. It was a sort of homecoming and they played songs from Ten and less popular songs that I hadn't seen live. Aside from it being my wife's first show, the scenery was so fitting and beautiful. Not to be sappy or anything, but watching a Pearl Jam concert with a sunset in the background is a sight to behold. I guess the audience felt more like a community of fans, as well. Overall, there are far more bands that sound better live but you receive something different in watching a classic band. It's all about personality, history and remembering how you wished you could see those songs live when the albums originally came out. It's more of a thrill.

Well, I think there's more to look forward to from the band. They're still (relatively) young and challenging. Pearl Jam was probably an obvious choice for P, but they deserve the tribute. Parts of our lives and musical tastes were shaped by them, which is definitely something to cling to.

M: Totally agree – they’ve got room to run and sound revitalized after the last album. Hope their next move is one you enjoy more!

I liked music when I was listening to Neil Diamond and the Beatles as a kid, but Pearl Jam made me love it. It’s been great to have them around for so long and they’ll continue to mean worlds to me regardless.

Mookie Blaylock 4 ever!