Every band that’s forming should study Pearl Jam. After more than fifteen years of existence the band is as good as they’ve ever been. Rather than rest on their laurels and continue to pursue a sound that made them famous, they’ve grown musically and lyrically. Mr. Vedder picked up guitar, they’ve released one video since “Ten” (the Todd McFarlane animated “Do The Evolution”), Matt Cameron from Soundgarden is the current drummer and back-up vocalist (and a fine one at that), toured consistently since their fight against TicketMaster, released quality sounding live recordings and every member has a hand in the songwriting process. Put simply, Pearl Jam is the current generation’s Neil Young. To hell with the backlash that comes with liking every/any mainstream band. Pearl Jam is the best (consistently good, not necessarily the most influential) American rock band of the last 20-years, if not the history of rock and roll.
For those of you who instantly dismiss any mention of Pearl Jam, please keep in mind that Mr. Vedder played on Cat Power’s “You Are Free”, Mike Watt’s “Ballhog or Tugboat?”, Bad Religion’s “Recipe for Hate” and with the Supersuckers. In other words, he’s probably recorded with someone you don’t consider corporate or a sell-out or some other phrase that’s used too much to dismiss artists.
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17. Mike Royko “Sez Who? Sez Me”
16. Saul Bellow “The Actual”
I want Mike Royko’s old job.
I hope to one day have the ability to write like Saul Bellow.
Chicago is the greatest city of all-time because it spawned Mike Royko and Saul Bellow. Eddie Vedder grew up in Evanston and that city (?) has an el line so it counts too.
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