andPOP » Pearl Jam

Nine Inch Nails, R.E.M., Pearl Jam Join Campaign to Close Guantanamo

Sara Harowitz — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:15:39 +0000

A group of musicians joined a campaign on Tuesday that asks the Obama administration to close down the terror suspect camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, reports MTV News.

The musicians are all angered after hearing that their songs are reportedly being blasted at ear-bleeding levels in an attempt to break uncooperative terror suspects. Artists including Nine Inch Nails, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Steve Earle, Billy Bragg, and Rosanne Cash have announced their support for the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo.

Part of the effort entails the National Security Archive in Washington, D.C. filing a Freedom of Information Act request. This is in an effort to uncover classified records that prove the use of loud music as a means of interrogation. A report by the Senate Armed Services Committee in November, 2008 makes reference to the use of loud music to unhinge terror suspects. One instance involved the case of a Mauritanian prisoner who was allegedly blasted with songs such as Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” to cause him stress because he believed that listening to music was forbidden. Drowning Pool has apparently so far not objected to the use of its music at Guantanamo Bay or other U.S. detention sites.

Some of the songs reportedly played at high volumes close to the prisoners at the camp are Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” Don McLean’s “American Pie,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs,” Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” the Meow Mix cat food jingle, music from Sesame Street, the “I Love You” song from Barney, as well as songs by R.E.M., Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Britney Spears, Marilyn Manson, the Bee Gees, and more.

While President Obama signed an executive order in January, 2009 that promises to close Guantanamo Bay within a year, since the move has drawn criticism from some Republican members of Congress, it is not clear if the proposed timetable will be reached.

A CIA spokesperson reportedly said the music was only used to stop detainees from communicating with each other, and other security purposes. A spokesperson for the Joint Task Force Guantanamo has said that loud music has not been used with Guantanamo’s detainees since the fall of 2003.

“We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice,” R.E.M. said in a statement announcing their participation in the coalition, according to BBC News. “To now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge is horrific. It’s anti-American, period.”

Contest: Pearl Jam TEN

andPOP Staff — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:41:40 +0000

Legacy Recordings has released special edition packages of TEN, the breakthrough debut album from Pearl Jam. Each of them features two versions of the album: the remastered version of the original album PLUS an accompanying remixed version done by the band’s long-time producer, Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Audioslave).

The new editions will include:

-Legacy Edition (a 2-disc set in a mini-LP style slipcase featuring six bonus tracks: ”Brother,” “Just A Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”);

- Deluxe Edition (a 2-disc set plus the long-awaited first-ever release of Pearl Jam’s mythic 1992 MTV Unplugged concert including never-before-seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with a 5.1 Surround Sound audio remix);

-Vinyl Collection (two 12″ LPs of the original TEN tracklisting remastered for vinyl including the new Brendan O’Brien remix);

-Super Deluxe Edition (a 2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs including 1992’s “Live at Magnuson Park” mixed by Brendan O’Brien, a cassette replica of the legendary “Momma-Son” demos of “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps” and an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era-specific ephemera from Pearl Jam’s early work and a two-sided print commemorating the Drop in the Park concert).

andPOP wants to hook you up with copies of TEN.

One winner will receive a copy of the double disc, and one other winner will get a double vinyl set.

To enter, send an email here with the answer to this trivia question: Name 2 members of Pearl Jam. Contest ends May 21.

Pearl Jam To Save Cartoonist

Jennifer Brooks — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:12:09 +0000

Eddie Vedder took to posting a pleading letter on the Pearl Jam website to ask fans to lend a helping hand and save the satirical political cartoons that are the work of friend Tom Tomorrow.

Tom Tomorrow is the pen name for cartoonist Dan Perkins who creates the “This Modern World” comic strip that has been featured in alternative weekly newspapers across the U.S. He uses a retro mid-20th century art advertising style to poke fun at the current political environment of North America. Now, the cartoon strip has been removed from 12 alternative weekly newspapers.

“Obviously that means a loss of income for him,” Vedder says. “Perhaps even worse is the lost connection to readers who faithfully turn to Tom and his sardonic penguin Sparky to help them survive the absurdities of the world around us.”

As reported by chartattack.com, the posting goes on to ask readers and fans to write these alternative weekly publications and voice their opinions about the loss of the comic strip.

“When you write, please be polite and respectful,” Vedder asks. “Many of the editors at these papers are friends of the cartoonists we’re supporting… after all, they’re the folks who gave the cartoons a home in the first place. Suspending the work was a corporate decision made during incredibly tough times for all newspapers.”

Pearl Jam, Metallica Show Love For Gamers

Eva Lam — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:56:37 +0000

Pearl Jam and Metallica are getting in on the world of gaming in a big way.

First, Pearl Jam’s entire debut album, “Ten,” will be available for download through “Rock Band” on March 24.

The “Ten” track “Alive” was previously featured on the “Rock Band 2″ disc.

The album, which was first released in 1991, is also being reissued in expanded form by the label Epic/Legacy that day.

Metallica is getting its own showcase on “Guitar Hero,” with an upcoming GH game devoted to the band.

The band recently unveiled details of the project on their website: “Guitar Hero Metallica allows you to play as us in either single instrument or band career game modes in your choice of some famous settings (Tushino Airfield anyone?) or new venues with in the round staging.

“Included are 28 Metallica songs along with a few from some of our buddies like as Alice in Chains, the Foo Fighters, Slayer, Machine Head and Queen.

“There is also an all new Expert+ difficulty setting featuring two bass drum kick pedals (!!!) along with all the gameplay modes from Guitar Hero World Tour.”

The band urged fans to keep checking their website in the coming months for track listings, more features and previews of the game ahead of its scheduled release in the first half of 2009.

“Guitar Hero” previously issued an Aerosmith edition of their game, and its creators said in October they were developing a game dedicated to the Beatles.

Pearl Jam Hopes To Release New Album This Year

Eva Lam — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:21:58 +0000

The members of Pearl Jam have started work on their ninth studio album, and they’ve re-teamed with veteran producer Brendan O’Brien for the project.

Guitarist Mike McCready told Rolling Stone the band has been working on early demos and is still deciding what direction to take, though they hope to have the record out in 2008.

“It’s really in its infant stages right now,” he said. “We have about five ideas that have been worked on.”

The new record reunites Pearl Jam with O’Brien (Rage Against the Machine, Bruce Springsteen), with whom they collaborated on 1998’s “Yield,” 1996’s “No Code,” 1994’s “Vitalogy,” and 1993’s “Vs.”

They also worked together last year on Pearl Jam’s cover of the Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me,” which appeared on the soundtrack to the film “Reign Over Me.”

“Brendan is another set of ears that we respect, and he’s going to give us a different way to go but I don’t know what that is yet,” McCready said.

The band has already met up with O’Brien for one session and will likely continue work on the album after wrapping up their upcoming U.S. tour. The 13-date run will see the band hitting various venues on the East Coast from June 11 to 30.

Eddie Vedder Does West Coast Solo Tour

Eva Lam — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:19:45 +0000

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder will embark on a small solo tour in April which will take him to several west coast cities, including Vancouver.

Vedder will kick off the tour April 2nd at Vancouver’s The Centre and wrap things up April 15th in San Diego.

New Zealand singer-songwriter Liam Finn will be the opening act.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale Feb. 22nd at 10 a.m. PST through Ticketmaster. The exception is the Santa Barbara date, which will go on sale Feb. 29th.

Vedder has collaborated with a few artists on his own over the last few years, as well as contributed solo material to various soundtracks. He wrote songs, and performed several covers, for the soundtrack to 2007’s “Into the Wild,” starring Emile Hirsch.

Pearl Jam’s most recent album, their eighth, was released in 2006.

Here are the dates for Eddie Vedder’s solo tour:

Apr. 02 — Vancouver, BC The Centre
Apr. 05 — Santa Cruz, CA SC Civic Auditorium
Apr. 07 — Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Theatre
Apr. 10 — Santa Barb, CA Arlington Theatre
Apr. 12 — Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre
Apr. 13 — Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre
Apr. 15 — San Diego, CA Spreckels Theater

AT&T Apologise For Pearl Jam Censorship

andPOP Staff — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:18:57 +0000

American communications firm AT&T has apologised to PEARL JAM and their fans after the group’s performance at Illinois festival Lollapalooza was censored on Sunday (05Aug07).

The rockers were singing a cover of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall and changed a few lines to criticise the U.S. President, saying, “George Bush, leave this world alone,” and “George Bush find yourself another home”.

However, for fans watching the live webcast of the Chicago concert, the band were muted during those lyrics.

Pearl Jam wrote on their website earlier this week (ends10Aug07); “If a company that is controlling a webcast is cutting out bits of our performance – not based on laws, but on their own preferences and interpretations – fans have little choice but to watch the censored version.”

Michael Coe, spokesman for AT&T, has admitted the censor made a mistake in silencing the anti-Bush lyrics and was making sure the webcast production company did not repeat the error in future. He added AT&T were planning to release an uncensored version of the song on their website. (ES/WNWA/JC)

Vedder Pens Solo Album For Penn Film

andPOP Staff — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:37:33 +0000

PEARL JAM frontman EDDIE VEDDER is to release his first solo album as a film soundtrack for pal SEAN PENN’s new movie INTO THE WILD.

The Alive rocker has reportedly written solo tracks for the actor/director’s new film, which stars Emile Hirsch.

Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla has also contributed to the film’s score.

The project, which will hit cinemas in September, is based on John Krakauer’s novel about Alaskan adventurer Christopher McCandless.

Much of the film was shot in Vedder’s adopted hometown of Seattle, Washington and the rocker reportedly makes a cameo in the movie.

Vedder previously wrote songs for the film Dead Man Walking and covered The Beatles’ You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away for I Am Sam – both films starred Penn.

Pearl Jam to Tour Australia with Kings of Leon

Eva Lam — Wed, 10 May 2006 01:35:58 +0000

Pearl Jam has confirmed they will tour Australia in November with support from Kings of Leon, reports Billboard.

It will be Pearl Jam?s first time playing in Australia since the spring of 2003.

The current schedule has dates set for Sydney (Nov. 7), Brisbane (Nov. 10), Melbourne (Nov. 13) and Adelaide (Nov. 21).

Pearl Jam, who began their world tour in Toronto Tuesday, is touring in support of its self-titled album which was released worldwide last week.

Meanwhile, Tennessee band Kings of Leon are in the middle of recording their third RCA studio album, which is expected by the end of the year.

The album will be the follow-up to 2005’s “Aha Shake Heartbreak,” which debuted at No. 55 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 168,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Pearl Jam, The Roots, Coldplay Lend a Hand to Katrina Relief Efforts

Eva Lam — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 18:17:44 +0000

With stories about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina still flooding the newswires, several more prominent musicians have stepped up to help in the relief efforts.

Pearl Jam have added an extra date to their North American tour in the fall that will benefit victims of Katrina. The rare club show at Chicago?s House of Blues Oct. 5 will sell for $1,000 per ticket and go on sale this Saturday.

All net proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross and the Jazz Foundation of America.

It is not yet known if the show will feature additional acts or be available for download on Pearl Jam?s recently launched digital bootleg store, a spokesperson told Billboard.

For their part, The Roots have called upon Jill Scott, TV On The Radio and Deerhoof for a Friday show at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. The musicians will be donating their performance fees to the NAACP’s hurricane relief program.

The TBC Brass Band, whose members were evacuated to Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and Sacramento, Calif., in the wake of Katrina, will also play at the show.

In additional concert news, a Katrina benefit at the Los Angeles Wiltern Theatre Sept. 22 will feature Tenacious D, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme with Jesse “The Devil” Hughes, Fiona Apple and comedians David Cross and Sarah Silverman.

Tickets for that show go on sale Friday via Ticketmaster.

Meanwhile, a digital EP from Coldplay went on sale at Apple’s iTunes Music Store Wednesday, with all proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences’ MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund.

The EP includes the band’s new single “Fix You,” as well as “The World Turned Upside Down” (left over from sessions for the group’s latest Capitol album “X&Y” and also featured on the new War Child record ?Help: A Day In The Life?), a live take on the non-album track “Pour Me” and a live version of “Fix You” from a summer show in Arnhem, Holland.