Rockline Interview 10/18/93Host: Live via satellite from Seattle, Rockline and Rolling Stone Magazine present a very special evening with Pearl Jam. And you, one on one. How ya doing? I'm Steve Downs. Tonight, Rockline is very proud to be in Seattle, home of long time Rockline affiliate KISW to give you the opportunity to speak with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament of hometown heroes, Pearl Jam. So get your questions ready for the guys and call us toll free at 1-800-344-ROCK. That's 1-800-344-7625. One number toll-free from anywhere in the United States, Canada and tonight, Australia. It would be very tempting to wax endlessly about the multi-platinum success of Pearl Jam in the two years since their release of Ten. The sell-out concerts, the massive radio play, the MTV Awards, the band of the 90s, etc. But it would seem that is not was this band is all about. Pearl Jam is about the music and perhaps the people who listen to it vs. the hype, the publicity, the videos and the adoration. So let me simply say that tonight we offer the broadcast premier of Pearl Jam's second album. It's called Vs. It will be in the stores tomorrow. A Pearl Jam tour starts October 28th at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco. And it is a true pleasure to welcome back to Rockline lead vocalist, Eddie Vedder. Yo, Eddie!
Eddie: You are gonna to have to call me Mr. Vedder. I'd like some respect!
Host: Mr. Vedder! His first Rockline appearance tonight, bass guitarist, Jeff Ament. Hi, Jeff!
Jeff: Hi! How are ya?
Host: Good to have you guys here. Congratulations on the new record. When you did Ten, the band had very few live performances at that time going into the recording of that album. How do you think two years of touring affected the recording of Vs?
Jeff: It took us less takes to actually record the songs this time around. That was one huge thing.
Eddie: We're professionals now! (laughter)
Host: I see! Thank you, Mr. Vedder! Did you record the album live?
Eddie: It was all one take actually. We did many days where we'd play the whole album all the way through. Just every day we'd play the whole record all the way through and then about 12 days we'd pick the best days.
Jeff: It was a Wednesday, actually.
Host: Well, it certainly sounds like you picked the best day as the folks will hear tonight. The album takes off like a shot with the first track and I think this was one of the first tracks you wrote and or recorded perhaps for Vs?
Eddie: I have no recollection.
Host: It could be and yet again perhaps not. But we're going to check it out. From the new album Vs this is Pearl Jam and 'Go' on Rockline.
(plays 'Go')
Host: That's 'Go.' The brand new album. The first track off the new album by Pearl Jam. Vs on Rockline. The only national radio show that gives you the chance to talk to the biggest names in rock and roll. Tonight is certainly proof of that. We're in Seattle live with Eddie and Jeff from Pearl Jam. So now's the time to get on the phone and call our toll-free number 1-800-344-ROCK. That's 1-800-344-7625.
(commercials)
Host: Eddie and Jeff are in the studio here. And we're going to go to the calls right now. We go to Appleton, Wisconsin to Andy listening to us on WAPL in Appleton. Andy, say hello to Eddie and Jeff. You're on Rockline with Pearl Jam.
Caller: Hi, Eddie. Hi, Jeff.
Jeff: Hi! Hey!
Caller: I was wondering if knowing each other's musical style made it easier to record the new album?
Eddie: Yeah! Cause we know each other better now. We didn't know each other very well before. I think maybe its good to play with people you don't know. We've played with some musicians that we'd never picked up instruments together before the other night was one of the greatest things I've ever heard. You should play with strangers, you should play with friends, you just play. That's the key. But did it make this one easier? I don't know. If you can write a good song, that's what makes it easy. You gotta play to the song, you know?
Host: Thank you Andy for the call. Were going to take it to Worcester, Massachusetts now listening to us on WAAF, 107.3 is Cindy, calling from Townsend, Massachusetts. Cindy, you're on Rockline.
Caller: Hi, Jeff! Hi, Eddie!
Eddie & Jeff: Hi! Hello!
Caller: I was just wondering why you decided to release Vs on vinyl a week before you released it on CD?
Eddie: Viva la vinyl! Do you have a record player, Cindy?
Caller: Pardon?
Eddie: Do you have a record player?
Caller: Yes, I do.
Eddie: So you use it and stuff still?
Caller: Yup!
Eddie: Cause not all records come out on vinyl anymore. Lots of stores don't carry vinyl anymore.
Jeff: And our first record didn't come out on vinyl so I think that might have had something to do with actually being in a position to make sure that it came out in vinyl this time. And it sounds way better. If you A/B your CD player next to your record player [explains what A/B means] you'll find that records sound a lot warmer and more human.
Eddie: They're cooler to hold in your hands, too. And they smell. They have a smell. If you go into an old used record store it smells.
Jeff: Like books.
Eddie: Where the new record stores with just the CDs … they don't really smell.
Jeff: Smells like chemicals.
Eddie: It just stinks.
Host: And you can see the album artwork a lot better, too cause its a lot bigger.
Jeff: What are we gonna do when this scoopman—these new digital micro-cassettes—are the main format? What are they gonna do?
Eddie: By that time no one will pay attention to lyrics. You won't need to print them.
Host: Let's hope that doesn't happen. Cindy, thanks for the call. Were going to take it down south to Rock 105 in Charleston, West Virginia. We have Sean listening to us there. Is that Lucia, Kentucky? You're on Rockline.
Caller: That's Louisa. Hey, guys! How would you describe the music on your new album?
Eddie: We wouldn't. We'd listen to it. Or tell you to listen to it. I don't know? How would you describe it? Have you heard it?
Caller: No. I haven't heard it yet.
Eddie: Well, someday you'll be able to go out there and just try … music … it's weird, you know, about music. That's the strange thing about doing interviews and talking about it. That's why we picked a beautiful art form like music. All your thoughts and emotions they come out much clearer and much more intense when coupled with music, you know. All this talk about it. There shouldn't be so much talk. People act like they know about all these bands. But its just from what they read. They don't even listen to them anymore. And they take everyone's word. Whatever is printed seems like gospel. I don't know. You're interpretation is the most important one.
Jeff: And whenever I try to explain a record that I really, really like to somebody like if I just bought a record, like the new Liz Phair record, like if I was gonna explain what it sounded like I could never really explain it. I always end up getting caught up and stuttering something and then I say just go buy it cause its really cool.
Host: By the way, you'll be able to do that tomorrow. The CD and the cassette will be in the stores.
Eddie: Or tonight at midnight, Steve. If you live on the east coast or something.
Host: 12:01! That's very true. And in Australia it could already be out cause it's already tomorrow. Thank you Sean for the call. Were going to take another call right now in Orlando, Florida listening to us on ROCK 100 WDIZ is Chris. You're on with Eddie and Jeff from Pearl Jam, Chris!
Caller: Eddie! Jeff! Good to talk to you tonight.
Eddie: Hey! You're not a racist, are you?
Caller: Not at all. Not at all.
Eddie: Just jokin'.
Caller: My question was what kind of pressure, if any, did you get from CBS this time around. Did they harp on you guys at all about how this should be a single or something, and also, how hard is it to keep your creative authority within the band?
Jeff:There is no problem with it at all. We haven't heard a thing from our record company other than how nice we are and how good we are. And all those sorts of things.
Eddie: Do you think we'd really listen to someone else's opinion?
Jeff: There's enough opinions in this band!
Eddie: How about you? If you were making a record would you let them kind of pick the artwork or tell you what song ...
Caller: No. No. That's why I like you guys so much cause I definitely believe that what comes out is from the heart.
Eddie: That's the exciting thing about being in a band or making music or playing live on any level you have like a, you know, it's all yours. You're independent of anybody and that is the thing that does … you're right … it does get threatened getting to these different levels. Because, you can't deny the fact that it means money to some people. But, if you let that effect the art then that's going to effect everything including their money. So, I think they know to kind of let us do things on our own and we did all the things. We made the decisions on the first record and it was successful, so I guess we earned the right to do it our way now.
Host:Thanks Chris for the call. Tonight on Rockline all the music that we will hear will be from the new album Vs and we're going to play a cut right now called 'Glorified G.' I was wondering if you could kind of set us up on this. I think this has some very interesting things to say musically as well as lyrically on this cut.
Jeff: I didn't write this song. I heard it. Someone was talking in a room. I just wrote down everything they said.
Host: Wow! On Rockline from the new album Vs this is Pearl Jam and 'Glorified G.'
(plays 'Glorified G')
Host: It's the broadcast premier of the new album by Pearl Jam, Vs. We're live from Seattle tonight with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament on Rockline. Back to the phones we go to Redding, California. Mike is listening to us on 93.9 in Chico. You're on Rockline, Mike.
Caller: Right on! How's it going guys?
Jeff: Good!
Caller: My question I got was on Temple of the Dog, 'Times of Trouble.' I noticed it was just about the same exact music as 'Footsteps.' And I wanted to know which one you guys writ first and you know ...
Eddie: Writ or wrote?
Caller: Wrote, excuse me.
Eddie: Is your teacher listening tonight?
Host: (laughing) If she is she's rolling over!
Eddie: Aw, he's just nervous. Which did we do first?
Jeff: Actually, the 'Footsteps' version was first. The tape that Eddie got of Stone's songs that me and Mike and Stone had recorded on there … just the music. At the very same time, we were putting together the Temple of the Dog thing and Chris heard that song and really, really liked it and semi-rearranged it to fit some words that he had and consequently there were two versions that were being worked on at the very same time. So, 'Footsteps' was first but we didn't really follow through with it cause it ended up on the Temple record.
Eddie: Hey, Mike. You ever put those three songs together? You probably read about it—'Alive' and 'Once' and 'Footsteps?' Did you ever put it together?
Caller: Yeah. I appreciate it guys. One more question. Are you guys planning on going to Reno on the tour anytime?
Eddie: Oh, yeah. We're going to be a week in Reno I think. You want backstage passes?
Jeff: Urge Overkill.
Host: Eddie, you brought up the thing about putting the three songs together, of which, I believe, 'Footsteps' was the final part of that story, was it not?
Ed: Yeah., yeah. We played it actually on this radio program and we played it and I expected someone to put it all together and make a B-movie about it. Cause it had all the good B-movie things, you know. Incest and murder. It's all right there for you.
Host: That's right. I believe that's the only recorded version of 'Footsteps' was done on Rockline here last year.
Eddie: Well, I got my four-track version.
Host: That's true. Hey, Mike. Thanks a lot for the call and yes, Pearl Jam will be in Reno on the second of December at the Lawlor Events Center. We'll have some other dates to give you here in terms of the upcoming Pearl Jam tour. Were going to take our first call now from Australia. And we have David listening to us on the Triple-M Network down under. Hey, David!
Caller: Yeah, goodday! How are ya?
Eddie & Jeff: Great!
Host: You're on Rockline.
Caller: I wanted to ask the guys how they find touring with Neil Young through Europe and America?
Eddie: Uh, I'm happy to finally have an adult in my life that leads by example, that actually is … I've had some crazy adults in my life and it's about time I got one that inspires me.
Jeff: His whole band. Very, very quiet leadership like all the way around. Probably the most inspiring thing that we've ever been involved in in terms of like just watching every night and not really even talking about it. Just kind of taking it in.
Eddie: So I hope you get a chance to do it someday.
Host: And talk about a guy in Neil Young who has certainly taken his share of chances musically over his career. There are very few stones he's left unturned musically. Which I think is somewhat of a rarity. Hey, thanks for the call there, David, and we hope to hear from some more folks down in Australia tonight which would be a lot of fun. Live from Seattle tonight with Eddie and Jeff from Pearl Jam and the broadcast premier of the new album Vs on the Global Satellite Network.
(commercials)
Host: Welcome back. Tonight we're here in Seattle with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament in the broadcast premier of the brand new Pearl Jam CD called Vs. We have another tune here we want to play. It has a great acoustic feel to it. It is called 'Daughter' on Rockline.
(plays 'Daughter')
Host: It's Rockline tonight with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam and the broadcast premier of the brand new album, Vs. That was a track called Daughter. We got a ton of calls to get to, so let's get going here. We'll take it to St. Louis. KSHE95 is the station. Kathleen's listening to us. You're on Rockline with Pearl Jam, Kathleen.
Caller: Hi Eddie! Hi Jeff!
Eddie & Jeff: Hi!
Caller: It's funny. You guys just played the song 'Daughter.' And that's what I wanted to ask you about. What inspired you to write that?
Eddie: Umm, I'm not going to answer that. It's a good question, though. No offense. Have you got another one? Where are you again?
Caller: I'm in St. Louis.
Jeff: Are you under water?
Eddie:That's a strange town, huh?
Caller: Huh?
Jeff: I was kinda wondering if we could ask you a question. If, since the floods, we haven't really heard anything about St. Louis because its not news, obviously. That's the way the media works, but I was wondering what was going on there in terms of the flood situation.
Eddie: We're concerned.
Caller: I just know that the water is down I guess and the homes … people still out of their homes cause of the electricity and gas just being ruined.
Eddie: And everyone's feet make that really weird noise when they walk. Did you have a daughter?
Caller: What?
Eddie: Do you have a daughter, Kathleen?
Caller: No. I have a son, actually.
Eddie: Oh. That's good.
Host: I think 'Daughter' will be left to your interpretation, Kathleen. And thanks for the call. We're going to go to Indio, California and Robert who is listening to us on 93 KCLB in Palm Springs. You're on Rockline, Robert.
Caller: Hello, Jeff and Eddie!
Eddie & Jeff: Hello. What's your question?
Caller: I've been following your careers forever. I caught the first and last Lollapalooza shows last year at Shoreline in Irvine. You're coming to my hometown on November 5th—strangely enough pop culture as it were, hits the Coachella Valley. What I wanted to know was what brings you guys out here 2½ hour drive from L.A. as opposed to playing say a larger venue in the metropolitan area?
Eddie: OK, you know. Raise your hand. Do this with me. Raise your hand like you're trying to get the teacher's attention.
Caller: All right.
Eddie: I know you didn't do that when you were young. You were hoping they wouldn't call you. But if you raise your hand and make a fist, up there on top is Washington, Seattle, around your wrist, we're looking at the West Coast here now. Get it? Around your wrist is Oregon, around your elbow is the capitol, Sacramento. Right around your armpit is Los Angeles. So we're going to go in a little bit and play the nipple or something like that. Indio, is that where we're playing?
Host: Yeah. November 5th, Indio.
Eddie: So we'll see you there.
Host: We have some other dates to pass along here. I think if Sacramento would be the elbow, then I guess San Francisco would be somewhere in the forearm. But you'll be in San Francisco. The tour opens there on the 28th in Whitfield.
Eddie: And we're playing with a gentlemen in San Francisco whose albums ... we won't tell you his name … but it can be a little riddle for you. You can look up his name by his albums, Human Butt and Family Man, and that's who we'll be playing with in San Francisco.
Host: October 30th at the Events Center in San Jose, California. On the 31st, Halloween, at the Greek Theater in Berkeley. November 2nd and 3rd at the Civic Theater in San Diego and then on the 5th in Indio, California. And we'll have some more dates to pass along there to you in just a bit.
Eddie: And in San Diego we're playing with bands whose records are called Everclear and Mercury. Next one's going to be called Urethane.
Jeff: Amazing band.
Eddie: A tribute to your first skateboard.
Jeff: Maybe my favorite band.
Host: Great. Look forward to it. Were going to go to Houston, Texas now. 101 KLOL. Warren is listening to us in Houston. You're on Rockline with Eddie and Jeff.
Caller: Good evening, Eddie. Good evening, Jeff.
Eddie & Jeff: Good evening to you, sir!
Caller: Yeah, first I wanna say I love you guys music. I got all your import stuff and is there anyway I can get your guys autographs and have you say "hi" to my wife Crystal and my boys, Eric and Christian?
Jeff: Hello.
Eddie: I just hate being asked for things.
Caller: Okay. Well, I'm sorry.
Eddie: Philosophy I'm totally into. I'll spend hours with ya … you know, and drink and smoke and talk and laugh, but as soon as you ask for something, I'm just gonna turn away.
Caller: Anyway, the question is, I'd like to know the reason for the two different covers on the early vinyl release and the CD release coming out tomorrow and also the reason the new album's name was changed from Five Against One to Vs in the last month?
Jeff: Your second question is the question of the week. The answer to the first question was to kinda get people who play records something unique and something special. And that was kind of the idea behind the whole packaging of the whole thing. Anybody who played the record—actually play the record—then they would have something different from all those digitized people buying CDs.
Host: And what about the title change?
Eddie: They were writing all these articles, you know. Our band against somebody else's band. What the hell are they talking about? You know, don't try to separate the powers that be. We're all in this together. You know what I think? They should take all those award shows, instead of giving you an award, I think there should be some kind of competition where the bands go up and you have a semi play-off and a play-off and then a super bowl ... a battle of the bands.
Jeff: On the MTV level …
Eddie: One band can actually win and pour champagne over each other and they could be champion band of the world. How ridiculous is that?
Host: They could put you all into divisions and leagues.
Eddie: So, we were being cynical by calling it Vs. Sometimes that doesn't work. U2 is being cynical when they printed dollar bills with their face on it and spewed them out to the audience and they said things like, "Watch more TV," and I think actually some people might be doing that right now. Our thing is watch more radio!
Host: There you go. I'll have my vote for that. And I believe there are actually some cassettes, the initial cassette printings have the original title which is Five Against One and then now the original CD pressings are untitled.
Eddie: And there will be another title before this record is done.
Host: I think you've hit on a whole new deal here. It's like change the title of the album about every two or three months. I think it could be something worth thinking about. Actually, Five Against One is also in a lyric in one of the songs which is one we're going to play right now called 'Animal.' From the new album by Pearl Jam in the stores tomorrow. We're giving you a preview tonight on the Global Satellite Network.
(plays 'Animal')
Host: From Seattle, Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam on the Global Satellite Network. We're going to go right back to the phones now. Take it again to St. Louis. To Pat whose listening to us. Pat, you're on Rockline.
Caller: My question is for Eddie. The first thing I was wondering was I remember hearing interviews with Eddie a while ago about how he didn't like to talk about the meanings of the lyrics to the songs cause he didn't want to give away anything to the personal individual feeling of the song and I just recently read their whole article in Rolling Stone where he described what 'Alive' means and the meanings of some lyrics and I was wondering what changed your mind? Why did you decide to talk, um, about the meanings?
Eddie: Hey, you know we're giving away shoes tonight. We gave away some shoes earlier. Let's give away some better stuffs than that. Let's give away a harmonica, a wine bottle, a mask. Pat, we'll give this harmonica to you. What's your last name?
Caller: Brennen.
Eddie: Okay, sir. You've just won a harmonica. Thanks very much. Next question?
Host: Stay on the line, Pat. Were going to go to Jacksonville, Florida and Rock 105. Juanita is listening to us down in Jacksonville. You're on Rockline with Pearl Jam tonight.
Caller: Uh, yeah. There was this kid on Headbanger's Ball that took this school hostage and the parents were blaming the video, 'Jeremy' and stuff. I was wondering how they felt about parents blaming the music for violence and stuff?
Eddie: Wow! I didn't even hear about that. Now, uh, I remember one night in this basement when I was writing that … that I thought, man … I guess they can't sue us for this one because I'm writing about it after it happened, you know? Some kid did this. I didn't make that up and that's a fact. It came from a small paragraph in a paper which means you kill yourself and you make a big old sacrifice and try to get your revenge. That all you're gonna end up with is a paragraph in a newspaper. Sixty-three degrees and cloudy in a suburban neighborhood. That's the beginning of the video and that's the same thing is that in the end, it does nothing … nothing changes. The world goes on and you're gone. The best revenge is to live on and prove yourself. Be stronger then those people. And then you can come back. That's kinda what I did. Now all those people who were my enemies want to be my friends. They don't understand why, uh, I don't respond to them.
Host: That's a great answer. Were going to go to Davenport, Iowa and 97X , Jamie is listening to us there. How's the floodwaters out in Davenport these days, Jamie?
Caller: Oh, it's gone. It's over, but we're still recovering.
Host: Good. What's your question for Eddie and Jeff?
Caller: I want to know how you guys feel about the different video awards and stuff that you've won, I mean, cause I'm a young video director and I would like to pursue a career in this. I just wanna know how you guys feel about it?
Jeff: Make movies. Don't make videos. Videos are evil.
Eddie: No, no. When you make videos, make a movie. MTV is a tremendous thing, a tremendous forum. You can make films for videos. That's what we try to do. I mean some people consider it instead of the best video of the year the best commercial for your CD, you know, we see it as art. We didn't want it to interfere with the music. The first two were just live with live sound, etc. The third one, I mean we tried to interpret a little bit and you see what happened. The problem is, if you recall, do you remember the first time you saw that video, do you still remember?
Caller: Yes. I love it.
Eddie: And maybe it kinda hit ya kinda hard, or made you think about something?
Caller: Yeah!
Eddie: Cause after it was seen a hundred thousand times or even the normal viewer saw it a thousand times, it didn't mean anything anymore. Oh yeah, this is the video where the kid kills himself. Which is exactly why the song was written to bring it to light, you know and all of a sudden it was something that we didn't think about anymore. That's the only thing that kind of a, you know, that can kind of upset me about it, you know, and I think that we've talked about, we don't want to be remembered for our videos, you see?
Host: You are also not going to be doing videos right away behind Vs right?
Eddie: We just don't know. Our mind is on music right now. We'll record another record and maybe even before we'll do that. Our mind is on music which is probably a really good thing for everybody. We'd love to do things on MTV and just have it kind of be a different form of public access. You know, I don't have MTV. I don't have cable. And so I don't even know—that's how it was at the awards—I just didn't know what it meant, really. It was a strange form of appreciation I showed, I know, but ...
Host: Jamie, thanks a lot for the call. We appreciate it. Still lots of time for you to speak with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam. That number is 1-800-344-ROCK. And more from the new album Vs live from Seattle.
(commercials)
Host: Welcome back to Rockline coming to you live from Seattle tonight . We are joined tonight with our friends in Australia who are listening to us all over Australia on tonight's Rockline. We're going to go to Melbourne, Victoria and put Danielle on the Rockline with Eddie and Jeff from Pearl Jam.
Caller: Hi, guys!
Jeff: Hello.
Eddie: Hey, how are the waves?
Caller: It's not quite summer yet. I haven't been to the beach.
Eddie: Well, we'll wait till then to come.
Caller: Oh, fantastic. OK, I've got two questions for you. I heard you mention that you've played live on Rockline on the previous show. Is there any chance of you playing live tonight?
Eddie: I'll do some spoken word later on.
Caller: Oh, fantastic! Fantastic! And also, I was wondering how special was the experience of working with Chris Cornell during the Temple of the Dog project?
Jeff: It was pretty amazing.
Eddie: It was so special.
Jeff: Chris is a great, great songwriter. So on a musical level it was really great and also just to kind of do something with somebody who's been a friend for a long time and to kind of combine the two things and to get along to make music and to learn and to be open and just … I don't know, it was a great experience all the way around. Chris is a great guy.
Eddie: Danielle, for asking us a question about one of our favorite people, we're going to reward you with one of my masks … one of my favorite ones, so stay on the line and they'll take your address and if you wear this mask with a friend you can come out and drink beer with us at the show. Isn't that nice. Then you get a pair of shoes and a record, too.
Jeff: Wow …
Host: How about that, Danielle? Thanks for calling and we're going to go to Oklahoma City now and rock 100.5 the KATT. Darren is listening to us in Oklahoma City. You're on Rockline, Darren.
Caller: Hello, Eddie. Hello, Jeff. How are ya doing tonight?
Eddie: Good. Have you ever heard of the band Babes in Toyland?
Caller: Yes, I have.
Eddie: Good for you, sir!
Caller: They're a good band. I had a question about another one of your favorite people, I think, and certainly a favorite songwriter of mine—Victoria Williams.
Eddie: He'll probably want a mask now, too! (laughter)
Caller: Oh, great … thanks a lot. How did it come about for Pearl Jam to be involved with the Sweet Relief project and how did you choose 'Crazy Mary?' Great song.
Eddie: The song was picked out for us. Lou Reed is married and his wife gave us the tape and suggested that song which I thought was, umm … we had seen her. As soon as I turned on the tape, I remember I was on an airplane I think I was coming back from that Bob Dylan fest and as soon as I heard her voice, I knew we had just seen her so to hear that she was stricken with Multiple Sclerosis and her life was in the balance, etc., I don't know. Those are one of the moments you stop taking for granted that fact that you are living and have the use of all your limbs, etc., etc. Something that no one should take for granted and if all we had to do was record a song to help her out—record a great song—then I think we'll do that.
Host: Thank you very much...
Eddie: But you like it, huh?
Caller: 'Crazy Mary' is indeed a great song and the new music that I'm hearing tonight , especially 'Daughter,' I heard it for the first time over the weekend on KATT-FM. They kind of sneek-peeked your album over the weekend and ...
Eddie: There's the Babes in Toyland connection...
Caller: 'Daughter' really impresses me and 'Crazy Mary' has impressed me since the first time I heard it. It's a great song.
Eddie: You like the slow stuff? Well make a record of all the slow stuff and then well make a record of all the fast stuff and then you know people who don't like the fast stuff they wont have to sit through it.
Host: Dan, thanks a lot for the call. We got one of the faster things I think from the Vs. album that we want to get to right now. This is called 'Dissident' from Pearl Jam's new album on Rockline.
Eddie: Oh, that's one of the slow ones. (laughter)
Host: But it has a fast feel to it. (laughter)
(play 'Daughter')
Host: 'Dissident' from the new Vs album by Pearl Jam as we offer you the broadcast premier tonight. Eddie and Jeff live in the studio with us as we're all up here in Seattle. And now we're going to take it back down to Australia once again listening to us on the Triple-M Network, is Debbie in Perth, Australia. You're on Rockline with Eddie and Jeff, Debbie.
Caller: Hi, guys.
Eddie: Perth!
Caller: I just had one question. I wanted to know on your new album there is a track called 'Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.' Who's the elderly woman and where is the small town?
Jeff: Deep in Montana, at least that's what I thought.
Eddie: Oh, no, it could be any small town. It could be any old woman, and, umm, basically the title comes from being fed-up with one word titles.
Host: You certainly solved that problem with this one.
Eddie: No. I was just warmin' up. One day when I start singing. Just think if you were losin' your memory and you're kinda being senile and you saw your old boyfriend from long, long ago and he was all hot, driving a nice car and having a real family and you were stuck working in this small town. Small towns are fascinating, like do you try to get out, do you stay there and be a big fish in a small town. You know, I think you should get out.
Host: Debbie. Thanks a lot for the call. [ad/plug for Aiwa recorder] And we're going to play that track now. From Pearl Jam's brilliant new release, Vs., here is the track 'Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.'
(plays 'Elderly Woman …')
(commercial)
Host: Back with Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam live from Seattle and more of the brand new album Vs, exclusively on the Global Satellite Network.
Eddie: Oh, Steve. I'm raising my hand, see, like we talked about earlier?
Host: Mr. Vedder, yes? Do we have a mic for Eddie?
Eddie: I remembered a point I wanted to make you know in the magazine Rolling Stone, it's this little magazine some of you might have picked up. There is a picture of me, you can see the front mikes, and the monitors, there is a TV, like a prompter, right there. Umm, a lot of bands use prompters now and I think that's a bunch of crap and if you don't feel the song, if you don't know it by heart, then I think you don't have any right singing it in front of like 20,000, 15,000, 5,000 even 100 people. So, anyway, I just wanted to point out that that was an old TV I found in the back of the alley of the Moore Theater here in Seattle that I put together in order to smash it that night on stage. I just wanna say to all the young budding musicians out there, don't invest in teleprompters like I just wanted that to be clear.
Jeff: Didn't that TV when you found it have the lyrics to 'Paradise City' on it?
Eddie: It did. It did. No, really! (laughter)
Host: We're going to take a local call here while we're talking about Seattle to Kim who is listening to us right here at 99.9FM KISW in Seattle. Kim, you're on Rockline.
Caller: Hey, guys. First of all I want to say I love you guys and I think you're rad and I was just wondering how you guys feel when they say that the Seattle music scene is just a trend and that it's not real music and that it's just gonna fade away and be forgotten?
Eddie: Well, we're not threatened by it. I think the music is too strong. Jesus Christ, who said that?
Caller: Like every magazine, where people are interviewed or something.
Ed: What are you reading magazines for?
Caller: They've got pictures of you guys …
Eddie: Do you listen to music? They have nothing to do with music. All they really have to do with is making a lot of money from it. And they think it's a good trade off cause all the musicians love to see their faces in it and you know that may have worked five, ten years ago, you know, that was the trade off.. We'll put them on the cover, it will satisfy their ego and then we can make some money. It's maybe changing, maybe some of the bands won't do interviews anymore. It's not so much interviews, it's basically the fact that the best thing about the press would be to let someone know about a good band that you might know about. So once someone knows about a band, start talking about another one, you know. I mean, everyone knows that we play OK music, or I hope they think that and then we, they should talk about other bands instead of us. We don't want to clog up the colon as it were.
Host: Thanks, Kim, for the call. Dallas, Texas is where we're headed now. To John, who is listening to us on Q102. You're on Rockline, John.
Caller: Hey, how you guys doin'?
Eddie: Oh, just really good, John.
Caller: Cool. I remember seeing you guys at Trees in the early, small, just awesome show there.
Eddie: You're from Texas?
Caller: Yes. Dallas, Texas. And I want to know how the change in the studios. Did it have a major effect in the outcome? I know you changed producers, too. You're working with um, Brendan O'Brien … that correct?
Eddie: But we haven't changed our clothes, so it doesn't matter. You know.
Jeff: I would say good things about Brendan but Aerosmith already said all the good things about Brendan that could be said about him, so …
Eddie: Gross. (laughter)
Host: Hey, John. Thanks a lot for the call. We're going to ...
Eddie: Hey, does John win something? We've got something to give John. We've got the Sports Illustrated from 1976 with Evil Knevil on the cover. No, I can't part with that. Uh, let's see, oh I've got a postcard from Dublin. It was actually the one I wrote to Bob Dylan but I never sent it. We can give you that.
Host: How about that John?
Caller: Great.
Eddie: Since that wasn't a very good answer.
Jeff: I'm also going to give you something, too … the new Rickie Lee Jones record that I have on CD right here in my very pocket which I've been listening to all day.
Host: John, you're making out like a bandit tonight, buddy.
Eddie: He's a total punk rocker listening to Rickie Lee Jones. (laughter) Can I tape over that thing?
Host: Thanks a lot! Let's play another track from the new album here while we have the time. This one is called 'Rearviewmirror' and I believe we we're trying to figure out the chronology of songs written and recorded. This was one of the last.
Eddie: Yeah. This would have been done about 10:30 that night, 11 o'clock.
Host: There you go. Saw things clearer once you were in my rearviewmirror.
(plays 'Rearviewmirror')
Host: 'Rearviewmirror' from the Vs album. Brand new from Pearl Jam. You're hearing it for the very first time tonight on Rockline. Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament are in the studio with us. Eddie's been threatening something with that Walkman here for the better part of the evening. So I'm not sure what we might be in for, but it certainly looks interesting.
Eddie: Hey, don't be scared. Do I look like scared to you?
Host: No. Not at all.
Eddie: Bullshit!
Host: Pecatonica, Illinois, listening to us on the X in Rockford, Illinois, is Amy here on Rockline. Hey, Amy.
Eddie: Hello in Pecatonica. That's where you live? That's a cool name. Can I write a song about Pecatonica?
Caller: I'd love it if you would write a song about Pecatonica. Hey, guys. I was reading an article in Entertainment Weekly tonight and the writer …
Eddie: What about that? Entertainment Weekly?
Caller: Yeah, did you read it?
Eddie: Of course not! Entertainment Weekly? You're not even reading like the music … you are reading like all kinds of crazy stuff and like we just happened to be in there? That's like People Magazine, isn't it?
Caller: What?
Host: Is there a question there somewhere, Amy?
Caller: Yeah, I was just wondering if the media ever like gets on your nerves. I mean they were really putting you guys down in this.
(laughter)
Eddie: Amy, most definitely. You know, that question before about Seattle being just a fading memory or the music over-hyped. Isn't it strange the way that everybody picks up on something and squeezes the juice out of it until there's nothing left. There, I have to say, that it is a little bit of exploitation going on and I mean if bands like us are music, and young kids, and drops outs, etc., are being put on the cover of Time Magazine, I mean, you just might look at that and go, "Wow, Time Magazine." But did you ever think that all they're really trying to do is sell magazines by putting the newest rage on the cover?
Caller: Oh, yeah.
Eddie: Believe me, we never thought we'd be in this position. It would have just been a joke had someone told me this before. Do people who listen to music, do you not catch on to that? That the bands really have nothing to do with that and the bands don't have anything to do with the exposure and that?
Caller: Oh, no. I didn't realize that. I think everybody does.
Eddie: We need your trust on that. I mean, this is nothing that we actually set out to do. We set out to make music and you know, it's nice to be heard, umm, but we don't want people to stop listening to us cause we're the latest big thing or we're part of the establishment, etc., which we won't be. You know, we may have money now, we don't act like rich men. There's a big difference there. And I was at a Bad Religion show, a punk rock show last night, in fact the California west coast joke came from the singer of Green Day, I just wanna plug him. You know, I'm singing a song with Bad Religion and there's a guy in the front row that's flipping me off. Punk rocker, you know, I was really offended, cause I'd been front row at Bad Religion and it was like I was flipping myself off, which, I naturally do occasionally. But it really upset me, you know.
Caller: Yeah.
Eddie: But I guess, I spit my gum at the guy and he kind of cringed like the pussy he was. But it is an upsetting thing. We don't want people to stop listening to our music just because they see our faces all around. We're trying to even pull back from some of that and we can't. These people can't keep their pants on and they're just kinda putting us on and they're going to be really upset that we said that but we're just trying to preserve our music. Is that right, Jeff?
Caller: In the article, they said basically you should conform to be like every other band. That's ridiculous. Because I like you guys cause you're unique and that's why you're my favorite band.
Host: Sometimes I think the publicity becomes sort of self-generating after a while and the momentum can be difficult to stop on some occasions.
Eddie: And obviously we're just kinda like, you know, kids that get thrown into this thing. It's a little crazy. Gets a little crazy.
Jeff: It seems like the more that we fight it the more stuff that comes out. And then they talk about that I'm an asshole. As soon as we say no it's like ...
Host: Hey, Amy, thanks for the call. We've got to take another quick break here. We'll be back with Eddie and Jeff from Pearl Jam on Rockline live from Seattle.
(commercials)
Host: All right, we're back here in Seattle. Jeff has the guitar out. I think we may be hearing something live here as we get ready to say goodnight. Let me just say real quickly that thanks to everybody for calling and to our guests, Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament. An absolutely outstanding record.
Eddie: You know the Frogs are a really good band. I don't know if you've heard of them.
Host: Not familiar with them.
Eddie: You should do a Rockline with them. Milwaukee. Wow.
Host: We'll check it out. Hey guys, thanks for keeping the music alive and your purity is very much appreciated in what you're doing.
Eddie: In the spirit of purity we're going to improv something here. A little song to the Bee Girl. Hit it.
(play 'Bee Girl' live)
Host: Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam. I'm Steve Downs...
Eddie: Hey. No. No. Wait. This was fun. Are we still on. If you want to call the house it's 206-283-3916. You got that? That's Eddie's house at 206-283-3916. If you couldn't get through tonight. See ya.
Host: See ya. Rockline is an exclusive presentation of the Global Satellite Network.