![]() ![]() All three had hit music videos on MTV the “Jeremy” clip was particularly moving, showing an artistic account of the student and his suicide, with close ups of a mesmerized Vedder as narrator, his eyes broiling with intensity. The album produced three monster hits: “Alive” (about a boy learning that his father is actually his stepfather, inspired by Vedder’s real life) “Even Flow” (about an illiterate homeless man and panhandler who sleeps “on a pillow made of concrete”) and “Jeremy” (about an outcast high school student who shot himself in front of his class). EdVed played the mysterious frontman, singing about depression, suicide, loneliness, mental health, homelessness, and murder. The band crafted dark and textured tracks with layers of guitar hero riffs, sing-along choruses, and drum breaks. Unlike much of the ironic ’90s, Ten is dead serious. The band soon changed its name due to Epic Records’ legal concerns, but ultimately titled the LP for Blaylock’s jersey number. ![]() ![]() When he arrived in the Emerald City, he found Cornell with Temple of the Dog in London Bridge Studios, and soon jumped in to add vocals on Temple of the Dog hit “Hunger Strike.” Once sessions for Temple were done, Cornell and Cameron returned to Soundgarden, and the newly formed Mookie Blaylock, along with drummer Dave Krusen, entered the same Seattle studio with the same producer (Rick Parashar) to begin Ten. EdVed overdubbed his vocals, sent it back to Ament, Gossard, and McCready in Seattle, and was soon invited to fly north for an audition. That September, on the opposite end of the West Coast in San Diego, surfer, artist, and musician Eddie Vedder got his hands on that Mookie demo via former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons. Along with Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, the quintet gathered to rehearse - and Temple of the Dog was born. Meanwhile, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, a close friend and roommate of Wood’s, recruited the former Mother Love Bone members to record songs he’d written in tribute to his fallen friend. Together, the trio - calling themselves Mookie Blaylock, after the basketball star - recorded a five-song demo and began the search for a singer and drummer. Soon, the duo hooked up with another Seattle axe-slinger, Mike McCready, whose band Shadow had also recently disbanded. With the band abruptly over, they both retreated to reflect and write. While preparing for the release of their 1990 debut, Apple, singer Andrew Wood died of a heroin overdose in March of that year. Guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament joined forces in Mother Love Bone in 1988 after their previous band, Green River, called it a day. Pearl Jam itself came together by chance in the vibrant early ’90s Seattle music scene. Pearl Jam’s moody tunes were more easily photocopied, and influenced scores of artists - for better (Stone Temple Pilots) or worse (Creed) - for years to come. But Ten had as much, if not more, cache in building the grunge scene and shaping alternative music to date. In retrospect, it’s easy to claim that Nevermind, the critical favorite, was the more culturally influential LP. ![]()
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