MuzikTyme Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Anyone know how Pearl Jam got their name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 This is probably one of the strangest origins of a band's name that I've ever heard ::, but Ed's grandmother (Pearl) supposedly made a peyote (hallucinogenic drug) jelly/jam, which they called Pearl jam. Before Pearl Jam was formed, Jeff Ament (bass) and Stone Gossard (guitar) were in a band called Green River, named for the Green River serial killings taking place in that area of Washington State. Jeff and Stone were in Mother Lovebone after that (Andrew Wood RIP), another strange (but cool sounding) band name. Pearl Jam...hmmm...it only sounds strange if you think about it, but the music (old stuff) is so great that no one gives the name much thought, and I suppose it isn't nearly as bad as the name "Mookie Baylock" that they originally had picked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted March 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Thanks for the fast reply! I loved the sound of Pearl Jam when the song Alive first came out back in the early 90's. I wonder if Eddie Vedder was talking about how he felt after consuming Pearl's jam? "I'm still alive." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 LOL! What the hell are you doing up at this hour ::? I thought I was the only one who got on the board this early. Before heading out to the office I need something to start the day on a happy note - well, this place AND my coffee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted March 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 LOL. I guess you could say I'm a night owl. Hope you have a wonderful day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 You know your band name is a winner when people are still talking about it 12 years on. Pearl Jam used to be called Mookie Blaylock because they liked a basketball player with the same name - he wore number 10, the name of their first album. "Pearl" was not only Eddie's grandmother, but also the nicknames of both Janis Joplin and another basketball player - Earl Monroe (There was also an outstanding point guard at Syracuse University in the '80s called Dwayne "The Pearl" Washington). Like Meat Loaf, they often make up stories about how they got their name, so it's hard to tell for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Me too: a night owl; stay up too late, get up early. Some people can operate on little sleep, but it comes around to bite you in the butt eventually. And the day was busy - but wonderful just the same - thank you for the regards this morning! Re: the band! I am, or was a die hard Pearl Jam fan for many, many years, since they first started...right up to Riot Act, which I do not like at all. I suppose I still am a huge fan of PJ; they are amazing and Ed is without a doubt one of the most intense and talented singers I've ever heard. There is not a whole lot about the band that I do not know, being a total (but recovering) Jamaholic . Seattle is a big city but a small world. When you know people in Seattle who actually know the guys...well, it's like 6 degrees of separation - or something like that. They're live pretty normal lives I guess - they walk the streets, go places, hang out here and there; they aren't prisoners of their fame. Lately Ed's voice - his "input" on the band's latest "output", as phenomenal as that voice is, has lent itself to much protest and detest, but it is his right. I just couldn't get into the latest CD: the lyrics or the sound -- it wasn't for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 I agree, Ed's new approach is as different as his hairstyle. He seems much more conservative now than he did with those long locks and seemingly infinite vocal range that he belted out not so long ago. But yes, even after 12 years there are still those wondering the origin of Pearl Jam. It's nice to have a place like this to obtain such trivial info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Catherine is absolutely right about Eddie being able to live a normal life in Seatle. He can go wherever he wants and only the tourists bother him. This goes for every rock star who lives there. It's kind of refreshing to see a place where celebrities are treated like regular people. If the sun came out more than 3 times a year, that would be an amazing city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 People in Seattle don't really seem to care about star status -- it isn't like that. Well, I know for a fact that Ed had a delusional, pathological liar of a woman :: all caught up in him! I met her; it was scary. Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. PJ is not an image based band; they don't put themselves out there more than necessary, but nonetheless people talk s**t. They assume, assess, guess, speculate, get the rumor mill going, etc. They're targets just like every other celebrity, but they don't consider themselves stars -- and that is what's refreshing . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted March 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 So true. It seems a lot of people would rather criticize talented artists that contribute great music. I would like to ask these critics what they do besides finding faults. There are some that would rather find the darkside of things than see the light. Anyway, I'd still like to try some of Pearl's jam on my morning english muffin. Only thing I have bad to say is that Ed looked better with long hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 As long as he does not don a mohawk ever again! Hair down to the middle of their backs looked great on them while in their mid 20's, but they're all getting up there: 40, 39, 38, 37. Time to clean up...LOL! It seems like musicians reach a certain age or stage when they chop the locks...most memorable to me being Joe Perry and Metallica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted March 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 LOL Did I hear Joe Perry? Now if anyone could wear a mohawk it would be him w/his classic native american looks. I remember being inspired by him to play the guitar and learn the whole album Get Your Wings back in the early 70's. He's my all time favorite lead guitarist. IMO, he's the epitome of what a lead guitarist should look and sound like. My leads have Perry written all over them. He makes it look too easy. :guitar: "Walking on Guccis wearin' Yves St. Larent, barely stay on 'cause I'm so GD gaunt." Combination - Perry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Catherine is absolutely right about Eddie being able to live a normal life in Seatle. He can go wherever he wants and only the tourists bother him. This goes for every rock star who lives there. It's kind of refreshing to see a place where celebrities are treated like regular people. If the sun came out more than 3 times a year, that would be an amazing city. Carl I lived there for more than 5 years, and I can tell you that there are trully some magnificent days. Alot of people say "Does it ever stop raining there?". There is some truth to that, except it is trully overcast alot more than most places. Sure it has it's days where it rains. I think their annual rain fall average is around 48". The snow fall on Mt. Baker puts it in the lead for base at over 200"s annually (skiers know what I'm talking about). Some of the most beautiful summers I can remember in my life, but you have to get through the winters and spring, and fall rain showers, but mostly overcast. The second to last summer we spent there it was over 100 deg. in Seattle for several days, and we had two months of the most gorgeous weather on earth. I would add about Eddie V., that much of his followers grew up watching Pearl Jam playing the local clubs in downtown Seattle, and perhaps they know each other personally. Many of the fans that were at Curt Cobain's memorial were likely people Curt would have known by name. Thanks, CHAFF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2004 Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Catherine, you hit it on the head (no pun intended). The younger audience will realize some day that when you get a few miles down the road, you no longer have this desire to let it all hang out. Well in some ways anyways, but it is called maturing. Of course I've got to figure out what in the He double L that means exactly. Don't you think it was great when Pearl Jam had their boycott going against Ticket Masters over the price of concert tickets. Show me someone with more down to earth take care of the fans that made you, and I'll show you a copy-cat liar! Thanks, CHAFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 8, 2004 Report Share Posted March 8, 2004 Chaff, yes Ed got the whole Ticket Master ball rolling, which was a noble effort, but when it came time to be sworn in at by The Department of Justice, Ed was not even there; Jeff and Stone were the ones to testify. That to me was a sign of no follow-through on his commitment. I suppose it could have been that Ed was busy & Jeff and Stone were there on behalf of the entire band, but I saw it more as them being there on behalf of Ed when it became clear to Ed that it was an uphill, and ultimately a losing battle: as if Ed didn't want to deal with it and wanted to save face. He really should have been there. Ed has historically done things that were a bit controversial, and has said things that have been a case of "open foot insert mouth". He can be -- or could be pretty volatile and a real ranter & raver, but the one thing he's got is charisma...that's just Ed; love him or leave him. He's chilled out...thankfully. Probably a sign of that maturity you mentioned. And Seattle: nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there, simply because of the weather. When I was there it rained and rained - and rained some more. Between PMS and SAD (seasonal affect disorder)...I'd go insane. I'd be on a bell tower picking people off. LOL! Kidding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Cathorine, I almost mentioned in my previous post the fact that Western Washington state has one of the highest suicide rates in the country because of the often dizmal weather. On the other hand when it is pretty out it is a true blessing. For some reason while living in Washington (We actually lived in Burlington), I discovered that the state had one of the largest groups of people who believed in Black Magic, Witch Craft and the like in the country as well. Perhaps the weather draws these people, and perhaps the suicide rate coincides with the number of people participating in paigen rituals. I've got to say this though. I spent time up under those big Douglas Firs during misting rain, with some sun light showing through, and it is like being in God's chapel. Thanks, CHAFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rad47 Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 In my opinion, there is no doubt Peral Jam "Ten" is the greatest album of all time. But I also like the newer stuff because they have evelolved (and yes matured) as a band. I would rather they did this than have every song sound the same, like Live or Creed, wouldn't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distorted Angelz Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 First of all, I'm John - and have NO expetise on this band...LOL Uhhh...I know I am new around here. But I HAVE heard another partial origin rumor. Ever see the sticker or logo with the white, liquidy lookin cartoon guy on it? My wife has one on her car...anyway...the term "pearl jam" also refers to uhhhhh....(trying NOT to offend the board..)...seaman, jizz...uh, cum..you know. I will shut up now, with this being my last words in this post...If you SEE the logo/sticker I am refering to, you will agree...sure looks like that...and I think it's WAY funny and lends a little humor to an otherwise pretty serious band. Thanks for your 'tention. C-ya JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costellogirl75 Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 I've also heard that Pearl jam is a euphamism for, um, "man juice" so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted May 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 I just noticed, this thread is the very first post I made here at Songfacts yet the date of the first post is March 5 but my registration date says Feb. 29. I posted right after I registered. Any reason for this Carl or Sarah? I'm not concerned at all, just curious. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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