Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Pearl Jam Twenty

Nirvana and Pearl Jam gave me sanity through the angsty years in secondary school of which I hated every single second. Punk rock, alternative rock. It was a fashionable period of ahemmm....questionable plaid and trademark locks. That was the look. I didn't embrace the culture, but I understood the torment, loved (still do) the music and soaked it all up regardless. That 1995 Pearl Jam concert in Singapore, a stop on their Vitalogy tour, I was there.

Tonight, I was persuaded to give up all other films that shared the 7.30pm slot (like 'Little Treasures of Lombok', 'Curry Munchers', 'Cold Weather'...) for the screening of rock docu-film 'Pearl Jam Twenty' (PJ20) in its official worldwide release. Directed by Cameron Crowe, it was a pretty good one. We clapped politely before the show and clapped vigorously after. It's a film, but it felt like watching a gig. :) (Read reviews from ForbesThe Guardian and CBS News.)

20 years together as a band in more or less the same line-up. No easy feat. Pearl Jam has never been known to sell out their ideals. They stay true to themselves and to the music. In an interview during the film's screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, Eddie Vedder said,“Playing in a band is really a delicate thing, .........If you’ve ever tried to order a pizza with five people, it’s difficult. ... So we’ve been very fortunate.” 

Each of us have our favorite songs. Alright, maybe 2 or 3 favorites. It's a 20-year collection yo. I love 'Alive'. The whole point, as a teen, is to stay alive, to remain alive, and to be alive. Wasn't it? Isn't it? The man likes 'Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town'. He's totally into the band when Ten came out. He was doing rounds in Oz and the album was on his (my gawwwwd) walkman throughout. The inital couple of Pearl Jam albums were on (!!!) cassette tapes. Another likes 'Corduroy'. Well, we did own a pair of corduroy jeans back then. But the point is, we all hated passionately back then, and probably can't recall why we hated a certain person then. It probably doesn't matter today. Sigh.

Plenty of memories. What's yours?

When the credits ended and people streamed out of the cinema, there was an excited chatter. I think there's something we felt...a touch of, what do you call it...nostalgia. Let's just say we'll never see Eddie Vedder climb the rigs and dive into the crowds again.

8 comments:

Dawn said...

What's yours Impy?

imp said...

dawn: you're too fast! i just updated about mine when i realized i left it out. heheheh.

mine's 'Alive'. What's yours?

Anonymous said...

Could I really pick a favourite Pearl Jam song? There are too many good ones, but I think ultimately that I will always love Alive too! I've been waiting to see this documentary, especially when I heard that it was directed by Cameron Crowe.

My favourite Pearl Jam memory? Watching them in Singapore when in secondary school!

kikare said...

My D will be so envious for what you watched.
Every now and then he would reiterate that Ten is the best debut album that any band has ever made!

notabilia said...

Posters, concerts, B-sides... was thinking about Pearl Jam the other night. Favorite song? Alive is up there. So many good ones, though.

imp said...

olduvai + notabilia: good times, good songs all.

kikare: it's out everywhere now. your cinemas should screen it soon, or a dvd will be out in no time.

Dawn said...

I love Alive, but I'm going with Better Man :)

imp said...

dawn: OH yes, Better Man! Absolutely morose.