Eddie Vedder Pre-Pearl Jam 1989 Demos Surface Online
Collectors and diehards that love anything "new but old" from Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder are about to start drooling -- incessantly. Tapes from the singer's '88-'89 pre-PJ demo period have surfaced, but that's not all. Through the miracle of technology, they have been digitized and posted online for your listening pleasure.
Antiquiet managed to get their lucky little hands on a direct copy of a tape that Vedder himself had dubbed for a onetime coworker at San Diego Petroleum. There's no copy of a copy here.
There are 14 tracks. Some are "new" and appear unfamiliar, while others might be instantly recognizable to fans, especially those who follow Vedder's pre-Pearl Jam work.
The tape features a cover of 'Something Inside So Strong,' a song that was made famous by Kenny Rogers, as well as a version of Sam Cooke's 'Wonderful World.' There is also a song called 'I'm Alive' -- which, it should be noted, is not early version of PJ's major hit 'Alive.'
To call these unearthed tracks "gems" would, as far as PJ fanatics are concerned, be the understatement of the century. It's a musical snapshot of a man who somewhat reluctantly, would go on to become a rock 'n' roll icon.