SA Footy

I was impressionable in 1991. I was in my second year of High School, just turned 13, and working out who I was. One day at my friends place, I heard a song that would instantly become one of my favourites. The song was called "Alive" and at the time I didn't know who it was by. After a quick question, I found out this instant classic to my ears was Pearl Jam, and the album "Ten".

Intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge chorus solo, outro ... it was like the most perfectly structured song to me. Add to that passion and depth, and I was in awe.

I then fell in love with the album itself. From start to finish every song is a moment, every song has a personality, and a unique story. Not once have I ever skipped on a song when playing it.

When Stone and Jeff originally made their demo tape of a few songs and gave it to Jack Irons (then, of RHCP) to see if he wanted to be their drummer, he declined, but referring them to a long haired surfer from San Diego as a possible singer.

They sent the tape with three songs to Eddie, who listened to it on the beach, went for a surf, and then came back to dub vocals over the top. The result was full demos of Alive, Once and Footsteps.

Alive is the flagship song of the album, and probably the most widely known, just in front of Jeremy. But there are so many great songs I can't even rank them. "Garden" is well crafted. "Release" is full of pleading. "Porch" is in your face, as is "Deep". And my joint favourite song, "Black", has helped me through some tough times in the past.

Today I purchased "Ten - Deluxe Edition". Basically there are three discs, the first being the original album remastered. The second is Brendan O'Brien's Redux of the album, where he plays god to the original, bring it up to date as such, removing the dated reverb and adding a LOT of weight to the vocals and lead guitar. There are also some songs that were previously unreleased tacked onto the end, though I have already heard those previously. One is State of Love and Trust though, which is in my top 5 Pearl Jam songs ever (only released on the soundtrack to the movie "Singles")

The last disc is a DVD of their performance on MTV Unplugged (a GREAT series if you haven't seen any of them) which I can't wait to watch at home. My only copy is a dodgy VHS tape I recorded on RAGE when I was 15.

I have the Redux version on now, in my head phones whilst at work. It's pure heaven to me, the clarity and precision makes me shake and the sounds I hear now that I have never heard before are intoxicating.

I walked into the Muses in Rundle Mall at lunch time and picked this up, feeling like a kid again.

Yes, pure indulgent as far as posts go but I don't care.

Great post.
I remember picking up The Alive single for a special introductory offer of $1.95 from Virgin in Rundle Mall.
In those days a charting single would usually go for around $7.
I had gone in to get a Carter USM single, saw that on the counter and thought, there's $10 well spent.
It was.

I've never been a massive fan of Pearl Jam, but that song had a resonance with many teens for whatever reason at that time.
I have my own reasons, I was thankful for that song.

Dissident wrote:I was impressionable in 1991. I was in my second year of High School, just turned 13, and working out who I was. One day at my friends place, I heard a song that would instantly become one of my favourites. The song was called "Alive" and at the time I didn't know who it was by. After a quick question, I found out this instant classic to my ears was Pearl Jam, and the album "Ten".

Intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge chorus solo, outro ... it was like the most perfectly structured song to me. Add to that passion and depth, and I was in awe.

I then fell in love with the album itself. From start to finish every song is a moment, every song has a personality, and a unique story. Not once have I ever skipped on a song when playing it.

When Stone and Jeff originally made their demo tape of a few songs and gave it to Jack Irons (then, of RHCP) to see if he wanted to be their drummer, he declined, but referring them to a long haired surfer from San Diego as a possible singer.

They sent the tape with three songs to Eddie, who listened to it on the beach, went for a surf, and then came back to dub vocals over the top. The result was full demos of Alive, Once and Footsteps.

Alive is the flagship song of the album, and probably the most widely known, just in front of Jeremy. But there are so many great songs I can't even rank them. "Garden" is well crafted. "Release" is full of pleading. "Porch" is in your face, as is "Deep". And my joint favourite song, "Black", has helped me through some tough times in the past.

Today I purchased "Ten - Deluxe Edition". Basically there are three discs, the first being the original album remastered. The second is Brendan O'Brien's Redux of the album, where he plays god to the original, bring it up to date as such, removing the dated reverb and adding a LOT of weight to the vocals and lead guitar. There are also some songs that were previously unreleased tacked onto the end, though I have already heard those previously. One is State of Love and Trust though, which is in my top 5 Pearl Jam songs ever (only released on the soundtrack to the movie "Singles")

The last disc is a DVD of their performance on MTV Unplugged (a GREAT series if you haven't seen any of them) which I can't wait to watch at home. My only copy is a dodgy VHS tape I recorded on RAGE when I was 15.

I have the Redux version on now, in my head phones whilst at work. It's pure heaven to me, the clarity and precision makes me shake and the sounds I hear now that I have never heard before are intoxicating.

I walked into the Muses in Rundle Mall at lunch time and picked this up, feeling like a kid again.

Yes, pure indulgent as far as posts go but I don't care.

I ordered mine last week from the ten club, cant wait for it to arrive.

Never got into Pearl Jam, even though I grew up in that grunge era, but Alive still sends a pleasant shiver down the spine.

Quichey wrote:Never got into Pearl Jam, even though I grew up in that grunge era, but Alive still sends a pleasant shiver down the spine.

Probably because Pearl Jam isn't grunge by any stretch of the imagination

Grunge;
What you wear, and being from Seattle.

s'about the extent of it

Add to that most "Grunge" bands weren't even from Seattle!

Dissident wrote:Grunge;
What you wear, and being from Seattle.

s'about the extent of it

Add to that most "Grunge" bands weren't even from Seattle!

Um yeah.....went a bit further than that....even so "grunge" was basically started in Perth in the early 1980's by Kim Salmon.

I still have the Cassingle of 'Alive'!

Leaping Lindner wrote:

Dissident wrote:Grunge;
What you wear, and being from Seattle.

s'about the extent of it

Add to that most "Grunge" bands weren't even from Seattle!

Um yeah.....went a bit further than that....even so "grunge" was basically started in Perth in the early 1980's by Kim Salmon.

Artists don't start genres... the media do

Grunge was a fallacy.
Repackaged rock to make kids think it was cool again after hair bands had gone out of favour.

Sorta DW - but you're making it sound old and redone

As Leaper pointed out, K. Salmon and his mates are regarded by many as having started grunge.
Basically, it was down and dirty rock written from the bones of the arse without the 'glamour' of the industry.
The media/labels co-opted that time of music/scene because they could see the hair train slowing down and they needed another avenue of making money.
Hence grunge was born.
I don't see anything particularly new in grunge.

Which is exactly why Pearl Jam isn't grunge



Regardless, let me indulge!!!

I too was just finding my own musical taste after my brother and mates had had me on Zeppelin, Sabbath, Budgie, Purple.....and for me ( like you Diss I was at High School, Yr 11 ) I heard 'Alive' and had to get the album.

To this day 'Porch', for mine, has one of the best intro's to a song and 'Ten' is in my top 5 albums.

In fact, after seeing a promo for a special on V on Fox recently it has been in my car for the last week or so. I watched the V special last night and had flash backs to bludging school and watching an "Unplugged" session of Pearl Jam.

Might have to plug the VCR in so I can watch it again soon.

As I said finding my own musical tastes involved Pearl Jam, Nirvana, RHCP at that point in my life.

Ten is a very powerful album and one that will stick with me.....

Am just listening to my favourite song from that album (possibly EVER) - BLACK from the Live on Two Legs album

Great album, and as others I remember buying it and how much I got from that album in my youth

MELVINS!

I was too intrigued with Death Metal at the time, but an ex-girlfriend introduced me to them, & we saw them at Thebarton Oval(?)

Yup Thebarton Oval - I remember that day! Second time they were here, first was Memorial Drive in 1995.

I have seen them at

Memorial Drive (i was outside mum would not let me go in)1994
Thebby Oval 1998
ent centre 2001 (i think)
rod laver2001 x2
Rod laver 2007
ent centre x2 2007
maddison square garden x2 2008


all great shows. They are awsome live

Dissident wrote:Yup Thebarton Oval - I remember that day! Second time they were here, first was Memorial Drive in 1995.

With The Meanies as support