В 12 лет Энтони Кидис писал трогательные письма своему отцу, жившему в Лос-Анджелесе, и просил увезти его из Орегона. Это случилось, отец забрал Энтони от матери с отчимом. Отец хотел ему показать Голливуд, обетованную Калифорнию... more info >>
Pearl Jam's Era-Defining Debut Album "Ten" Turns 25 Years Old
The Seattle band's opening statement set the stage for a musical movement and a decades-long alt-rock dynasty.
In late 1991, two albums arrived to change music forever: Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Pearl Jam's "Ten". Together, the two Seattle bands ended an era of hair metal and introduced their decidedly different brands of grunge music to the mainstream. Nirvana did so with punk ethos, Beatles-esque pop smarts, and Kurt Cobain's poetic suffering; Pearl Jam with arena-sized riffs and choruses, dark textures, and Eddie Vedder's impressionistic wails. One band burned out in a few years. The other built a rock empire stretching 25 years and beyond. Ten, which came out 25 years ago today on Aug. 27, 1991, is the beginning of the latter tale.
In retrospect, it's easy to claim that Nevermind, the critical favorite, was the more culturally influential LP. But Ten had as much, if not more, cache in building the grunge scene and shaping alternative music to date. Nirvana's sound was original, authentic. 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.
Pearl Jam itself came together by chance in the vibrant early '90s Seattle music scene. 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. While preparing for the release of their 1990 debut, Apple, singer Andrew Wood died of a heroin overdose in March of that year. With the band abruptly over, they both retreated to reflect and write. Soon, the duo hooked up with another Seattle axe-slinger, Mike McCready, whose band Shadow had also recently disbanded. 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. 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. Along with Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, the quintet gathered to rehearse (and Temple of the Dog was born).
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. EdVed overdubbed his vocals, sent it back to Ament, Gossard, and McCready in Seattle, and was soon invited to fly north for an audition. 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. The band soon changed its name due to Epic Records' legal concerns, but ultimately titled the LP for Blaylock's jersey number.
The jokes stopped there. Unlike much of the ironic '90s, Ten is dead serious. The band crafted dark and textured tracks with layers of guitar hero riffs, sing-along choruses, and drum breaks. EdVed played the mysterious frontman, singing about depression, suicide, loneliness, mental health, homelessness, and murder. 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). 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. It won four MTV Video Music Awards in '93, including Best Video of the Year, Best Group Video, Best Metal/Hard Rock Video, and Best Direction.
"Ten" is far deeper than its singles. Others tracks hinted at the band's more nuanced future, especially "Black," a tale of a heartbroken man seeing his ex all around him; the soulful jam "Release"; and "Oceans," a tribute to Vedder's beloved surfing that carries perhaps the most spine-tingling moments on the whole album. Though not on the LP, Ten also yielded the Hendrix-esque b-side "Yellow Ledbetter," one of the first tunes the group wrote together, which has become a live favorite. These formed the template of many a PJ song to come, threading the line between delicate and bombastic.
Pearl Jam themselves have long discounted the mixing of Ten, and even released a remixed LP for its 20th anniversary, courtesy of longtime PJ producer Brendan O'Brien. But the original is decidedly 1991, inspired by what came before it: Green River, Mother Love Bone, Shadow, and the many other bands that influenced its members, from classic rockers to local peers (and there were many). The album's murky, reverb-drenched sound is part of what makes Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam, and Ten - Ten. And the numbers speak for themselves: Ten initially sold slowly, but by late 1992, it hit Gold. A year post release, Ten reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart. As of Aug. 2016, Ten has sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S., per Nielsen Music, and it remains the band's best-selling album to date. It also launched a trifecta -- the band's first three albums, including '93's Vs. and '94's Vitalogy, all reached multi-platinum status.
Ten is of another time: Think Seattle, Sub Pop, Singles, Doc Martens, flannel shirts, Reservoir Dogs, long hair, MTV host Kennedy, distorted/sludgy guitar riffs, saxophone Bill Clinton, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and oh so much more. But, remember, it's these guys (the same guys) that are still around, playing sold-out shows and releasing new albums, alive as ever.
Greg Gutfeld on Fox News Calls Red Hot Chili Peppers "Worst Band on the Planet"
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld is not a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan.
He made that very clear on Monday, while reporting on a video of bassist Flea jamming out with Koko the Gorilla.
“As most musicians know, this is a vast improvement over the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the worst band on the planet," Gutfeld said.
His co-host Eric Bolling egged him on, saying, "The producers said you should do this story, and I said no, Gutfeld is going to say the ape is better than Flea."
To which Gutfeld replied, "The ape is better than Anthony Kiedis. By the way, the ape is 45, which is half the age of Anthony Kiedis. Red Hot Chili Peppers, poor man's Faith No More, don’t ever forget it."
Bolling for one, is a fan. He offered after the unexpected diatribe, "I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers, big fan."
Watch video on YouTube
Gutfeld later tweeted that his comments were a "tribute" to comedian Neil Hamburger, who's known for his many jokes at the Chili Peppers' expense.
Red Hot Chili Peppers have reiterated that they'll step away from the music industry for a couple of years.
Bassist Flea has confirmed earlier reports that the band are taking the break to recover from a hectic touring schedule following their last record, Stadium Arcadium.
The period also gives Flea a chance to concentrate on his studies after enrolling at the University of Southern California on a music programme.
He told the Los Angeles Times: "We needed to get away from it and get a fresh perspective on things."
Talking about his return to school, he added: "I played trumpet in the school band, learned things I liked to play on my trumpet but I didn't learn why this note goes with this note and why it produces that sound.
"Knowing the structure is really fun." Source: Ananova
2008-05-22
Chili Peppers take sabbatical
Red Hot Chili Peppers have disbanded for at least a year.
The band are exhausted after a hectic few years and have decided to take the next twelve months off.
Singer Anthony Keidis told Rolling Stone: "We're disbanded for the moment.
"We took a very long time to make the Stadium Arcadium record. It was a grueling, long haul and it followed two other very long hauls, Californiation and By The Way."
The decision was made after they finished touring at the end of last year.
Anthony explains: "We were all emotionally and mentally zapped at the end of that run. The discussion was, 'Let's not do anything Red Hot Chili Peppers-released for a minimum of one year, and just live and breathe and eat and learn new things.'"
While Anthony spends time with his family, fellow members John Frusciante and Flea have begun working on solo projects. Source: Ananova
2004-06-23
Clash awarded for inspiration
The Clash have been awarded the Inspiration Award in music magazine Mojo's Honours List.
The awards, which also featured The Kinks' Ray Davies, recognise career-long contributions to music.
Mojo editor-in-chief Phil Alexander said the Clash had a "pushy bravado" which created songs "that remain as powerful and relevant today".
Davies, described as "consistently brilliant", won the songwriter prize for writing "classic material".
Davies wrote classic 1960s songs such as Waterloo Sunset, You Really Got Me and Lola.
Other stars honoured by the awards included James Brown, Marianne Faithfull, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Morrissey, Sting and the Black Eyed Peas. Source: Ananova
2004-05-26
James Brown to support Chilis
James Brown is to support the Red Hot Chili Peppers for most of their UK summer concerts.
The 'Godfather of Soul' supports the Chilis for their three gigs at London's Hyde Park on June 19, 20 and 25, reports NME.com.
He has also been confirmed as support at the City of Manchester Stadium on June 18 and the Cardiff Millennium Stadium on June 23.
N*E*R*D takes his place for the first gig of the tour at Edinburgh's Murrayfield stadium on June 13.
Chicks on Speed are also on the bill at all dates apart from Edinburgh and the final Hyde Park gig on June 25 when Stellastarr take their place. Source: DotMusic
2004-05-20
Billboard Bits: Frusciante
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has shifted his solo deal from Warner Bros. to its affiliated Record Collection label. The artist has six releases on tap, all of which he hopes will appear by the end of 2004. First up is "The Will of Death," due June 22 under Frusciante's own name.
Other albums in the pipeline include the Aug. 10 debut from Ataxia, featuring Frusciante, Fugazi bassist Joe Lally and multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer. The other four releases are described as solo recordings, save for one "equal collaboration" with Klinghoffer. Frusciante says all the albums will be released on vinyl as well as CD. Source: BillBoard
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