Topher's Pearl Jam Bio
The band was originally formed in 1990, and at that time was
named Mookie Blaylock after the famous basketball player.
It had all started the same year, when the legendary
Andrew Wood had died from an overdose of heroin. Stone
Gossard and Jeff Ament, two former members of Wood's band
Mother Love Bone, recorderd a tribute album together with
guitarist Mike McCready and some folks from Soundgarden.
Gossard and Ament, who now were on the look after members
for a new group, united with guitar prodigy McCready and
recorded, with help from Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer
Jack Irons, an instrumental demo tape with songs like
'Once', 'Footsteps' and 'Alive' (called 'Dollar Short' at
that time).
Jack Irons not only helped the guys with the drumming, he
also arranged so that the demo tape came in the hands of
a young fellow down in California. A guy that lived on
his surfing board when he didn't work as a gas station
attendant or sing in the band 'Bad Radio'. A guy talented
with a voice clearer than crystal water. Yes, you know who
I'm talking about. Eddie Vedder.
Vedder quickly created some brilliant lyrics to the demo
tape music and sent it back to Seattle. Gossard & Co
were really amazed and even payed the flight ticket to
get Vedder to join them. The rest is, as they say,
history.
Go Back To Topher's Pearl Jam Page