Wisdom of Pearl
May 24, 2006

If there's such a thing as a silver lining to wartime (readers, this is your cue to hit the "send" button on those angry e-mails), it's getting a great record from Pearl Jam. The group's self-titled CD, its eighth studio recording, is a full-blown protest album and the leanest, brawniest collection of songs the seminal Seattle alt-rock band has put out in more than a decade. In town for shows tonight and tomorrow at the TD Banknorth Garden, Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard called to chat about music and politics, set lists, and being a 40-something rocker.

Q. People are saying that Pearl Jam sounds rejuvenated and that the new album is a return to form. Does it sound and feel that way to you?
A. It does. Partly it's just playing the songs over the last couple of weeks; they seem to really fit in with the old material. It's exciting to have a bunch of rock songs that are full-on.

Q. When a band comes up with a great album, is it serendipity, or was there some spark, something you can put your finger on, that rekindled the fire?
A. Being in a band is an ongoing process. There are different periods. We've been a band for 15 years, and we're all in our 40s, and we still have a strong passion for the ecstasy that we've felt in each other's company, bashing our instruments and making it up as we go along. In any long relationship there's renewal, in the sense that you get through a long journey and wake up refreshed and feel a new loyalty and excitement. In a band it plays out by having a more exciting record.

Q. When Pearl Jam plays protest songs, is the band preaching to the converted, or do you believe that the music can inspire action and change?
A. I don't know. I'm not thinking about getting a point out other than wanting the music to soar. But I think Ed is pretty astute politically, and his frame of reference is one that is very interesting to a lot of people. I think he's been courageous when it comes to trusting his process, and I think it resonates in a pretty broad way.

Q. You're renowned for changing up your set lists. [In 2003 Pearl Jam played three nights in Boston and repeated only one song.] When and how do you decide what to play?
A. Ed looks at the landscape and says, `Here's what I'm gonna have to do,' and we comment and suggest changes. We're working on it on the van ride over to the venue. And we get a set list 15 minutes before we hit the stage. Me, I don't think on my feet as well as lots of musicians, so you'll get versions of things that aren't exactly the way they are on the record.

Q. Any idea what Boston audiences will hear?
A. New songs and old songs. And I'm sure some covers.

Q. Speaking of covers, I think it's so weird that ``Last Kiss" is Pearl Jam's biggest song.
A. It's very interesting. We recorded that at a sound check on a little digital recorder. It was for the fan club. You can try album after album to write a hit and spend months getting drum sounds and rewriting lyrics, or you can go to a used record store and pick out a single and fall in love with it.

Q. Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is a major fan and friend of Pearl Jam. Does he get to request songs?
A. Theo is pretty quiet and very unassuming. I've never seen him be needy. But I bet if he did request a song, he'd get one.

Nice article. Maybe all the 'Leashers' need to speak to Theo instead.

I was watching Yankees Redsox last night and the announcers are saying "and theres the GM of the sox, Theo Epstein" whose standing next to him, Stone Gossard.

cool.

Love it

Theo is one of Stone's Bitches

Who isn't?

Was Stone at the sox-yanks game yesterday? I thought I saw him when YES showed Theo in his box discussing something with someday...It was quick, but it looked like Stoney was outside of Theo's box....

"Speaking of covers, I think it's so weird that ``Last Kiss" is Pearl Jam's biggest song."

Thank you for posting this! Theo Epstein can shove it though....

Remember that zany rumor when Theo stepped down as GM that he was going to go on the road with Pearl Jam? A la Ricky Williams following Lenny Kravitz. I remember hearing it on ESPN and thinking, that's so cute.

Thanks! I love hearing from Stone.




Now this is a person who should join Stone's Bitches? What do ya say?