Pearl Jam turns 20 today

Today marks one of the most important dates in rock ‘n’ roll history. Or at least it does in my book.

Twenty years ago today a band called Mookie Blaylock played its first show. That band is still together and although they’ve undergone a few lineup changes in the drummer department they managed to become one of the most successful bands ever to come from Seattle. That band is of course Pearl Jam. And while I typically don’t use my space on G Candy to celebrate the birth of bands, anyone who knows me knows that Pearl Jam holds a very special place in my heart. So happy birthday Stone, Eddie, Matt, Mike and Jeff and thanks for twenty years of amazing music that I (along with millions of other people around the world) love so dearly.

There’s a great recap of Pearl Jam’s Mookie Blaylock’s first show, which was at the Offramp (which is now known as El Corazon), over on Two Feet Thick. While your there I highly recommend downloading the excellent zine 1990: The Making of Pearl Jam which traces the history of the band. It’s a great read for superfans and casual fans alike. The set from the band’s first show can be viewed on YouTube and it’s worth a watch just for historical purposes. Check out the “Once” performance below and be sure tpo crank up your favorite bootleg or your superdeluxe vinyl copy of Ten to celebrate twenty years of Pearl Jam.