Having sold over thirty million albums since their triumphant debut with "TEN," Pearl Jam brought the hard-edged, alienated, and angst-ridden sound of Seattle to the forefront of popular culture, pioneering the musical movement of grunge. Imitators followed, and the band could have sold out to the culture of celebrity, but Eddie Vedder and the members of Pearl Jam took on the establishment. They challenged control over concert venues and ticket prices, and refused the media any access to the band-even through music videos-during the peak of the band's success.

Pearl Jam's approach has intensified the loyalty of its fans and has refocused their attention on their musical center. Despite the lack of advertising and recent shifts in musical trends, Pearl Jam concerts continue to sell out within hours to the hundreds of thousands of fans who are devoted to this rare group that continues to uphold its musical and political integrity.

And I like this book. Really.

It's just that ... well ... let me be honest here: great photography, interesting camera angles, and the B&W/color shifts are stellar and create a lasting effect; I just wish that once --just once -- the focus could shift to the viewpoint(s) of every OTHER member of the band besides Ed Vedder (the only time you really see it is in the photos of the fans -- for that, the book loses a star. Sorry, folks!). Maybe a sequel would be nice -- call it "Those OTHER Guys" and make them the subject matter.

Still, this is a book worth having. Very recommended.


Perfect for Hardcore Fans   August 1, 2001
doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Pearl Jam has made a career of hiding from the press and keeping a deliberately low profile. But they are known for giving goodies to their hardcore fans. I would have thought that PJ never allowed anyone to take pictures of them, but apparently Mercer and Peterson have had free range to take any pictures they wanted with the band on tour. There are only a few "publicity" shots where the band is clearly posing for the camera. The majority are onstage action shots and candid moments which provide a lot of insight into the band's personalities. There are also many great shots of the fans. Each of the four core members seems to be showcased equally, with some shots of their various temporary drummers. The funnest aspect of the book is watching the guys' image change over time - from overdressed, long-haired alt-rockers in the early days to their current scruffy low-maintenance "regular guy" look.


Beautiful Photography, Unparalleled Emotion   April 9, 2001
J. Muder (Strummersville)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Mercer and Peterson have collaborated with the band to offer a glimpse into the on and off-stage lives of Stone, Jeff, Ed, Mike, and (insert drummers' names here). The photographs alternate between B&W and color and integrate a variety of vantage points, camera angles, and photography techniques, not to mention an intruiging array of subjects, including drummer Jack Iron's son, Vedder's wife Beth Leibling, and many captures of fans. It is a lovely addition to the library of any Jammer.


wonderful pictures   September 6, 2000
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

This book is great for any Pearl Jam fan. It has various pictures of all the band members. I got my copy of this book free from Best Buy when I bought the latest Pearl Jam album Binaural (that was back in May). However, if you buy it it would be worth the money. The book's photos are creative and they are from different years. Great photography. It would be an awesome gift for a Pearl Jam fan.


Rising above hardships, alas a chronicle of a band we love   October 1, 1999
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

We have all, in time, waited for Pearl Jam, just for once, to bow to the demands of being a rock and roll band. Eddie Vedder, after Kurt Cobain died, assumed this role, although reluctantly. So many photographs, so many magazines chronicled the band's struggles--from the zenith of their power to the nadir of their performance, to sheer obscurity. Peterson and Mercer's photographs embodied the character, the emotion, the mood, the camarederie of a band that started as a seed, then as a plant and then as a towering tree. One endearing scene is the bond between Mike and Eddie onstage, in which the former was having the hard time to connect in ``those days,'' from the ``VS.'' to ``Vitalogy'' days. The singer, albeit the melodrama and almost Shakespearean life, became an enigma to Mike and to others. And this I applaud Place/Date for its work. And how many times the band members change their hairstyle, their musical style, Place/Date remains as one proof that Pearl Jam is band and not a one-man show.