Brandi Carlile
On May 5, Legacy Recordings will release Cover Stories: Brandi Carlile Celebrates 10 Years of the Story (An Album to Benefit War Child). To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Brandi’s breakthrough album “The Story”, many artists are covering the album in its entirety. Pearl Jam will contribute a cover of Again Today. This is the first studio recording by the band since “Lightning Bolt” was released. All proceeds from this new interpretation of “The Story” will go to War Child UK.
Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Deluxe Edition
Epic Soundtrax and Legacy Recordings will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cameron Crowe’s Singles with the release of a newly expanded and remastered edition of the “Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” album on May 19. The newly expanded version is being offered in digital, 2CD and 2 LPconfigurations and is available for pre-order. The 2LP edition features the album’s original 13 tracks newly mastered and freshly pressed across four sides of collectible 12″ vinyl. The bonus CD of rarities and unreleased tracks (Disc 2 in the 2CD set) is included as a special insert in the 2LP 12″ vinyl package. The newly released bonus CD (included in both the 2LP and 2CD deluxe editions) features previously unreleased recordings by Chris Cornell, Mike McCready (“Singles Blues #1”), Mudhoney and Paul Westerberg in addition to rarities such as Cornell’s 1992 EP Poncier (debuting early renditions of “Spoonman” and “Flutter Girl”) and tracks from the film not included on the soundtrack album first released on June 30, 1992. The expanded edition of the “Singles” soundtrack includes, for the first time on CD, “Touch Me I’m Dick,” the signature track from “Singles” performed by Citizen Dick (the fictional band created for the film featuring frontman Matt Dillon backed by “drummer” Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament).
In anticipation of this release, a 7” single of State of Love & Trust / Breath (limited to 5000) is among rumored exclusive releases that will be coming out for this year’s Record Store Day on April 22.
Mike McCready: photo book & single for Steve Gleason
HockeyTalkter Records and Powerhouse Books are releasing Of Potato Heads and Polaroids: My Life Inside and Out of Pearl Jam by Mike McCready on May 30th. Available for preorder in hardcover or limited edition at PearlJam.com, this 240-page book is a collection of Polaroid snaps taken by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready throughout his nearly 30-year career. Featuring intimates intimate images of his Pearl Jam bandmates behind the scenes at venues, traveling between gigs, or relaxing at the beach, Mike captures an eclectic mix of athletes, musicians, and celebrities including Dennis Rodman, Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Lady Gaga, Macklemore and Jimmy Fallon.
A few months ago, Mike McCready released the 7″ single Space In Between/ Her Again through his label HockeyTalkter Records. The lyrics to the songs were written by McCready’s longtime friend Steve Gleason. The former NFL player’s battle with ALS is the subject of a recent documentary called Gleason. McCready and Gleason teamed up for the film’s soundtrack, with Gleason writing lyrics for both songs, and the guitarist composing music for the words. Both songs are performed by Mike McCready and Kim Virant.
Mike McCready’s UFO cover band Flight to Mars will perform at the Showbox in Seattle on May 12th & 13th for their annual concerts benefiting the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Mike McCready & Friends will also be performing at Upstream Music Fest + Summit, to be held May 11-13 around Pioneer Square in Seattle.
Soundgarden: spring tour dates & “Ultramega Ok” deluxe reissue
Soundgarden – with Matt Cameron on drums – announced a string of US tour dates in April and May, following the deluxe edition release of Ultramega Ok, remixed by Jack Endino and featuring six early versions of tracks from Ultramega OK (recorded in 1987 on 8-track tape).
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.