Pearl Jam was born from the ashes of Mother Love Bone after lead singer Andrew Wood overdosed on heroin. Love Bone guitarist Stone Gossard and Bass player Jeff Ament ventured out and found Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, and Dave Krusan and formed Mookie Blaylock which was later renamedPearl Jam. Rumor has it they band took their name from lead singer Eddie Vedder's Grandma Pearls' home made jam.

Based at the center of the Seattle Grunge scene Pearl Jam found a willing Epic records to sign them to a deal. Their First album Ten was released in 1991, and was a huge success with several singles receiving heavy airplay on Mtv, and radio.

Not realizing that they had in fact become the main stream, Pearl Jam decided to spit success in the face with a claim of not being sell outs by refusing to make any music videos for their second album Vs. which hit the streets in 1993. But the record Sold, sold, and sold some more.

Then the now famous show down with Ticket Master occurred in support of Vs. The band protested Ticket Master's "monopoly" of the ticket business, by canceling their summer tour.

Always wanting to be different. The band used a gimmick with the release of their third Album Vitalogy by making the initial copies available on vinyl only, later releasing the Album on CD and Cassette. Once again Pearl Jam had a multi-platnum album.

Vitalogy was followed by 1996's No Code. Two years later Yieldwas released, followed by a world tour in 1998.

Highly competent musicians with a unique dark sound and style Pearl Jam has left its mark on rock history. Still refusing to be considered mainstream Pearl Jam marches on in the Decade where refusing to be mainstream is mainstream.

For a Time Line History of Pearl Jam visit their site at the Epic Center

Written by Keavin Wiggins (Managing Editor)