In 1991, the Seattle-based band Pearl Jam released their debut album Ten. It was a time when the Seattle grunge sound was making its way from the greater northwest to the rest of the world. Ten went on to sell more than 12 million copies, cementing the quintet’s name in music history.
Pearl Jam, which continues to be one of the most prolific rock bands of the 90s generation, has recently re-released its monumental debut album in four original and expanded editions. The four different editions: the legacy edition, the deluxe edition, the vinyl collection, and the super deluxe edition. The reissue of Ten is just the beginning for Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. They have mapped out a two-year catalogue re-release campaign leading up to the band’s 20th anniversary in 2011.
The four editions of the Ten packages include a pair of versions of the album - the remastered version of the original and an additional remixed version done by the band’s long-time producer, Brendan O’Brien.
In a press release, O’Brien said, “The band loved the original mix of Ten but were also interested in what it would sound like if I were to deconstruct and remix it. The original Ten sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that. After years of persistent nudging from the band, I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original – giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound.”
The reissue packaging is the brainchild of bassist Ament, who served as the art director for the original Ten look. He was joined by designer Andy Fischer, of Cameron Crowe’s Vinyl Films (“Into the Wild” soundtrack LP, “Vanilla Sky” soundtrack LP, “Harold and Maude” anniversary edition soundtrack LP).
"The goal was to assemble the ultimate fan-piece,” explains Fischer. “Something Pearl Jam lovers could pore over as they experience an indelible record all over again, in an entirely new way."
“The original concept was about really being together as a group and entering into the world of music as a true band...a sort of all-for-one deal,” Ament added. “There were some elements of the original Ten artwork that didn't turn out the way we had hoped, due to time constraints. With this reissue, we’ve been able to take our time and invest resources into making the design the way we had originally intended.”
If you are a diehard and dedicated fan of Pearl Jam, like this writer, the super deluxe edition of the Ten release is a goldmine of never before seen or heard material for the band. The super deluxe edition includes:
* Remaster of original Ten album and remix by producer Brendan O’Brien
* DVD of previously unreleased 1992 Pearl Jam MTV Unplugged performance
* LP of the band’s 1992 "Drop in the Park" concert
* Replica of Pearl Jam three-song demo cassette with Eddie Vedder’s original vocal dubs
* Recreation of Eddie Vedder composition notebook
* 24x36 replica poster of the release date and album cover
*stickers, replica backstage passes, tickets from Drop in the Park and more
Recently, a friend of mine told me Pearl Jam was the new Grateful Dead because of their volume of material and the fanaticism of their fans. You can’t have one without the other. In this day and age of digital everything, music has become disposable. It’s a testament to Pearl Jam’s staying power and integrity that they are able to release something of this magnitude - not for the sales, but to give back to their fans. After all, more than 12 million fans can’t be wrong.