Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 3rd February!
Pearl Jam (1992)
On the 3rd February 1992, Pearl Jam played their very first gig in Europe in Southend, England!
The show took place at The Esplanade Club and the concert was unannounced and unadvertised. Here’s the setlist of this legendary and secret warm up gig:
Wash
Once
Even Flow
State of Love and Trust
Alive
Black
Why Go
Jeremy
Outshined (Soundgarden)/Leash
Jam (Dirty Frank)
Porch
Release
Breath
300 lucky people witnessed this very special and historic moment in Rock history!
Pearl Jam’s first Europe tour was scheduled from 3rd February until 13th March 1992, by playing in eleven differerent countries (England, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany).
Get your Pearl Jam stuff here (for Austrian customer):
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 23rd December!
Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
Happy birthday to Mr. Edward Louis Severson III, who is better known as Eddie Vedder! Eddie was born on the 23th December 1964 in Evanston (close to Chicago – Illinois) and he became and is still the frontman of the legendary Grunge band Pearl Jam. Beside that, he is doing also some solo stuff and various projects like his fantastic recording of the amazing soundtrack „Into the Wild“ (2007).
In the seventies he moved with his family to San Diego (California) and on his 12th birthday (1976) he received a guitar from his mother. So beside surfing, Eddie started to play music. Dropped out of high school, he moved to Chicago and changed his name into Vedder (his mother’s maiden name). In the eighties Eddie Vedder earned his high school GED and moved back to San Diego (1984). Beside his day jobs he started to record demo tapes. Four years later Eddie became the vocalist of the band Bad Radio. In 1990 Vedder left the band and crossed the paths of drummer Jack Irons, who became a close friend over the years. Irons handed him a demo tape from a group located in Seattle, which was looking for a singer. While listening to the music, Vedder wrote the lyrics for three new songs, recorded his singing and sent the tape back to Seattle. These tracks became later the Pearl Jam classics „Alive„, „Once“ and „Footsteps„.
Eddie Vedder get invited by Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, who were very impressed by his singing. At that time both were working with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell on the band project Temple of the Dog. During the recording sessions for the self-titled album, Eddie and Chris did a duet for the song „Hunger Strike„. After that, the band Mookie Blaylock (featuring Eddie Vedder on vocals, Stone Gossard on guitar, bassist Jeff Ament, Mike McCready on second guitar and drummer Dave Krusen) was founded. On the 22nd October 1990 the first concert happened in Seattle at the Off Romp Café.
Shortly after this, the band changed the name into Pearl Jam and the quintet was signed to Epic Records. In March 1991 the Grunge Rockers started to record the epic debut album “Ten“. This LP was released on the 27th August 1991 and sold over 13 million times in the USA until today and marks the most successful album in Pearl Jam’s history.
Get your Pearl Jam stuff here (for Austrian customer):
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 22nd November!
On the 22nd November 1993 the third studio album by Pearl Jam was released. „Vitalogy“ hit the stores only as a vinyl edition on this day and the album became the first LP to appear on the US chart since the CD relieved the old music format. The comapct disc edition (and also the MC release) of the new Pearl Jam album was available on the 6th December 1993. The 14 songs were recorded at different studios and finally produced by Brendan O’Brien. With 34,000 sold copies in its first week of release, „Vitalogy“ held the record until Jack White’s LP „Lazaretto“ (2014) for most vinyl sales in one week.
The „Rolling Stone“ gave „Vitalogy“ four of five stars. Writer Al Weisel described the LP as „a wildly uneven and difficult record, sometimes maddening, sometimes ridiculous, often powerful.“ In „The New York Times“ the album was praised for the diversity compared to the band’s previous records. Editor Jon Pareles judged: „Fast but brutal punk, fuzz-toned psychedelia and judicious folk-rock, all of it sounding more spontaneous than before“.
In 2011 the remasterd version of „Vitalogy“ (including the second Pearl Jam studio album „Vs.„) was released. The expanded version includes three bonus tracks and a copy of the concert „Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994“ on DVD.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 12th November!
Neil Young
Happy birthday to Mr. Neil Percival Young, who was born on the 12th November 1945 in Toronto, Ontario! The Canadian singer-songwriter started his music career at the age of 15. In 1966 he moved to California where he founded with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay the Folk-Country-Rock band Buffalo Springfield. After the group called it a day, Neil startet his solo career in 1968 and one year later he joined the famous trio Crosby, Stills & Nash as a fourth member. Neil Young’s work is outstanding and all over the decades he still likes it to experiment with all types of musical genres. He is also called the „Godfather of Grunge“ and so it’s no surprise that Neil Young also toured and recorded with Pearl Jam.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 3rd November!
BERT JANSCH (3rd November 1943 – 5th October 2011)
On the 3rd November 1943, the Folk singer and guitarist Herbert „Bert“ Jansch was born in Glasgow, Scotland. In the sixties he was very popular in London as an outstanding singer-songwriter and became one of the leading figures of the British Folk revival. In 1968 he was a co-founder of the band Pentangle, which broke up in 1972. Later he worked on different projects and in the eighties Bert Jansch reformed Pentangle but left the group in 1995.
The young quintet shared the stage that night with the bands Bathtub Gin and Inspector Luv & The Ride Me Babies (who later became Green Apple Quickstep).
When you read Mookie Blaylock’s setlist of that show you will recognise some songs, I do guess:
Shortly after this, the band renamed into Pearl Jam and signed to Epic Records. In March 1991 the Grunge Rockers started to record the epic debut album „Ten„. This LP was released on the 27th August 1991 and sold over 13 million times in the USA until today and marks the most successful album in Pearl Jam’s history.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 15th February!
Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981)
On the 15th February 1981, an outstanding guitar player passed away: Mr. Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield died at the age of only 38 years.
Mike Bloomfied was born on the 28th July 1943 in Chicago, Illinois (USA). Already in his teenage years, Mike was addicted to Blues music and early he began to play with local black musicians like Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachell and Little Brother Montgomery. Among his early supporters, who recognised Mike’s talent, were B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy and Al Kooper, who said about him: „They knew this was not just another white boy; this was someone who truly understood what the blues were all about.“
In 1968, Bloomfield crossed paths with Al Kooper again and they were thinking about, to record a jam album. With Mike’s mates Brooks, Goldberg and with drummer Eddie Hoh, the quintet recorded this legendary album. To complete the sessions, Kooper invited Stephen Stills – and the member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young added his guitar parts for the LP, which was called „Super Session“ (released in July 1968).
One year later, Bloomfield’s first solo album „It’s Not Killing Me“ hit the stores and he worked with different artists and on several projects. Unfortunately Mike’s heroin addiction grew bigger and bigger and on 15th February 1981 he was found dead in his car. Mike Bloomfield died on an heroin overdors – he was only 38 years old.
Welcome back to my personal music diary – today for the 17th August!
In 2008 I had my very first live experience with Neil Young – he played with his band Crazy Horse an amazing open air gig in the Austrian village called Wiesen and all I can say about this performance describes one word: BREATHTAKING!
Read a full review with the exact setlist and check out some nice pictures/videos on my site „Concerts (August)“ – just scroll down to the mention date (17/08).
If you are not really familiar with Neil Young’s music – here are my recommendations to buy:
Hello to you all, dear musiclovers all around the world and welcome again to my personal Music Diary!
On the 29th June 2002 I bought myself the album „Live in New York City“ from Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. An aweseome recording by The Boss and on this release there is also a very special song called „American Skin (41 Shots)„. Bruce Springsteen was inspired to this composition by the police shootiing death of Amadou Diallo. The full story behind this you can read here!
The Setlist (WOVENHAND):
Closer
Maize
In the Temple
Long Horn
As Wool/The good Shepherd
Sinking Hands
Kingdom of Ice
Whistling Girl/As I went out one Morning (Edit)
A Holy Measure
His Rest
King O King
Woven Hand played in Salzburg, Rockhouse, a very powerful gig. BUT two days later in Vienna they performed one of the best shows I’ve ever seen – so stay tuned 😉
Devotcka, live in Munich at the Ampere! Great show!
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The Setlist:
Head Honcho
DeVotchKa!
Queen of the Surface Streets
Basso Profundo
Along the Way
Curse your little Heart
Venus in Furs (Velvet Underground Cover)
C’est ce la
We’re leaving
The Clockwise Witness
How it ends
I cried like a silly Boy (Ted Thacker Cover)
The Enemy Guns
The last Beat of my Heart (Siouxsie & The Banshees Cover)
Undone
Such a lovely Thing
On this day I saw one of the best performances EVER! Woven Hand played in Vienna at the B72 (a very tiny location) an intense set – still get the creeps while thinking of this show!
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The Setlist:
Phyllis Ann/Phyllis Ruth
Sparrow falls
Outlaw Song
Deerskin Doll
The Speaking Hands
Tin Finger
Chest of Drawers
Wooden Brother
My Russia
Strawfoot
Down in yon Forest
Dirty Blue
White Bird
Your Russia
Black Soul Choir
Review of this breathtaking show you can find here!
17/08/2008:
NEIL YOUNG – Wiesen (Lovely Days Festival)
First of all I must admit, that I really HATE festivals. Why? Well, too many people on a place which is always too small. And finally there are always too many bands which are in most cases not really interesting. Secondly, I’m not that big fan of Neil Young’s music. I really love some of his songs, and I own some albums on vinyl and CD of course, but I would not call me a “Neil Young fan” really. Anyway – as I missed the last Neil Young show in Austria (22nd February 2008 at the Austria Center in Vienna) I have to forget all my bad thoughts about festivals, because this show was INCREDIBLE and AMAZING! A friend of mine was there and he told me, that it was one of the best shows ever he saw in his entire life. Even the press was VERY IMPRESSED about the show in Vienna. So I have to see Neil Young this time in Wiesen (a small village – one hour drive with the car from Vienna) at the one day festival called “Lovely Day Festival”. You want to know the other bands, which played before Mr. Neil Young gave us the creeps? Okay – but don’t say that I didn’t warn you – so here we go: Hans Theesink (an Austrian Blues musician with Dutch origin – not really that bad), Wishbone Ash (yes, they’re still alive!), Adam Green and The Waterboys. Enough said about this weird line up, I do think.
We waited until The Waterboys started their encore and so we head into this huge tent and tried to get a good place. By jostling through the people I was VERY AFRAID about the sound! The Waterboys were fuckin’ loud and my ears ached a lot after a few seconds! I thought: “Hey, what the hell will be, when Neil Young “works” on his electric guitar?” So I decided to put my ear plugs in. After The Waterboys left the stage, the roadies came on stage and built a lot of receivers and other electric stuff (many microphones, which were fixed at the back of the stage) up on the scene. Now I was sure, that this will be a FUCKIN’ LOUD AND HEAVY show! After the roadies finished their work, the light went out and Mr. Neil Young entered the stage.
He grabbed his guitar and started “Love and only Love”. Carefully I took my ear plugs out and what I heard was simply FANTASTIC! The sound was crystal clear, not too loud, not too heavy – it was PERFECT! Even the feedbacks were on the right level! The song endured approximately nine minutes and it was not a second too long. After the first notes of the classic “Hey Hey, My My” the crowd went nuts and cheered loudly. Needless to say that they sang the refrains with Neil Young. “Everybody knows this is Nowhere” from the masterpiece of the same name (released in 1969) was the next song of the night. And for everybody, who didn’t know the song titles, Mr. Young helped them with some paintings, which were set up by a Roadie between the tracks. Not to every song, but to the most of them the Canadian “Godfather of the Grunge” created a picture. Then “Powderfinger” (featuring Pegi Young and Anthony Crawford as backing singers) followed.
After that, Neil said: ”Thanks for coming everybody! We appreciate it. Hope you have a good time!” and an amazing version of “Spirit Road” (from the album “Chrome Dreams II”) gave me the creeps again. I thought to myself: “Wow – this was the highlight of the night, I guess!”. But fortunately I was wrong. Already the next was on the setlist: The over ten minutes long version of “Cortez the Killer” hit the whole crowd like a hammer. But this was not enough for the moment! For “Fuckin’ up” all people shouted with Neil: “Why do I keep fuckin’ up!” So, over 50 minutes were played, and although some bad drunks annoyed me from time to time (thanks guys for pushing all the time when I tried to make some photos!), I enjoyed the concert completely. Mr. Neil Young changed the guitars and so it was obvious, that some acoustic songs will be the next ones.
By hearing “Helpless”, the wonderful “Mother Earth” (for this song Neil played the organ) and “The Needle and the Damage done” my eyes became wet again. During “Unknown Legend” the drunken boys beside me sang EVERY WORD with Neil. So I forgave them for their wild behaviour, because it seems, that they were real fans, but badly drunken. But I was sure, that they will get tired before the encore because of the booze – and ten minutes later I was completely right. Anyway – Neil introduced the band: Anthony Crawford (Guitar), “my lovely wife” Pegi Young (Vocals and Piano), Chad Cromwell (Drums), Rick Rosas (Bass), “my old friend for manymany years, Mr. Ben Keith” (Pedal Steel Guitar, Slide Guitar, Guitar, Organ, Vocals).
Then the people sang with Neil his timeless songs “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” (featuring Larry Cragg on the Banjo). So the acoustic set was closed and so Neil grabbed his black Gibson for “Get back to the Country”. “Just singing a Song won’t change the World” followed, before Mr. Neil Young hit the pace with “See Change”. Some feedbacks headed in the next song, which would be approximately 13 minutes long: “Cowgirl in the Sand” with a lot of solos – what a version! This one blew me straight away. But there was enough space for more Rock’n’Roll: “Rockin’ in the free World” closed the set with full force and almost everybody was shouting, hopping and singing! This was real magic and Mr. Neil Young was the magician of the night with the right spell. Words can’t describe such situations – you have to be there and FEEL it. A wild feedback orgy closed the song and afterwards Neil, Pegi and the boys said goodbye. During the encore break the letters N, E, I and L lightened up the night in a dark red and after three minutes of shouting, cheering, clapping and hopping the band returned for a real surprise: “I read the news today, oh boy. About a lucky man who made the grade”, Neil sang. The Beatles song “A Day in the Life” was the last song of the concert and this version was also outstanding and heavy. Neil finished this cover with another feedback orgy and he nearly destroyed his guitar: All strings were broke at the end before he and the band left the stage finally.
The Setlist:
Love And Only Love
Hey Hey,My My
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Powderfinger
Spirit Road
Cortez The Killer
Fuckin Up
Helpless
Mother Earth
The Needle And The Damage Done
Unknown Legend
Heart Of Gold
Old Man
Get Back To The Country
Just Singing A Song Wont Change The World
See Change
Cowgirl In The Sand
Rockin In The Free World
A Day In The Life (Beatles Cover)
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What can I say? This concert was one of the best I’ve seen. And in this case, it was one of THESE nights, when everything is just perfect: The atmosphere, setlist, band, weather etc. As I already said in my review: Words can’t describe such magic situations – you have to be there. So – see you at the next Neil Young show in Austria!
On the 22nd November 1993 the third studio album by 
Melomane Blog 