How Pearl Jam Turned Angst into Activism
Since the formation of legendary Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam 30 years ago, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recipients have created a perfect combination of activism and rebellion.
Written by Alany Rodriguez
Illustrated by Darrina Green
In 1990, grunge bands in the Pacific Northwest were beginning their decade-long domination of the alternative rock charts. From this emerging scene, guitarist Stone Gussard and bassist Jeff Ament invited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike McCready, and drummer Dave Krussen to form the iconic rock band Pearl Jam. Although grunge had become known for gritty lyrics that brutally express worldly frustrations, the members of Pearl Jam decided to flip the switch and translate their angst into activism. From writing candid lyrics, to launching a non-profit organization, the Vitalogy Foundation, in 2006, they have used their platform to advocate for social justice, the environment, community health, arts, and education.
Photo courtesy of Crosscut
Frontman Eddie Vedder has used lyrics to express his internal concerns since Pearl Jam’s 1991 debut album, Ten, which set a precedent for the band’s emphasis on community mental health rehabilitation. On Ten’s fifth track, “Black,” Vedder sings: “Oh and twisted thoughts that spin 'round my head / I'm spinning, oh I'm spinning, how quick the sun can drop away.” Through his songwriting, the singer has been able to emphasize the importance of mental health. Pearl Jam has supported organizations such as the Songbird Sings Veteran’s Voices program which teaches veterans to express their own mental health issues using the art of songwriting in the same way Vedder does. In 2016, Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation pledged to donate $1 to the Songbird Sings Veteran’s Voices program for every ticket sold at the band’s Fenway Park concerts in Boston. With over 70,000 people in attendance over the course of Pearl Jam’s two headlining nights, the band raised nearly $20,000 for the charity.
Pearl Jam’s Boston fundraising effort was not the first time the band had dedicated a concert to promoting a worthy cause. In 1992, the members of Pearl Jam turned their Seattle “Drop in the Park'' concert into a voter registration site, where they were able to register over 3,000 attendees. Pearl Jam has a long-standing tradition of launching voting initiatives. However, during live music’s longest intermission, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the band has transitioned voting campaigns online. The bandmates are known to be frequent critics of the recent political climate of the United States. This is evident in their new album Gigaton, where Vedder writes: “then you got sitting bullshit as our sitting president,” and with their decision to launch the “Pearl Jam Votes” pledge, a commitment for fans to “Vote by Mail,” “Recruit Three Friends,” and “Don’t Wait!” In preparation for the 2020 Presidential Election, the band has been actively promoting this initiative via social media platforms to help increase voter turnout.
Photo courtesy of Pearl Jam
Beyond the polls, Vedder, a soul surfer by nature, has made ocean preservation and carbon mitigation a focal point within the band’s environmental activism. In 2003, Pearl Jam’s members publicly announced that they would calculate their carbon dioxide output. In doing so, the band made a conscious decision to limit emissions of their time on the road. Over the past 30 years, this has summated to over 20 concert tours. Pearl Jam also donates profits from each tour to conservation programs such as Climeco, an environmental commodity management company leading a carbon offset project in Alaska. If the songs “Oceans,” or “Amongst the Waves,” do not articulate Pearl Jam’s deep connection to water, then the band’s involvement with wetland preservation in the Gulf of Mexico might. In 2010, Pearl Jam partnered with the Gulf Restoration Network to replace oil with innovative renewable resources, preventing harmful oil spills from reaching the salty waves. With over $100,000 in donations, this initiative is sure to have rendered a deeper meaning behind Vedder’s pacifying relationship to the ocean.
Photo courtesy of Pearl Jam
The band also remains a prominent support system for War Child, which advocates for children living in war conflict zones to receive access to education, legal protection, and safety. Current drummer Matt Cameron spotlights War Child on the band’s website. Following the launch of the #My249 campaign by the organization, Cameron has repeatedly worn War Child’s “The Kids Are Not Alright” shirt at Pearl Jam shows and remains a leading figure in assisting the organization by fundraising money for the children impacted by war-torn communities.
Over the past three decades, Pearl Jam has continuously used its wide platform as a method to fuse revered music with the power of activism — setting the example for future musicians hoping to make a difference. Whether using lyrics to express a collective frustration with American politics, fundraising at concerts, or admiring the gift of nature, the band has seamlessly transformed wishful thinking into unyielding advocacy. It is rare that a group of rockstars dedicate such a large portion of their career to making life-changing contributions to society, but for Pearl Jam, it has proved to be a no-brainer.