Exclusive: Cameron On Music – PJ20, We Bought A Zoo & More

Comments Off
Share Button

I’m very excited to share a recent interview that I conducted with Cameron on all things music entitled “Music Matters”. We chatted about a variety of musical topics including Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Todd Rundgren, Led Zeppelin, the best guitarists he’s seen live and much more. Then the questions turned to the musical aspects of both Pearl Jam Twenty and We Bought A Zoo. Another in-depth interview will occur this Fall and cover more specifics around the films, but today’s interview is all about the music…

 

Filed under News

Crowe’s Nest: Gossard Cameo, PJ Roots, Vedder, Citizen Dick

Comments Off
Share Button
Stone Gossard and the “Waiting for the Interurban” statue

The Crowe’s Nest is a feature that collects random tidbits, etc. in one blog post. Today’s edition focuses on PJ related items:

  • Like many other places, Washington State/Seattle is having major financial problems. It doesn’t look like they will be attracting any new film and TV productions anytime soon as they have cut all tax incentives. This article talks about Seattle’s film legacy and includs a great picture (above) of Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard (who was part of Mother Love Bone at the time) on the set of Say Anything… (in a scene that was cut from the final film).
  • The Seattle Times looks back at Pearl Jam’s 20 years with a strong focus on their local roots. There’s some great anecdotes (especially around Eddie Vedder “helping out”), so you’ll want to check it out.
  • The San Diego Union Tribune talks with Eddie Vedder during his recent Ukelele tour. Topics include early influences like Pete Townshend and Neil Young, along with the upcoming PJ20. Here’s what Eddie had to say about looking back:

“I think that, in order to keep progressing, there should be some benefits to looking back, to help you determine what your future course may be. But if they are (there), I don’t think they’ve been tangible for any of us… What we’ve learned is that we really do live in the present. And, to be honest, this looking back thing make me feel like I’m glad we have someone as astute and devoted to music as Cameron Crowe at the helm of putting something together that would represent us and tell a certain number of stories that happened over (the past) 20 years.. So I think we’re just happy we’ve survived it and are still friends and more than that, happy that we’re still a working group.

  • Finally, a great quote about Singles and Citizen Dick by former OK Hotel booker/Gits drummer Steve Moriarty for Mark Yarm’s upcoming book, Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge, which will be released on Sept. 6, 2011.
“I remember seeing fake posters on the poles for a show that the band in [Singles] was supposed to be playing. They’d filmed them, then left the posters up. We were like, ‘Is that show really going on at the OK Hotel? I don’t remember booking that.’ I was like, ‘Who the fuck are Citizen Dick?’”

Filed under News

The Song Remains The Same – Liner Notes x 2

Comments Off
Share Button

 

How about a double shot of Led Zeppelin liner notes for your Friday viewing pleasure? You may not know, but Cameron created two completely different set of liner notes for Led Zeppelin’s inaugural live album. The 1976 version is a brief look at a first, a Zep performance captured on film.  The lengthier liner notes for 2007 remaster focus on the unique live experience of a Zeppelin concert and includes present day quotes from Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. I hope you like the both!

 

Filed under News

Pearl Jam Twenty Book Cover!

Comments Off
Share Button

 

Here’s the first look at the front cover for the Pearl Jam Twenty book. Nice and simple, huh? Don’t forget that the 256 page book is written by Jonathan Cohen with assistance from Mark Wilkerson. It will also include an introduction by Cameron, along with interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Dave Grohl.  The book is scheduled to be released on September 13, 2011 and will be published by Simon & Schuster.

Filed under News

Mark Kozelek: DVD + Cameron Interview On 8/16!

Comments Off
Share Button

Mark Kozelek will release a documentary DVD entitled On Tour. A Documentary on August 16th lensed by Joshua Stoddard. On the same day, the Sun Kil Moon site will post an written interview that Mark did with Cameron. So stay tuned for that. Here’s the details from Caldo Verde Records:

For 19 years, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek has toured solo and as front man of both Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon. Until now, he has never given filmmakers access into his life on the road. Filmed during portions of Mark Kozelek’s European and North American tours of 2010 and 2011, this is a rare glimpse into Mark’s backstage areas and passenger seat travels. Shot in black and white, this dynamic film captures the fast paced travel of a singer on a solo-acoustic journey, giving viewers an inspirational look at its high points, and also a stark view of its mundane realities. Footage includes an intimate version of ‘Katy Song’ performed at Sant’Ambrogio Church in Bologna, a mesmerizing ‘Half Moon Bay’ performed in Switzerland, and a flamenco-flourished ‘Third and Seneca’ filmed in a Copenhagen hotel room. The film’s soundtrack includes album tracks, concert recordings, hotel room performances, and a score written and performed by Mark Kozelek.

TRACK LISTING:

  • Sam Wong Hotel
  • Ålesund
  • Void
  • Katy Song
  • Half Moon Bay
  • Australian Winter
  • Tonight In Bilbao
  • Lucky Man
  • Trailways
  • Four Fingered Fisherman
  • Like The River
  • Lost Verses
  • Blue Orchids
  • Third And Seneca
  • Carry Me Ohio
  • You Are My Sun
  • Natural Light
  • Moorestown
  • Heron Blue
Filed under News

L.A. Times Music Reviews: America vs. Lucifer’s Friend?!

Comments Off
Share Button

As promised, here’s the last batch of Cameron’s LP reviews from the December 16, 1974 edition of the L.A. Times. He has nice things to say about America’s latest, more experimental release, Hat Trick, but says that early metal band, Lucifer’s Friend’s album is for “special tastes”. I don’t know about you, but I do think that album cover sure is interesting…

 

 

 

Filed under News

American Hot Wax: Cameron Becomes the Story

Comments Off
Share Button

We’ve got a new Rolling Stone article to share with you today. Cameron visited the set of the 1978 film, American Hot Wax, a film that chronicles Alan Freed (an influential DJ)  and the early days of rock ‘n roll. What’s interesting is that he was asked to portray a delivery boy and he shares the process with the readers. Ultimately his lines and most of his scene was cut from the film, but you can kind of see him (wearing the paper hat) during the “Come and Go With Me” studio sequence (34:00 minute mark).

Incidentally, American Hot Wax has never been released on DVD and is extremely collectable on VHS. However, you can watch the film over on Myspace.

Filed under News

More L.A. Times Music Reviews: Guthrie, Prairie & Raspberry

Comments Off
Share Button

How about three more L.A. Times LP reviews from 37 years ago this month? First up is Arlo Guthrie and Cameron rates this one “a gem”. Pure Prairie League’s Bustin’ Out also receives high marks. Can we get three LPs in a row that pass the muster? Unfortunately not, as Larry Raspberry’s LP is dismissed rather quickly. Oh well, two out of three isn’t bad…

 

Filed under News

  • Almost Famous- Paramount+, Fubo, Pluto TV
  • Aloha- Netflix
  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High- Starz
  • Elizabethtown- Fubo
  • Singles- Criterion Channel
  • Vanilla Sky- Paramount+,Fubo
  • We Bought A Zoo- Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max