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While working on the Temple of the Dog project, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament recorded a set of instrumental demos in August 1990 (known as the "Gossman Project"). Soundgarden's Matt Cameron contributed drums to ten of the tracks, and Shadow's Chris Friel contributed to two: "Times of Trouble" and "Black". Stone and Jeff shopped the tape (with working titles only) around to various connections including the Wilder Brothers in Los Angeles. They hit paydirt after giving part of the demo (known as the "Stone Gossard Demo '91") to former Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Jack Irons.
Featuring "Alive", "Once", "Footsteps", "Black", and "Alone", the Stone Gossard Demo was given by Irons to his basketball buddy Eddie Vedder in late September. While surfing, Ed came up with the lyrics to the song "Dollar Short". Using his 4-track recorder, Vedder layed down vocals for "Alive" (his title for "Dollar Short"), "Once" and "Footsteps". He compiled the songs onto the "Mamasan" tape and sent them back up to Seattle. Mike, Stone, Jeff and new recruit Dave Krusen loved Vedder instantly and enlisted him in the band.
The unnamed band began recording immediately upon Vedder's arrival. From October 8 through October 23, 1990 the group worked on their first demo tape. Taking the moniker Mookie Blaylock from a basketball trading card found in the demo tape package, the newly formed band performed their first live show on October 22 at Seattle's Off Ramp Cafe.
So what are all of these tapes? Eddie made several copies of the demo DAT (also known as the First Week Rehearsal demo) onto old R&B tapes and gave gave them to friends. While it's possible Mookie Blaylock recorded more than one demo tape, only the First Week Rehearsal demo has been verified. In the spring of 1991, Mookie Blaylock/Pearl Jam began recording "Ten" at Seattle's London Bridge Studios.
Some of these pre-"Ten" sessions leaked into the fan community...
Special thanks to Andrew McDougall, Carl Sylvester, Dave George, Goldmine, Lillydale, Lynn, Melinda Thompson, Randy, and Release.
Do you have any questions or comments? Make sure you read the F.A.Q. before you e-mail me. I really wish I had the time to answer all of your questions. However, questions, requests, etc. that cannot already be answered by the F.A.Q. will be ignored. If you're confident that your questions cannot be answered by the F.A.Q., e-mail oceans@raydian.com. Please check out BenHarper.net.
Eddie in Seattle 10/13
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The Gossman Project
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The King (early Even Flow) • Dollar Short (Alive) • Richard's 'E' (Alone) • 'E' Ballad (Black) • ? • Weird 'A' (Animal) • 7Up (Pushin' Forward Back) • Doobie 'E' (Breath) • Agytian Crave (Once) • Times of Trouble (Footsteps) • Evil 'E' (Girl) • Folk 'D'
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A five song version of this recording featuring "Alive", "Once", "Footsteps", Black" and "Alone" is known as the Stone Gossard Demo. All instrumental, the working titles for these jams are listed first, with the finished title in parentheses.
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Eddie Vedder in Seattle 10/13/90
(First Week Rehearsal demo)
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Even Flow • Once • Breath • Release • Girl • Alive • Goat • Alone • Oceans • Black • Improv. • Quick Jams • etc...
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The first ever demo recorded as a full band. Eddie wrote "this was only after 6 days" on the cover. "Improv." is an early take of "Yellow Ledbetter" with completely different lyrics. "Quick Jams", a short instrumental, is also known as "Wierd A". "etc." is most likely the filler track "Daddy" - see below (10/23/90).
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Eddie Vedder in Seattle 10/23/90
(First Week Rehearsal demo)
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Even Flow • Once • Breath • Release • Girl • Goat • Alive • Alone (unlisted) • Oceans • Black • Improv. • Weird A • Daddy
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Eddie changed the track list to accomodate a different length cassette. The versions recorded onto this particular tape might be re-mixed from the original 10/13/90 master. "Daddy (Could Swear, I Declare)" is most likely a filler track taken from a previous Vedder session.
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Mookie Blaylock Demos
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Even Flow • Once • Breath • Release • Girl • Alive • Alone • Hold Your Head Up (Mother Love Bone) • Mystery (Blind Horse)
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A mere sampling of the First Week Rehearsal demo, these songs were compiled on early bootleg CD's. The bootleggers tried to pass off two other Seattle band songs as Pearl Jam. The first, "Hold Your Head Up", is an Argent song covered by Mother Love Bone. "Mystery" is a demo from Blind Horse, a short-lived band consiting of Bruce Fairweather and Doug Gilmore of Mother Love Bone among others.
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Pre-Ten Demos
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(Breath • Alone • Even Flow • Oceans • Daddy Could Swear, I Declare) • Alive • Dirty Frank • Wash
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This tape is a fan-made compilation with a half-accurate title. The first five songs are most likely from the First Week Rehearsal demo. "Alive" and "Wash" are from the Alive promo single. "Dirty Frank", recorded after Pearl Jam's tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is from the Even Flow import single.
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Ten Session
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Jeremy (3 takes) • Black (4 takes) • Oceans
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This tape was first mentioned on alt.music.pearl-jam on 1996/01/05. A collection of song including multiple takes from the "Ten" sessions.
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Ten Session 1/29/91
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Alive • Wash • I've Got a Feeling
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This session was recorded at London Bridge Studios, Seattle, WA on January 29, 1991 for the Alive promotional single.
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First Takes 3/27/91
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Black • Girl • Why Go • Porch • Alone • Jeremy • Once • Why Go (2) • Wash • Release • Oceans • Garden • Breath • Yellow Letter • Breath (2) • Even Flow
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From the DAT master, 4 or 5 copies were made and hand labeled by Ed. They were given to the record company, Ed (duh), Jeff, and Stone. Apparently, Ed's copy was stolen :( This tape is not circulating; it has never circulated. How I wish I had a copy.
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Rough Mixes 4/26/91
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Once • Why Go • Even Flow • Garden • Black • Oceans (Version I) • Release • Brother • Porch • Jeremy • Breathe (sic) • Deep • Alone
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As of April 26, 1991, the tracks had been layed down for Ten. A roughly mixed compilation was given to Epic executives. Some noticeable differences between this tape and the final release of Ten include a click-track at the beginning of "Jeremy" and the first version of "Oceans" (later renamed "Oceans (Remix)" on the Even Flow single). Strangely, "Alive" is not part of this compilation.
Copyright © 2002 Gavin Conaty. All Rights Reserved.
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