Amazon Music and Amazon Live will unveil an in-depth conversation between Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Bruce Springsteen centered around Vedder’s new solo album, “Earthling,” which will be released tomorrow by Seattle Surf/Republic. Directed by longtime Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny, the interview premieres tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET and will be exclusive to Amazon for 48 hours, after which it will live on Vedder’s YouTube page. It was recently taped at Springsteen’s farm in Colts Neck, N.J., while Vedder was in the tri-state area for a series of live performances.
In a teaser released today, Springsteen asks Vedder about the bands that inspired the harder-edged side to his sound, which can be heard on numerous “Earthling” tracks. As previously reported, the album was produced by and co-written with Andrew Watt and features backing by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and that band’s former guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
“I still hear the punk and even a certain sort of metal influence on some of the songs. Who influenced you in that part of your music?,” Springsteen inquires.
Vedder replies:“The stuff that got put in my blender started maybe [with] Jackson 5 when I was a kid, Beatles, and then the Who took over big time.” Motioning to Springsteen, of whom he’s been a decades-long super-fan, he says, “And then, my friend…,” to which Springsteen retorts with a laugh, “Ah, grazie.”
Continuing, Vedder mentions “the Band, and then into Split Enz and Talking Heads and Sonic Youth and Fugazi. Mudhoney. I guess you put all that in and you just hit pulse.”
Springsteen and Vedder were previously featured in conversation as part of the Boss’ Apple Music “Letter to You Radio” specials in October 2020, and have performed on stage together numerous times since the early 2000s. Most recently, they were heard in tandem on a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” released as part of Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello’s 2021 solo album, “The Atlas Underground Fire.”
In addition to tomorrow’s interview, a recording of Vedder’s Feb. 3 performance at New York Beacon Theatre with his solo band the Earthlings will premiere on SiriusXM’s Pearl Jam radio tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET.