The album "Vitalogy" which is "Pearl Jam's" third album was released on November 22, 1994.
This is the album where we went in separate ways (because we decided to go with Dave Abbruzzese) so here are some interesting facts about it...
1. This is the last album recorded with drummer Dave Abbruzzese, who joined immediately after the release of the album "Ten" and was a partner in the creation and recordings of "Vs". Although he was not one of the creators of "Ten" he definitely matched this album perfectly and continued to give the band the vibe it had on the album.
2. This album is considered by many, to be the band's most "experimental" album to date.
3. It was the second fastest-selling album in the history of the band when in the first place was "Vs".
4. Most of the album was written and created during the sound checks of the "Vs" album tour. The recordings were made in the breaks between performances.
5. During the recordings of the album, there was a legal and public battle between the band and the production company Ticketmaster following the ticket prices for its performances. It was also the catalyst for Dave's dismissal.
6. During the recordings, the relationship between the band members was at a very low point. Lack of cooperation, the deteriorating relationship between Dave and Jeff Ament and Eddie Vedder (which were very tough anyway), and the fact that the mediator and peacekeeper, Stone Gossard stopped doing his job because he was broken by Eddie dictating the musical and creative direction (he even plays guitar on the album). Politics was very difficult and power struggles took place in the background.
(Photo: Tony Mottram)
7. Add to all this the absence of Mike McCready from the recordings since he had to go into an alcohol and drug rehab facility.
8. The one who paid the price for the state of the relationship was drummer Dave. Just before the end of the album recordings, the band members decided to fire Dave for a reason of incompatibility. In various interviews, the band members said that the dismissals came as a result of Eddie's disgust with the character and behavior of Dave, who loved the glorious life and sought to increase the band's success (he opposed the fight with Ticketmaster).
9. Our personal opinion is that Dave was the most suitable drummer for "Pearl Jam" after Dave Krusen who recorded "Ten". After he left the band did not sound anymore like it did on the first two albums and with all the respect and immense appreciation we have for Matt Cameron he is less suited to the style. But who are we to judge, the band decided to go another way.
10. The first and founding drummer of the "Red Hot Chili Peppers", Jack Irons, was brought in to replace Dave on the very last song of the album "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me".
11. There's another song where Dave is not playing the drums but the band's drum technician Jimmy Shoaf replaced him in the song "Satan's Bed", following a tonsillectomy that Dave had to undergo at the time.
12. Some of the reviews praised the unstoppable style, roughness, eclecticism, and daring of this album. No unnecessary production or emphasis on accessible hits and melodies. But some see it as a band with no direction or statement but a collection of songs or caprices, which have not been worked out to the end for something to hear.
13. Reporter Al Weisel from Rolling Stone wrote about the album
"A wildly uneven and difficult record, sometimes maddening, sometimes ridiculous, often powerful"
14. Most of the album talks about the famous dissonance that Eddie has with the music industry and the fame, the pressure created following the success, and the lack of privacy as a result of the fame.
In songs like:
15. “Not for You” which expresses anger at the bureaucracy of the music industry that takes talented young people and sells their souls for final exploitation.
16. The song "Pry, To" ..... "Privacy" ...... "Priceless" ....
17. The song "Corduroy" which talks about one person's relationship with millions of people...
18. The song "Bugs", the insects that are everywhere in Eddie's head, you decide to whom he refers to...
19. In the song "Immortality" he describes the right to be famous as: "As privileged as a whore"
20. And we do not want to talk about the creepy and disturbing song "Stupidmop" that closes the album.
21. The vinyl version of the album held the top spot for the highest sales in the first week until 2014 when Jack White's "Lazaretto" album stole the lead.
22. This album earned the band its first Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Hard Rock Performance thanks to the song "Spin the Black Circle".
23. The song "Better Man" is the most successful song from the album that conquered the rock charts.
24. We talked about Ticketmaster... So during the tour to promote the album, the band boycotted the company and refused to perform at the company's events/halls. The band members were surprised that no other band joined them in the boycott... (wasn't it a shame to lose Dave because of that?)
25. The name of the album means "Exploration of Life". The initial name of the album was "Life" while on the back of the first single "Spin the Black Circle" which came out of the album was written, "From the Epic album Life".
26. The album cover is based on a book of the same name that Eddie purchased at a yard sale that contains outdated discussions about health and well-being.
If you want to listen to an eclectic, difficult, and "dark" album on: Spotify, Apple Music