"Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation"/Steven Hyden [Episode 95]
b'Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto the Seattle grunge scene three decades ago with their debut album, \\u2018Ten\\u2019, they\\u2019ve sold 85 million-plus albums, performed for hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and have even been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In \\u201cLong Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack Of A Generation\\u201d, music critic and journalist Steven Hyden celebrates the life, career, and music of this legendary group, widely considered to be one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. \\u201cLong Road\\u201d is structured like a mix tape, using 18 different Pearl Jam classics as starting points for telling a mix of personal and universal stories. Each chapter tells the tale of this great band \\u2014 how they got to where they are, what drove them to greatness, and why it matters now.
Much like the generation it emerged from, Pearl Jam is a mass of contradictions. They were an enormously successful mainstream rock band who felt deeply uncomfortable with the pursuit of capitalistic spoils. They were progressive activists who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Ticketmaster monopoly, and yet they epitomized the sound of traditional, male-dominated rock \\u2018n\\u2019 roll. They were looked at as spokesmen for their generation, even though they ultimately projected profound confusion and alienation. They triumphed, and failed, in equal doses \\u2014 the quintessential Gen-X tale.
Impressive as their stats, accolades, and longevity may be, Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam\\u2019s most definitive accomplishment lies in the impact their music had on Generation X as a whole. Pearl Jam\\u2019s music helped an entire generation of listeners connect with the glory of bygone rock mythology and made it relevant during a period in which tremendous American economic prosperity belied a darkness at the heart of American youth. More than just a chronicle of the band\\u2019s career, this book is also a story about Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam came from angsty, outspoken roots and then evolved into an establishment institution, without ever fully shaking off their uncertain, outsider past. For so many Gen-Xers growing up at the time, Pearl Jam\\u2019s music was a beacon that offered both solace and guidance. They taught an entire generation how to grow up without losing the purest and most essential parts of themselves.
Written with his celebrated blend of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden explores Pearl Jam\\u2019s path from Ten to now. It\'s a chance for new fans and old fans alike to geek out over Pearl Jam minutia\\u2014the B-sides, the beloved deep cuts, the concert bootlegs\\u2014and explore the multitude of reasons why Pearl Jam\\u2019s music resonated with so many people. As Hyden explains, \\u201cMost songs pass through our lives and are swiftly forgotten. But Pearl Jam is forever.\\u201d
Steven Hyden is the author of \\u201cThis Isn\\u2019t Happening\\u201d, \\u201cTwilight of the Gods\\u201d, \\u201cYour Favorite Band Is Killing Me\\u201d, and \\u201cHard to Handle\\u201d with Steve Gorman. His writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Billboard, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Grantland, The A.V. Club, Slate, and Salon. He is currently the cultural critic at UPROXX. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife and two children.
Purchase a copy of "Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation" through Hachette Books: www.hachettebooks.com/titles/steven-hyden/long-road/9781668610916/
Listen to a playlist of the music discussed in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cLZNOL0vy6RXbl77wAh6z
Follow Steven Hyden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Steven_Hyden
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