If you’re the sort of person who measures your life by album-release dates, the fact that Pearl Jam’s Ten is now nearly old enough to order a round of birthday Jagermeister shots might provoke much soul-searching and possible sports car-purchasing. But Pearl Jam, at least, doesn’t appear phased by the 20th anniversary of its mega-selling debut. In fact, as Billboard reports, the band might be in the midst of its busiest year ever. In April, Pearl Jam plans to enter the studio to record the follow-up to 2009’s Backspacer. as well as announce details for the Pearl Jam Twenty festival, which will likely take place in the vicinity of Labor Day weekend.
A new album and a festival celebrating yourself sounds like a lot, but that’s not all Pearl Jam is up to this year. Eddie Vedder will also have a solo album and tour, there’s that Cameron Crowe documentary and corresponding book, and a second solo record from bassist Jeff Ament. (All you SXSWers can see Ament’s new side band Tres. Mts. somewhere in Austin this week.) Drummer Matt Cameron is also busy recording with the reunited Soundgarden.
Coming up at the end of the month are reissues of Pearl Jam’s second and third albums, 1993’s Vs. and 1994’s Vitalogy, which will be packaged with a live album recorded in Boston around the same time. Look for a review of the boxed set at The A.V. Club later this month.