Eddie Vedder has apologized to Pearl Jam’s Australian fans for ignoring the country for a decade.
The American singer and guitarist, 59, has spoken about his band’s long absence from Australia as they prepare to return for the first time in a decade next month.
Pearl Jam – consisting of Eddie, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron – last performed at the Big Day Out festivals in 2014.
The ’90s grunge legends’ final performance in Australia also marked the final year that the Big Day Out festival would take place, as it was canceled the following year.
Ahead of their highly anticipated return, Eddie addressed joke theories that their performance led to the cancellation and apologized for Pearl Jam’s long hiatus in Australia.
“I don’t know what killed Big Day Out! I hope we didn’t do that,” he joked to the newspaper Courier mail.
“But my apologies to Australia; We should have been back and I don’t want to bother you.’
Eddie then revealed the reason why Pearl Jam haven’t performed in Australia for a decade, describing their touring schedule as ‘sporadic’.
Eddie Vedder has apologized to Pearl Jam’s Australian fans for dissing the country for a decade, as they prepare to return for the first time in a decade next month
“We’re sporadic and weird about how we tour. We go to Europe and then we do Canada and America and now Australia and there is a method to the madness and sometimes the method takes longer than any of us want,” he said.
He explained that he and his bandmates all need some time away from each other before coming back together to perform, to keep their music and shows “fresh.”
Pearl Jam drove their Aussie fans wild when they confirmed three stadium shows Down Under as part of their Dark Matter world tour.
It has been confirmed that they will play Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast on November 13, Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on November 16 and Giants Stadium in Sydney on November 21.
There was speculation that the rock group would play an Adelaide 500 Supercars show in November, but the event was not mentioned in the tour announcement.
As an added treat for fans of ’90s alternative rock, the band is supported by indie rock legends The Pixies.
Pearl Jam – made up of Eddie, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron – last performed at the Big Day Out festivals in 2014 (they are pictured in 1992)
Eddie (pictured in September 2023) revealed the reason why Pearl Jam haven’t performed in Australia for a decade, describing their touring schedule as ‘sporadic’
The tour coincides with the launch of their twelfth studio album, Dark Matter, which was released on April 19 – the same day Taylor Swift unveiled The Tortured Poets Department.
Pearl Jam formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990 and their debut album Ten was released in 1991, featuring classic hard rock hits such as Alive and Even Flow.
Although their first album was not an immediate success, sales exploded in 1992 as they rose to fame as part of the globally influential grunge music scene that emerged from the area.
Other notable bands included Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, all of whom joined Pearl Jam and achieved huge success in the 1990s.