Pearl Jam Eye Return to the Road

UPDATE:

“The Fixer,” Backspacer’s first single which will hit radio Monday, made a brief early debut last night during Fox’s coverage of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. According to Rolling Stone, the clip, which played for about 30 seconds during a commercial, featured Eddie Vedder singing the words “something’s gone, I want to fight to get it back again.”

Yesterday marked the beginning of pre-sale for the new album. Backspacer can be pre-ordered in CD or vinyl LP from off the band’s website (www.pearljam.com); “The Fixer” is also being sold as a 45.

Backspacer Tracklist:

1. Gonna See My Friend

2. Got Some

3. The Fixer

4. Johnny Guitar

5. Just Breathe

6. Amongst The Waves

7. Unthought Known

8. Supersonic

9. Speed Of Sound

10. Force Of Nature

11. The End

Conan O’Brien, in preparation for his debut on The Tonight Show earlier this summer, said that what was helping him to keep going through all the hard work was that he would be able “to watch a performance by one of the greatest rock bands in the world” on his first show.

He was, of course, referring to Pearl Jam, who made their own debut that night with “Got Some,” the first track to be heard off their upcoming album Backspacer. The album, the band’s first since 2006, is set to drop September 20th; the first single, “The Fixer,” hits radios July 20th.

Pearl Jam has announced that, in support of Backspacer, they will begin a North American tour starting in Chicago on August 23. The series will continue to San Francisco, their hometown of Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, San Diego, and Philadelphia. Ben Harper and the Relentless7 are the opening act in all cities except Philadelphia. Tickets go on sell to the Ten Club, their official fan club, on July 13.

For those of you who are curious about the album’s name, it may mean that you missed out on the band’s participation in the Great Turtle Race in April. The Great Turtle Race followed eleven leatherback sea turtles as they migrated from their “foraging grounds in the frigid waters of Canada to nesting beaches on the sun-soaked shores of the Caribbean,” writes National Geographic online. Each turtle was tagged with tracking devices that allowed scientists to gather information that, hopefully, will help them prevent the extinction of this endangered animal. Pearl Jam sponsored a 825 lbs. female turtle who they named Backspacer; this large lady got first place in the race.

The band’s website says of Backspacer, the turtle: “Backspacer joined the Race more for the sake of the journey than the end goal — she’s taken to the road to think about where she’s been and where she’s headed next.” Perhaps this statement equally describes the band’s journey to their new album, and thus the album’s title.

Pearl Jam North American Tour Dates:

August 23 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
August 24 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
August 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
September 21 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
September 22 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
September 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
October 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
October 4 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
October 6 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
October 7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
October 9 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
October 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Spectrum
October 30 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Spectrum

– Liz Childers