Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder Performs With the Sonics in Seattle's Easy Street Records [WATCH]

For Record Store Day 2015, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder crashed a reunion show for the Sonics, surprising fans in Seattle's Easy Street Records.

The RSD event aided Seattle's local radio station, KEXP, which hinted that there would be surprise guests at the Sonics performance-the result being Eddie Vedder on the mic for admired Motown hit "Leaving Here." Originally written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, the Sonic's rendition of "Leaving Here" is on their first recorded LP since 1967, This is the Sonics.

The Motown single was penned by the trio and recorded by Eddie Holland in 1963. It became a wildly common cover song with interpretations by the Birds, Motörhead and the Who, notes Rolling Stone. The delivery by the Who motivated Pearl Jam to unleash their individual cover on Home Alive, the 1966 benefit compilation. Found on the B-side compilation album Lost Dogs, the Pearl Jam cover remains a fan-favorite and is a setlist staple for live shows.

Aside from performing, Vedder did a little vinyl sifting of his own, purchasing a 7" copy of Citizen Dick's "Touch Me I'm Sick," as Easy Street Records captured on its Instagram. The album release was inspired by Cameron Crowe's 1991 film, Singles, which features a Matt Dillon-led band, with Vedder manning the drum kit.

 Wouldn't you think he could get a promo? #rsd15 #touchmeimdick #vinyl #spintheblackcircle #thesonics #citizendick

A photo posted by Easy Street Records (@easystreetrecords) on Apr 19, 2015 at 9:51am PDT

Aside from the Vedder-Sonics mash-up performance, the show included local musicians Mike McCreedy of Pearl Jam, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel of Screaming Trees and Ben Shepard of Soundgarden, noted Stereogum.

Vedder will join his idol Pete Townshend at Chicago's Rosemont Theatre on May 14--a charity concert both celebrating the musical stylings of the Who and raising money for Teen Cancer America.

Tags
Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam, Record Store Day
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics