On the morning of last Monday, the 12th, the veterans of Pearl Jam released the video for "Wreckage," a song from their twelfth studio album, Dark Matter , released in April of this year.
Eddie Vedder the song has a strong political charge. The singer himself has even attributed the song to former US President Donald Trump . During an interview with the Sunday Times , Vedder said: “There’s a guy in the United States who still says he hasn’t lost an election. And people are echoing and amplifying that message as if it were true. Trump is desperate. I think there’s never been a candidate more desperate to win, just to stay out of prison and avoid bankruptcy.”
Recorded on May 16th during a performance by the band at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the video features excerpts from the visuals used during the tour, created by designer Rob Sheridan , known for his work with Nine Inch Nails . The direction is handled by the experienced Blue Leach , who has previously worked on live projects for names like Eric Clapton , Toto , and Depeche Mode .
Aesthetic changes for Pearl Jam
For those accustomed to the understated aesthetic of Pearl Jam's live shows, the changes brought about by the new album were showcased in this video. Instead of using LED screens like most artists, the band opted for an analog solution. They are using a cinema-style screen with a projector to display the images.
With the release of the album Dark Matter , Pearl Jam crew members Kille Knobel and Spike Brandt wanted to revamp the band's aesthetic. The solution was to invite visual artist and fellow countryman of the band, Rob Sheridan, to create the visuals being used on the tour.
An artist for the new look of shows.
In an interview with the Seattle Times , Sheridan commented that he was on vacation when he received the invitation and that he would only return to live visuals if it was with the "right creative connection and the right artist." The artist added:
“That’s exactly what happened. Besides Pearl Jam being a legend, I grew up in Seattle. They’re part of my DNA. Eddie and I really got along and had a creative synergy. It was exactly what I expected, and I could tell what the band expected,” he commented.
During months of work, Sheridan and his wife captured numerous images of chemical reactions and experiments with lights that are being displayed during the shows and are available in visualizers on the band's YouTube channel.
The artist also explained the technical decisions and significant changes to the tour's stage structure. “Pearl Jam isn't a bright, cold LED screen. It's a warm, incandescent light. We said, 'What if we did this with a really analog feel? What if we used a projection screen?' And some ways to help bring the visuals into the space with the band. But not to compete for attention with what is one of the greatest live bands, in terms of musical performances, of our generation,” he said.
Rob Sheridan is already well-known to industrial rock fans, especially Nine Inch Nails fans. He was responsible for the album cover designs for albums like Things Falling Apart and With Teeth by NIN, as well as other projects with the band in a partnership that lasted more than a decade.
READ ALSO: Pearl Jam releases 12th studio album 'Dark Matter'; listen here
