Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament says he’s still surprised by the band’s success – even after 25 years together.
The band will mark the 1991 anniversary of debut album Ten with a run of shows across North America starting next month.
And when asked if he’s surprised at their continued popularity and ability to sell out stadiums, Ament reports that he often has to pinch himself when hitting the stage after an extended break.
He tells Rolling Stone: “After a while, I actually forget that I’m in this big band, so I’m always humbled and shocked when things like that happen. It’s never not a surprise. It’s always exciting to be on tour. You’re in a nice hotel. You show up at the gig and the amps sound great.
“A lot of our crew has been with us for 15 to 25 years and they do a great job. It feels like, ‘Wow, this is what I do.’ That happens every time after we haven’t toured in a while.
“That said, a lot of times I dread it leading up to it. I’m like, ‘I don’t wanna leave home. I’m gonna miss my wife. I’m gonna miss my dogs. I’m gonna miss painting in my art room and the little routine that I have.’ And then once you’re out there, you’re like, ‘Wow, this is crazy. This is a crazy life that we have.’”
Ament says he and the band have tentatively approached the subject of recording the follow-up to 2013’s Lightning Bolt – although nothing concrete has been decided yet.
He adds: “I think there’s talk of getting together and throwing some ideas together. There’s no plan of making a record yet.
“I think because everybody’s got families and stuff, it just gets trickier and trickier trying to nail people down. But I honestly feel that if somebody just called and said, ‘Hey, let’s go in the studio in October or whatever,’ we would. It would be done. I think it’s just gonna take that.”
Ament is also part of supergroup RNDM who release their second album Ghost Riding tomorrow (March 4) and head out on the road for a small run of North American dates this week.
Pearl Jam 2016 North American tour dates
Apr 08: Fort Lauderdale BB&T Center, FL
Apr 09: Miami American Airlines Arena, FL
Apr 11: Tampa Amalie Arena, FL
Apr 13: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, FL
Apr 16: Greenville Bon Secours Wellness Arena, SC
Apr 18: Hampton Coliseum, VA
Apr 20: Raleigh PNC Arena, NC
Apr 21: Columbia Colonial Life Arena, SC
Apr 23: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, LA
Apr 26: Lexington Rupp Arena, KY
Apr 28: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA
Apr 29: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA
May 01: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
May 02: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
May 05: Quebec City Centre Videotron, QC
May 08: Ottawa Canadian Tire Centre, ON
May 10: Toronto Air Canada Centre, ON
Jun 09-12: Manchester Bonnaroo, TN
Aug 05: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Aug 07: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Aug 20: Chicago Wrigley Field, IL
Aug 22: Chicago Wrigley Field, IL
