Pearl Jam to Mark 20th Anniversary With Neil Young

Come October, Pearl Jam will have officially been a band for 20 years. They'll celebrate at a familiar event: Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit concert, happening October 23rd and 24th. Pearl Jam have played the concert, which helps children with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs, eight times before. "It's perfect [for the anniversary]: not too blown up," guitarist Stone Gossard [tells Billboard ]. "It's not about us, it's about all those kids that are on stage with you, and about Neil Young and his commitment, his influence." Pearl Jam first performed live as "Mookie Blaylock" on October 22nd, 1990, at Seattle's Off Ramp.

Photos: Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit 2009

Only Neil Young and Pearl Jam are confirmed for this year's shows, which will likely be held once again at Mountain View, California's Shoreline Amphitheatre. Pearl Jam will perform both nights, according to Antiquiet. The band have had plans to reissue their entire discography in time for the anniversary, but so far they've only re-released their 1991 debut, Ten.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

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