Pearl Jam - Momma-Son (Full Demo)

Download the demo here:

0:00 - Alive
4:36 - Once
8:21 - Footsteps

The legendary demo tape that started it all.

[intemaniaco]

now i can understand why mike mccready says in the interview of the movie who he was impressed about the voice on that tape, and why he said "this is a real guy?" this demo it's fucking amazing

[veddermn]

Ed saying "Bless you" at the 8:29 sneeze from 500 miles away is endearing and hilarious every time.

[ghostwhiskey]

Good thing it didn't get lost in the mail

[MustObeyTheRules]

Just imagine back in the day sending these instrumentals and eddie singing this brilliance over it and hearing it the first time lol I couldn't imagine

[samsquanch]

I wish I could have seen Mike, Stone, and Jeff's reaction to this the first time they heard this

[mz]

On this day (September 19) in 1990, Stone & Jeff asked Eddie to join their new band after listening to this gem of a demo. That day was the birth of a brand new baby that would one day be called Pearl Jam. A baby that would grow up to change lives, and the world. Thank you Jack Irons for playing Cupid the matchmaker, and for bringing them all together. If there was a reason, it was you!

[michaelblaine]

It's crazy to think that when Eddie recorded these vocals no one knew who he was and he couldn't have known how successful they'd become. That's obviously not what's important but it's still amazing to think

[stillalive--]

Remember that this is just a mic wired to a tape track recorder in the 1st year after the 80's... This is something really outstanding... I have all this original editions and I am so grateful for being a teenager on those days. I'm 43 now and I cry like if it was yesterday. Thank you.

[jesseaverage]

I love how on "Footsteps" either Stone or Jeff sneeze and Eddie says "Bless you." Awesome.

[TokyoBlue]

Now THAT'S how you get an audition! Mike, Jeff & Stone were blown away by this, and immediately called Eddie to come to Seattle. Eddie's voice sounds amazing even on this demo cassette tape.

[lagringo]

"Once" is lyrically much improved...and it is amazing how little needed to be done to Alive and Footsteps.

[billylupo]

Its amazing how "alive" is pretty much the same. He has the verse and chorus down pat. In "once" he had the chorus and the last one is "Times of Trouble" that was on The Temple of the Dog album and Chris Cornell ended up writing for that one. Whats really incredible is the chemistry that they already had before they ever actually met one another. I mean Alive was tweaked at minimum. It was already completed from the beginning when he put his voice to it. They just got together and touched it up a little.
Very impressive!

[JayDePoy]

I was a senior at Calvary Baptist High in Muskegon, Michigan... We were not aloud to go to movies, dances, or listen to rock music. The first time the class rebel shared his walkman and we split the headphone speakers. I was introduced to Eddie Vedder and all the rage. We sat in the back of the chapel and I knew that one day, I was going to run away from all of this. And if they ever ask me why, I would say, "I did what I had to do, and if there was a reason... it was you."

[patclaerhout]

My life is so much better because this tape was made.

[nickj]

you can hear his pure innocence and hunger to be an artist eh… 

[juanayala]

Is a misfortune that somebody died in order for PJ, my favorite band of all times, to be born. The first time I heard PJ it was instant love.

[mike]

I bet Stone and Jeff shit their pants when their demo came back with these vocals and lyrics. The rest is history.

[NoahWoodworth]

the fact that the bands coming together depended solely on the transportation of this tape from seattle to san diego and back through the mail is mind-blowing. If the tape was lost in the mail then Pearl Jam wouldve never existed.

[danemonk]

Can you imagine Eddie being alone in his apartment overdubbing on a 4-track. If he only knew what was to come. A pivotal moment.

[RiseAgainstLolz]

i love how someone sneezes on footsteps and he says bless you, should've kept that one