Biography
Stone Gossard stands out as a multifaceted figure in rock, given his role as Pearl Jam’s guitarist, his involvement in assorted side projects, his appearances on other musicians’ releases, his work as a producer, his ownership of a Seattle studio, his leadership of a record label, and his testimony before a congressional subcommittee in Washington. Born on July 20, 1966, in Seattle, he studied at the Northwestern School of the Arts alongside Steve Turner, who would later play guitar in Mudhoney. During his teenage years Gossard performed in several local garage outfits, among them the Ducky Boys, March of Crimes, and Green River, the last of which also featured Turner. Together with Soundgarden and the Melvins, Green River helped forge the heavy, punk-charged style that came to be labeled grunge, a sound fusing Black Sabbath riffs with the raw attack of the Stooges. Although the group released only three independent EPs before disbanding in 1988, its influence on the emerging Seattle scene remained significant.
After the breakup, Gossard continued alongside former Green River bassist Jeff Ament. The pair set out to assemble a new band more attuned to the glam and classic-rock influences that had shaped their early tastes. That band, Mother Love Bone, was fronted by the charismatic Andrew Wood, known onstage as “Landrew.” Record labels quickly took notice, sparking a bidding war that ended with a contract from Mercury. The Shine EP appeared in 1989, and expectations ran high for the forthcoming full-length Apple, yet Wood died of a heroin overdose just before its 1990 release. The loss scattered the members, though Gossard and Ament eventually regrouped.
Chris Cornell, Soundgarden’s singer and a former roommate of Wood, wrote several songs in tribute to the late vocalist and invited Gossard and Ament to contribute to the recordings. Around the same time, a California acquaintance recommended a surfer named Eddie Vedder as a potential singer. Vedder soon arrived in Seattle and joined the new ensemble, completed by guitarist Mike McCready and a changing lineup of drummers. Before settling on the name Pearl Jam, the musicians performed under the temporary moniker Mookie Blaylock. All four took part in the sessions for Temple of the Dog, Cornell’s tribute to Wood, which surfaced in April 1991 with modest initial notice yet later achieved substantial sales.
Pearl Jam ultimately adopted its permanent name and issued the debut album Ten on August 27, 1991. Timing proved fortuitous, as the broader “Seattle Explosion” centered on Nirvana and Soundgarden was about to crest. By spring 1992, Ten had climbed the charts, elevating Pearl Jam to international prominence. Further releases—Vs. in 1993, Vitalogy in 1994, No Code in 1996, Yield in 1998, and Binaural in 2000—sustained that success, alongside extensive sold-out tours; the band also supported Neil Young on his 1995 album Mirror Ball. Known for political engagement, Pearl Jam frequently staged benefit concerts, and in 1994 Gossard and Ament testified against Ticketmaster before Congress.
Beyond Pearl Jam, Gossard appeared with several bandmates in Cameron Crowe’s 1992 film Singles and launched the side project Brad, which delivered the albums Shame in 1993 and Interiors in 1997. He also established the Loose Groove label, opened Studio Litho in Seattle, produced recordings for Satchel, Weapon of Choice, Critters Buggin, and Green Apple Quick Step, and contributed to sessions by Thermador and Josh Freese.
After the breakup, Gossard continued alongside former Green River bassist Jeff Ament. The pair set out to assemble a new band more attuned to the glam and classic-rock influences that had shaped their early tastes. That band, Mother Love Bone, was fronted by the charismatic Andrew Wood, known onstage as “Landrew.” Record labels quickly took notice, sparking a bidding war that ended with a contract from Mercury. The Shine EP appeared in 1989, and expectations ran high for the forthcoming full-length Apple, yet Wood died of a heroin overdose just before its 1990 release. The loss scattered the members, though Gossard and Ament eventually regrouped.
Chris Cornell, Soundgarden’s singer and a former roommate of Wood, wrote several songs in tribute to the late vocalist and invited Gossard and Ament to contribute to the recordings. Around the same time, a California acquaintance recommended a surfer named Eddie Vedder as a potential singer. Vedder soon arrived in Seattle and joined the new ensemble, completed by guitarist Mike McCready and a changing lineup of drummers. Before settling on the name Pearl Jam, the musicians performed under the temporary moniker Mookie Blaylock. All four took part in the sessions for Temple of the Dog, Cornell’s tribute to Wood, which surfaced in April 1991 with modest initial notice yet later achieved substantial sales.
Pearl Jam ultimately adopted its permanent name and issued the debut album Ten on August 27, 1991. Timing proved fortuitous, as the broader “Seattle Explosion” centered on Nirvana and Soundgarden was about to crest. By spring 1992, Ten had climbed the charts, elevating Pearl Jam to international prominence. Further releases—Vs. in 1993, Vitalogy in 1994, No Code in 1996, Yield in 1998, and Binaural in 2000—sustained that success, alongside extensive sold-out tours; the band also supported Neil Young on his 1995 album Mirror Ball. Known for political engagement, Pearl Jam frequently staged benefit concerts, and in 1994 Gossard and Ament testified against Ticketmaster before Congress.
Beyond Pearl Jam, Gossard appeared with several bandmates in Cameron Crowe’s 1992 film Singles and launched the side project Brad, which delivered the albums Shame in 1993 and Interiors in 1997. He also established the Loose Groove label, opened Studio Litho in Seattle, produced recordings for Satchel, Weapon of Choice, Critters Buggin, and Green Apple Quick Step, and contributed to sessions by Thermador and Josh Freese.
Singles
