On Stage. A fan frames singer/guitarist Eddie Vedder and drummer Matt Cameron in his outstretched arms during a Pearl Jam concert. All photos by Danny Clinch.
“Pearl Jam has always done things its own way,” says band manager Kelly Curtis, “and always made the experience of its fans the first priority.” Known as the anti-mainstream founders of grunge, the Seattle-based band has been honing its alternative edge since 1990. Labels (most recently Sony) and lawsuits (most famously TicketMaster) have come and gone, while Pearl Jam has hung tight to the gritty independence of its hard-rocking voice.
Pearl Jam — Jeff Ament (bass), Matt Cameron (drums), Stone Gossard (guitar), Mike McCready (guitar) and Eddie Vedder (vocals/guitar) — bristles at any and all attempts at corporate control. The band has resisted most publicity, encouraged concert bootlegs, kept ticket prices low, generously supported charities, spoken out politically, and shunned the music business machine.
“They’re very protective of what gets put out for mass consumption,” says video editor Steve Gordon. “And with things visual, Pearl Jam has never been interested in getting the big machine to do it.” That’s why the very small Apple machine — mini-DVcams with Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro and ProTools on Power Macs and PowerBooks — has this eminently indie group embracing video with enthusiasm.
Miles of Material
For years the band filmed nearly every show; they had miles of material but no way to use it. “I was archiving footage and hoping that one day we’d be able to do something with it,” says videographer Kevin Shuss, “without having to go to some huge Avid post-production house and spend a ton of money importing footage and syncing up audio.”
“I don’t know that there would be three Pearl Jam DVDs if not for this type of technology. It allows people to do on their own what they were previously forced to hire from experts.”
Then a few crew members got their hands on Apple and DV technologies, and before long Pearl Jam was making its own music videos. “With Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro,” says Shuss, “we’ve created three DVDs presenting Pearl Jam in concert, in a way that the band is happy to release to the public. These programs make it possible for a small group of filmmakers to put together a professional quality product.”
According to Curtis, “I don’t know that there would be three Pearl Jam DVDs if not for this type of technology. It allows people to do on their own what they were previously forced to hire from experts.”
No Pyrotechnics
Experts wouldn’t be welcome on a Pearl Jam stage. “They really believe in the purity of their music,” explains Gordon. “That’s why they don’t tour with 15 trucks full of scenery and pyrotechnics. It’s just the band and the lights. They keep it very simple because they want it to be about the music and the people. So having guys swarming the set, with camera cranes swooping and cables trailing, doesn’t really suit their style.”
No such compromises are required. “We use small, three-chip camcorders and film mostly in a handheld style,” says Shuss. “And three of us can capture every concert without using huge crews and all the stuff that would get in the way of the real show: the music.” Adds Gordon, “The tools we’re using felt good to the band. They can get a visual record of the show without corrupting the experience for themselves or the audience.”
As importantly, the home team is running the show. “This technology allowed our crew members to add to their already full plates,” says Curtis, “making three beautiful movies that are reflective of this band and its touring experience.”
Just Our Team
Best of all, says Curtis, “We didn’t have to change a thing. There was no intrusion: it was just our team shooting our team.” For a band so cautious of outside influences, that was critical. “We’re part of the family, people they trust,” says Gordon. “So even though Kevin was our only pro videographer when we started, it worked because the tools are so accessible that anyone can use them.”
When she’s not busy with her regular job as assistant to Curtis, Liz Burns now grabs a DVcam and shoots. “The band didn’t want to have a whole separate film crew,” she relates. “And they didn’t want to have to re-do the lights or stand in a certain place to make it right for the video. They just want to put on a great show and not worry about how they’re appearing. Using DVcams and Apple tools allowed us to be really inconspicuous. We could capture what the band was creating without disrupting the fans or the show.”
Next page: Creating and Editing DVDs on the Road
