Jeremy [Pearl Jam Cover]

The first band I ever loved is probably Pearl Jam. I've waited in line to buy Pearl Jam records on the release date. I've joined the fan club. I own almost every album of theirs in three different formats. Borderline obsession, but for good reason.

Somewhere in 2006, I was playing around with some drum samples on my synth, and sequenced a pretty basic jazz loop. While the loop was running, I switched to an upright bass sample and played some pretty standard arpeggios over the beat. I liked how the drum sequence was so far back and light, and the bass was really raw and meaty. For whatever reason, I was compelled to just start playing that infamous bass intro of 'Jeremy' by Pearl Jam (of course the notes were severely swung this time around).

I recorded it immediately, and decided to keep it as a purely minimal track. However, the irony (but how not ironic, considering Pearl Jam might be the reason I play music today) of doing a jazz cover of an old Pearl Jam classic took hold of me. There is actually no live guitar on this at all - I used yet another sample and keyed out the whole song. I threw vocals down in two takes, and my first attempt at jazzifying Pearl Jam surfaced.

I've decided to showcase it here at C-Sides as my first song up for download. More to come soon, certainly; but for now, enjoy this little gem of an almost hypocritical reaction to a faux-grunge fantasy.

http://web.mit.edu/sbmani/Public/Balaji%20Mani%20-%20Jeremy.mp3