I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS

...we've got the means to make amends. I am lost, I'm no guide, but I'm by your side. (Pearl Jam, Leash)

Saturday, August 18, 2007

New Eddie Vedder solo song: "Hard Sun" (with Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker)

Clearly intended as a birthday gift for me (it's tomorrow), the first Eddie Vedder solo song from the Into The Wild soundtrack has now been posted on the Into The Wild website. This initial listen sounds well-suited to what I understand the movie is about (note to self: get the book!) -- a journey into the great wide open, wanderlust, sweeping vistas, solo strength.

It builds from an organic acoustic/tambourine affair to a heavier, fuzzier, driving thing of beauty by the end. It is apparently a cover of an obscure song by Canadian musician Gordon Peterson under the name Indio, from the 1989 album Big Harvest. Searching for information on Peterson is near impossible, as he seems to have all but vanished since the album was released, but the original song apparently features backing vocals from Joni Mitchell.

Ed's version ramps up the Middle-Eastern influences and reminds me of Pearl Jam songs like "Who You Are" or "Face of Love," a bit exotic. Sleater-Kinney punk goddess Corin Tucker duets, taking the part that Joni filled 18 years ago.

Hard Sun - Eddie Vedder & Corin Tucker
(or stream at Hype Machine or IntoTheWild.com)

The soundtrack album of solo material from Eddie Vedder will be coming out one month from today on J Records, and the Sean-Penn-directed movie opens in U.S. theatres on September 21.

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42 Comments:

At August 18, 2007 3:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hapy birthday...i've been chiming into your site for awhile and i really like it...so thankyou

 
At August 18, 2007 4:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heather, as ever, doing the work so I don't have to ;) Have a fantastic birthday, pet xo

 
At August 18, 2007 8:46 PM, Blogger Chuck said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I haven't even listened in the car yet, but I can already tell this is destined to become one of my all-time favorite driving songs.

And happy early birthday!!

 
At August 18, 2007 9:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This sounds great. Thanks for posting the song. I'll definitely get the soundtrack, and listening to the song made me curious about the film too.

Oh, and happy birthday. :)

 
At August 18, 2007 9:38 PM, Blogger Payo said...

Happy birthday - looking forward to this film and the soundtrack. Thanks for the slice of cake!

 
At August 18, 2007 9:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

1. Happy Birthday!

2. Definitely pick up the book. It's one of the most bizarre stories about survival you will ever come across.

 
At August 19, 2007 12:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
At August 19, 2007 1:35 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy birthday!

 
At August 19, 2007 1:39 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Heather, your blog is one of the best on the net.


Jason

 
At August 19, 2007 3:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i agree with Jason
have a fantastic birthday
you've made my day with this song :)
x

 
At August 19, 2007 4:15 AM, Blogger Joe said...

Thank you so much for posting this - I can't wait to buy the soundtrack!

And have an awesome birthday!!

 
At August 19, 2007 4:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Heather! Great site!

 
At August 19, 2007 5:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.geocities.com/saveforthememory/index.html
a little more info on the elusive Gordon Peterson

 
At August 19, 2007 11:48 AM, Blogger rossmatthew said...

happy birthday. and thanks for the song. i can't wait for this movie to come out, it's one of my favorite books. be well.

 
At August 19, 2007 1:45 PM, Blogger Amy said...

Happy Birthday, Heather!

 
At August 19, 2007 2:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

First of all Heather, Happy B-Day.

Second, I had no idea that they were making this book into a movie. It is an outstanding book. I highly recommend it. I am unsure how it will be as a movie although I am usually pretty skeptical about those things.

 
At August 19, 2007 3:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At August 19, 2007 3:55 PM, Blogger Dance Hall Hips said...

This may sound like a 'Noob' blogger question, but how to you embed those play buttons for the mp3's?

 
At August 19, 2007 4:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

NICE. I've been waiting for this song since I first saw the tracklisting, I've missed Corin desperately since S-K decided to take a break. I know she's only doing backing vocals, but it's so nice to hear her voice anyway. Thank you thank you.

And I hope you have a fantastic birthday as well!

 
At August 19, 2007 4:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi heather,

while I'm not the biggest PJ fan - this site is MUST for those o' the persuasion! ;)

andrew

http://thearmyreserve.blogspot.com/

 
At August 19, 2007 5:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy bday and greetings from Canada

Great site Heather, I'm happy I found it.

There is a much better version of this song I hear on the radio up here in Canada from time to time and it blows away the acoustic version you linked on youtube.

The Vedder/Tucker version is fantastic of course and thanks again!

Hope you got lots of good presents, you deserve them

 
At August 19, 2007 7:49 PM, Blogger Figgsrock2 said...

I gave the song a spin being the big PJ fan that I am and then thought, "I know this song" I looked at the Amazon link and recognized the cover from back in my radio days (we played it a vinyl when we first got it at the radio station--CD versions usually came in a couple of weeks later) Not to date myself TOO much, but 1989 was a great year to work at a "modern rock" station back in the day, and the original "Hard Sun" was part of that.

 
At August 19, 2007 8:44 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVED this book. It sat with me a long time after I finished it. I saw a trailer for it recently, and got all excited. I also do love this site. Happy birthday!

 
At August 19, 2007 11:22 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks so much for letting us know about the movie. I love the book and had no idea that it was being made into a movie. The music they are playing on the site sounds great. I can't wait to hear the soundtrack.

 
At August 20, 2007 5:38 AM, Blogger c said...

There is an article in Esquire mag this month with Sean Penn - it talks a lot about this movie (Sean Penn, directed it), and it does sound like the movie will be really good. They mention Vedder briefly in the article, that his soundtrack is "an open road opera" and it refers to his "jet engine roar" helping give goosebumps during certain moments in the film.

Hope you had a good birthday, HB.

 
At August 20, 2007 7:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Heather!!
Amazing song, thanks for sharing!!

 
At August 20, 2007 9:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At August 20, 2007 9:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At August 20, 2007 9:37 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

tony s
she already mentioned the version up here is Indios original from which eddie covers.
i like eddies version but i like the percussion from the original a little more
great song, it is in my collection since day one.
let us hope sean penn has learned how to make a movie that doesn't drag along

 
At August 20, 2007 10:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

anonymous:

just to clarify, there is actually a better Indio version than the youtube one she posted. Joni is much more involved and it's a more powerful version.

unreal how it's so hard to find online though. canadian radio plays the version i'm referring to from time to time.

 
At August 20, 2007 11:07 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday - thanks for everything you share with all of us!

 
At August 20, 2007 11:07 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday - thanks for everything you share with all of us!

 
At August 20, 2007 2:08 PM, Blogger HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

I actually HAD that Indio album, I know this song. Excellent.

 
At August 20, 2007 9:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

looks like the link is broken... :(

 
At August 20, 2007 9:39 PM, Blogger heather said...

I think the IntoTheWild.com site took it down. You can still stream it on their site.

 
At August 22, 2007 4:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! Stunning song! Can't say any more than that really...other than can't wait to hear the whole album

 
At August 23, 2007 3:22 AM, Blogger LowLight® said...

just another happy birthday note! still love your blogity blog- thnx
crazynicci

 
At August 23, 2007 8:53 AM, Blogger Dan A. said...

Heather:

The book is damned great. Got it for a birthday present a few years ago. It's a stunning portrait of a willful "outsider" who goes to a romantic extreme most of us can only dream of, but pays the ultimate price. and a cautionary tale of human impotence and misadventure in the wilderness.

I think a lot of comparisons will be made with "Grizzly Man" once it comes out...

Happy Birthday!!! And thanks for the many gifts (music, passion, great writing, attitude, etc. etc.) you share.

You're almost a Virgo and that's alright with me.

-- Dan Aloi
PS on 'AOMM' (Elvis post) are you SURE that's Norah?? Sounds like the girl in the Cardinals to me...
I'd also recommend Odds' "Wendy Under the Stars" as the ultimate Dead Elvis tribute. (cf. "Dead Elvis" by Griel Marcus, where I first learned of that great Canadian band)

 
At August 26, 2007 8:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Really Kool Site!! Your on my desktop now!! Thanks Heather!!! From one Brown to another...:)




EAB
www.edmundallanbrown.com

 
At August 30, 2007 5:58 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Absolute Vedder-concentrate goodness! This album and the movie are going to be exceptional, I feel. Great blog, I'll be back.

 
At September 22, 2007 7:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8x33LyBCUw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng0iIPipSXI

 
At September 22, 2007 8:07 AM, Blogger heather said...

Thanks Anon! Those are cool videos.

 

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