Happy Birthday wishes to Jeff Ament, co-founder, bassist, singer and songwriter for that little band from Seattle, WA. Jeff’s beginnings were humble. He was born in Havre, MT, the oldest of five children, and grew up in nearby Big Sandy, where dad was the burg’s mayor, barber, and school bus driver. He took up the bass in high school, where he was all-state in football, leading scorer in basketball, and dreamed of playing hoops for the University of Montana. His mix tapes were of AC/DC, the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, Motorhead, Slayer and Led Zeppelin. Jeff enrolled in Missoula, had his hoop dreams dashed, and studied graphic arts for a year and a half, before the university announced that his program was being dropped. In 1982, he joined “Montana’s First Hard-Core” band, Deranged Diction.
Jeff and his band lit out for Seattle in 1983, soon broke apart, and Jeff hooked up with Green River. When guitarist Stone Gossard joined the group, Jeff had found a partner with the same heavy metal style and career aspirations. Green River produced some EP’s and one album in 1988. The band blew apart during the recording sessions over musical style and whether the band should sign a major record deal or remain indie.
Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament – Green River
Jeff and Stone then formed Mother Love Bone, with vocalist and songwriter Andy Wood. They recorded a well-received EP and were getting good reviews from the Seattle club scene. In 1989, a major record deal got them into the studio to record Apple. Andy Wood died from a heroin OD right before it was to be released in March, 1990. The devastated band disintegrated. Jeff and Stone separated briefly, with Jeff joining War Babies. They quickly rejoined forces, jamming with ex-Shadow lead guitarist Mike McCready. Apple was eventually released later that year.
Mother Love Bone - Front Row: Stone Gossard - Andy Wood - Jeff Ament
Andy Wood’s roommate was vocalist Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. While on tour just after Andy’s death, Cornell wrote two songs in his honor. On returning to Seattle, he approached Ament and Gossard about joining a project band to record a tribute album. The Soundgarden/Mother Love Bone mash-up was named Temple of the Dog, for a line in a Wood’s song, “Man of Golden Words.” Mike McCready was invited to join, as were Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and Eddie Vedder, who was in town from San Diego to audition for the vocalist job with Ament's and Gossard’s new, as yet un-named band. Temple of the Dog was recorded in November and December, 1990, and released the following year to critical acclaim, but scant popular attention -- until after the following events.
Temple of the Dog
Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron and Eddie Vedder decided to marry their talents and hit the studio to flesh out songs from a Gossard instrumental demo that had gotten into Vedder’s hands, and to which he had added the lyrics that got him an audition and invitation to join the group tentatively named Mookie Blaylock. Jeff tells the story of how that name came to be.
“Well, when we were recording our first record, we had a per diem of about $10. So when we got lunch at the store across the street, we'd always buy a pack of basketball cards. When we turned in our tape, we didn't have a name for the band yet so we put a Mookie Blaylock card in the case. We were about to go on a tour and still didn't have a name and needed one quickly. We were told it didn't need to be the name that we were going to use forever, just something for the tour. Someone saw the Mookie Blaylock card and said, 'How about Mookie Blaylock?' We decided to go with it and did a 10-show tour with Alice in Chains as Mookie Blaylock. Mookie was cool about it, too - he didn't sue us. I actually got to meet him later on and shoot around a little bit. We also made a Pearl Jam T-shirt with a picture of him on it. I guess we owe Mookie a lot.”
Eventually, they decided on Pearl Jam, and that debut recording was the monster Ten (1991). Jeff wrote the music to “Jeremy” and “Why Go” on his 12-string bass. Other hit songs from the album include: “Black” “Even Flow” and “Alive.”
Jeff has remained the rock solid foundation of Pearl Jam to this day. In 1995, the band teamed with Neil Young on the Mirror Ball Tour, described by insiders as the best touring experience of any of their lives.
Jeff has also been involved with side bands Tres Mts., 3 Fish and RNDM, and has released a solo album, Tone. He recently married and lives in Seattle and Missoula. In his spare time, Jeff still plays and watches basketball. Those are his Starting Lineup action figures on top of his amp in the first pic of TIMH. Even rock stars dream of greater glory.
Happy Birthday, Jeff Ament! Nice bass groove on this one.
