Mike McCready Mentions Wishlist, Fans & Laura Trafton in
Pearl Jam Interview with Judd Apatow
For the Lightning Bolt campaign, the band members chose four people they respect and admire to listen to their new album and interview them at their Seattle warehouse. The four Guest interviewers were Judd Apatow (writer, director, filmmaker): Carrie Brownstein (writer, musician, actress): Mark Richards (Australian-based world champion pro surfer and surfboard maker): and Steve Gleason (former NFL player living with ALS). During the Guest Interviews, the band talked about the making of Lightning Bolt, playing live, their fans, what inspires them and so much more. - Banter of the Bands, Pearl Jam – The Guest Interviews, Deep Magazine 10, 2013.
Judd Apataow: Yeah, the Amphitheater. And I was just really taken by the fact that every person in that place knew every word to every song…and I didn’t realize there was almost a Dead Head aspect to your fans. (regarding the Gibson Amphitheater)
Matt Cameron: There definitely is. We see a lot of people in the first ten rows at multiple shows and I often wonder… “How can you afford to do this?” You know, it’s expensive.
Mike McCready: It is expensive, and they plan ahead of time and save their money for the tour and go on the road with us.
Matt Cameron: I think the online activity now with rock fans, it’s like they can sort of connect and say, “Oh I’m gonna be in this city…” Maybe that’s part of it.
Mike McCready: They take care of each other, that’s the thing. They also stay at each others hotels and give each other rides. I think our fans are very proactive in terms of like fundraising for events before our shows. One thing called Wishlist Foundation…which is a really cool organization that one of our fans Laura Trafton has come up with is to organize pre-concert events to raise money for whatever kind of work they’re into in that town, which is fantastic. They do it of their own volition and they take care of each other in that way too. So, I think there’s that aspect that always blows me away.