Pearl Jam Twenty hits the UK

In celebration of their 20 year anniversary, Pearl Jam are set to release the feature film ‘Pearl Jam Twenty’, a definitive portrait of the band as told by Academy Award-winning filmmaker and music journalist, Cameron Crowe, which will be screened in the UK on September 20th.

The captivating documentary gives fans and audiences an intimate first glimpse into Pearl Jam’s journey, culled from more than 1,200 hours of rarely and never-before-seen footage, over 24 hours of recent interviews with the band, as well as live footage of their spellbinding concert performances. It will be shown in over 75 UK cinemas, including Vue, Showcase, Picturehouse and selected independents and full listings can be found below.

The soundtrack of the film will be released September 19th, by Columbia Records/Sony Music Entertainment, and is comprised of a selected track listing by Cameron Crowe, it makes the album a true companion piece to the film.

Told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound, ‘Pearl Jam Twenty’ chronicles the years leading up to the band’s formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after being catapulted into superstardom, their step back from the spotlight with the instinct of self-preservation, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them—giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. The film celebrates the freedom that allows the band to make music without losing themselves, their fans, or the music lovers they’d always been.

“,” said Cameron Crowe. “There is only one band of their generation for which a film like this could even be made, and I’m honored to be the one given the opportunity to make it.”

Crowe was among the band’s inner circle when they formed and has maintained a close friendship with the band since his days as a reporter for Rolling Stone in Seattle. Almost 20 years after the band’s inception, Eddie, Jeff, Stone and Mike gave their longtime friend the okay to raid the vault and assemble from it the story no one but those closest to them ever knew.

As part of their year-long celebration, and in addition to the ‘Pearl Jam Twenty’ soundtrack, Pearl Jam is also releasing a book of the same name, published by Atlantic Books on September 12th and is an aesthetically stunning chronicle of the band’s past two decades. Compiled and written by veteran music writer Jonathan Cohen with Mark Wilkerson, the book includes a foreword by Cameron Crowe (and material from all his own band interviews) as well as original interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Dave Grohl.

After two decades, Pearl Jam remains a giant musical force and one of the biggest and most magnetic touring acts in the world. With over 60 million albums sold worldwide, they continue to create and perform great music—all on their own terms. Pearl Jam are currently in the studio recording their 10th studio album, marking the bands’ second record released through their label, Monkeywrench Records.

For more information on the film and session locations go to www.pj20.com