It was a really weird moment for me.
You know, im from Argentina, listened to PJ all my fucking life, the Temple records, Mad Season...after so long i was in PJ20, with the love of my life, first day....i was very very touched by everything.
We were in line to enter the museum, there wasnt a lot of people and Mike enters the place, almost running and goes directly to the museum.. i saw him and it was like...yeah, he is real....there he goes..i was happy with that moment alone.
A few minutes later we enter the museum and there he is , just looking at the stuff...Amazing.
The next day i met and talk with Mark Arm, another incredible guy. He even mentioned our talk to Vedder that day.
And the best thing of all was that i saw Temple of the dog playing live..which was very very moving after being a kid and listening and imagine that for so, so long.

That weekend is one of the most special moments of my life.

That sounds genuinely awesome. I'm so thrilled you got to have that experience. That sounds unreal.

It was, pretty much everything that happened in that travel was a fucking trip man. And everything went really downhill after that, for a long time it was my last great great moment.

Luckily, im better now.

Glad to hear it. At least you got that weekend, and those memories. I've never met any of the band. And I'm not sure what I would do if I did. Sometimes I think it would be too much. They've meant everything to me and I don't need them to know it. I'm just so humbled and grateful.

And I'm glad you're doing better now, man.

Thanks Durden. It really means something.
I was fucked up and,in a way im still are, but things have picked up a little these last months.

If you need anything, if there's anything I can do to help you out (even if it's just listen/read), let me know. Stay on the mend, brother.

You too, you too. Even with my english.

You do just fine, buddy. No worries.

I talked to Mike on the phone once! That was - surreal and totally awesome.

Wait, what?!!

Story time, story time, STORY TIME!

I should put on a record for this, yea?

Hmm.

What PJ vinyl you got?

Ten, VS, Vitalogy, Backspacer, Live at the Orpheum only:(

I went with Vitalogy!

Perfect choice. I would have too.

So it was after the 2nd show opening for Petty in St. Paul. I was at my desk around - oh, noon, or so- when the phone rang. This was still in the time of cell phones so I was able to see that it was my good friend Kevin, calling in to say hello. Maybe talk about the prior nights show? He went with his wife (boo urns) and was at the back of the arena. This was the same kid that traveled with me too many a PJ shows but now gets dragged (willingly i imagine) to Ketih Urban and Zach Brown band shows with his wife.

I digress

So, I answers and says "hello, kevin!". He starts mumbling and rambling about something. I pick up, minneapolis, CHipotle and Mccready. Cool. He pulls it together long enough to tell me he sees Mike McCready just walking down the street outside Chipotle. Now, Chipotle, is our favorite place and Kevinw as heading there for his lunch break. I can't say for certain what McCready was doing in the area, other than I know he did a few stints in Rehab in MPLS and had music friends there etc...

So I says to kevin "well, why are you telling me this go say hi! Sounds as though he takes off and I hear "Mike, mike...." Then the phone goes dead.

Good for kevin! He had also once ran into Tommy Lee at Caribou in Minneapolis. 3 minutes later i get another call from Kevin. I answer and lo and behold who is on the other line? Mike McCready.

"hey, brian? This is mike from Pearl Jam"

yea, i know who you are.

So, I take off out of the office to go to a place where if I geek out - My co workers wont mock me. - and have a conversation with the guy who forced me to pick up a guitar and become the obsessed music fan I am. Boom.

Just spoke with him about the shows the night before, rambled on about how many times ive seen them, told him he's the reason i picked up the guitar etc...

He had guitar troubles during Marker in the sand the night before and had appeared to be pretty pissed off. He talked a bit about that how embarrassing it was because he's opening up for one of his heroes and his shit stops working. Funny to hear that come from someone who'm I look up to the same way. In the end though, he is a fan of music too and im sure its pretty exciting/nerve wracking to play such shows. I told him it looked like he was going to smash it and if he would ever think of doing that he should hand it to me cause I would take care of it. He laughed and said he would never think of hurting his baby. I believe it was his strat.....


So yea. Long goodbye and loves you and hugs and kisses and off he went.

Anyways, just thought it was pretty fucking cool for him to just give me a call. He spoke with my buddy a bit as well...

Mike is awesome.

Man alive I love Tremor Christ

Dude, Strat... that's amazing. I can't even... I can't.... I'm super jealous. But I'm thrilled to hear so many people say that Mike is a good guy. He's been my favorite guitar player (well, MODERN - 90s forward -- guitar player) since I was 12 years old. It thrills me to no end that he's a good guy.

If I ever meet him, I'm sure I'll making a fucking idiot of myself.

I wish I could have said more to him but theres not much you can do when it comes out of the blue over a fucking phone call...

Right?! I can totally imagine. Still... great story.

St Paul 2 is one of my favorite boots from that tour. Life Wasted is incredible.