By Chrissie Ferguson
Like a kid in a candy store…in the middle of a storm, I suppose…we all focused on one thing as Pearl Jam fans last night—the release of the new Pearl Jam album, Gigaton.
While awaiting a new album since Lightning Bolt’s 2013 release seemed like an eternity, this wasn’t the first time that we bit our nails and twiddled our thumbs as we awaited the next Pearl Jam masterpiece.
Ten hooked us all as fans in ‘91, and “the waiting drove us mad” in between each and every album since then.
But the wait for Gigaton was a different experience. The album became our positive among the current negative situation surrounding us. Even before the pandemic, the scavenger hunt for tour dates and announcements of singles tapped into our youthful side, as clues and teasers were creatively dangled in front of us as we embarked on our journey of waiting.
One of my favorite slow reveals was that of the music video, “Dance of the Clairvoyants.” First, “Mach I.” Then, “Mach II.” And then “Mach III” – the final video directed by Ryan Cory, which included the perfect combination of the band and images of the earth.
Cory, a Seattle-based filmmaker, grew up—like so many of us—listening to Pearl Jam. As today’s “Feature Friday” spotlight, Cory shares his thoughts about the importance of perseverance and determination.
“I’ve been really lucky. I’ve stuck with my creative endeavors, and they have morphed into a career. It has been better than I could have imagined. It’s hard to imagine that the dream can exist…that if you really care about a cause or a group that really resonates with you, you can just stick with what you are already equipped. Some people think, ‘Well, I didn’t go to film school.’ I didn’t. You don’t need to do all these things or have all these tools. We are equipped with what’s in our pocket with the phones these days to create an impact or send a message. I’m just glad that I never quit and that I stuck with my passions creatively because if you would have told me as a 15-year-old, as I was driving around blasting Vitalogy in my Ford Bronco, that I would be directing a video for Pearl Jam, I would have said, ‘No way.’ Don’t quit, just keep fighting your fight. Whatever it is. And keep pursuing the passions that resonate with you.”
Thank you, Ryan, for sharing this important message of positivity with all of us.
Stay tuned for the full interview with Ryan about his career in filmmaking and what it was like to work with the band on “Dance of the Clairvoyants.”
Don’t forget to reach out to me about your Pearl Jam stories at [email protected]. Let’s lift each other up during this time of uncertainty and create some positivity in our Pearl Jam community!
Check out my post about “Feature Fridays” at: https://wishlistfoundation.org/its-okay-its-okay
