Eddie Vedder Talks New Pearl Jam Album, Coming In 2011?

In a recent interview Eddie Vedder spoke about his first solo effort 'Ukulele Songs', punk rock, and the progress of Pearl Jam's upcoming tenth studio album. Judging from his comments, we may see it sooner than previously expected.

Pearl Jam fans have a lot to be thankful for this year; the PJ20 weekend bash, re-releases of 'Vs.' and 'Vitalogy', the upcoming Cameron Crowe directed biopic 'PJ20' (premiering on PBS Oct. 21st), Eddie Vedder's solo CD, and the possibility of new album. Eddie spoke with Rolling Stone about why it was time for his solo record 'Ukulele Songs' (which hit stores yesterday):

"The ukulele thing started as a writing exercise that I thought would be kept to myself. I've been kind of collecting songs over the past 10 years, and it wasn't till the last few that I thought of maybe putting this stuff in an album. It's not really my solo record – it's the uke's solo record. I was just there to guide it...I just wanted it to be the one sound. At first it was kind of a joke, and then it became a little bit of a challenge, a puzzle, to see if I could create 11 or 12 songs with just a ukulele. It's like painting with one color. You can really appreciate the subtleties and changes in tone."

Vedder went on to say PJ's upcoming tenth studio album is coming together faster than expected and added:

"I don't want to jinx it...But it's on!"

Eddie has said that all the retrospect in observance of his band's twentieth birthday fueled their desire to get back in the studio to start working on new material. He furthered that sentiment adding:

"I feel like we have to keep our eyes on the road. Being nostalgic is like taking an offramp and getting a sandwich – and then you get back on the highway. I don't want to be spending the rest of my life at the gas station."

They also asked Eddie if he ever hid his love of artists like James Taylor from his punk rock friends:

"Oh, I didn't give a shit at all. Punk rock is saying what you want and not giving a fuck."