Pearl Jam: Place/Date

Pearl Jam has made a career of hiding from the press and keeping a deliberately low profile. But they are known for giving goodies to their hardcore fans. I would have thought that PJ never allowed anyone to take pictures of them, but apparently Mercer and Peterson have had free range to take any pictures they wanted with the band on tour. There are only a few "publicity" shots where the band is clearly posing for the camera. The majority are onstage action shots and candid moments which provide a lot of insight into the band's personalities. There are also many great shots of the fans. Each of the four core members seems to be showcased equally, with some shots of their various temporary drummers. The funnest aspect of the book is watching the guys' image change over time - from overdressed, long-haired alt-rockers in the early days to their current scruffy low-maintenance "regular guy" look.

Mercer and Peterson have collaborated with the band to offer a glimpse into the on and off-stage lives of Stone, Jeff, Ed, Mike, and (insert drummers' names here). The photographs alternate between B & W and color and integrate a variety of vantage points, camera angles, and photography techniques, not to mention an intruiging array of subjects, including drummer Jack Iron's son, Vedder's wife Beth Leibling, and many captures of fans. It is a lovely addition to the library of any Jammer.

This book has class written all over it. What else would you expect from such a great band? Lance Mercer and Charles Peterson are very talented and their photos really show the emotion and intensity of the band. The packaging and layout is fantastic with each photo carefully positioned on the page. One great sequence of 4 photos (which also happens to be the back cover) shows four of the band member's silhouettes in front of a coloured light. Eddie-red, Mike-green, Jeff-yellow and Stone-purple/blue. The effect is absolutely fantastic. I was in awe when I saw the photo of Eddie hanging 30 feet in the air during the 'Drop in the Park' concert. Some photos made me laugh, like mike pretending to sleep on hei guitar with a little smirk on his face and the scrabble photo was pretty funny too. I absolutely cherish this book and believe that any Pearl Jam fan should have it. It is the best way of showing the history of Pearl Jam, no words to criticise, just beautiful pictures. Classy.

I am so happy to see this book. Pearl Jam have deliberately avoided the camera for several years( hoping to limit overexposure), and so we have seen the same photos over and over. What a pleasure to have so many new ones, all so beautifully done. I hate to buy unauthorized stuff, so it's great to have an official book to buy, so I can support the band. This book is excellent, better than any of the other stuff I have seen. You have got to buy it!

I just got Place/Date today, and I am amazed. A picture truly speaks a thousand words. With the absence of writing you are left only with the images of the band, some of which speak louder than any words anyone could write. The photography is top notch, each picture is a masterpiece. Each time I flip through it I find something new. This book is the most faithfull biography of Pearl Jam ever produced.