Eddie Vedder’s moving first experience of meeting Paul McCartney
They say you should never meet your idols. It’s claimed that it’s near impossible for someone to ever live up to the version of themselves crafted in the admiring minds of their fans. This often leads to disappointment when they have to reveal themselves to be just a normal human person rather than the myth they’ve been made into. But for Eddie Vedder, it was Paul McCartney’s humanity that made their meeting so special.
The prospect of meeting McCartney would send hoards of music fans into an excited spiral. For generations now, the musician has been considered one of, if not the greatest, working artists around, existing on a God-like tier of admiration and respect. Musicians, fans, everyone and their Nan seem to love Paul McCartney.
But the sheer amount of love felt towards him is surely incredibly intimidating for the artist. He’s been facing up to it since his early adulthood. McCartney was one of the babies of The Beatles, as he and George Harrison were the youngest by two years. He was only 20 when Beatlemania broke out, and ear-drum-splitting screams from masses of fans soundtracked his every move. Outside every hotel, car, studio, aeroplane and beyond, he was met by a wall of faces, crying, wailing or looking at him with the googly eyes of an enamoured fan. Since then, his life has never been the same as the band reached fame on a rarely seen level.
It would be easy for an artist to become bitter about that. It’s not like McCartney can nip out to the shops or live an everyday, quiet life without interruption. He’s recognised everywhere he goes as his fame spans countries and age groups. There must be moments when that gets incredibly irritating or overbearing. But by all accounts, the Beatle is one of the nicest celebrities around, remaining incredibly personable and grateful towards his fans and fellow musicians.
In every decade since The Beatles’ breakout, the biggest stars still dream about meeting McCartney. There’s a sweet video of Ozzy Osbourne getting all shy in his presence or stories of when Oasis met their idol. Taylor Swift’s interview with McCartney is full of her admiration for the musician, who she said still has “the purest sense of joy of playing an instrument and making music.” No matter how famous or successful an artist gets, meeting the Beatle still remains a real pinch-me moment.
It was for Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. “We were sitting on a picnic bench, and he walks up and said, ‘Hey, I’m Paul’”, he recalled while talking about the time his band were introduced to him. It’s a small moment. McCartney navigated it as if he was any other person or any other peer of the band, taking it upon himself to say hello. It was simple and normal, which is what made it so special.
“The way he handles that weight, the way he handles the weight of everyone having so many memories attached to him, it’s like big wave surfing,” Vedder said, perfectly articulating the loft reputation the musician carries. “He moves with such grace and understanding of what he meant to people, but he’s still himself and one of us,” he continued.
In all the stories of stars meeting McCartney, Vedder’s evaluation is correct. He seems to move through this meeting with a perfect balance of shouldering his legacy while still being open, friendly and willing to chat. It’s a lesson that Vedder thinks all legends, including himself, should learn. He said, “I’m so grateful to witness that and be inspired by that.”
