‘Cat’s Cradle’: The “profound” book that changed Eddie Vedder’s life
He’s one of the last surviving members of the grunge movement, and for as long as he’s been on the scene, Eddie Vedder has made music and culture a better place. Known primarily as the frontman of Pearl Jam, Vedder has accomplished considerable success throughout his career, from helping to usher in the most crucial musical mode of the 1990s to challenging Ticketmaster’s monopoly of the market. Always attempting to lead by example, Vedder is an unrelenting activist and has championed environmental efforts and other campaigns, such as the call for gun control, over his years in the limelight.
While his efforts to heal the world are exceptional for someone of his status, Vedder’s musical ability is his career’s most significant talking point. His natural vocal aptitude is remarkable, positioning him as a spiritual successor to Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. Capable of being both fierce and blue, from Pearl Jam’s ‘Even Flow’ to Temple of the Dog’s ‘Hunger Strike’, Vedder has delivered a host of classic moments over the years. Even a glance at his musical feats confirms why he is so eminent.
In a reflection of his musical aptitude, Roger Daltrey, the resident growler of British rock pioneers The Who, once told Rolling Stone: “I just love to hear Eddie sing. I think he’s got such a distinctive, fabulous voice. He doesn’t copy, so that’s what I like; he does the Eddie Vedder version. It’s never easy to do because most people will just try and copy what the Who have done. He’s always himself.” That sense of individuality was instilled in Vedder from an early age thanks to one spiritual masterpiece by one of the wittiest authors ever put to print.
Given that his artistic and activist efforts have been well-received, fans of Vedder have long sought to know him a little better and understand the man behind the hero. Sitting down with Uncut for their ‘Audience With’ segment in 2009, he revealed the book that changed his life and had a “profound effect” on him. It is 1963’s Cat’s Cradle, the postmodern classic by Kurt Vonnegut. From this admission, it is easy to understand how Vedder developed such a humanistic approach to life.
Asked if there’s a book that’s been life-changing for him, Vedder replied: “One that jumps to mind is Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. He talks about being a humanist, about it being a little different from being an atheist, which had a profound effect on me. I ended up reading pretty much everything he wrote after that, two, three, four, five times.”
He continued: “The only other author who’s had a similar effect has been Charles Bukowski, who opens your eyes to the fact that there’s beauty in everybody’s life. The life of someone on the lowest rung of the ladder is as colourful and meaningful, if not more, as some character in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel. So it makes you realise that we are all individuals, and we all have something going on that is worthy of introspection and respect.”
