What is Eddie Vedder’s magic?

First of all he survives. The spell of nineties grunge. He was an outsider – not a raised and born Seattle. He learned that his real father was dead and that he was lied about that. This is a theme that comes back in his songs. But it not the point.

He is part of a band that survives. Still creative, still rocking. Almost fell apart after the great Album Vitalogy, practically creating songs without talking with each other. Survived a huge first album, knowing that it will define them forever and that they could probably never reach this high again. But it is not the point.

And the voice. Goes deep into your head and heart. But it is not the point.

Eddie moves you. Convinces you that he is real. That he has pains and sadness. That it is ok that you too have those. He can make you feel deeper. He is one of us. In his performance he works hard. Harder than most. He thanks people who work back stage. By their name and in length. Authenticity. Empathy. Imperfect.

I was hearing a song from my teens. Hearing it took me back to those days. It awakens a feeling inside my body. The same feeling, I think, I had back then, but not sure. This feeling comes together with memories. 

Which memories stay with us many years later? what does it mean that we kept those memories and not others. 

Sometimes I wish I had documented more of my thoughts and experiences from back then.