“I remember being eight years old and so excited when my parents would come home from dinner,” Watt recalls. None of his family members played instruments, but they loved records. Watt-born Andrew Wotman-grew up in Great Neck, New York, on Long Island’s North Shore, less than an hour from Manhattan. He could produce it himself! He’s choosing to work with a producer.” “If an artist is choosing to work with a producer, that means, to me, that they want to be produced. It’s a big thing to think about.” That helps him, he says, when faced with a visage he’s idolized since childhood-maybe one he’s even hung on his wall, like Vedder’s-in his own studio. The setup: “There are four words you never want to hear a fucking band say when you’re at a concert.” And the punchline: “ ‘Here’s a new one.’ ” (Cue big laugh from both Watt and me.) Turning serious, he continues: “I’m the one making the new music. But for those who think it’s a cushy job, Watt has a convincing reply. Working with the Mount Rushmore of rock gods is a thrill. How does Andrew Watt approach his work? As he calls it, he’s "producing from the front row." Danny Clinch In 2021, Watt won a Grammy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Eddie Vedder’s Earthling, which Watt produced in its entirety, hit number one on the charts. And last fall, Iggy Pop logged his first rock-radio hit in more than 30 years (!) with “Frenzy,” which Watt cowrote, produced, and played guitar on. Watt has been credited with Ozzy Osbourne’s resurgence in recent years, spearheading the Black Sabbath frontman’s well-reviewed 2020 LP, Ordinary Man, as well as his 2022 album, the Grammy-nominated Patient Number 9. He’s partnered with all of them, and it’s working. Beyond collaborating with a who’s who of mainstream hit-makers-Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, and Camila Cabello also feature on his résumé-Watt serves as the go-to soundboard whiz for rock ’n’ roll legends. The star power of his Rolodex may not have lost its luster for Watt yet, but his high-profile bookings come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed popular music in the past decade. “It’s overwhelming to work with people who are part of your musical DNA.” “It brings me to tears sometimes,” the 32-year-old admits. Except Watt isn’t feeling stifled by the secrecy. Every day is just a bundled-up shuffle from the hotel to the studio and back again, keeping quiet when people like me ask what he’s up to in the Big Smoke. What can he mention? First off, that it’s freezing outside. But it’s important-“the most excited I’ve ever been about anything,” he says about the mysterious project. It’s mid-December in London, and the record producer behind hits by Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Post Malone is feeling a little tongue-tied. At the start of September, Pearl Jam will pick back up for a few dates in Canada before moving into the US, including an intimate show at NYC’s Apollo Theater for SiriusXM’s Small Stage Series.Ĭheck out some fan videos and setlist (via setlist.fm) from tonight’s show below.Andrew Watt can’t say what he’s working on. They also ran through some tour debuts and rarities, including “W.M.A.” (from 1993’s Vs.) for the first time in Europe since 1993 and the Jeff Ament-penned “Pilate.” And Vedder shouted out the doctor who has been treating him.įortunately, Eddie Vedder now has until September 1 to rest. Now, Pearl Jam has returned to the stage tonight (July 25) for their tour closer in Amsterdam at the Ziggo Dome.ĭuring the set, Pearl Jam covered Neil Young (“Rockin’ In The Free World”), KISS (“Black Diamond”), and Prince (“Purple Rain”), with Matt Cameron and Josh Klinghoffer helping out on vocals on the latter two respectively. They followed up by canceling their Prague and Amsterdam shows for the same reason. Last week, Pearl Jam announced that their show in Vienna had been canceled because singer Eddie Vedder’s vocal cords were damaged by dust and smoke from the wildfires in France during a recent concert.
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