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Pearl Jam burst onto the scene in 1991 as part of the Seattle "grunge" revolution with their debut album Ten. Formed in Seattle by former members of the band Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam's first lineup included lead singer Eddie Vedder, guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Dave Krusen. In addition to Krusen, Matt Chamberlain, Dave Abbruzzese, and ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper drummer Jack Irons have also drummed for the band. Since 1998, former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron has filled that role.
The band followed up Ten with Vs. in 1993 and Vitalogy in 1994. At the height of their success, they took on ticketing giant Ticketmaster, accusing them of acting as a monopoly. This would not be the band's last foray into the world of activism. They would participate in the 2004 Vote For Change tour, a tour aimed at galvanizing support to oust U.S. President George W. Bush in favor of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (Bush defeated Kerry in the '04 election).
When the grunge movement died out, Pearl Jam continued to make records and tour. Their commercial successes were fewer than early in their career, but the loyal following they built largely remained in tact. The band's subsequent studio albums included No Code, Yield, Binaural, Riot Act, and Pearl Jam. They also released a greatest hits package rearviewmirror and a B-sides compilation Lost Dogs.
