Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was recently interviewed by Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon on his show Maddon’s Post for local radio station, 670 The Score. Here, Vedder goes into detail about Jose Cardenal, a former Cubs player from 1972-1977 that he admired, in part due to his striking resemblance to Michael Jackson’s early group the Jackson Five. Alternative Nation transcribed Maddon and Vedder’s comments. Vedder was recently disrespected by a surprising rock icon.
Maddon: I have one question, how did the Jose Cardenal tie, how did that come to be? Why Jose because he’s wonderful, I love Jose.
Vedder: Oh why Jose? Well, first of all, the afro, and I was a young kid and I loved the Jackson Five. Cardenal was probably the one player that looked the most like somebody from the Jackson Five. Also, I was sitting in the bleachers and he was my guy, number one – age nine, ten, how can you not fall in love with that guy. In addition, the smile, I didn’t even know he had an accent. You know, back in the day there wasn’t a lot of interviews, there wasn’t a lot of screen time for these guys.
Vedder later was asked about Chicago’s historic connection to Wrigley Field and what it means to him:
Vedder: Everybody here knows it, knows that feeling. I was telling my wife when we were walking up today, I said: “You know, every time I walk this street, coming up from the L to the Firehouse I get the same feeling I did when I was eight years old and it works every time. There aren’t many places in the world that are still like that.
I appreciate what these owners have done, not just with the players on the field but what they’ve done with the ballpark and the neighborhood. Those are tough things to do to a classic venue. You can’t fix the Roman Coliseum but you also can’t inhabit it anymore either. I’m just grateful that it’s still here and it gives you that feeling of innocence in a way and excitement. You know we went from heartbreak over the years to one of the greatest moments in a fan’s life. I tell ya, it’s sure as hell to rest your hopes on the head of Jon Lester though.
Eddie Vedder recently made an eerie Freddie Mercury revelation after an encounter on the street.
