On this edition of Road Gang Radio, hosts Jimmy Mac and Lindsay Lawler welcome music journalist and author Selena Fragassi to talk about her brand-new book, PEARL JAM LIVE! 35 Years of Legendary Music and Revolutionary Shows (Epic Ink/Quarto, publishing October 14, 2025).

Structured like a Pearl Jam concert, Selena’s book takes readers through the “Opening Act” of the band’s Seattle origins, the “Headliner” years of their meteoric 1990s rise, and the “Encore” of their continued evolution and cultural influence today.

The conversation dives into:

The creation of iconic albums like Ten and Vs.

Pearl Jam’s fight with Ticketmaster and its impact on the industry

The band’s influence on 1990s alternative rock and beyond

The enduring fan culture that makes Pearl Jam concerts unforgettable

Behind-the-scenes stories and rare photography spanning 35 years

Selena also shares insights from her 17 years of music journalism, her interviews with rock legends, and what it was like to structure this definitive book like a Pearl Jam setlist.

Learn more about the book here: https://www.quarto.com/books/97807603...

Read the preview PDF: https://bit.ly/PearlJamLive35Years

Guest Bio:

Selena Fragassi is a Chicago-based music journalist whose work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, SPIN, Loudwire, The A.V. Club, Paste, and Nylon. She has interviewed Jack White, The Black Keys, Alice Cooper, Chrissie Hynde, Slash, Bon Jovi, and many others. Her writing has been anthologized in That Devil Music: Best Music Writing and she is the author of several books, including Alanis: Thirty Years of Jagged Little Pill.

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