Jeff Sweatman got to interview one of his musical heroes over the phone in the Corner Lounge, Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam!!  He talked up his new solo album and gave us an update on the new Pearl Jam record, a shout out to Chris Long & Tony Bennett, his prediction for the upcoming NBA Conference Finals, what it’s like being a Rock Hall of Famer and how his band is working this summer to help the homeless in Seattle.

Other burning questions we’ll have to save til next time:

“will there ever be a Mirrorball Part 2?”

“you’ve gotten back together with Green River (2008), Temple of the Dog (2016) & Mother Love Bone (just the weekend prior) & done all-star side projects with Tres Mts. & RNDM, plus 3 solo albums w/ various collaborators.  Anyone left you’d like to collab with?”

“what’s the key to writing a great bridge, since PJ (esp. in the Vs/Vitalogy/No Code era) seemed to take the verse/chorus/verse format to a new level with the bridge part of various songs”

“we as fans are still processing his passing, so we can only imagine what you’ve gone through as a close friend…tell us a happy Chris Cornell story from either Lollapalooza 92 or the Temple of the Dog reunion”

(follow-up after he said his favorite bassist was John Paul Jones) “if you got to interview JPJ, what would you ask him?  Who are your other Top 5 all-time bassists? Or Top 5 vital bass records for the aspiring player”

“who’s the best ping pong player in Pearl Jam?”

and Jeff can’t believe he forgot to mention, “my sister had her 1st wedding dance to your song from PJ’s Yield, ‘Low Light’!!!”

OH WELL…we ended the interview in appropriately-awkward-Chris-Farley style (he does make a great guest DJ), but hopefully one day, we’ll get a round 2 (less nervous talking from your trusted interviewer, we promise)!?