American grunge giants Pearl Jam have been rocked by the news that bass player Jeff Ament was violently robbed outside their recording studio.
Pearl Jam bass player Jeff Ament was leaving Southern Tracks Recording Studios in Atlanta, after a hard day working on the band’s forthcoming ninth studio album. The group recruited Brendan O’Brien to work on the album, resuming a relationship that has run through the career of Pearl Jam.
However Ament alleges that he was violently robbed outside the studio. According to Rolling Stone a police report states that Ament and a band employee arrived at the back door of the studio on April 27th when three men brandishing knives approached them.
Wearing black masks, gloves and trousers the trio demanded money from the pair before smashing the windows of their rented Jeep. The gang grabbed Ament’s BlackBerry device before demanding more money.
Jeff Ament was chased by the three assailants, who knocked the bass player to the ground. Ament sustained a head wound, which was treated by EMS. The gang escaped in a Nissan Maxima, and despite the incident being captured on surveillance camera no arrests have been made.
In total Jeff Ament was robbed of $3000 in cash and $4320 in goods.
Pearl Jam have declined to comment on the incident.
Pearl Jam have been working on the new album for some time. Their first record with O’Brien since 1998’s ‘Yield’ the group plan to self-release the album in the United States once they complete recording.
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine back in February lead singer Eddie Vedder claimed “the new record feels good so far — really strong and uptempo, stuff we can sink our teeth into”. The band may unveil new material on some forthcoming British tour dates – click HERE for more details!
Pearl Jam are set to celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2011. The band are due to re-issue all of their studio albums, beginning with an expanded version of debut album ‘Ten’ later this year.
