This page is Point of Interest page 10 of the Alternative Rock, Grunge and Seattle Tour,

click here to access the main tour page and introduction.

El Corazon

The long, low, concrete building at 109 Eastlake Avenue East, now called El Corazon and The Funhouse, was once known as the Off Ramp. It was one of the most popular rock n' roll venues during the time of grunge. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam have all played here.

Along with other locations such as the OK Hotel and Re-Bar, this venue was used in scenes for the 1992 Hollywood movie Singles. The film was shot in 1990 and 1991, but according to Director Cameron Crowe, its release was delayed until the mainstream popularity of grunge signaled the movie's potential profitability. It was a good bet, because the soundtrack had bands like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone and the Screaming Trees on it. The film is a romantic/comedy set within the Seattle music scene, but mainly revolving around the lives of regular people. But the film does feature performances and cameo appearances from members of the well-known bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. The Off Ramp, now El Corazon, is where Soundgarden was filmed playing a live show. They played the song "Birth Ritual".

This place is also significant because it is where Mookie Blaylock, now Pearl Jam, played their first live show on October 22, 1990. They performed a sound check with "Even Flow", and then proceeded to play seven songs, most of which would be included on their hugely successful 1991 debut album Ten.

This performance was somewhat difficult for the new band, for the fans of Mother Love Bone were curious to see what Andy Wood's bandmates were now doing. But it was especially difficult for Eddie, because Eddy was taking the place of the illustrious frontman Andy Wood. Of course Eddie had a unique voice of his own, but he was an alien to the tightly knit Seattle music community – the proverbial "new kid on the block". Nancy Wilson of Heart was in the audience, and recalled how Eddie was "quite shy. He was kind of studying his boots onstage". But before long, Eddie and the rest of the band found their groove with one another. Nancy Wilson recalled that when she saw them a few months later at the Moore Theatre, "Eddie was climbing off the P.A. speakers up the side of the wall and jumping headlong into the audience off the balcony. He had acquired his wings".

Pearl Jam started recording Ten in March of 1991 at London Bridge Studios here in Seattle. They had done earlier session work, and most of the songs were already written, so recording only took about a month. While they were in the studio, a lawyer representing Mookie Blaylock threatened to take legal action against the band for using his name. They were forced to change it. Eddie said that the name "Pearl Jam" came from his great great grandmother Pearl, who married a native American who had a recipe for jam laced with peyote. He later told Rolling Stone that this was just a fabricated stoners tale, and was, in Eddies words, "total bullshit". The word "Pearl" was Jeff Aments' idea. The band had recently been to a Neil Young concert where Neil and his band carried out prolonged improvisational jams. The word Jam surfaced when the band was all together brainstorming, and the name Pearl Jam was hence born. Ten was released on August 27^th, 1991 and went 13 times platinum. While Nevermind brought alternative rock and "grunge" to the mainstream, Ten ultimately outsold Nevermind in the United States.

As if you have just walked out of the main entrance to El Corazon, turn right and walk for a few steps along Eastlake Avenue East. Turn right on Denny Way, the small road between the highway overpass and El Corazon.

Blecha, P. (2014). Future grunge-rock icons of Pearl Jam perform debut gig as "Mookie Blaylock" at Seattle's Off Ramp Cafe on October 22, 1990. HistoryLink.org. Retrieved from http://www.historylink.org/File/11003

El corazon. (2016). El Corazon History. Retrieved from http://www.elcorazonseattle.com/venues-general-info/history/

Helvey, S. (Producer). & Pray, D. (Director). (November 8, 1996). Hype! [Motion Picture]. USA: Lions Gate Entertainment

Henderson, J. (2010). Grunge Seattle. California, United States of America: Roaring Forties Press

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. (2017) Retrieved (May 6, 2017) from the Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singles:_Original_Motion_Picture_Soundtrack

Singles (1992 film). (2017). Retrieved (May 6, 2017) from the Singles (1992 film) Wiki: http://www.historylink.org/File/11003

Ten (Pearl Jam Album). Retrieved (May 6, 2017) from the Ten (Pearl Jam Album) Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_(Pearl_Jam_album)

Yarm, M. (2011). Everybody loves our town. Crown Publishing: New York, USA

This work was created by Kyle Huisman

Contact: seattlerock@outlook.com