In a brand-new interview, Dave Krusen walks us through the birth of Ten, behind-the-scenes studio stories, his exit from Pearl Jam, and his musical comeback.
The full video interview is up on the Slowhands Rock Talk Show YouTube channel.
From Gig Harbor to Drumming Obsession Thanks to The Police and Foreigner
Dave Krusen grew up in Gig Harbor, Washington, in a house totally soaked in music, surrounded by Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Deep Purple vinyl, and 8-track tapes. Rock ran in his veins from day one, thanks to his parents and older siblings.
The first band that really hit him? The Police: “I don’t even know why they hit me so hard… maybe the drumming was insane, but also because there were just three of them doing stuff nobody else was doing, mixing reggae and punk.”
As a kid, he made drum kits out of pots and books, and by age 10 he joined the school band. From there, it turned into a real path he wanted to follow.
The first big live show he saw? Foreigner in Seattle on New Year’s Eve 1979: “You can have the sickest stereo setup, but it ain’t the same as feeling that kick drum hit your chest.”
When asked if he’d rather play live forever or stay in the studio, he doesn’t even hesitate: “Playing live. Nothing beats it.”
Joining Pearl Jam and the Birth of Ten
The big break came in 1990 when a friend connected him with Jeff Ament. A few days later, Dave found himself jamming in a basement with Jeff, Stone Gossard, and Mike McCready. No big auditions—Pearl Jam wanted to keep it all in the circle.
Then Eddie Vedder showed up: “I didn’t even know there was a singer. When he started singing, I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ It was insane.”
The album was mostly recorded live: “We were all in the main room. Eddie sang every take from the vocal booth, and it wasn’t just a guide track—he put his soul into it.”
Even without click tracks on a lot of songs, energy was the priority. The version of Alive is basically the demo take. Krusen’s favorite track? Black: “There’s magic in that recording, the dynamics are unreal. That’s one of those things you only catch once.”
Leaving the Band and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Comeback
Behind the success, there were tensions, label pressure, and personal struggles. Shortly after recording, Krusen left the band to go into rehab: “I wasn’t focused like the rest of the band. Parties, zero discipline… and eventually I paid the price.”
Still, Ten became a worldwide hit, and Dave kept playing with projects like Hovercraft, Candlebox, and Unified Theory.
In 2017 came the ultimate recognition: Pearl Jam got inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Krusen got to hit the stage with them: “It felt like saying, everything I did actually mattered.” Jeff Ament explained why he was included: “The reason they wanted you is that you didn’t quit—you kept making music.”
Today, Dave records in his home studio, works on soundtracks, and is planning a move back to LA to play live again: “I wanna be back in a band that tours and rocks hard. That’s what I love most.”
And his final word of advice: “If you wanna be in a band, you gotta check your ego. It’s a team game. And above all, never give up.”
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., Mark Lanegan, R.E.M., Radiohead, Cat Power, Dead Kennedys