On the podcast Grounded, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament digs into the story behind his infamous 2018 anti-Trump poster and shares an honest, unfiltered take on today’s America.
In the latest episode of the Grounded podcast, hosted by U.S. Senator Jon Tester and journalist Maritsa Georgiou, Jeff Ament opened up about his life, his Montana upbringing, the band’s rise, and his deep involvement in politics and community work.
The conversation was a mix of sharp humor, heartfelt stories, righteous anger and grounded wisdom — the kind only someone who’s seen both the wheat fields and the world stage can offer.
Big Sandy, Montana: where it all started
Ament looked back at Big Sandy, the tiny Montana town of under 600 people where he grew up. He spoke fondly of his father George, who wore just about every hat in town: mayor, barber, school bus driver, insurance agent — and even the local garbage man for elderly ladies. Jeff eventually took over that last “job” as a teenager, calling it his first real gig.
Tester, who’s also from Big Sandy, remembered Jeff as one of those loud, energetic kids always running around the basketball courts. Jeff, in turn, shared how impressed he was to see young Jon Tester playing ball despite having lost a few fingers. Oh, and yes — Jon still gets his haircut “the George Ament way.”
Music, college, and a political awakening
Jeff recalled moving to Missoula in the early ’80s to attend college and getting involved in punk bands. It was during that time that his political outlook started to shift — fast.
He admitted he had grown up with a super conservative mindset and had to “unlearn and relearn” once he got to campus. A course on world religions — surrounded by atheists, Buddhists, and gay students — opened his eyes. “I didn’t even know what an atheist was,” he said. “College was a game-changer.”
The music dream — and Montana realism
Even when Pearl Jam started blowing up, Ament said he didn’t expect the success to last. In the early ’90s, he bought land near Missoula, thinking that once the music career fizzled out, he could work at a bookstore or café and just live simply.
“I didn’t have a plan B — I just had common sense,” he joked. It wasn’t until the mid-‘90s that he realized music would stick with him for life.
The 2018 “burn it down” poster — and the Secret Service knock
One of the wildest stories Jeff shared was about the infamous poster he designed with artist Bobby Brown for Pearl Jam’s 2018 Missoula show.
He said the artwork – inspired by satirical cartoons – showed the White House burning, Trump getting eaten by a crow, and Senator Tester riding a tractor “above all the chaos.”
Ament explained that the drawing came out of “a feeling of democratic collapse,” and that some stuff even got pulled to avoid going too far — like Trump’s briefcase with hammer and sickle on it, which you can still spot in the early sketch of the poster over here.
He made it clear the point was to highlight Tester’s integrity — “a real dude in the middle of all the Washington rot.”
The Secret Service showed up. “They thought ‘It’s time for action’ was a threat,” Jeff explained, referring to the text on the back of the poster. “But really, I just meant it’s time to vote. Apparently that’s scary to some people.”
Pearl Jam, Springsteen, and speaking out
Jeff also spoke about the Trump vs. Springsteen saga, saying he and the band were talking a lot about Bruce’s bold political statement.
According to Jeff, Eddie Vedder felt the need to address it on stage in Pittsburgh — standing up for the Boss, for free speech, and for truth. Jeff didn’t mince words about Trump either: “He acts like a fascist,” he said. “And the most American thing we’ve got is the right to speak out.”
The band: 30+ years of brotherhood and goofiness
Jeff shared that the band’s most hilarious duo is hands down Stone Gossard and Mike McCready — calling them “Laurel & Hardy.”
He said that while each member is into different things — painting, writing, activism — what really keeps them close is the deep creative bond and the conversations they have when they’re all together.
Montana, skateparks and giving back
Ament made it clear he’s not walking away from Montana just because Jon Tester may be stepping away from the Senate.
He said he plans to keep pushing for voter engagement and showing up however he can. His biggest concerns? Healthcare, school closures, and the sell-off of public lands.
He also talked about his project Montana Pool Service, which has built over 30 skateparks in small rural towns — giving young people something to do and somewhere to belong. “Sometimes a place can change a life,” Jeff said. “I just wanted to build those kinds of places.”
You can catch the full Grounded interview with Jeff Ament over on the podcast’s Substack. This interview is a must-watch, no joke.
Bonus TrackS
- In a recent sit-down with Rick Beato, Ament addressed a claim made by Billy Corgan — who said that back in 1991, Pearl Jam were nearly kicked off the tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins for being “depressed” and selling poorly. Jeff called BS. He said the tour was “amazing,” that the band was fired up, and that Epic Records was actually thrilled with Ten’s early numbers — even before it exploded the following year.
- Oh, and here’s a gem: Josh Freese (ex-Foo Fighters, NIN, DEVO, etc.) recently posted a screenshot on Instagram showing a message he sent Jeff asking him to design the next Pearl Jam album cover — complete with a big cheesy smile emoji. “Jeff probably hated the idea,” Josh wrote, cracking up. Collaboration incoming? Don’t hold your breath.
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., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.