"What the hell just happened?" Eddie Vedder and Stephen Wilson Jr. release stunning version of Temple Of The Dog classic Hunger Strike
Hunger Strike was filmed live during Steven Wilson Jr.'s set at Ohana Fest in California last month
Last month, Eddie Vedder and Friends headlined the opening night of Vedder's Ohana Fest in Dana Point, California, but the Pearl Jam frontman returned to the festival the following night to guest with country and rock singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr.
Much to the delight of those lucky enough to be in attendance, Vedder sidled onto the stage during Wilson Jr.'s set to share vocals on a stunning version of Hunger Strike, the classic Temple Of The Dog single originally fronted by Vedder and late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell. The collaboration has now been officially released on pro-shot video.
"Thank you, Temple Of The Dog!" exclaims Wilson Jr. at the song's climax. "What the hell just happened?"
Instigated by Cornell, Temple Of The Dog were formed to pay tribute to late Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood by recording two songs Cornell had written in 1990 after the death of his former roommate.
After hooking up with Mother Love Bone guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament, plus Mike McCready, the guitarist from their fledgling new band Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, the proposed single swiftly became a full album.
Hunger Strike, the album's standout, was only written because Cornell didn’t like that the number of songs the band originally wrote – nine – was odd. And so a classic was born.
Wilson Jr. is currently on tour in Europe, having completed a British and Irish tour at the weekend. He's scheduled to play a run of US dates in November and December, ending with a show at the Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK., on New Year's Eve. Full dates below.
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Stephen J. Wilson tour dates
Oct 27: Paris Le Trianon, France
Oct 29: Zürich Volkshaus, Switzerland
Oct 30: Köln Theater am Tanzbrunnen, Germany
Nov 01: Utrecht TivoliVredenburg, Netherlands
Nov 03: København VEGA, Denmark
Nov 04: Johanneshov Fållan, Sweden
Nov 05: Oslo Sentrum Scene, Norway
Nov 20: St. Petersburg St. Pete Country Fest 2026, FL
Nov 21: Birmingham Avondale Brewing Company, AL
Dec 02: Pittsburgh Citizens Live at The Wylie, PA
Dec 03: Indianapolis Old National Centre, IN
Dec 05: Cincinnati The Andrew J Brady Music Center, OH
Dec 09: Atlanta Coca-Cola Roxy, GA
Dec 11: Nashville The Truth, TN
Dec 12: Nashville The Truth, TN
Dec 31: Durant ChOctaw Casino & Resort, OK
Jan 20 - 23: Cancun Dave & Tim Riviera Maya, Mexico
Apr 03: Fort Lauderdale Tortuga Music Festival 2027, FL
Apr 24: Indio Stagecoach 2027, CA
Aug 14: Oshkosh XRoads41 2027, WI
Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. He once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, has flown on the Goodyear Blimp, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.
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