Exclusive: watch clip from Flag Day featuring Eddie Vedder's stirring version of R.E.M classic Drive

Flag Day poster
(Image credit: Vertigo Releasing)

Back in August, the soundtrack to Sean Penn's upcoming movie Flag Day was released. Curated by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, it featured new music from the main himself, his daughter Olivia, Frames frontman Glen Hansard, and singer/songwriter Cat Power. 

The first release from the album was My Father's Daughter, written by Eddie Vedder with Hansard and sung by Olivia. But hidden away towards the end of the album, amongst the original songs, was a cover of R.E.M's 1992 classic Drive, sung by Vedder, and we've been given an exclusive clip from Flag Day that shows how the song is used in the movie (watch below).

This isn't the first time Vedder and R.E.M have been brought together - the Pearl Jam man sang on It Happened Today, from R.E.M's final album, 2014's Collapse Into Now. Vedder also inducted R.E.M into the Rock Hall Of Fame in 2007, joining them onstage during the ceremony for a performance of Man In The Moon

Flag Day is based on the true story of Jennifer Vogel, former editor-in-chief of Seattle magazine The Stranger, and her father John Vogel, one of America’s most notorious counterfeiters. It's directed by Sean Penn, and stars his real-life daughter Dylan. The film is in cinemas and on digital from January 28.

Meanwhile, Vedder will head out on tour next month in support of new solo album Earthling, which is released on February 11. Joining Vedder in the Earthlings band are Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, former Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, our old friend Glen Hansard (who will also open the show), and guitarist Andrew Watt.

Eddie Vedder 2022 Tour

Feb 03: New York Beacon Theatre, NY
Feb 04: New York Beacon Theatre, NY
Feb 06: Newark New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NJ
Feb 09: Chicago Auditorium Theatre, IL
Feb 15: El Cajon The Magnolia, CA
Feb 17: Inglewood YouTube Theater, CA
Feb 21: Seattle Benaroya Hall, WA
Feb 22: Seattle Benaroya Hall, WA 

Tickets are on sale now.

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. 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. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.