Pearl Jam and Greta Thunberg warn of climate disaster in Retrograde video

Pearl Jam (Image credit: Danny Clinch)

Pearl Jam have released their new video for Gigaton track Retrograde.

The band teased the Josh Wakely-directed promo earlier this week – and it's now been revealed that it features Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The animated video sees a man visit a psychic reader, and as he gazes into the crystal ball, he’s presented with melting glaciers and devastating floods decimating Manhattan, Paris, Seattle and London, while wildfires sweep across Australia. The fortune teller is then revealed to be Thunberg.

The band, meanwhile, appear in the video as tarot cards.

Speaking to Variety, Wakely revealed the video was originally intended to be a live action shoot, but those plans changed once the coronavirus lockdown began.

Wakely says: “Something Pearl Jam has done so extraordinarily well for 30 years is to speak truth to power and fire warning shots.”

He adds: “Several other Gigaton songs spoke to me, but this one kept me up at night.”

As for Thunberg’s involvement, Wakely said he took existing footage of the 17-year-old with her permission and then super-imposed her face on to that of an actor.

Wakely explains: “She never had to act a frame, but she provided that emotion I was looking for. It was a huge thrill to see an email in my inbox from her saying that she loved it."

Retrograde follows Dance Of The Clairvoyants, Superblood Wolfmoon, and Quick Escape from the follow-up to 2013 Lightning Bolt.

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.