Josh Klinghoffer is feeling right at home with Pearl Jam.
The former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist made his debut as the grunge outfit’s newest touring member during their performance at New Jersey’s Sea.Hear.Now. Festival in September. As Klinghoffer tells Consequence, joining up with Eddie Vedder and company feels “enormously gratifying.”
“My bedroom wall when I was like 11, 12, 13 years old was all these people,” Klinghoffer says. “I feel like I’ve known these guys for 30 years already, I don’t know if that will make it work better or not.”
Describing his place in the live Pearl Jam setup, Klinghoffer says he’s “sort of doing a new role,” including providing percussion and background vocals for songs off the band’s new album, 2020’s Gigaton.
“Anything that’s an older song that has a harmony, extra little things that they sort of get by without, I have free range to add if it makes sense to,” Klinghoffer explains. “I generally don’t go up there for one little teeny part, I try to make my being onstage matter instead of just popping in and out for one little word.”
Klinghoffer adds that his new band mates have been “incredibly welcoming and generous.”
“[They] have just sort of let me find my place,” he says.
You’ll also be able to hear Klinghoffer on Vedder’s upcoming solo album, Earthling.
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