Early December 1981 — San Diego, California
The hiss of the tape deck filled the room for a second before the first track of Ultramega OK punched through the speakers — raw, gritty, alive. A young, 16 year old, Eddie Vedder sat cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom, elbows resting on his knees, his Walkman open and cassette case tossed beside him. A crumpled lyric sheet lay across the carpet — scribbled notes in Eddie's handwriting, some of the lines circled twice, maybe three times.
Chris Cornell's voice erupted through the speakers — searing, haunting, confident in a way that didn't sound trained… It sounded real.
Eddie tilted his head slightly, listening as "Beyond the Wheel" unfurled. The slow burn of it, the distorted guitars, the monstrous vocal peaks — it wasn't just a song. It was a storm rolling in.
"He's just a kid too," Eddie muttered under his breath. He reached for the EP next — Screaming Life/Fopp — and flipped it in. Within seconds, "Hunted Down" felt like it gripped him by the collar.
He sat back against his bed, staring at the ceiling now, jaw clenched.
Sixteen. Just like me.
He kept thinking that. Over and over.
But Chris wasn't in a bedroom in Southern California. Chris was on tour. Chris was on the radio. Chris was doing it.
Eddie's fingers drummed lightly on his jeans in time with the beat of "Tears to Forget."
"How the hell is he doing this already?" he murmured, a mix of awe and frustration creeping into his voice.
He glanced at his cheap notebook on the desk — pages filled with lyrics, ideas, little sketches of fake band names, guitar tabs he copied by ear. It suddenly felt so small. Not worthless — just far away from something real.
He stood up slowly, walked over to his cracked mirror. His reflection stared back — shaggy hair, quiet eyes, a kid who felt too old inside for his own skin.
"I wanna do what he's doing," he whispered.
Not copy it.
Not chase it.
Be it. In his own way.
He didn't know how yet — not the gear, not the band, not even the voice. But he knew the hunger. It sat deep in his chest, burning hotter every time Cornell let loose another soaring note.
As "Fopp" played — wild, unfiltered — Eddie nodded to himself.
"One day," he said.
Not with jealousy.
With conviction.
He reached for his guitar. His fingers were still sore. Strings rusted in places. But it didn't matter.
Somewhere in Seattle, a kid his age had already started the fire.
And Eddie Vedder had every intention of stepping into it.
///////////////////////////////////NEXT SCENE///////////////////////////////////
Late December 1981 – Encinitas, California
10:14 PM – Vincent's Pharmacy, Coast Highway 101
The fluorescent lights buzzed softly above the quiet aisles of Vincent's Pharmacy. A slow Friday night and only two customers had come in during the last hour. 17 year old Eddie Vedder stood behind the counter, stocking small boxes of aspirin, humming under his breath. The store's tinny speaker played an Eagles track that he didn't care for.
The door opened with a soft chime.
A man in a gray coat stepped inside. Tall, with sharp eyes, the kind of look that said he's not here for cough drops.
Eddie glanced up. "Hey. Let me know if you need anything."
The man nodded slightly and walked down the vitamin aisle. A minute passed. Then he circled back toward the counter with some stuff in hand.
"Hey.." the man asked, voice calm, firm.
"Hey…" Eddie Vedder greeted back and scanned the stuff his customer wanted to buy.
"By the way, I'm Jason Bourne. I see you a lot here lately. How's work?" Jason casually said.
"Uh.. I'm Eddie… Eddie Vedder and nah man, this is only temporary for now, I have dreams you know?" Eddie answered.
"Oh yeah? Hey kid, if you want to get a better paying job I know one, want in? We got a slot in the team." Jason offered as he looked at Eddie.
Eddie stopped packaging the items in the plastic bag. "Wha- for real? You're not bullshitting me right?"
"Hey here's my business card if you want proof." Jason handed his Sub Pop business card to Eddie.
When Eddie grabbed the card with doubt, he quickly looked into what was written on it and was shocked to see the name "Sub Pop, Inc."
"Wa-wa-wait what!? You're from Sub Pop!?" Eddie became jumpy all of a sudden.
"Yup kid, so how's it? Wanna join our team? By the way, you'll be joining our artist Chris Cornell in his tour as part of his team and get to experience how a tour works, ain't that a dream job? Plus the pay is higher than what they pay you here." Jason added some details so Eddie would be hooked.
"What the fuck!? You're not scamming me or some shit, right!?" Eddie was already on the edge.
"I'm no bullshit kid, so what do you think? I can bring you to Washington right now. I got an extra ticket for a colleague but he had to fly out in an emergency flight because our boss wants him back fast, lucky right?" Jason smiled as he waved the two tickets that he grabbed out from his pockets.
Eddie looked at those tickets like a hyena, he was so damn tempted!
Jason saw the eagerness in Eddie's eyes so he asked another one, "What do you say? Let's go?"
"When do we fly out?" Eddie asked as he swallowed his dry saliva down his throat.
"Tomorrow, 5 in the morning." Jason smirked.
Eddie was thinking 'I'm crazy right? I'm crazy right??'
Eddie closed his eyes. He already envisioned learning everything from Sub Pop and Chris Cornell and might be discovered by Sub Pop as well if he wrote songs himself!
'God damn I'm crazy!'
"Okay! I'm in!" Eddie, still shaking from nervousness and excitement, offered a handshake with Jason.
Jason, on the other hand, smiled like a devil in his mind as he shook Eddie's hands.
'Mission success!'
"Alright, let's go! You need to pack up before we go!" Jason invited.
"Wait.. what about my job?" Eddie said worriedly.
"Who cares!? Did they care?" Jason smiled.
"Fuck it then." Eddie shook his head and just left his position and exited the Pharmacy.
[SEASON 1 FINALE ENDS]
[SEASON 2 COMING OUT SOMETIME IN JULY 2025]