Recommendations of the Editorial team
“The video for” Jeremy “will probably forget nobody who was there when it went up and down on MTV.
But even without the frightening pictures, the school drama “Jeremy” creates an oppressive atmosphere. There is a subtle fear and aggression under the catchy melody, and Vedder sings full of fervor, he hisses and shouts: “Jeremy Spoke in Class Today …”.
This wrote Rolling-Stone editor Birgit Fuß in our list of Pearl Jam’s best songs about one of the most important songs in the band from Seattle.
In the “Jeremy” clip, Jeremy was played by a boy named Trevor Wilson. So far there was little known about Wilson, but for the US music magazine “Billboard” Author Gil Kaufman went in search of him some time ago – and found that he drowned almost 24 years after the video was published on “Jeremy” in Puerto Rico in August 2016.
Perfect face for “Jeremy”
Kaufman spoke to friends and the family of Trevor Wilson. He also sat down with Mark Pellington, the director of the “Jeremy” music videos, and cameraman Tom Richmond to experience backgrounds.
“Until the complete exhaustion, we turned in strange locations in the forest for hours, with settings in which we constantly illuminated his face,” said Richmond about the strenuous filming. “But he took it all calmly. He didn’t suddenly started giggling or something and didn’t ask for sweets. Basically, he behaved like a real professional, and that was scary.”
Pellington added that Wilson was chosen primarily because he had that “certain something”. However, that was something that was strange. The slightly insane look should still remember many spectators.
With the sudden fame, however, Wilson did not get along well. He opted for a more alternative career career, worked for the United Nations aid programs and wrote speeches for the wife of the later Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Deep connection
Trevor Wilson later lived in Puerto Rico, where he wanted to build a new existence. There he died and drowned under tragic circumstances. Pearl Jam moved very much when they found out about it from video director Pellington.
Eddie Vedder: “I grew up on the banks of Jersey, Ed stood on a surfboard in the sea as a child – so we are connected to each other by Trevor’s death by drowning.”