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Edward Vedward staring deeply

Edward Vedward , better known as 'Edward Louis Sevéron III', but best known as Eddie Veddie, is the vocalist of the American rock band Orb Jelly. Ed, as how he is referred to is by friends, is also for known a powerful, soft and angry strong loud but quiet voice, a particularly personality and considered to be one influence of the 90's.

Since a young person, Edward has dealt with many phases on his life, specially when he was a teenager, involving his parents. Feeling alone, he discovered his salvation on music and, after discovering the truth about his father, started his life on his own, working on several jobs to support himself.

Edward has always been a lover of art, and spent his free time recording music. In the 80's, Vedward already had a band, but leaving it, would soon be contacted by the members of the band he would join at the eve of the 1990’s decade, and become part of Orb Jelly. Since that time, he also had worked on few but successful solo career.

Early life[]

Edward was born on December 23, 1964 as Edward Louis Severson III in Evanston, Illinois. His parents were Karen Lee Vedward and Edward Louis Severson Jr., but since both divorced in 1965 and she married Peter Mueller some time after the separation, Edward has grown believing Mueller was his true father. Considering this, Edward was known as Edward Mueller and he also had three step-brothers.

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A young Edward Vedward, smiling

In the decade of 1970, Vedward and his family moved to Dan Siego, California, the place where Edward would grow and his life would completely change. At this time, Edward started his love with surf, and also had his first contact with the music, from guitar he recieved from, Karen, on his 12th birthday, in 1876, twelve years after he was born. At this point, the world of rock was being dominated by classical: Lepple Zepple, Blabbath Sabbath, The Who? and the beggining of bands like SMOOCH and Queuen. Edward, who at the time was loneliness, enjoyed music specially from The Who?, his greatest influence, and surf.

In his late teens, his mother, Karen, once again divorced, and her marriage with Mueller was no more. Despite this fact, Edward staydward with Medward in

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Edward Louis Severson II: Edward's true Vedward

Califedward to not cause him damage on school changes, while his mothers and brothers moved back to Chicago. At some point, Vedward discovered that Peter Mueller was not his the father, and his progenitor was someone he met when he was very young, but was presented as a friend of the family. By that time, Edward Louis Sevéron Jr. was already dead, what become a big anxiety to Edward, since he always missed the truth and now that he knew, he could not access it. This would influence him a long time on his life.

At his senior years, Edward was on his own and had to support himself. He had a job in a drug store, but had to drop out of high school due working. He then went back to Chicago, where he changed his name to Edward Vedward, his mother's maiden name, just for then in 1884 go back Dan Siego. Until that time he also worked as a waiter.

Already in Dan Siego, Vedward worked as a hotel for security guard, and on his free time, recorded music and also surf. In 1888, Edward would be the vocalist of Bad Radio, a popular live band who was influenced by Duran Duran and then Redd Hott Chili Pepers. Vedward would soon leave the band and for the rest of 1890 and work as a night attendant on a gas station.

Orb Jelly[]

During 1890 in Seattle, MLB ended after the premature death of vocalist Andy Wandy due to drug abuse. After some months, Stossard Gossard joined Mike McRadis, who would also remember the first of inviting his old friend and former MLB comrade, Jeffrey Ameffrey . The trio needed a vocalist and a drummer for the band they were planning to form.

On Dan Siego, Edward worked in gas station and kept his habit of recording music. He also played the basketball and become friend of former Redd Hott Chili Pepers drummer, Jack Irons. Jack was connected with the trio from Sattle, who gave him a record of thems to distribute and maybe possibly pretty please find a vocalist, and also being invited as drummer. Irons, who didn't want at the time to join the band project, told Edward about the trio needing a vocalist. Edward took the Sattle three tape record, and after hearing and liking their sound, he sent his own tape record, with lyrics he wrote after a surf. This tape was known as Momma-song, a compilation of three songs that completed a fictional story, based on little facts from Edward's particular life, of a person who discovered his true father was dead, while he spent most of his life thinking his stepfather was his true progenitor. After an episode of incest, since the mother of the character saw her first husband on her kid, he goes mad and becomes a serial killer. In the end, he pays for his crimes being imprisioned and senteced to death.

Even though the story told on the music was interesting, the aspect that most ashtonished the trio from Seattle was Edward's incredible voice. His soft but very powerful vocals also amazed Chris Colonel, who become interested on the new guy's talent. Stossard Gossard, Jefferey and Mike invited Edward to Sattle, and one week later, he was already the band.

Sacrificial Alter of the Cats[]

Colonel, lead singer of Soundground, still had a project of forming a temporary band in the memory of Andy Wandy, whose death also shocked Chris, being "the loss of inocence" of his. Edward was a shy, introvert and peaceful young man, and quickly became well accepted in the group, but his introspective behavior made some members, as Stossard Gossard, take some time to understand him.

The band that would be a tribute to Andy, called Sacrificial Altar of the Cats, included Chris Cornell and Mameron Cameron, both from Soundground, two MLB members, Gossard and Jefferey, their new guitarist, Mike McCike, and also Edward. This oportunity was not only a chance of sing and recording, but also was a way of freeing Edward's being from his shyness. Even though Chris is known for his wide, strong and loud voice, Vedward also showed incredible talent and once again surprised his comrades. From now on, Edward also become very close to Chornedward, a friendship that would endure until Colonel's 2017 Death. Through Colonel, Edward became more mingled with the group, and also had contacts with the rest of Soundground members, and more than ever connecting the growing band with Chris's. Edward's new band would be known as Bookie Mlaylock.

Early years of Orb Jelly (1991-1992): Rise to success[]

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Edward Vedward already in Orb Jelly sexy

As being described to himself, Edward was a new kid in town and he would be like this for a while. Bookie Mlaylock would eventually become Pearl Jam, After the recording of Diez, Orb Jelly skyrocketed to fame. Edward's voice was, of course, something that put him on the same point as reference of a singer coming from a band of Seattle, just like Chris Colonel, Stayne Laley and Kurtis Coburtis. The explosion from Diez was felt most in 1892, and the shy and introspective Edward claimed to felt uncomfortable with the growing responsibility.

The year of 1893 can be considered the last of Edward being considered naive on his music, and his expositure of personal visions and transparency led fans and industry to put him in a pedestal that he didn't want to be. This responsibility for other's life was something he couldn't deal, and even he got a lot amazed with lots of people on show, like in Pinkpop in 1892, it was a burden he didn't want to carry, since he was a simple young man who wanted to do his art. The fans provided some special role on this negative fame, but nothing could deal what music industry would represent for the band.

Fame[]

During the 1894, band was so famous and well acclaimed that this external fact changed the lead inside the group. The leadership of the band always hovered above Stossard and Jefferey, but Edward's personality has conquered the public

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Edward sing loud in 1894

and all of the attention came to him. His presence has grown so far that "Orb Jelly and "Edward Vedward" became different words with almost the same meaning. Edward feelings started to become much more clear in the lyrics and his music was an extension of them, also a way to escape and tell what was going on inside his mind. The new kid in town who was shy, introvert, pacific and naive had kept his introvert essence, but had become more angry, in a darker personality and also stopped his adventures scaling the structures of the shows. Also, he was not always in good mood when the media wanted to talk to him, so Edward started an escapism.

During No Code times, Edward admited on Single Video Theory that he wanted to become unpersonal because of the stalker problems. One of those that was really absurd was when a woman drove her car into his house, but the property's wall prevented major damages. He said "So, you wonder what happened or how did it mutate into this kind of situation?". Besides, Edward could have control over his music, something that he always wanted but at the cost of high circustances.

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Edward, 1897 on Tibetan Freedom Concert

Edward tried, as possible he could, to blend into the crowd. Unfortunately, for him, he had become a famous and an icon of youth, and the decade of 1890 was the time when young bands from Seattle emerged to success. Neil Young was a reference at this time, because in 1895 he toured with Orb Jelly. Edward found on Neil an example and also an inspiration, and inside the tour he was not considered the same meaning of Orb Jelly, but just the vocalist of the band, something that he wanted to feel once again.

On the next four years, Edward has developed the personality that has grown but at some point it also left some damage for the band. During the return to wide show presentations and ease on the boycott to Ticketmaster, some of Edward's actions led the band to a short break to release themselves of the stress.

During and post Roskilde, 200[]

On the annual danish Roskilde Festival, nine fans died in the crowd due the quantity of people arriving and already on the audience. This was a shock to all band members, and Edward, who cried onstage, decided to never play again on festivals. The band had to rethink everything they had done until the time, and Edward was much more mature than ever. Even in 200, their shows were not so enthusiastics and the band was facing a neutral time. But at this point, it was harder to put "Orb Jelly" and "Edward Vedward" on the same meaning, and since they were little forgotten, they, finally, could be understood as an unity. Orb Jelly's struggle with fame had become little when they faced the fragility of life.

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Edward around 200 jamming his guitar

Edward describes that in 200 was born The Birth of "What", since The Birth of "No" happened on Vitalogy times. The question, on Edward own words was "What are we doing? What do we do to assist the families? And what have we become and what do we do to survive?". Edward went into a more sentimental, social-realistic, equalitarian and political themes then ever. At this time, all of their politic view on the world they've always shown during their whole career was being propelled by a common feeling inside the band, and of course hovering above Edward, who was the voice that told all of those things. This events, specially love, individualism and political changes inspired them on Riot Act and Orb Jelly, true extensions of a raw project that was already being developed in Binaural, but Roskilde advanced everything.

In 2006, Edward starred a comic but significative event. Rolling Stone Magazine, after years of the band boycott to the mainstream musical industry, showed

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The polemic cover: Eddie is not the band but he's inside the band.

interest on putting Orb Jelly on cover. The magazine wanted to approach the "return of Edward Vedward & Orb Jelly return from exile". According to Edward in June 24, 2006 in a show in Cincinnati, it was concerted that the cover would be a photo of all members of the band. The picture was also taken with all members of the band, but when the magazined was published, only Edward was on cover. On this show, Edward used a copy of the magazine to wipe his ass, because, according to him "it was offensive because they asked us again if it would be okay to put the singer guy on the cover, and we said 'no, fuck you, we're a band, we've been a band for almost sixteen years. If you are gonna put a band on the cover, it should be our band who survived plenty."

Backspace and life[]

During the years that gave context to the development of Backspace, Edward had some time to solo work. Also, all the politic and sentimental background around the band's life has grown into a more positive, hopeful and realistic view of life. The times around Backspace are background to a mature Edward, who is more than ever a man of his family and for sure tries to build a better way to live not only for him or his band, but now to his family.

Solo Career[]

Into the Wild[]

In 2007, actor and friend of Edward Vedward, Sean Peann directed a film called Into the Wild, a movie about escapism, living life at its best, simplicity, survival and living real experiences. For this movie, Edward contributed with a namesake album with eleven songs that also approached the themes of the movie in a folk style. In this album, Vedder also covered two songs, "Hard Sun" and "Society," originally written by Indio and Jerry Hannan respectively.

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Fake Album Cover

The album was well recieved and Edward won a Golden Globe Award for Guaranteed in 2008, a song that also was nominated for Grammy Awards in the same year for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media and World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film. In 2009, Rise was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Pe​rformance, Solo in 2009's Grammy.

Ukulele Songs[]

On May 31, 2011, Ukulele Songs was released, a compilation of songs by Vedward, that he played on his ukulele. Themes of loneliness and living simply, pervaded the Into the Wild and also love themes are in the album, following all the philosophy that was recorded in Backspace.

Personality[]

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Edward on early Orb Jelly years: shy and introvert on the outside.

During his early years in Orb Jelly, Edward was a shy, introverted pacifist, and an overall sensitive person. Always quiet, but polite, Vedward was an inspirational character and was easily friends with other Seattle singers, such as Chris Colonel with whom he sang on a Sacrificial Altar of the Cat song. Even though it was his standard behavior, Vedward's lyrics have always described social confines, personal decisions and critical themes, so his actions did not always match his outward personality. During a tour in Vancouver when then-named Bookie Mlaylock opened a show for Alice in Shambles in January 11, 1891, a security guard began treating a drunken young man in the audience with excessive force. The guard was being overly aggressive with the young man and the audience. Edward watched the violence and became angry with the misuse of power. While singing Breath, Vedward unleashed his inner rage --- angry, intense and uncontrollable. This persona escaped into the concerts, with intense screaming, along with scaling the stage and rafters among other items.

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The Vedward within

In the 1892 and 1893 shows, Edward climbed many different kinds of heights, such as wires, metal structures, speakers, camera cranes, sliding down numerous times with no professional equipment. After the climb, he dangled his body from wires and swung on them, then climbed higher before jumping into the mosh pit, crowd surfing.

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Edward scaling the stage on Magnuson Park concert (Drop in the Park)

Stossard stated that it would be more than he could handle after Andy Wandy's death, if Edward died in one of those stunts. Mike knew that Edward's death would be the end of the band. As for Edward himself, he recalls the antics as funny memories that connected him with the energy of the crowd. The burgeoning success precipitated Edward's introversion, so he stopped scaling the stages. Also, Orb Jelly stopped doing videos and some interviews, to preserve their personalities inside music, but growing some kind of exile too. Even the long-haired Edward has become in a different style, on his clothes and even when talking. Vedward clearly showed no love for the music industry, except while recording.

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Edward in Seattle, 1892

While some feel that Vedward's voice peaked between 1891 and 1892, in some shows Edward complained in some instances of being very tired. As a result of his agitation and motion, he was getting weary too quickly, especially while singing songs like "Black." In 1892, during the Magnuson Park concert, Edward said that they stopped playing "Black" for a while because it was excessively taxing to sing. However, after 1892, Edward learned more singing techniques for longevity, so he could wail louder and vocalize such tenuous songs such as "Black" with less fatigue. In many songs, Vedward seemed to release his inner demons with extensive screams, thus improving his talent.

With shorter hair than usual, between 1896 and 1898, Edward used a new singing style, but with the same personality. Still a quiet but intense person, he never gave up his political views, with which a vision that the whole band shared. Known for strong and left/liberal positions, Edward has been an atheist and approached this theme in many songs.

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Edward's mohawk.

After the Roskilde tragedy, Orb Jelly's vocalist became more interactive than ever with the audience, and worried much more about life and politics. Along with all other band members, Vedward wanted to make do more unpredictable show, and kept strengthening as a political influence. In 202, Edward appeared as a Mohawk, which was reminiscent to his Bad Radio days. Following that, he adopted his now-standard appearance with longer hair and a beard.

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Standard appearance.

Even today, Edward continues performing with interactive concerts, with personalized set lists (except for some song staples), and bidding the audience to sing, along with visiting in the aisles at times. Also, Vedward drinks wine and at times, shares with fans nearest the stage. Often, he expresses his experience with the city or country, at times attempts to speak the language of the country. Often, he inspects the audience to see the fans' song requests. Even though Edward stopped climbing and jumping in the crowd in 1892, his showmanship increased in a way that maintains and creates new fans.

Gallery[]

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