"Well, we made it through another one. Can't wait to see what's next."

So says Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder at the end of 'Lightning Bolt,' a short film from director Danny Clinch that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the band's upcoming album of the same name by sitting the members down in the studio with a passel of famous fans, including Judd Apatow, musician and actor Carrie Brownstein, surfer Mark Richards and former NFL player Steve Gleason.

While any of them could be the subject of a documentary in their own right, they approach the band as fans, and ask questions anyone might want the answers to -- especially Gleason, who kicks things off with, "It's been five years since 'Backspacer.' That's the longest space between records. What the f---?'"

According to the band, they were waiting for the right time and the right message -- although as Vedder admits when it's pointed out that the new record is fairly dark, "If you're paying attention to what's going on on the planet, I feel like we can find something to be angry about pretty quick."

Lack of material doesn't seem to have been a problem; in fact, everyone seems to be writing as much as ever. Vedder compares the process to surfing at one point, saying, "Surfing is pretty easy when you're on the wave, and so is songwriting -- when you're on the wave. But you can spend a lot of days out there, paddling around and not getting anything." He later adds, "With everything you think you figure out, it's another path to another set of questions, you know?"

The short film also includes snippets of cuts from the new album, including 'Mind Your Manners' and 'Sirens,' as well as the usual pre-album promises, such as "Everybody's kind of playing out of their minds on this record." We'll all have a chance to hear for ourselves when 'Lightning Bolt' arrives in stores on Oct. 15.

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