PEARL JAM - VEDDER TRIES TO QUIT SMOKING AFTER RAMONE'S DEATH

PEARL JAM star EDDIE VEDDER is desperately trying to quit smoking - a habit he started as he attempted to cope with the suicide of fellow grunge icon KURT COBAIN.

The rocker recently decided to quit when the untimely death of another pal JOHNNY RAMONE, aged just 55, made him realise his own mortality.

He says, "I started smoking after the Kurt thing - I kind of thought I'd do the same thing, just slowly, you know? Now I don't feel like doing that at all.

"Johnny Ramone was young... At one point you see a number like that (55) and you think, 'I don't have to worry; I got plenty of time.' They you get to a certain age and you think, 'Well, maybe I don't have as much time as I thought.'"