Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Serves Up Iconic Sounds

When you’re a rock legend, chances are you have some harrowing experiences to share. Pearl Jam’s lead guitarist Mike McCready not only has stories to tell but also is ready to tell them in a new way. The Seattle-born artist has been playing his instrument since he was 12 years old, starting around 1979. From there, he saw the rise of the Pacific Northwest grunge rock scene and witnessed some of his closest friends and musical cohorts die as the result of fame and drug abuse. He’s since come out the other side, surviving his own health issues and struggles with addiction, to become a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. Now, McCready says, he’s working on a script and soundtrack for a new rock opera that will tell the stories of his city and display the range of emotions many encountered on their paths to fame.