Pearl Jam Guitarist Mike McCready Reflects on Turning the Big 6-0: “I’m Grateful to Still Be Around” (Exclusive)

Here’s wishing a very happy birthday to founding Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, who turns 60 on April 5.

Videos by American Songwriter

Pearl Jam formed in 1990 with McCready, lead singer Eddie Vedder, fellow guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Dave Krusen. The band, of course, has long been one of the most popular rock acts on the planet.

[RELATED: Getting Clean: 3 Rock Stars Who Have Gone Sober]

Mike has co-written many Pearl Jam songs over the years, including “Daughter,” “Animal,” “Spin The Black Circle,” “Not For You,” “Yellow Ledbetter,” and “Given To Fly.” His searing, rootsy guitar playing is an indelible element of the group’s sound.

In 2017, McCready was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pearl Jam.

Mike recently was interviewed by American Songwriter and he discussed how he felt about reaching the milestone age.

“I’m gonna be 60. Oh my God, saying that out loud just makes my lower back hurt,” McCready quipped. “I’m grateful to still be around. I’m married to a wonderful woman, Ashley, and I’ve got three kids, and … I don’t take that for granted. And that’s important to me. I’m very lucky to still be able to do music at this age. … Hopefully it’s still relevant. And hopefully it’s fun. … And it still is for me.”

McCready added, “[T]here’s nothing like going out and playing for our fans in the Pearl Jam world. They’re so receptive and so know what’s going on, and [they] push us to different levels. [W]e’ll … always be very appreciative of that.”

Meanwhile, Mike shared that he isn’t interested in having a major birthday celebration.

“You know, I want to go to a nice restaurant in Seattle,” he said. “Something small, you know.”

More About Mike McCready

McCready was born in Pensacola, Florida, but his family moved to Seattle shortly after he was born. He formed his first band, Warrior, in eighth grade, and the group eventually changed its name to Shadow. Shadow relocated to Los Angeles in 1986, but after struggling to achieve any success, the band returned to Seattle and then broke up in 1988.

McCready gave up on music for a while, but became inspired to play guitar again after seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan in concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington.

He joined a group called Love Chile, where he came to the attention of fellow guitarist and grade-school friend Gossard. Stone had been in the popular Seattle band Mother Love Bone, but the group’s lead singer, Andrew Wood, had recently died of a drug overdose. McCready and Gossard began playing together, and Mike eventually encouraged Stone to reconnect with Mother Love Bone bassist Jeff Ament. The trio soon began looking to form a new band.

Meanwhile, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell tapped McCready, Gossard, and Ament to play in his side project Temple Of The Dog, which was recording a tribute album to Wood. The project also included guest vocals by Eddie Vedder, a singer who’d recently moved to Seattle.

Eventually, McCready, Gossard, Ament, and Vedder, plus drummer Dave Krusen, formed a called Mookie Blaylock. The group changed its name to Pearl Jam after signing a major label deal in 1991.

McCready also co-founded the short-lived grunge supergroup Mad Season, along with Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley. The Rockfords. In addition, from 1999 to 2003, Mike played in the side-project band The Rockfords.

Recent McCready News

As previously reported, McCready is co-writing a graphic novel titled Farewell To Seasons that will be released in October. In conjunction with the project, Mike has recorded a rock opera that will appear on a vinyl LP included with the deluxe version of the novel.

Farewell To Seasons is a fictional fantasy story set in the Seattle grunge scene of the 1980s and 1990s. It’s based on McCready’s experiences as part of the scene and on some of the Seattle musicians he knew who died young.

You can pre-order Farewell To Seasons now.

During the American Songwriter interview, Mike reflected on the Seattle musicians who didn’t reach his age because of drugs or other issues, while acknowledging his own previous struggles with substance abuse.

“I look back at people that are not around anymore, and I wonder … what would they be doing now?” he said. “You know, would they have taken their kids to soccer? You know, all the kind of things that happen in life as you get older, and that’s kind of poignantly sad in a way to me. So, [it was] partially kind of the reason I wrote this thing.”

McCready added, “[I]t’s just, when you’re young, you think you’re invincible, you know? And I was an example of that, and somehow I got through all of it, with my … various addictions and alcoholism. … And, you know, knock on wood. And some guys didn’t … and women.”

View this post on Instagram

(Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)