Pearl Jam present their latest single, “Wreckage," from their twelfth studio album, 'Dark Matter,' available today.
Wreckage
Stone Gossard on “Wreckage”:
“That one probably has the biggest build for me personally, in terms of hearing it at first and thinking, it’s kind of an Ed song. I wasn’t quite aware of its potency until later. Andrew [Watt] encouraged me to play this little harmonic, acoustic part almost like a Cure melody. I’ve been playing along with the song to relearn it and I’m really looking forward to playing it live. It’s a really powerful lyric and I think we did a really great job of taking something and really pushing it to its limit.”
Andrew Watt adds:
“[“Wreckage”] started with the riff and everyone kind of formulating sections together. That song just came to Ed right away. Within the first couple takes before the music was even right, his vocals were right. His melodies and words are so strong in that song. Once the initial spark was there and there were a few sections, it was just really about following him.”
Pearl Jam lead guitar legend Mike McCready joins Shred With Shifty to break down the band’s origin story and recap the Hendrix-inspired solo for “Alive.”
Host Chris Shiflett starts things off with a discussion on the musical context McCready emerged from. “If you didn’t have this punk rock background, then you were looked down upon,” remembers McCready. As he explains, his upbringing was less punk rock and more Cub Scouts until he picked up the guitar. He and Pearl Jam rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard preferred the likes of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, and after Gossard caught McCready shredding Stevie Ray Vaughan licks at a party, he phoned him up to start a two-guitar band. “I could only do what I knew how to do, which was play leads,” says McCready.
A major turning point came for McCready when he witnessed Muddy Waters’ performance in The Last Waltz. “It seemed like he could do more in one note than I was doing with all these thousands of notes,” he says. The observation led him to give up shredding and move in an emotion-driven, blues-rooted direction.
That spirit drives the soaring solo on “Alive,” which McCready cut with a 1962 Japanese Reissue Stratocaster, a Tubescreamer, and a Marshall JCM800. McCready reveals how Jimi Hendrix’s sounds on “Machine Gun” influenced his own performance. After the lesson, McCready answers questions about how “Alive” has changed over the years, Eddie Vedder’s punk-ish rhythm playing, and why he smashed a Strat onstage last year.
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editors: Dan Destefano and Addison Sauvan
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
Fender unveils a more accessible homage to Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready's prized '60s Stratocaster.
As one of the founding members of Pearl Jam, McCready’s unique style became his signature sound and helped the band to stand out from their contemporaries throughout their long and hugely influential career. Created in close collaboration with McCready, this signature Stratocaster guitar pays tribute to his unique blues-inspired style and serves as a testament to his extraordinary artistry and sonic finesse. Built in Ensenada, Mexico, this signature guitar marks the second collaboration with the award winning guitarist following his Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Mike McCready Stratocaster released in 2021.
The Mike McCready Stratocaster features a hand-crafted, heavily Road Worn lacquer finish over an alder body, recreating the battle scars Mike’s own Strat has earned over three decades of grueling, sold-out tours and legendary performances. The comfy 9.5” radius slab rosewood fingerboard on a slim “C” maple neck are shaped to match McCready’s treasured 1960 Strat, while the custom Mike McCready Stratocaster pickups are voiced to replicate Mike’s vintage single-coils for the same timeless tone, passion and energy that define his signature sound. The vintage-style synchronized tremolo, bent-steel saddles and cold-rolled steel block ensure the purest Fender tone and performance.
Features
- Custom Pickups: This custom pickup set is voiced to sound like his beloved 1960 Stratocaster. Warm and articulate, this custom pickup set nails McCready’s signature tone and sounds great for any style of music.
- Signature Finish: Alder body provides the classic Fender tonewood while the Road Worn finish adds the nuances of a well traveled vintage guitar.
- Neck Construction: The neck is carved to match his 1960 Strat and is reminiscent of the most popular neck shapes in Fender’s catalog, designed for comfort and performance.
- Vintage Tremolo: The six-point tremolo offers proper intonation, full adjustability and easy access to cool vibrato sounds.
- Fingerboard Radius: This radius is slightly flatter than a vintage-style radius but with enough arc for comfortable chording and easier note bending.