Mike McCready
Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam, a band he co-founded. He has also been a member of the side project bands Flight to Mars, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season and The Rockfords. McCready was born in Pensacola, Florida, USA, but his family moved to Seattle shortly after his birth. As a child, his parents played Hendrix and Santana, while his friends listened to KISS and Aerosmith; McCready would frequently play bongo drums. At the age of 11, McCready purchased his first guitar and began taking lessons—aiming to imitate Gene Simmons of KISS, by sticking his tongue out. Shadow split up soon afterwards, and McCready lost interest in guitar for some time, before finally joining another band called Love Chile. A high school friend, Stone Gossard, heard the band, appreciated McCready's work, and asked if he wanted to join a band he was forming. The two worked together and recruited bassist Jeff Ament. Together with drummer Dave Krusen (who would later be replaced by Matt Chamberlain, then Dave Abbruzzese, then Jack Irons, and currently Matt Cameron) and Eddie Vedder, the group formed the band Pearl Jam (originally known as Mookie Blaylock). It was during this time that McCready took a central role in the Temple of the Dog project, combining members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Mikes first recording studio experience was recording the Temple of the Dog album, including an epic 4-minute-plus solo for "Reach Down." According to drummer Matt Cameron, McCready's headphone monitors flew off halfway through the recording of the solo, and he played the rest without being able to hear the backing track. McCready still considers this track to be his greatest achievement. By the end of 1991, Pearl Jam became one of the most famous modern bands with the release of Ten. McCready frequently soloed, and added a blues touch to the music (influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan). McCready's guitar style is usually an aggressive bluesy nature, and he never plays the same solo twice. His live renditions of songs have slightly different solos due to his fondness of improvization, and sometimes he treats the crowd to a full-on improv. He is extremely energetic live, and is commonly found dashing around the stage, playing to the crowd, throwing plectrums and soloing with the guitar behind his head.
Pearl Jam: Touring Band 2000
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Live at the Garden
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Santiago 2005
(Guitars)
Mad Season: Live at the Moore
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Immagine in Cornice
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Single Video Theory
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Live At The Showbox
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Riot Act - Live At Chop Suey
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: The Fans Are Alright
Pearl Jam: MTV Unplugged
(Guitar)
Pearl Jam - Rome 2018
(Himself - Guitar)
Pearl Jam: Leeds 2014
Pearl Jam: Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony
Pearl Jam: Lollapalooza Brazil 2018 [Animal]
Pearl Jam: Moline 2014 - The No Code Show [BTNV]
Pearl Jam: Camden, NJ 2022
Pearl Jam: Buenos Aires 2005 [La Viola TV]
Pearl Jam: Gila River Arena 2022
Pearl Jam: Imola 2022
Pearl Jam: Fenway Park 2018 - Night 1 - The Away Shows [BTNV]
Pearl Jam: Fenway Park 2018 - Night 1 - The Away Shows [TheSteved111]
Pearl Jam: Missoula 2018
Pearl Jam: Los Angeles 2022 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Oakland 2022 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Oakland 2022 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Downing Stadium, NY 1996
Pearl Jam: Sorpasso 1992
Pearl Jam: Wembley 2000
Pearl Jam: Bologna 2006
Pearl Jam: Safeco Field 2018 - Night 2 - The Home Shows [BTNV]
Pearl Jam: London 2018
Pearl Jam: Wrigley Field 2016 - Night 2 [BTNV]
PearlJam: Wrigley Field 2016 - Night 2 [YT]
Pearl Jam: Fenway Park 2016 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Fenway Park 2016 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Toronto 2016 - Night 1 - The Binaural Show
Pearl Jam: Toronto 2016 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Lollapalooza Brazil 2013 [BTNV]
Pearl Jam: Lollapalooza Brazil 2013
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2016 - Night 2 - The Ten Show [BTNV]
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2016 - Night 2 - The Ten Show [Nugs]
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2016 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: New York City 2016 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: New York City 2016 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Greenville 2016 - The Vs. Show
Pearl Jam: Hampton 2016
Pearl Jam: Jacksonville 2016
Pearl Jam: Tampa 2016
Pearl Jam: Miami 2016
Pearl Jam: Fort Lauderdale 2016
Pearl Jam: Moline 2014 - The No Code Show [Nugs]
Pearl Jam: Vienna 2014
Pearl Jam: Milwaukee 2014 - The Yield Show
Pearl Jam: St. Paul 2014
Pearl Jam: Detroit 2014
Pearl Jam: Lincoln 2014
Pearl Jam: St. Louis 2014
Pearl Jam: Cincinnati 2014
Pearl Jam: Milton Keynes 2014
Pearl Jam: Mural Amphitheatre, Seattle 1991 [single cam]
Pearl Jam: Warfield Theater, San Francisco 1992
Pearl Jam: Atlanta 1998
Pearl Jam: Sponsored By No One - 1995 Tour Film
Pearl Jam: Gimli Motorsport Park 1993
Pearl Jam: Bridge School Benefit 1996
Pearl Jam: Live In Milan '92
Pearl Jam: Budapest 2022
Pearl Jam: Rock Werchter 2018
Pearl Jam: Austin City Limits 2009
Global Citizen Festival 2015
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Santiago 2005 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: The TV Master Archive 1992 - 2017
Pearl Jam Twenty - The Fans Are Alright
Pearl Jam: Under Review
Pearl Jam: Live in Texas
Pearl Jam: Verona 2000
Pearl Jam: See No Evil, Hear No Evil
Pearl Jam: Bridge School Benefit 1994 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Lollapalooza Brazil 2013 [Multishow]
(Guitars)
Pearl Jam: Seattle 2013
Pearl Jam: Vancouver 2013
Pearl Jam: Spokane 2013
Pearl Jam: Los Angeles 2013 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Los Angeles 2013 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: San Diego 2013
Pearl Jam: Glendale 2013
Pearl Jam: Oklahoma City 2013
Pearl Jam: Dallas 2013
Pearl Jam: Charlottesville 2013
Pearl Jam: Baltimore 2013
Pearl Jam: Hartford 2013
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2013 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2013 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Wrigley Field 2013
Pearl Jam: Lollapalooza Chile 2013
Pearl Jam: Stockholm 2012
Pearl Jam: Berlin 2012 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Manchester 2012 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Rio de Janeiro 2011
Pearl Jam: Heineken Jammin' Festival, Venice 2010
Pearl Jam: Hard Rock Calling, London 2010
Pearl Jam: Dublin 2010
Pearl Jam: New York City 2010 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: New York City 2010 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Melbourne 2009
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2009 - Night 4
Pearl Jam: Hartford 2008
Pearl Jam: Melbourne 2006 - Night 1
Pearl Jam: Verona 2006
Pearl Jam: Lisbon 2006 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Barcelona 2006
Pearl Jam: Kitchener 2005
Pearl Jam: Nightfile - A Night with Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam: Tower Records - Rockville, MD
Pearl Jam: Tower Records - Yonkers, NY
Pearl Jam: Gigaton Theater Experience
Pearl Jam Twenty
(Himself)
The Glamour & the Squalor
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Dark Matter – Global Theatrical Experience
(Self)
Temple Of The Dog
Pearl Jam: Let's Play Two
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2016
Make Poverty History - Music Concert
(Self)
Alice in Chains: AIC 23
(Himself)
BOOM! A Film About the Sonics
(Himself)
Enormous: The Gorge Story
Pearl Jam: VH1 Storytellers
Pearl Jam: Safeco Field 2018 - Night 1 - The Home Shows [Nugs]
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Buenos Aires 2005 - Night 2 [Frontviewmirror]
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO 1995
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Gigaton Visual Album Experience
(Himself)
Pearl Jam: Live at Pinkpop '92
(Self)
The Rocky Horror Musical Live Stream
(Self)
All in Washington: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Safeco Field 2018 - Night 1 - The Home Shows [BTNV]
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Philadelphia 2024 - Night 2
Pearl Jam: Baltimore 2024
Pearl Jam: Global Citizens Festival - New York 2015
Pearl Jam: Voodoo Festival - New Orleans 2013
MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Chicago 2023 - Night 1
(Guitar)
Gleason
(Self)
Tibetan Freedom Concert
(Self)
VH1 News Special: Grunge
(Self)
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
(Self)
Pearl Jam: Vitalogy
(Guitar, Backing Vocals)
Pearl Jam: The Kids Are Twenty
MTV Video Music Awards
(Self)
Saturday Night Live
(Self - Musical Guest)
Singing Earth
(Himself)
Late Show with David Letterman
(Self - Musical Guest)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
(Self - Musical Guest)
The Westsiders
(Music)
Pearl Jam - Rome 2018
(Music)
Fat Kid Rules The World
(Original Music Composer)
The Beach Boys
(Original Music Composer)
Sadie
(Original Music Composer)
The Glamour & the Squalor
(Original Music Composer)
Sadie
(Musician)
The Story of Plastic
(Music)
You Gotta Believe
(Original Music Composer)
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
(Original Music Composer)