Mike McCready

“I have to be in a certain place when I play. I have to be in a place where I'm not thinking about it.”

“I think the blues is in everything. It's in rock, it's in punk, it's in all of it. It's the root of everything.”

“When I had my first child, I was like, 'I don't want to be a dick anymore.' I want to be a good dad. It's a new purpose in life.”

“Crohn's is a tough disease. It's an invisible disease, so people don't know you're sick.”

“I've been sober for a long time. It's been a journey. It's something I have to work on every day.”

“Music has a healing power. It's gotten me through some of the darkest times.”

“Playing with Chris Cornell was an honor. He was one of the greatest singers of all time.”

“I love playing guitar. It's what I've always wanted to do.”

“The Seattle scene was a very special time. There was a camaraderie between all the bands.”

“We're just five guys in a band who got lucky. We're still trying to figure it all out.”

“You have to be kind to yourself. You have to learn to forgive yourself.”

“I'm always trying to learn new things on the guitar. I'm never satisfied.”

“Our fans are the reason we're still here. Their dedication is unbelievable.”

“Mad Season was a cool experience. It was one of those things that happened in the '90s that was kind of a supergroup.”

“I love the energy of a live show. There's nothing like it.”

“Photography is another outlet for me. It's a way to see the world differently.”

“When we write songs, it's a very democratic process. Everybody has a say.”

“Eddie's lyrics are so profound and deep. They always hit me in a different way.”