Happy Birthday today (April 5) to guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. He's 52. Also celebrating is former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks (69).

Mike McCready has cited many musicians as influences including Ace Frehley, Michael Schenker, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Joe Perry, Eddie Van Halen, Angus Young, and Randy Rhoads among others. Pearl Jam formed out of Seattle in 1990. The band’s original lineup featured Eddie Vedder on vocals along with Mike McCready and Stone Gossard on guitars, bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Dave Krusen. Pearl jam is one of the most successful rock band’s of the 90’s with an estimated 60 million records sold worldwide. The band’s debut album Ten was a huge success going 13 times platinum with hits “Alive”, “Even Flow”, and “Jeremy. The album remains Pearl Jam’s most commercially successful album.

Pearl Jam recently toured in 2016 tour to commemorate the band’s 25th anniversary. The tour will included two shows at Madison Square Garden in NYC and a headlining slot at the 2016 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this Friday, April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Cheers to Mike McCready on his birthday today!

Les Binks
Les Binks/Youtube
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