A sound that began as jam session among friends a few years has evolved into a startling new album, ABOVE. The group began when Pearl Jam's guitarist Mike McCready set up some informal jam sessions for himself and two friends: Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, and Baker, a bassist McCready had met in Minneapolis, who has played with such blues talents as Little Pat Rushing, Hubert Sumlin, Sammy Fender, and the Lamont Cranston Band. Two of the songs on the record ('Wake Up' and 'River of Deceit') were written instantly when we first sat down and played," says Baker. We knew that a really good spark was happening. It was obvious that we had something good going. McCready then gave Layne Staley, Alice In Chains' lead singer, a call and asked him to join in the fun. Staley arrived, with guitar in hand and a head-full of lyric ideas, and the new band's musical mix got even hotter.
"A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back, he ever wants to see a fucking cross? Kind of like going up to Jackie Onassis with a rifle pendant on, you know." - The late great Bill Hicks
