Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready talks about Elvis Presley: The Searcher, debuting this Saturday April 14th On HBO
He was a boy from Tupelo who grew up to become the biggest star in music. Along the way, he absorbed a staggering range of influences, creating a revolutionary sound in his lifelong search for self-expression.
Following his creative journey from childhood through the final 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions, the two-part presentation Elvis Presley: The Searcher debuts Saturday, April 14th (8:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO. The documentary includes stunning atmospheric shots taken inside Graceland, Elvis’ iconic home, and features more than 20 new, primary source interviews with session players, producers, engineers, directors and other artists who knew him or who were profoundly influenced by him, as well as never-before-seen photos and footage from private collections worldwide.
Elvis Presley: The Searcher includes an original score by Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready, who discusses his work on the documentary and shares his impressions of Elvis.
Q: When did you discover Elvis, and what were your initial impressions of him? Did your feelings about Elvis’ music change over time?
Mike McCready: My mom had the “50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong” LP around 1975 and it was an eye- and ear-opening experience. I recall really hearing the stark energy that was in the earlier recordings – especially how big it sounded.
Of course his voice was amazing. I gravitated towards Scotty Moore even before I played guitar.
My feelings about Elvis have been consistent over the years: He has amazing songs, an amazing voice and was the beginnings of rock’n’roll. I believe that had Elvis not come into being, no rock bands would have existed.
Q: What did you and director Thom Zimny want to accomplish with an original score, as opposed to having the documentary draw exclusively on Elvis’ recordings? With so much pre-existing music – Elvis and otherwise – in the documentary, how difficult was it to create something different?
MM: Thom wanted different music than just all Elvis tunes. He said that when you hear Elvis, that’s all you can hear, and it takes you out of the scene. I wanted to help the scenes move along and not be too upfront, as I feel it’s the story that matters before the music. I also needed to interpret Thomas’ ideas and direction. It wasn’t difficult, because Thomas is one of the easiest directors I’ve met. He’s intuitive and knows what he wants, but will also listen.
Q: You’ve worked on soundtracks before. How did working on this film differ from your previous projects?
MM: This project was the most fluid and cohesive film that I have worked on. It was just easy to work with Thomas. His demeanor and character are easy and enlightening to be around. Plus, I think we bonded over our love of Jim Jarmusch.
Q: Forty years after his death, what do you think Elvis’ legacy is today?
MM: I feel Elvis’s legacy will be intact for future generations, because his music is so monumental. He will be always studied as a musician and cultural phenomenon.
Q: How would you introduce Elvis to a younger person, who was born after Elvis’ passing and might have grown up as a Pearl Jam fan – and may see him primarily as a historical figure?
MM: I would tell a Pearl Jam fan that all of our influences (The Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Sleater-Kinney, etc.) have gotten something from Elvis in terms of music and style. And to listen where they think Elvis has influenced their heroes.
Q: What did you take away from the film on a personal level?
MM: From THE SEARCHER, I took away how exciting Elvis was when he burst on the scene. The early pictures of him on the Hayride tour clearly show that he was stealing the show. I was also fascinated about how he took everything in musically when he was in Memphis. There is a feeling of freedom in his hanging out in Memphis. Once he got big, his music gave teenagers that feeling.
Elvis Presley: The Searcher is an HBO Documentary Films Presentation in association with Sony Pictures Television; executive producers, Glen Zipper, Priscilla Presley, Jerry Schilling, Andrew Solt, Alan Gasmer and Jamie Salter (chairman and CEO, Authentic Brands Group); producers, Jon Landau and Kary Antholis; directed and produced by Thom Zimny.
