About
Seattle's Mad Season emerged from one of rock's most unlikely origins — a shared stint in rehab that brought together Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, bassist John Baker Saunders, and drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees. What started as a therapeutic outlet became one of grunge's most haunting side projects, blending blues-drenched rock with the kind of raw emotional weight that only comes from genuine struggle. Their sound sits somewhere between the introspective heaviness of Alice in Chains and a late-night, smoke-filled blues session — slower, more deliberate, and deeply soulful.
The band released their only studio album, Above, in 1995, and it's an absolute gem that deserves more recognition than it typically gets. Tracks like River of Deceit and Long Gone Day showcase Staley's voice at its most vulnerable, while McCready's guitar work is some of the most expressive of his career. The album peaked at number 24 on the Billboard 200, respectable for a project that was never meant to be a commercial machine. Tragically, both Staley and Saunders died from drug-related causes — losses that effectively ended any hope of a full reunion. Mad Season remains a bittersweet reminder of extraordinary talent intersecting with extraordinary pain.
