“I really like the kinda sounds that he gets in a studio. “He’s a fantastic engineer,” says Droge of O’Brien, whose golden ears have enhanced recordings by the likes of Neil Young and Bob Dylan. He liked it, signed Droge to American, and shortly thereafter produced Droge’s 1994 debut album, Necktie Second. Soon after that McCready was working on Pearl Jam’s Versus record, and passed the demo tape on to producer Brendan O’Brien, who was a staff producer at American Recordings at the time. So that’s a very direct result of being in the right place.”ĭroge made a demo tape with buddy Mike McCready a few years back, which the Pearl Jam guitarist financed and played on. And through my friend, who had success in Pearl Jam, I was able to hook up with a great record producer and get a record deal.
“Due to the thriving music scene there, it made it possible for me to have places to play, regardless of the fact that my music didn’t really fit in with what was popular at the time. “I think it was a very healthy place for me to cut my teeth musically,” says Droge, on the line from a hotel in Portland, Oregon. Droge spent most of his formative musical years in the Emerald City, and according to him its prevailing grunge scene only aided his career efforts. You don’t necessarily envision a guy like Pete Droge, whose rootsy, laid-back style has more in common with Tom Petty’s breezy, melodic manner than with Pearl Jam’s roiling, abrasive bent. When you think Seattle rock, you picture plaid shirts, baggy shorts, vein-bulging vocals, and propulsive guitar noise comin’ at you in heavily amplified blasts. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT.