Stone Gossard's Brad Return After Eight-Year Hiatus

Brad -- the longtime side project from Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard and Satchel's vocalist, Shawn Smith, and drummer, Regan Hagar -- have returned with their fourth album, 'Best Friends?,' which is out now. The band dates back to 1992, right as Pearl Jam's career was taking off, but different scheduling issues make a Brad record a difficult thing to get out. Case in point is 'Best Friends?,' which Gossard tells Spinner was essentially recorded in 2003 but is now just seeing a release.

"I think Shawn lost some speed with it and started working on his own stuff," Gossard explains. "Brad was difficult for him and a couple of other situations, like being in a band with a guy who's in another band. It can sort of feel like mixed loyalty or something. But after putting it aside for awhile, I went back three of four years ago and did some mixes, making some edits. It just took this long to come together."

At the beginning of their career, Brad were signed to Epic records but now they handle things themselves ('Best Friends?' was released on Pearl Jam's own Monkey Wrench label). The new set is armed with 12 songs, showcasing looser arrangements than that of Pearl Jam, including the spacey 'Without Regret' and 'Low.'

But still, what's up with that album title? "In talking about the childhood notion of 'best friends,' and how that translates into adulthood, it's a constant theme with us," Gossard explains. "We've been together so long and fought with each other; had struggles together like you do with family. You're confronted by their issues or your own issues and you sort of have to face your deeper demons. We're still on that theory that it's still worth sticking out and that there's something special about those people you first start to play music with."

'Best Friends?' is available at Pearl Jam's Ten Store. The trio will tour this fall with Band of Horses.