Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

Temple of the Dog

2 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Alternative Rock

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Hunger Strike - Guitar Lesson

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Say Hello 2 Heaven - Guitar Lesson

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Band Overview

Temple of the Dog was a one-off supergroup formed in Seattle in 1990 as a tribute to Andrew Wood, the late frontman of Mother Love Bone. The project brought together members of Soundgarden and what would soon become Pearl Jam, with Chris Cornell handling lead vocals and songwriting alongside guitarist Mike McCready, rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Matt Cameron. The result was a self-titled album released in 1991 that blended grunge rawness with soulful, blues-inflected songwriting. For guitarists, this project sits at a fascinating crossroads: McCready's fiery, Hendrix-inspired lead work colliding with Gossard's rhythmic, riff-driven approach. From a guitar standpoint, Temple of the Dog is more accessible than a lot of early 90s Seattle material. The songs lean heavily on open chords, arpeggiated clean passages, and tasteful overdrive rather than heavy drop-tuned riffing. Gossard's rhythm parts are built on a foundation of Classic Rock chord voicings with a grunge edge, often using simple but effective power chord progressions and open-string drones. McCready, meanwhile, brings a classic rock soloist's vocabulary to the table: pentatonic runs, expressive bends, vibrato with real personality, and occasional wah-fueled excursions that recall Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. The overall difficulty level is intermediate. Songs like "Hunger Strike" feature clean arpeggiated picking patterns and dynamic shifts between quiet verses and powerful choruses that teach you a lot about feel and dynamics. "Say Hello 2 Heaven" demands solid rhythm playing and a good ear for when to hold back versus when to let the guitar breathe. If you are looking to develop your dynamic range, learn to blend clean and driven tones within a single song, and work on expressive lead phrasing, Temple of the Dog is an excellent study. The interplay between McCready and Gossard also offers a masterclass in how two very different guitar personalities can coexist without stepping on each other.

What Makes Temple of the Dog Essential for Guitar Players

Stone Gossard's rhythm work relies heavily on open chord voicings and ringing arpeggios, especially in songs like "Hunger Strike." Practicing his parts will sharpen your ability to let notes sustain and breathe within a mix, rather than burying everything under distortion.
Mike McCready's lead style is rooted in blues-rock pentatonic vocabulary but delivered with grunge-era grit. His bends are wide and vocal, often reaching a full step or more, and his vibrato is wide and assertive. Studying his solos here is a great gateway into expressive lead playing.
Dynamic control is central to these songs. "Say Hello 2 Heaven" moves from delicate clean picking to full-bodied overdriven strumming, teaching you how to use your picking hand's attack and your volume knob to shift between textures without switching channels.
The dual-guitar interplay between Gossard and McCready is a textbook example of rhythm and lead coexistence. Gossard holds down rhythmic foundations with power chords and open voicings while McCready fills gaps with melodic fills and sustained lead lines. Learning both parts will improve your understanding of arrangement.
Several tracks use half-step and whole-step chord movement rooted in grunge's fondness for dissonance. Pay attention to how minor chords resolve (or deliberately don't resolve) to create tension. This is songwriting-level knowledge that will make you a better player and collaborator.

Did You Know?

Mike McCready recorded his parts for the Temple of the Dog album before Pearl Jam's "Ten" was finished, meaning some of his most iconic early tone was captured during these sessions with producer Rick Parashar at London Bridge Studios in Seattle.

Stone Gossard wrote several of the album's songs on acoustic guitar before bringing them to the band, which is why many of the electric parts retain an open, arpeggiated quality that translates well to unplugged arrangements.

McCready's solo on "Say Hello 2 Heaven" was reportedly done in just a few takes. He has cited it as one of the most emotionally honest solos he has ever recorded, prioritizing feel and melody over technical fireworks.

The album was recorded in just 15 days, giving the guitar tracks a raw, live-in-the-room quality. Very few overdubs were added, which means what you hear is largely two guitarists playing together in real time.

Chris Cornell occasionally played guitar during the sessions and contributed to the acoustic arrangements, though Gossard and McCready handled the bulk of the electric work.

"Hunger Strike" was originally a Cornell demo that was rearranged when Eddie Vedder (then a newcomer to the Seattle scene) spontaneously added the lower vocal harmony during rehearsal. The dual-vocal dynamic influenced the guitar arrangement, with the two guitar parts mirroring the vocal interplay.

McCready used very little in the way of effects on this record compared to his later Pearl Jam work. Most of his tone came from plugging a Les Paul straight into a cranked Marshall, keeping things raw and dynamic.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Temple of the Dog 1991

This is the only Temple of the Dog album, and every track is worth learning. "Hunger Strike" teaches clean arpeggiated dynamics and tasteful rhythm playing, while "Say Hello 2 Heaven" develops your ability to transition between clean and overdriven sections with emotion and restraint. Deep cuts like "Wooden Jesus" and "Pushin Forward Back" offer heavier riff work and more aggressive lead opportunities, making the full album a well-rounded intermediate guitar curriculum.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Mike McCready primarily used a Gibson Les Paul (various years, often a '59 reissue or similar) for its thick sustain and warm midrange. Stone Gossard favored a mix of Les Pauls and Telecasters during this era, with the Telecaster providing a snappier, more cutting rhythm tone that contrasted nicely with McCready's thicker lead sound. Both players used standard tuning throughout the album.

Amp

McCready ran his Les Paul into a Marshall JCM800 or vintage Marshall Plexi-style head, cranked for natural tube saturation rather than relying on pedal-driven gain. Gossard leaned toward a cleaner platform, often using a Fender Twin Reverb or similar clean amp pushed just to the edge of breakup, letting his picking dynamics control the amount of grit. The combination gave the band a wide tonal spectrum from sparkly cleans to thick, singing overdrive.

Pickups

McCready's Les Pauls carried PAF-style humbuckers (stock Gibson or similar spec, around 7.5 to 8.5k ohms), which provided a warm, vocal midrange ideal for expressive bends and sustain without excessive compression. Gossard's Telecaster featured stock single-coils, giving his rhythm parts a brighter, more percussive attack that cut through Cornell's powerful vocals. The humbucker/single-coil contrast between the two players is a key part of the album's guitar sound.

Effects & Chain

Effects usage on this album was minimal and deliberate. McCready occasionally used a Dunlop Cry Baby wah for lead accents and a touch of chorus or delay on cleaner passages, but the majority of his tone came straight from guitar into amp. Gossard kept his signal chain even simpler, relying on amp breakup and picking dynamics. If you want to nail this tone at home, focus on getting a good cranked-amp sound (or a quality overdrive pedal into a clean amp) rather than stacking effects.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Stone Gossard wielded the Telecaster for its bright, percussive single-coil attack that cut through Chris Cornell's vocals on Temple of the Dog. The snappy rhythm tone provided the perfect contrast to Mike McCready's thick Les Paul leads, defining the album's dynamic guitar interplay.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Mike McCready's primary instrument, the Les Paul Standard delivered warm PAF-style humbuckers ideal for expressive bends and singing sustain. Its thick midrange became the sonic backbone of Temple of the Dog's lead guitar sound when pushed through cranked Marshall amplifiers.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

A Les Paul variant McCready favored for its enhanced sustain and tonal warmth, the Custom's humbuckers provided the same vocal midrange that made his leads soar above Cornell's powerful vocals. The instrument's thicker construction reinforced the band's rich, sustain-driven overdrive tone.

Amp

Marshall JCM800

McCready's primary amplifier, the JCM800 delivered natural tube saturation when cranked, creating thick, singing overdrive without relying on gain pedals. This head was essential to achieving Temple of the Dog's warm, expressive lead guitar tone that defined the album.

Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Stone Gossard used the Twin Reverb as a clean platform pushed just to breakup, letting his picking dynamics control the grit. The amp's sparkling cleans provided textural contrast to McCready's darker Marshall tones, creating the album's wide tonal spectrum.

Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

McCready deployed the Cry Baby wah sparingly for expressive lead accents on Temple of the Dog, using it as a tasteful ornament rather than a dominant effect. The wah enhanced his vocal-like phrasing without overshadowing the album's straightforward, amp-driven approach.

How to Practice Temple of the Dog on GuitarZone

Every Temple of the Dog song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Hunger Strike - Guitar Lesson Practice Say Hello 2 Heaven - Guitar Lesson