STONE FREE: Pearl Jam’s aversion to marathon...

STONE FREE: Pearl Jam’s aversion to marathon touring carries at least one benefit for members of one of rock’s most celebrated bands: It gives them a lot of free time for outside projects.

The latest is the second album from Brad, a Seattle band featuring Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. The collection, titled “Interiors,” is due Tuesday on Epic Records and will be followed by a month of shows that includes a July 28 date at the Troubadour.

Gossard, 30, welcomes the change of pace.

“Everyone’s really hungry and really has a lot to prove, and it’s exciting to be involved in that again,” he says of Brad. “Not that Pearl Jam doesn’t have anything to prove, but [with Brad], we really haven’t sold any records--and it’s kind of exciting to be around that situation where everyone’s kind of got their backs to the wall a little bit.”

As for Pearl Jam, Gossard says the band’s fifth album is about half completed and that the group may tour as early as this fall.

“I’m really excited about this new Pearl Jam record, so I’m looking forward to going out and playing some shows,” he says. “Having two records of material with Jack [Irons, who replaced Dave Abbruzzese as the band’s drummer in 1994], I feel pretty confident that we’re going to be able to put on a pretty good show.”