ALICE IN CHAINS’ JERRY CANTRELL: ‘Bands Aren’t Built To Last’

During an appearance on “The Adamantium Podcast”, ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell spoke about the fact that the average life span of a band is only three or four years. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Bands aren’t built to last, so bands that can stick around and go through fucking changes and shit, that’s pretty fucking admirable ’cause it’s hard work. And people change. People grow, they have different interests, you got family, life interests, wanna do other shit. They’re not built to last. Generally, if you really look at the career, there’s a few that really stand the test of time, like decades and decades and decades, but really, if you look at the peak of like a band’s career [that creates an] impact, it’s about three records. It’s about a three-to-five-record window where you’re gonna do the bulk of your impact work if you’re lucky enough to get it and have it… I’m just saying, in general, they’re not built to last. And so when you have a band that can last decades and still be creative and go through stuff, it’s something to be fucking admired. It really is — because it takes a lot of effort and a lot of work, and it also takes a connection to a lot of people who fucking support it and love it and fucking wanna show up and hear you play those tunes. And it becomes part of their identity as well as yours.”Cantrell continued: “It’s the reason I wanted to do it as a kid and I thought it was magical, and I still think it today. It’s such a cool fucking thing to make some shit up, have a good time with your buddies, make some stuff that you like and then you throw it out there and it actually connects to people and it becomes just as important to them as it is to you. And maybe not in the same ways — they probably overlap and you share a similar thing — but that’s the cool thing about music. It’s so individual, what it speaks to. And also people’s tastes change too. Maybe you start out as kind of a punk person and then maybe you get into fucking — I don’t know — get into fucking jazz or something, like you go through a blues period or soul and R&B. I did. I went through all of that shit. I’m still evolving.”Cantrell’s latest solo album, “I Want Blood”, was recently reimagined as a spoken-word series.The spoken-word version of “I Want Blood” arrived as Cantrell headed out on his first headlining tour supporting the LP. The five-week tour kicked off on January 31 in Niagara Falls, with FILTER opening on all dates.”I Want Blood” was released on October 18, 2024. The LP, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi’s JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N’ ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).Cantrell’s previous solo album, “Brighten”, came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry’s first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years.Jerry’s career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell’s first solo album, “Boggy Depot”, was released in 1998, followed by his second album, “Degradation Trip”. In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including “Spider-Man”, “The Cable Guy”, “John Wick 2”, “Last Action Hero” and “The Punisher”.ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, “Rainier Fog”, in August 2018.Photo credit: Darren Craig