There’s this sort of fucked up thought that after musicians get sober, their musical talents wane or the standard of their music dwindles. It’s not at all times true, however I do know I’ve heard folks say shit like “man, I want they have been nonetheless consuming” or “they have been so significantly better fucked up”. One individual, nonetheless, that’s dropped the “medication” a part of the outdated “intercourse, medication, rock & roll” adage and continues to place out nice music is none aside from Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell.
Together with his solo tour kicking off on the finish of this month, Cantrell sat down with Leah Rose of the Damaged Report podcast (as transcribed by Blabbermouth) to speak about his profession, his latest solo effort I Need Blood, and different subjects. One space they delved into within the episode was Cantrell’s sobriety and whether or not he’s nonetheless the identical songwriter and musician as he was when he was nonetheless utilizing medication and partying as exhausting. What adopted was an introspective and sincere reply about his sobriety and the way he appears to be like again on these instances.
“I’ve written some actually good songs each methods. So I believe each methods work. I’ve lived by means of a interval of my life the place it labored after which it didn’t work. [Laughs] If one thing’s not working [anymore], you’ve gotta discover a new option to do it. So, I went by means of that change personally about 21 years in the past. I believe I’m nonetheless writing — to me, anyway — as impactful, bizarre, fucked up music like I made once I was fucked up. So, I don’t actually assume that [being under the influence is] a requirement [for writing good music]. It’s a part of the mythos of being a musician and an artist.”
Trying again on that point, Cantrell talked about a few of his contemporaries that managed to wash up their lives and discover sobriety whereas nonetheless making rock music. What he stated he discovered was that he may, like them, proceed to place out nice music with out having to get fucked up with a purpose to do it.
“Referring to a few of the guys that I began taking part in with proper after I obtained sober — Billy Morrison, [Dave] Navarro, Matt Sorum, Billy Duffy — the blokes who’d been by means of partying after which gone by means of the opposite facet of, like, ‘Okay, this doesn’t work anymore. I gotta determine a brand new means to do that.’ All these guys nonetheless rock, so far as I’ve final checked, and I believe I’m doing okay too so far as the music aspect. So you are able to do it both means.”
As for whether or not he ever thought drug use was a glamorous a part of being a rock star, Jerry stated it was extra about being a younger man in a scene the place that kind of habits was the norm. And whereas there was a time for that in his life, he stated, there’s no more room for it at practically 60 years outdated.
“Like I say, it’s a part of the mythos, and also you’re a younger child, so that you’re gonna do all these items that younger children do. I’m not a younger child anymore, so I can’t do what younger children do. It might fucking kill me. So I gotta do that model of me, which I like very a lot. I like life. I just like the consistency of life now. The ceilings should not as excessive, okay, however the flooring should not as low both. [Laughs] what I imply? It’s a little bit bit extra even, and I like that consistency.”
Cantrell’s first headlining tour in assist of I Need Blood will kick off this Friday, with Filter because the opening act. You will discover the total record of dates under.
Jerry Cantrell tour dates:
January 31 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview On line casino Resort
February 1 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
February 2 Portland, ME Aura
February 4 Boston, MA Residents Home of Blues Boston
February 5 New York, NY Irving Plaza
February 7 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore – Silver Spring
February 8 Bensalem, PA Parx Xcite Heart
February 11 Huntington, NY The Paramount
February 12 Norfolk, VA The NorVa
February 14 Raleigh, NC The Ritz
February 15 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
February 16 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom
February 18 Columbus, OH The Bluestone
February 19 Indianapolis, IN Murat Egyptian Room at Previous Nationwide Centre
February 22 St. Louis, MO The Hawthorn
February 23 Chicago, IL The Vic Theatre
February 25 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Theater
February 26 Houston, TX Home of Blues Houston
February 27 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre
March 1 Mesa, AZ The Nile Theater
March 2 Las Vegas, NV Home of Blues Las Vegas
March 4 Los Angeles, CA The Belasco
March 5 Ventura, CA The Majestic Ventura Theater
March 7 Spokane, WA Knitting Manufacturing unit – Spokane
March 8 Portland, OR Surprise Ballroom
March 9 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
