Alice in Chains reformed in 2005, and since then Cantrell has poured most of his time and energy into that band’s three subsequent post-reunion projects.
But then other obligations called for his attention. Four years after that he unveiled the massive, 25-song double record Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. In 1998, he released his first solo album Boggy Depot. So is “Rooster,” “Nutshell,” “Man in the Box,” “Them Bones,” and so many others.įrom time to time, he’s also stepped out on his own. And then you kind of build out from there.”Īs the lead guitarist and chief songwriter in Alice in Chains, Cantrell has spent 30 years swinging through the darkness, pulling together different riffs, lyrics, and themes to create anthems that defined the entire sound and aesthetic of hard and alternative rock in the ‘90s and beyond. To me, it’s like wildly swinging around in the fucking dark until you fucking latch onto something. Or it lines up with something that I’m feeling or thinking or have experienced…and that can kind of sometimes lead you.
“The music generally speaks to me and evokes an emotion. “I don’t ever sit down with the intent of writing about something,” Jerry Cantrell tells SPIN over the phone. Throw on the turn signal, crank up the stereo and enjoy the ride! Welcome to the latest edition of The Offramp! Each month, rock writer Corbin Reiff will highlight some of the most dynamic artists and projects going on in music today.
