In a recent interview with The Vinyl Guide podcast, Jerry Cantrell discussed the distinction between an Alice In Chains song and a Jerry Cantrell solo song. The rocker also named a few AIC songs that proved the band could do everything musically.
“Basically, it’s just who I record the song with. I mean, Alice can do pretty much anything, as we proved doing ‘Facelift,’ ‘Sap,’ ‘Dirt’ and ‘Jar Of Flies’ and so on, many albums that have a mix of all different kinds of music that the band played,” the guitarist explained. “And people accepted that we took those chances musically and it’s become part of our identity. So there’s nothing that we couldn’t do. So if I’m recording a song with Alice In Chains and all the other guys dig it and we wanna record it, then it becomes an Alice In Chains song. If I’m writing a song that I’ve recorded with other musicians, it’s obviously not going to be an Alice In Chains song because Alice didn’t record it.”
While Cantrell is currently focusing on his solo music career now, the rocker says there isn’t much of a difference between his solo work and AIC songs.
“No, there really isn’t a difference. I’ve developed a style and a way that I write and that I sound, and that is pretty intact in either venue,” the rocker explained during a chat with Lazer 103.3. “I’m always kind of collecting ideas, and before I ever get together with Alice to record stuff, I just feel better knowing that I’m walking into the room with the guys with a whole group of really good songs — complete songs or really worked up, almost-together songs — to be able to throw at the guys and see what they dig. The process for me is the same. The only difference is the players that I’m playing and recording with. In the case of Alice, those guys I can always count, they’re gonna take any idea that I have and they’re gonna make it that much better; they’re gonna inject themselves into it and elevate it.
Jerry has released two solo albums outside Alice In Chains and worked on major film soundtracks. His first solo album, Boggy Depot, came out in 1998, followed by Degradation Trip. He also provided music for films like Spider-Man, The Cable Guy, John Wick 2, Last Action Hero, and The Punisher.
Jerry’s new solo album, ‘I Want Blood,’ will be released on October 18 via Double J Music. ‘I Want Blood’ follows Cantrell’s 2021 release ‘Brighten,’ his first solo project in 19 years without Alice In Chains.