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To mark the release of his latest solo record, I Want Blood (one of 15 must-hear albums released today!), Jerry Cantrell joined Kyle Meredith for a discussion on the nuances of balancing legacy and innovation within a long, storied career. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Cantrell, who’s best known as the driving force behind Alice in Chains, opens up about the creative process behind his newest album and how the pressure to deliver something fresh remains ever-present, even after decades of success. “It’s always a challenge,” Cantrell admits. “When you commit to making an album, you’re dedicating at least three years of your life to it — so you don’t take that lightly.”
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As Cantrell explains, the solo label can be a bit misleading, as he’s anything but alone on I Want Blood. With long-time collaborators like Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) and Robert Trujillo (Metallica) joining him on the record, the spirit of collaboration runs deep: “You might be the captain, but you need a crew to sail the ship.”
Cantrell reflects on maintaining creative momentum in the later stages of his career. He points to other veteran bands still going strong, including Pearl Jam. “They just put out one of their best albums,” Cantrell says, nodding to their ability to remain fresh while staying true to their roots. “It’s incredible — it doesn’t need to happen, but here it is.” Like Pearl Jam, Cantrell has had a lengthy career, and that has led to a huge catalog that may not always translate to the live setting. “‘Born Again,’ I don’t think we’ve ever played that live,” he says. “A lot of bands, from The Beatles on to you talking to me here, there are a lot of songs that don’t get performed. There are also songs that are built to be a studio piece… ‘I Stay Away’ is a song you often hear complaints that we don’t play, but that’s with an orchestra. That’s kind of tough to pull off live.”
You can see what songs Alice in Chain’s Jerry Cantrell does play live by checking him out on his upcoming solo tour dates, including a newly revealed 2025 leg, by getting tickets here. Listen to Cantrell discuss I Want Blood above, or watch the interview below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.
