Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell Gives Update on New Album

Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell Gives Update on New Album

2011-12-05

Story by Cat Badra

Alice in Chains guitarist: We’ll put the new album out when we feel that it’s worth putting out

Alice in Chains are knee-deep in the writing process for a new album, which the guys are scheduled to uncheck in 2012. The release is the follow-up to Alice in Chains’ 2009 LP, Black Gives Way to Blue, which was the band’s first studio release without singer Layne Staley, who succumbed to drug addiction in 2002.

With new singer William DuVall in place, Chains fans embraced Black Gives Way to Blue, seeing the collection of dark, churning rock songs a sort of tribute to their late hero, Staley. The new album couldn’t come soon enough for fans, but guitarist Jerry Cantrell says the band are taking their sweet time with it.

Fielding fan questions with ESPN, Cantrell explained that the gents will be done with the album, “whenever we’re done.” He added that Alice in Chains are trying to avoid burnout: “Schedules in music, I know people have done it and say you need an album out by this date and you’re talking about album tour, it can burn you out quickly. It did with our band. We’ve been fortunate to be partnered up with companies that respect the process. We’re never really forced to make music. If it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t. We’ve been writing a lot. I also had shoulder surgery earlier this year. I’m at the tail end of rehabbing that. That put us back a little bit. But we have some stuff. We’ll do some writing. Hopefully we’ll have it out next year. We’ll put it out when we feel that it’s worth putting out.” Patience is a virtue, right?

As for getting back on the road after years away, Cantrell took it in stride. “It was good. Geez, we started playing in 2005 and doing some shows. It kind of grew into something a lot larger than we anticipated. It was all good,” he said. “Some of the best things in life are those that are unexpected. To recreate ourselves without losing our identity and having the fans support us through that and have the quality of music come out like it did. Transitioning from the old lineup of the band and moving on, it was a lot. It’s a career worth of changes in six to seven years. It’s nice to have a second life and we’re in the midst of that.” (Courtesy photo: Alice in Chains via Facebook.)

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Cat Badra

Meet the expert - Cat Badra is a music writer for Audio Ink Radio and a range of other music, sports and lifestyle publications. She's a graduate of Michigan State University with a master's degree in theater and speech. Contact her at cat@audioinkradio.com.