Jerry Cantrell and James Hetfield On Writing Music Together
Alice In Chains soloist and guitarist Jerry Cantrell revealed that both himself and Metallica frontman James Hetfield have succinctly discussed making music together, answering fan questions in the new issue of Metal Hammer.
During the interview, Cantrell was questioned about his longstanding friendship with Hetfield, specifically if they had ever considered collaborating on new music. In Cantrell’s words: “James and I have talked about it, kind of. We never had a formal conversation but I’ve jammed with him at Kirk’s [Hammett, Metallica guitarist] place. I’ve even spent a night or two at his house, and we’ve ended up with guitars in the kitchen and on the porch. It’s something I’d be really curious about – even to just write a song with him. As for whether it’d turn into something more than that… he’s got a pretty demanding day job. So I’d understand if it never comes to be.”
In a 2020 interview, Cantrell gushed about Hetfield: “What makes James such a great frontman is his physical presence. Nobody else commands the same kind of respect and attention without it being self-seeking or egocentric. He’s all about the music; all about the fun and the celebration and the connection with the fans. And that, to me, is really inspiring. Especially because he’s done this for so long, and he’s been at the top of his game for so long and he continues to search for a deeper meaning. He took an underground thing and took it worldwide. Metallica is a huge thing for me and for any hard rock or metal band… Will he go down in history as a rock icon? He already has. He’s the godfather.”
Hetfield also shared his appreciation for Cantrell saying that: “I wasn’t really close with Layne [Staley, singer], but I remember going to see Alice In Chains many times. I remember when we were down in L.A. [in 1991, making ‘The Black Album’], I left the studio early to see them play on ‘Clash Of The Titans’ with Slayer. I was driving like a madman in this rented van [saying:] ‘We gotta get there!’ And we get there, and they’d just got off. I was like, ‘Aw, man!' I hung with them a little bit, always just loved their music, and I’d say that Jerry and I share some life experiences, like getting a second chance at life and realizing how cool things can be. So we’ve got kind of a kinship that way. And seeing them play — I just love hearing those songs. Those songs are awesome and should be heard, you know? They were so unique, so ahead of their time. And out of all the Seattle stuff, that stuff is the most timeless.”
On a different note, in a recent episode of “The Metallica Report” podcast, James Hetfield spoke about the timeless and unparalleled lyrics. When asked about his growing comfort with expressing himself through his lyrics over the years, Hetfield responded: “I'm gonna write what I need to write," James added. "I will listen to you and your opinion on it. If it doesn't sing well, I get it, but I'm not gonna put in some fluff word just so it rhymes or whatever. And sometimes that is needed. Rhyming can be more important than the context in certain places, but I want the words to just be as powerful as possible.”
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