Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell claims he kept himself “intentionally ignorant” about how to work recording and studio gear – so he could focus on guitar playing
In 2025, recording gear is more advanced and accessible than ever, but Jerry Cantrell isn’t interested. 40 years into his career, the Alice In Chains guitarist and lead singer still prefers to pass off the knobs and faders to someone else while he focuses on his guitar playing.
“I’ve kept myself intentionally ignorant with recording gear, computers, and ProTools so that I can have somebody fly that half of the plane while I’m doing all the other stuff,” Cantrell tells Guitar World in a recent interview.
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Cantrell has been in a prominent band since 1987, so he’s comfortable being a part of a team. But even for his solo works like his 2024 album, I Want Blood, recording is a group activity.
“For any record I’ve been involved with – whether I’m with Alice or on my own – there’s three or four months of demoing shit in my house, with a friend of mine running all the gear so I can just play guitar,” Cantrell says. “I like working that way – in a tandem. I’m a team player. I’ve always been more comfortable working in that regard.”
One person with whom Cantrell worked with on I Want Blood is recording engineer and producer, Joe Barresi. Barresi also contributed to Cantrell’s 2021 solo album, Brighten, and the 2018 Alice In Chains album Rainier Fog. However, I Want Blood was their first official co-production.
“Joe and I had the experience of mixing records together, with Brighten and Rainier Fog, but we’d never gone the whole way, from beginning to end. I played Joe demos of what I’d been working on and said I’d like him to partner up with me, and after a song or two he said, ‘I’m in!’ Working with Joe is awesome – he’s got this mad scientist ethos and I relate to that,” Cantrell told Kerrang! last year.
Cantrell is set to begin his I Want Blood tour later this month. Check out the full list of dates at his official website.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
