Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains

[GreenDragon]

http://www.californiachronicle.com/a...s/yb/148129952


7 QUESTIONS Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell on how a kilt keepshim cool

By AVRIL CADDEN
Playing: O2 Academy, Glasgow, August 2 A lot of your fans probably didn't think they would see the band again after the death of your front man Layne Staley in 2002. What sort of reactions have you had this year? Question? Answer We've had a really goodyear. We have always had fans from all over the world but we've always had a lot of supporters in the UK and Europe. With this particular run, and all we've been through, the crowds have been very supportive. I think they appreciate the effort of what ittakes to go to the places we do, to be able to still enjoy playing music and to be able to make the music we make. Performing on stage, do you still feel the presence of singer Layne? He is always a part of the band, that is an undeniable fact. We werenot trying to change that by inviting William (Duvall) to become part of the team. We had no intention to replace Layne. There's no replacing him.

The way William and I work together is similar but it is a different relationship. He brings a different element to the band, and Mike, myself and Sean have stepped up from where we were before. I was always involved but to take on the challenge that wedid, it took everybody's effort.

What keeps the band moving forward? We've worked hard over the last few years to come to the place where it felt right to make a record and continue moving ahead. Things have worked out well for us this year and that feels good. The band have beentogether for five years now and we have been working towards this for a long time. We just do what we've always done, which is what feels right for us, and try to make the best music we can. Are you looking forward to getting back to Scotland? I can'twait. We always have a great time in Scotland. I'll have to pack my kilt up. The last time I was over I bought a kilt and wore it on stage, so I am going to have to bring it back perhaps for an encore performance. I wore it like a true Scotsman, bareunderneath. It felt a little breezy, which was nice on a hot, sweaty stage. Everybody is down below you so that foot on the monitor thing doesn't work so well.

Do you have Scottish blood in you? I am definitely of European descent. There is some Norwegian, Czech and some Irish, too, but I'm not sure about Scot s. Layne's family were Scottish, McCallum was his family's name. What are your future plans? We aregoing to tour, probably until the end of this year. After that we'll do what feels right for the band. We've been almost everywhere we wanted to play on this record. It's time for a break. We've worked hard but that's what it takes for anything to be asuccess. It is good to have something you feel passionate about, to be able to do with your friends and make a living at.

These are all high water marks and you try to hit them all.

There's a film being made about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana - how about an Alice In Chains film? I am not really a big fan of books and films about rock bands, especially about friends of mine, because, generally speaking, they are not made by the peopleinvolved. They never turn out to be that good. It is usually about second-hand stuff and people claiming to be friends.

I did some interviews for a book on the Seattle scene a few years ago and it turned out really bad. I don't have any interest in any of that stuff. Someone was trying to make a movie about Layne, too, and none of his family or us were involved, so youcan tell how good it's going to be. I have seen films about Kurt that weren't made with anyone's permission. It always tends to dwell on the bad stuff and that is not always the whole story. We have lived all that stuff and I know what it is like. To me,it is kind of special that way, sometimes breaking it down can work out but I think it makes it a little less special. I know how it went, I was there. AVRIL CADDEN

(c) 2010 Sunday Mail; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

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[macshorty]

I saw Jerry Cantrell and his kilt, when he appeared on stage with Metallica in 1998. Sadly, that was before I learned of my Scottish heritage.