It’s been a fairly busy year so far for Jerry Cantrell. As well as teaming up with Gibson for a high-end “Wino” Les Paul Custom electric guitar and teasing an upcoming signature Gibson Songwriter acoustic guitar, the Alice In Chains guitarist has also been promoting his new solo album, Brighten.
If his recent conversation with Life In The Stocks podcast is anything to go by, however, Cantrell has no plans to take his foot off the gas, and has instead voiced his enthusiasm for a potential collaboration with Faith No More.
While speaking to the podcast, Cantrell spoke of Faith No More’s Mike Patton’s evergreen creativity and profound influence.
When quizzed by radio presenter-turned-podcast host Matt Stocks if he’s ever jammed with Patton, Cantrell replied, “[I] never have, but I would love to. That guy is sick," before reflecting on the time he saw the Patton-fronted Mr. Bungle in LA in February 2020.
Cantrell continued, “Patton is sick. I love how versatile he is, the energy that he has. He’s got so many different voices, I don’t think that he’s ever satisfied, and that’s why he keeps swimming so fast.
“It’s just amazing to see all the notes and the different art he puts out,” he added, before revealing he originally decided to start making indie records as a result of Patton’s influence – a decision that lead to Brighten; his first-ever independently-released solo album.
“I also took a little bit of a lesson out of his book by going it alone and making indie records," he continued. “[Former Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist and Cantrell collaborator] Greg Puciato is good buddies with Patton as well, and he’s also had experience doing independent records and running everything out of a little mom-and-pop store instead of a major record label.
“So that’s another really interesting feature about this record. It’s my first completely independent record. And I definitely took some notes and guidance from Greg, and Mike Patton through Greg, in that department.”
Elsewhere in the podcast, Cantrell reflected on his second solo album, 2002’s Degradation Trip, saying that he and the album’s personnel – Metallica’s Robert Trujillo and Faith No More’s Mike Bordin, who both played together with Osbourne – have discussed the possibility of a reunion tour in the future.
“Everybody who’s involved in making a record, especially the players, they’re going to influence how the thing is going to turn out,” Cantrell mused. “I deeply appreciate and respect those guys, and I love them to death.
“Every once in a while we’ll be in the same place, the three of us, and we talk about doing a D-Trip reunion. Just a handful of shows. I would love to do that.”
