Photo: WireImage
Jerry Cantrell and James Hetfield have been friends for a long time, and when two rockstars are buddies naturally people want to know if they'll ever collaborate together. That inquiry came when the Alice in Chains founder was taking fan questions for a piece in Metal Hammer.
“James and I have talked about it, kind of,” he began. “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," Cantrell added. "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.”
Cantrell gushed about Hetfield in a 2020 interview. “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," he said at the time. “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's also shared his appreciation for Cantrell. "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," he said in a past interview. “And seeing [Alice in Chains] 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.”