He also has a solo career, having released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. Cantrell has also collaborated and performed with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Pantera, Circus of Power, Metal Church, Gov't Mule, Damageplan, Pearl Jam, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Danzig, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan and Deftones, among others.
Cantrell was named "Riff Lord" by British hard rock/metal magazine Metal Hammer in 2006. Guitar World Magazine ranked Cantrell as the 38th out of "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and the 37th "Greatest Guitar Player of All Time" in 2012. Guitar World also ranked Cantrell's solo in "Man In The Box" at No. 77 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008.
He also contributed to the soundtrack of The Cable Guy (1996), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Dark Nights: Metal (2018), and has made cameos in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Rock Slyde (2009) and Deadwood: The Movie. Cantrell also acted in the Alice in Chains mockumentaries The Nona Tapes (1995) and AIC 23 (2013).
Cantrell is a recovering addict and alcoholic and has been sober since 2003. He was awarded the 2012 Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares, for his work helping other addicts with the recovery process. Cantrell said in his acceptance speech, "I crash landed here almost 9 years ago, in Los Angeles. Sean [Kinney] was at the door with my brother, so my choices were open the door and go to rehab or jump out the back window down a cliff into some black berry bushes. That’s the choice I took. Luckily they caught me because I couldn’t go anywhere, I was kind of stuck in a bush at the bottom of a cliff bleeding, and I ended up here. I didn’t intend to get here but I’m very grateful I am here, and it took a lot of people to help me get here. It's been an amazing day. It's overwhelming. I'm as imperfect as they come. I just don't get high today and wake up the next morning and try and do the same thing. A lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that – what happens when you don't deal with it." Cantrell and his Alice in Chains bandmates played a five-song set at the awards event and Cantrell stated, "We really miss Layne [Staley] and Mike [Starr], and we carry them with us in our hearts".
Solitude
Jerry Cantrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No light, reflection understood
Had to try, perversion satisfied
Insane? so I undulge the beast awhile
When hurting yourself feels right
And there's nothing familiar in sight
Take the time to pull the weeds choking flowers in your life?
Or seal your doom
Cold transparent blue
Locked inside a room
In solitude
There's no flesh, my own ghost awaits
Unclean, defiled, hallucinatory state
Lust, sloth, not my only sins
It's just how, when it's time, on a degredation trip? yeah
When hurting yourself feels right
Long gone the will to fight
Take the time to pull the weeds choking flowers in your life?
Or seal your doom
Cold transparent blue
Locked inside a room
In solitude
Insanity takes you
So black it's untrue
So black it's untrue
The lyrics of Jerry Cantrell's song "Solitude" depict the dark and complex emotions that arise when one is left alone with their thoughts. Cantrell delves deep into the theme of self-destructiveness, exploring the idea of indulging in one's own pain and perversion for pleasure. He acknowledges the feeling of being trapped, with no way out and no understanding of oneself or the world around them.
The first verse describes a state of disorientation and confusion, with no clear sense of direction. The singer is consumed by their own thoughts, and there is no light to guide them. The lines "Had to try, perversion satisfied / Insane? so I indulge the beast awhile" suggest a willingness to give in to one's own darkness, a willingness to descend into madness. The second verse further explores the theme of self-destructiveness, with the singer describing their own uncleanliness and defilement. They admit to indulging in various sins, but emphasize that this is simply how they cope with the degradation of their own mind.
The chorus presents two options: one can either take action to pull the weeds choking the flowers in their life, or they can seal their own doom by giving in to the darkness. The repeated line "cold transparent blue" creates a sense of hopelessness and isolation, as if the singer is trapped in an icy wasteland with no escape. The final line of the song - "So black it's untrue" - highlights the intensity of the darkness that the singer is experiencing, almost as if it is too much for them to bear.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no out, downside up for good
There is no escape - no way to turn things around for the better.
No light, reflection understood
There is no enlightenment or clear understanding of self and one's actions.
Had to try, perversion satisfied
I felt compelled to explore and indulge in taboo or frowned-upon behaviors.
Insane? so I undulge the beast awhile
Am I crazy? Maybe, but I still give in to my primal desires.
When hurting yourself feels right
Sometimes people feel a sense of relief or catharsis through self-harm or self-destructive behavior.
And there's nothing familiar in sight
During these times of pain and suffering, there is no comfort or familiarity to be found in one's surroundings or relationships.
Take the time to pull the weeds choking flowers in your life?
It's important to take care of and remove negative influences or situations in your life to give room for growth and positivity.
Or seal your doom
The alternative to seeking help and making changes is to bring about one's own downfall and destruction.
Cold transparent blue
A melancholic or emotionless state of mind.
Locked inside a room
Feeling trapped and isolated in one's situation or emotions.
In solitude
Being alone with one's thoughts and struggles.
Insanity takes you
The effects of prolonged pain and struggles can lead a person to a state of mental disorder and illness.
So black it's untrue
A feeling of such despair and darkness that it almost seems unreal or impossible to bear.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jerry Cantrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Duff787
on Dickeye
It's all about Layne. Jerry was pissed that he recorded with mad season. Born traitor. Layne and Jerry did lots of drugs together. Only thing he came here looking for. Injected concrete is a not so subtle reference to what dealers cut heroin with. Layne frequently shot up between his toes to hide track marks. Hide bloody feet.