CANTRELL: LAYNE STALEY Wasn't The Only 'F**ked Up' Member Of ALICE IN CHAINS

September 28, 2009

This month's edition of Metal Hammer magazine features an in-depth interview with ALICE IN CHAINS members Jerry Cantrell (guitar, vocals) and William DuVall (vocals).

Cantrell tells the U.K.-based publication about the darkness and depression that came with ALICE IN CHAINS' heroin addiction and how the band's late singer Layne Stayley tragically bore the brunt of the outside perception of that side of the band.

"It wasn't just Layne, we were all fucked up," admitted Cantrell. "We weren't like 'Yeah, woooo, heroin!' Yeah, it was dark, man; that was our life."

He added, "With Layne, it's so easy to go, 'Junkie, dead!' He was a hell of a lot more than that and we’re lucky enough to know the rest of him too."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the magazine's ultra-revealing feature, DuVall speaks about following in Layne's footsteps.

"No one wants to sully any legacy or disrespect Layne," DuVall said. "I love Layne, I love his work. The only way to honor the past and the present is to do your thing but also do it in a way that hopefully is a bit more life-affirming instead of revisiting the death-trip. It's about redemption and rebirth and for me it's about owning it in my own way or it would be a disservice to me and the people who care about this band and to Layne."

Find the full story behind the ALICE IN CHAINS reunion, the creation of their new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", and life after Layne in this month's issue of Metal Hammer — on sale now.

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