The leader of Alice in Chains, Jerry Cantrell, was seen showcasing a newly shorn look in a photo taken backstage at Thursday’s Aerosmith & Friends concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Throughout much of Alice in Chains’ early years and a significant part of the band’s second era, Cantrell was often recognized for his long, flowing blonde hair. His new haircut features a closely-cropped style reminiscent of his look around 2011 and again in 2013 during the promotion of The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here album.
The photo captures him posing with longtime friend and fellow Seattle resident Nancy Wilson of Heart. Wilson also added a few pink streaks to her blonde hair in the photo she shared online, as seen below.
What Has Jerry Cantrell Previously Said About Reactions to His Haircuts?
In 2018, Jerry Cantrell appeared on the Tune In podcast (per Ultimate Guitar) and candidly discussed the unexpected backlash he faced after cutting his hair.
“I was actually really surprised that so many people were that bummed about me getting a haircut. But I guess it’s been my identity, so… my hair has been long as hell since I was a late teenager. But I just thought, ‘God, I’ve looked the same for 25 years. Maybe I should try to change it up.’
He continued, “I didn’t realize the backlash I’d get. It’s like, ‘Why’d you cut your hair, dude?!’ I’m like, ‘I’m still me, man. I just got a haircut, dude.’ But uh, it’s nice to have it back. And more importantly, as a 52-year-old man, it’s nice to know you can still grow a full head of hair. So I’m not complaining.”
Why Was Jerry Cantrell at the Aerosmith & Friends Show?
The Cantrell photo was taken backstage at the Aerosmith & Friends show on Thursday (Oct. 29). However, he did not perform during the event.
It seems that Cantrell attended to support some of his fellow rock musicians; Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez was part of the house band for the night, and his longtime friends in Heart were among those performing a mini-set as part of the festivities.
READ MORE: Jerry Cantrell Names His Favorite Songs From Fellow Seattle Grunge Group
Cantrell was likely also gauging how things would unfold as he is scheduled to perform in two upcoming shows at the Hollywood Bowl. While he didn’t perform on Thursday night, it likely indicates that he will be one of the featured performers on Sunday (Nov. 1) during the second show.
Below, see how we ranked every song from Alice In Chains’ Layne Staley era.
Every Alice In Chains Song (With Layne Staley) Ranked
Here’s our ranking of every Alice In Chains song featuring Layne Staley, from Facelift to their Music Bank box set.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
