For many rock fans, a band's longevity seems like a given. If a group makes it big, why wouldn't they just keep going? But according to Alice In Chains's Jerry Cantrell, bands simply aren't "built to last." In a recent interview on The Adamantium Podcast, he reflected on the challenges of keeping a band together and why those that endure deserve admiration.
"Bands aren't built to last," Cantrell said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). "So bands that can stick around and go through fu**ing changes and shit, that's pretty fu**ing admirable ‘cause it's hard work. And people change. People grow, they have different interests, you got family, life interests wanna do other shit. They're not built to last."
He pointed out that while a few bands manage to defy the odds, most have a relatively short peak of influence: "Generally, if you really look at the career, there's a few that really stand the test of time, like decades and decades and decades, but really, if you look at the peak of like a band's career [that creates an] impact, it's about three records. It's about a three-to-five-record window where you're gonna do the bulk of your impact work if you're lucky enough to get it and have it… I'm just saying, in general, they're not built to last."
That's why he believes long-lasting bands deserve respect—not just for their music but for the effort it takes to keep going: "And so when you have a band that can last decades and still be creative and go through stuff, it's something to be fu**ing admired. It really is — because it takes a lot of effort and a lot of work, and it also takes a connection to a lot of people who fu**ing support it and love it and fu**ing wanna show up and hear you play those tunes. And it becomes part of their identity as well as yours."
For Cantrell, making music has always been about more than just the songs. It's about the connection between artists and their audience: "It's the reason I wanted to do it as a kid and I thought it was magical, and I still think it today. It's such a cool fu**ing thing to make some shit up, have a good time with your buddies, make some stuff that you like, and then you throw it out there and it actually connects to people and it becomes just as important to them as it is to you."
"And maybe not in the same ways — they probably overlap and you share a similar thing — but that's the cool thing about music. It's so individual, what it speaks to. And also people's tastes change too. Maybe you start out as kind of a punk person and then maybe you get into fu**ng — I don't know — get into fu**ing jazz or something, like you go through a blues period or soul and R&B. I did. I went through all of that shit. I'm still evolving."
Cantrell's words offer a rare, unfiltered look at the realities of being in a band. While some legendary acts manage to stay relevant for decades, most have a natural lifespan. And when a band beats the odds, pushing through changes and continuing to create music that resonates, it's an achievement worth celebrating.
