Alice In Chains mastermind Jerry Cantrell has been sober for over 21 years now, and in a new interview, explained his decision to stop using substances and how it impacted his music.Due to the prevalence of substance abuse among musicians, it’s easy to assume that drugs and alcohol are an essential part of the artistic experience. During a recent episode of the Broken Record podcast, Cantrell explained how his personal journey has differed writing songs both under the influence of substances and completely sober.”Well I’ve done it both ways and I’ve written some really good songs both ways, so I think both ways work,” Cantrell said. “I’ve lived through a period in my life where it worked, and then it didn’t work… If something’s not working for you, you gotta find a new way to do it.”The rocker has been sober for over two decades now, and in that time, has put out three albums with Alice In Chains and two on his own. Thus, he’s confident that the lack of substances hasn’t had a negative effect on his songwriting abilities.”I think I’m still writing, to me anyway, as impactful, weird, fucked up music like I made when I was fucked up. So I don’t really think that’s a requirement. It is part of the mythos of being a musician and an artist, I think everybody kind of has to go through that period,” he continued.Cantrell admitted that he found the use of drugs and alcohol “attractive” when he was young, despite all the people he knew that really struggled or even died as a result of them. He further shared what it is about substances that he enjoyed.”It’s fun getting outside your head, it’s [cool] and trippy, hanging out with weird people, just different scenarios [and] different frames of mind that being high and getting fucked up can put you in. So I’m not gonna put it down because I did it,” he elaborated.The guitarist didn’t get into detail about his decision to get sober other than “it stopped working for” him, and he fortunately started playing with some other musicians around the time that made the same choice.READ MORE: What 25 Rockers Have Said About Getting Sober or Quitting Drinking”Billy Morrison, [Dave] Navarro, Matt Sorum, Billy Duffy — the guys who’d been through partying and then gone through the other side… All those guys still rock as far as I’ve last checked, and I think I’m doing okay too, as far as the music element.”Although he’d previously described what was “fun” about using substances, he said he wouldn’t be able to do the things he did when he was younger now because it would probably kill him.”I gotta do this version of me, which I like very much. I like life, I like the consistency of life now. The ceilings are not as high, okay, but the floors are not as low either.”Listen to the full episode below. Cantrell’s solo tour in support of I Want Blood kicks off this Friday in Ontario, Canada. See all of the dates on his website.’It Stopped Working for Me’ – Jerry Cantrell’s Decision to Get Sober + How It Impacted His MusicRockers Who’ve Been Sober for 10 Years or MoreLet these musicians who have been sober for 10 or more years be an inspiration in your life whenever you need it.Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner