News Segment

CANTRELL, DUFFY, CORABI FORM CARDBOARD VAMPYRES:

June 18, 2004

Former Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and former Cult guitarist Billy Duffy have teamed up to form Cardboard Vampyres. Rounded out by one-time Motley Crue and Ratt vocalist John Corabi, latter era Cult bassist Chris Wyse and drummer Josh Howser, the group has few aspirations besides having a good time playing live.

“This band is really just about having fun and playing tunes that we were fans of growing up”, Cantrell says. A typical set list consists of Cult and Alice In Chains songs set amid a selection of hard rock covers by Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Stooges, Black Sabbath and Aerosmith classics.

“We’re putting the music back into the business,” Duffy says. “It’s not about albums or contracts or singles. The music speaks for itself. It doesn’t matter who wrote the songs; they can never be what they were. This band is a natural evolution; we’re creating something entirely new.”

A June 24 show at New York’s Hudson Theatre is first up on a sparse schedule that also includes an Aug. 14 Oklahoma City gig opening for ZZ Top. A spokesperson confirms to Billboard.com that although there are no plans for the group to record, more shows are expected throughout the coming months.

Cardboard Vampyres made its public debut at an April Sweet Relief benefit show in Los Angeles, and played Sammy Hagar’s Wabo Cantina at Harveys Lake Tahoe (Nev.) last month.

Since the demise of Alice In Chains, Cantrell has released two solo albums, 1998’s “Boggy Depot” (Columbia) and 2002’s “Degradation Trip” (Roadrunner). Earlier this spring, he opened a slate of shows on Kid Rock’s U.S. tour.

Between the Cult’s 1995 split and its 2000 reunion, Duffy formed the band Colorsound with Alarm lead singer Mike Peters. In 1999, the guitarist linked with Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and the Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver rhythm section of Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum to record “Elected” for the Alice Cooper tribute album “Humanitary Stew.”

Here are Cardboard Vampyre’s confirmed tour dates:

June 24: New York (Hudson Theatre)
July 10: Justin, Texas (Texas Lil’s Dude Ranch)
July 16: West Hollywood, Calif. (Roxy Theatre)
Aug. 14: Oklahoma City (Zoo Amphitheatre; w/ ZZ Top)
Sept. 11: Austin, Texas (Carlos’N Charlie’s Bar & Grill; KLBJ event)

Barry A. Jeckell courtesy of Billboard