Update: Jerden may be referring to Mother Love Bone’s drummer.
Alice In Chains producer Dave Jerden claimed in a new Produce Like A Pro interview that Sean Kinney was injured as the band began recording Facelift, and that the original Pearl Jam drummer was recruited to play on the record, but that he did not mesh well with the band. It’s unclear how much Krusen was supposed to play, but “Man in the Box” was discussed. Alternative Nation transcribed Jerden’s comments.
“You know, when I started working with them, I wasn’t even going to be able to record Sean, the drummer, because he had broke his arm. So, I was going to use the- not Jack Irons, who was a later player for Pearl Jam. I was going to use the original Pearl Jam drummer, and he could not play this. I mean, he just didn’t get it. And I was always a big believer that session players will give you the time but they just can’t.
Sean lived inside this [Man in the Box] riff for a long time, you know. And it’s like if he had to describe right down to music and notations and pauses, he couldn’t do it. He doesn’t know. And he can’t explain it to somebody. I tried to explain to this drummer from Pearl Jam. I can’t remember his name; the first drummer. But he just didn’t get it. And he was looking at me like I was crazy. But Sean knew exactly what I was talking about.
You know, it’s like you take a breath, you know. It’s like, give it a chance to breathe. And breathe in a real organic way.”
