Alice In Chains

Biography

Alice In Chains were one of the most well known bands of the Seattle grunge movement, although overshadowed by Nirvana, Alice in Chains still managed to have four straight Top Ten albums ('Jar Of Flies' and 'Alice In Chains' consecutively went to number 1) and became a hugely influential band. Tragedy struck in 1992 when vocalist Layne Stanley was found dead in his appartment of a suspected drug overdose, something he had been battling virtually throughout his time in the band.

Recently Alice In Chains (guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney) have made a come back and after several guest vocalists they have settled with William DuVall previously vocalist for Coms With The Fall . Their forthcoming appearance at Download includes an appearance with Duff McKagan of Velvet Revolver.

EARLY 1987: Alice in Chains forms in Seattle.

1989: After being pursued by several record companies, Alice signs with Columbia.

1990: Columbia releases the band's first EP, We Die Young. Followed by debut album 'Facelift'. "We Die Young" becomes Top 5 metal track. They begin their first U.S. tour at Marquee Club in Westminster, CA. An overflow crowd of 20 elbows its way in. Then they sell out New York's Cat Club for Halloween. Alice tours with Iggy Pop, introduces songs "Dirt" and "Rooster" to audiences, who don't give a flying fuck. More venue sell outs include Moore Theater in Seattle, this concert was filmed by acclaimed director Josh Taft, and later becomes Live Facelift, the band's home video release.

1991: Band nominated for American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal Artist. They lose. Alice films movie debut, playing part of sleazy bar band in Cameron Crowe's film, 'Singles'. They perform the song "Would?" Oscar buzz begins on the set. "Man In The Box" is released, and makes an interminable 26- week climb into the Top 20. Their video plays on MTV for 16 weeks. Tour of Europe with Megadeth. Nominated for a Grammy for Best Heavy Metal Performance. They lose again. "Clash Of The Titans" Tour with Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth commences. Band debuts the song "Would?" at Starplex in Dallas -- the crowd responds by tearing up the Grassy Knoll. The famed "Combo-pack," pairing the Facelift album with the Live Facelift home video, is released. The album charts for the first time, nine months after its release. Then the band tours with Van Halen. Eddie thinks the band needs some wardrobe tips and buys everyone new Doc Martens and plaid shirts (including some for himself). Alice makes national network television debut on ABC-TV's "In Concert" Show. They rock. Jerry Cantrell blows his chance for rock immortality when, while skydiving with Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, his parachute opens, and he lands safely. Facelift certified gold. Alice in Chains records SAP, their second EP. Album title comes from a dream Sean Kinney has in which, at a press conference, he announces the band's new album is titled "Sap." Band decides not to mess with fate. Hunting in the woods with his brother, Jerry Cantrell believes November has 31 days - he misses December 1st concert with Van Halen. Columbia buys him a pocket calculator for Christmas. Alice in Chains voted Best New Band in readers' polls in RIP Magazine and Guitar For the Practicing Musician.

1992: Alice plays congenial hosts to the nation as they take "Entertainment Tonight" on a visual tour of the Seattle music scene - pool halls, rock clubs, and other revered dens of decadence. Recording begins on the new album Dirt, with Dave Jerden and the band co-producing. Sean Kinney redecorates his apartment by throwing his coffee table out the window. "Would?" becomes Alice In Chains' biggest AOR hit to-date, setting the stage for Dirt. Dirt is released. Written entirely by the band, Dirt paves a grim descent into a fine and private hell. Clearly, Alice in Chains is on a collision course with some dark destiny. Layne runs over himself while popping a wheelie with his 4-wheel ATV - breaks his foot but not his spirit. Undaunted, he completes Ozzy Osbourne tour in wheelchair and on crutches, never missing a date.

1993: Band performs at two massive festivals in South America. Bassist Mike Inez joins. European headline club tour gets underway. Several European countries dissolve into civil war. Alice returns to U.S. to record songs "A Little Bitter" and "What The Hell Have I" for soundtrack to Last Action Hero. Band predicts film will be top box office champ of all time. Alice heads out on "Lollapalooza '93," the tour of the year. Joining them are Fishbone, Primus, Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Dinosaur Jr., Arrested Development, and Babes in Toyland. Reportedly, Winger was squeezed out of the line-up. At the end of Lollapalooza, band members evicted from residence. Layne thought Jerry was gonna pay the rent. Jerry thought Sean would. Sean thought Mike would... Band moves to London Bridge Studio in Seattle - lonely, depressed, bored. While in studio, over a seven-day period Alice writes, produces and records new 7-song EP inspired by previous effort, SAP. Songs include "Rotten Apple," "Nutshell," "I Stay Away," "No Excuses," "Whale and Wasp," "Don't Follow," and "Swing On This." Band rushes to release EP before Stone Temple Pilots can get their own rumored acoustic EP out. Band names EP Jar Of Flies, after Jerry's famous high school science lab experiment: two jars of flies, one with food, the other without. The flies without food ate each other (Jerry's lifelong career indecision between music and entomology is settled on the spot). Power fails at Jerry's house. He is trapped in home for two days because automatic garage door fails to open. Guitarist nearly starves to death because electric can opener also not working. He writes 20 more songs. Cantrell later rescued by ski patrol. 'Dirt' certified double-platinum.

1994: SAP certified gold. Jar Of Flies unscrewed. Jar Of Flies debuts at #1 on Billboard album chart, the first and only EP ever to reach #1. The E.P.'s first single, "No Excuses," reaches #1 on all key album radio airplay charts, setting the record for most spins in one week. The second single, "I Stay Away," is released. The video of the song features not Alice In Chains but an amazing Claymation simulation. Mike Inez plays on Slash's Snake Pit 5:00 A.M. Somewhere. Finds pace with Slash too slow; returns to warm bosom of Alice in Chains. Layne Staley begins work with Mike McCready, Barrett Martin, and Mysterious Baker on a band initially known as Gacy Gang, but soon becomes Mad Season. Album released in March of 1995. Single "River of Deceit" becomes a Top 5 Alternative hit. Album certified gold in May 1995.

1995: Jerry Cantrell records "I�ve Seen All This World I Care To See" for the Willie Nelson tribute album Twisted Willie.Layne, Jerry, Mike and Sean descend into Bad Animals studio to begin sessions for what will become ALICE IN CHAINS. Toby Wright (Corrosion of Conformity, Slayer) produces. Sean Kinney plays with Johnny Cash on "Time of the Preacher" for the Willie Nelson album. For some reason, Cash keeps calling Sean "Sue." "Grind," the first track from ALICE IN CHAINS, leaks to radio prematurely, causing feeding frenzy of radio programmers nationwide. "Grind" delivered to radio via satellite uplink to stem excessive spread of taped copies of song. To celebrate Halloween properly, the band releases ALICE IN CHAINS in vinyl edition. ALICE IN CHAINS is released on CD and cassette. A new era of hard pleasures begins. ALICE IN CHAINS debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.

1996: ALICE IN CHAINS certified gold and platinum by the RIAA. Alice In Chains tape a performance for "MTV Unplugged" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theater. During the group's first live appearance since January 7, 1994, Alice In Chains debuts a new song, "Killer Is Me." Alice In Chains warms up the KISS army in Detroit's Tiger Stadium on opening night of the KISS reunion tour. Alice goes on to play three more shows on the KISS tour (Louisville, June 30; St. Louis, July 2; Kansas City, July 3). Unplugged is released. It turns RIAA platinum a month later. Alice In Chains is nominated for Best Hard Rock Video at the MTV Music Video Awards. They lose.

1997: Jerry Cantrell releases his debut album Boggy Depot. It features Sean Kinney on drums, as well as Mike Inez and Les Claypool on bass.

1998: Alice In Chains record "Died" and "Get Born Again."

1999: Alice In Chains releases "Nothing Safe - Best Of The Box"

2002: Vocalist Layne Staley was found dead in his apartment on April 17th, 2002. The cause of death has not been announced, but given his longstanding struggles with heroin, a drug-related death is sadly the most likely explanation. read less

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