If some of you don’t recall, it was the day that Kurt Cobain (in 1994) and Layne Staley (in 2002) left this world.

I always wonder what Kurt would have done following Nirvana; cause it seemed like the band was going to break up at some point (Dave was working on future Foo material for example). I’ve read that Kurt was going to lean towards a solo acoustic career, which have been amazing, if you don’t believe me then recall the band’s Unplugged performance.

Although some people say that Nirvana was overrated, I think it would be naive of them to deny their influence and impact. I always see Nirvana as the catapult for the 90’s alternative scene. Yes, I am well aware that many bands were around before them, but their mainstream success opened up the musical horizon for a lot of people.

Layne Staley, unfortunately, seemed doomed for years. After the death of his girlfriend, he was apparently just waiting for death. From what I’ve read, he was a recluse that didn’t mind being left alone doing whatever he did. If you check out his final interviews you can picture how grim things were for him.

His work with Alice in Chains was phenomenal. AIC was just an amazingly talented, and at times underrated, band. Their music was dark and heavy, and Staley’s unique vocals made their music that much more intense.

On a brighter note, April 5 also just happens to be the birthday of one Mike McCready, who was Staley’s bandmate in Mad Season (which I think is a bit weird).

Anyways, happy birthday Mike!

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Post from: The Production Side

The demise of AIC in 1996 didn’t bother me too much because at that time I had just really started listening to their full volume of work (it was the Unplugged album that really got me hardcore into the band). Soon after, Cantrell would release “Boggy Depot”, and one has to wonder if the album was ever planned to be the next AIC album or not, beings that the band on the album is pretty much AIC without Staley on several tracks.

Many might remember the first single “Cut You In”. It’s an okay song, but I don’t think it gives the album credit as a single. Tracks like the opening rocker “Dickeye” really get things moving. I’m also a big fan of “My Song”, the piano of “Settling Down”, “Devil By His Side”, and the wholesome “Between”. The album bounces around from typical AIC heavy rock to some more traditional classic feeling rock.

I’m listening to this album right now (I haven’t in quite a while) – and I’m glad I am. If you’re a fan on AIC, check it out please!

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A lot of people mention 1992’s Dirt as the band’s most definitive album; but Jar of Flies showed us how talented and wonderful AIC were. All seven tracks are so perfectly written and performed, that it left us screaming for more.

That’s why it was no shocker that Jar of Flies hit the number one spot on the Billboard U.S. Chart. The public knew how good this music was.

If you don’t have a copy of Jar of Flies then you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. Seriously, go out or online and snag a copy; you won’t be disappointed.

Just crank up the music and get trapped into a Jar of Flies during this wonderful fall weather.

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FYI: Alice in Chains

I do feel bad for not posting anything new, so here’s something for you all to enjoy.

“Sludge Factory” from Unplugged

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The money raised from the auction will go towards MusiCares and the Layne Staley Fund. The auction will begin on November 5 and will end on November 26. Cantrell will also be putting up items for the Grammy Charity Holiday Auction from November 26 to December 6.

Both auctions will take place at Ebay, obviously.

Pretty cool if you need some rock star memorabilia,  and even more importantly, it goes towards charity.

Click here for more info.

Post from: The Production Side

• On September 29, 1992 AIC releases Dirt and STP with Core.
• In 1995 Weiland’s side project The Magnificent Bastards covered “How Do You Sleep?” and the Layne Staley/Mike McCready project Mad Season covered “I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier” on Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon.
• In July of 1996 AIC replaces STP as the opening band for Kiss, due to Scott Weiland’s drug problems.
• On November 6, 2001 Jerry Cantrell performs “Got Me Wrong” with STP live in Dallas.
• Duff McKagan joins AIC for their 2006 reunion tour.

• Soundgarden opens up for Guns N’ Roses in 1991.
• Soundgarden and Pearl Jam were part of the 1992 Lollapalooza lineup, which also featured STP on the second stage.
• Chris Cornell contributed “Sunshower” and Scott Weiland contributed “Lady, Your  Roof Brings Me Down” for the 1998 adaptation of Great Expectations.
• The 2007 horror flick, Bug, features Scott Weiland with “Learning To Drive” (a unreleased STP track) and an acoustic version of Cornell’s “Disappearing Act”.
• Both Weiland and Cornell worked with drummer Victor Indrizzo on their solo albums 12 Bar Blues and Carry On.

• There was of course the infamous altercation before Nirvana and G’N'R at the 1992 MTV VMA’s, where Axl told Kurt Cobain to control Courtney Love and then after Nirvana played “Lithium” Dave Grohl yelled “Hi, Axl!”.
• Oddly, G’N'R’ bassist Duff McKagan, who is originally from Seattle, was one of the last people to talk to Kurt Cobain, as both were on a flight from L.A. to Seattle in 1994.
• Apparently, Weiland was introduced to heroin by Butthole Surfer frontman Gibby Haynes, who happened to be at the same rehab facility as Kurt Cobain in 1994.
• The STP song “Too Cool Queenie” is about Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love; it was rumored that Weiland had a crush on Love in the mid 90’s.
• Talk Show (STP without Scott) toured with the Foo Fighters in 1997.

• STP and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder started out in the San Diego music scene in the late 80’s.
• Both STP and Eddie Vedder have played with the remaining members of The Doors; they’ve also both covered “Break On Through (To The Otherside)” and “Roadhouse Blues”.
• Pearl Jam and STP have both covered songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
• Guns N’ Roses and Pearl Jam have opened up for the Rolling Stones.
• STP and Pearl Jam have toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

• Producer Brendan O’ Brien has produced all 5 of STP’s albums, as well as Pearl’s Vs., Vitalogy, No Code, Yield,  Audioslave’s Revelations and Velvet Revolver’s Libertad.

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• The band formed back in 1987, when guitarist Jerry Cantrell met singer Layne Staley . The band was soon rounded out by Cantrell’s friend, bassist Mike Starr, and drummer Sean Kinney who was dating Starr’s sister.
• Before settling on Alice in Chains, which was originally a band that Staley was in, however, it was spelled Alice N’ Chainz; AIC used the names Diamond Lie and F*ck.
• The band’s first release was the EP We Die Young in 1990.
• Facelift was their first full length album, also released in 1990. The band began touring with Iggy Pop and Van Halen.
• I heard that Van Halen gave AIC some fashion tips, which included getting the band Doc Martins.
• The band’s second EP, Sap, featured guest appearances by Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm and Heart’s Ann Wilson. Cornell and Arm were part of the song “Right Turn”, hence in the notes the song is performed by Alice Mudgarden.
• Susan Silver, ex-wife of Chris Cornell, was manager for Alice in Chains.
• AIC was featured in Cameron Crowe’s 1992 film Singles, which also featured Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
• Speaking of Pearl Jam and Mudhoney….Mark Arm and PJ’s Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were in a band called Green River…Sean Kinney’s (drummer for Alice) father was a detective that worked on the infamous Green River Killer case.
• 1992 ’s Dirt has gone 4x platinum.
• AIC was part of Lollapalooza in 1993, which also featured Primus, Dinosaur Jr. Fishbone, Rage Against The Machine, Tool, Arrested Development and more.
• Bassist Mike Starr left the band shortly after Dirt and was replaced by Mike Inez, who was bassist for Ozzy Osbourne.
• The band’s 3rd EP, Jar of Flies, debuted No. 1 on Billboard, this was the first EP to do so. It was also the only EP to do so until Jay- z/Linkin Park released Collision Course in 2004.
• In 1995 Alice in Chains released their final studio album (at least with Layne Staley). It was a self-titled release, but is commonly referred to as Tripod, because of the three legged dog on the cover, which happened to be Jerry Cantrell’s dog Sunshine.
• The band taped an episode of MTV Unplugged on April 10, 1996, which was released on July 31, 1996.
• In 1996 AIC played 4 shows opening up for KISS, these would be their final shows with Layne Staley.
• Jerry Cantrell’s first solo effort, 1998’s Boggy Depot, featured appearances by Sean Kinney and Mike Inez.
• The four members did get back together in 1998 to record the tracks “Get Born Again” and “Died” for their box set Music Bank. The Music Bank Hotel happens to be the place where Jerry and Layne lived together back in the late 80’s.
• On April 20, 2002 Layne Staley was found dead in his condo, although the official date of his death is April 5. This day also happens to be the same day that Kurt Cobain died and is the birthday of Mike McCready, guitarist from Pearl Jam and Mad Season, which was a project that featured Layne Staley on vocals.
• The remaining members of AIC reunited in 2005 for a benefit concert in Seattle for victims of the Tsunami in Asia. They would also appear at a taping of VH1’s Decades of Rock show for Heart in 2006.
• Alice is now fronted by William DuVall, formerly of Comes With The Fall. He has been playing with Jerry Cantrell since 2000.

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