Rock On The Net: Alice In Chains (original) (raw)

Alice In Chains, hailing from Washington, began with the 4some: Layne Staley on lead vocals, Jerry Cantrell on guitar, Sean Kinney on drums, and Mike Starr on bass. Alice In Chains found success with the music scene as 'grunge' music began to take hold in the early 1990s with many 'Seattle bands' hitting the airwaves. Much of the lyrics sang by the band would often focus on death and drugs.

Having signed with Columbia Records, Alice In Chains released the EP - We Die Young.

Alice In Chains released Facelift.

Alice In Chains toured with Iggy Pop.

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Heavy Metal Performance.
Alice In Chains began touring with Megadeth in Europe.

Alice In Chains toured with the 'Clash of the Titans' package tour along withAnthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer.

The band began touring as Van Halen's opening act for the remainder of the year.

Facelift was certified gold.
The video for "Man In The Box" was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Video.

Alice In Chains released the EP - Sap.

Alice In Chains had hits during the year on rock and alternative radio with "Man In The Box" and "Sea Of Sorrow."

Alice In Chains were nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite New Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist.

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Man In The Box").

Alice In Chains could be heard on the soundtrack for Singles with "Would?" The band also appeared in the Cameron Crowe film.

Alice In Chains released Dirt and it became the band's first Top 10 LP.
Alice In Chains began opening for Ozzy Osbourne's tour. Layne broke his foot but continued with concert dates.

Dirt was certified platinum.

Alice In Chains had hits during the year on rock and alternative radio with "Would?" and "Them Bones."

# 143Singles Artist of the Year

Mike Inez replaced Mike Starr on bass.

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance (Dirt).

Alice In Chains took part in the Lollapalooza package tour.
Alice In Chains could be heard on the soundtrack for The Last Action Hero with the tracks "What The Hell Have I" and "A Little Bitter."

Facelift was certified platinum.

Alice In Chains won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film ("Would?").

Dirt was certified 2x platinum.

Alice In Chains had hits during the year on rock and alternative radio with "Rooster," "Angry Chair," "What The Hell Have I," and "Down In A Hole."

# 121Singles Artist of the Year

Alice In Chains released the EP - Jar Of Flies.
Sap was certified gold.

Jar Of Flies topped the Billboard Pop Albums chart for a week.

Jar Of Flies was certified platinum.
Alice In Chains hit the Top 40 with "No Excuses."
Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for 2 weeks with "No Excuses."

Turmoil hit the band when Cantrell and Kinney quit over Staley's alleged drug problems. The band is forced to pull out of touring with Metallica a day before opening night.

Alice In Chains hit radio airwaves during the year with "I Stay Away" and "Don't Follow."

Dirt was certified 3x platinum.

Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Rock Tracks chart with "No Excuses" for 2 weeks.
Staley teamed up with members ofPearl Jam (Mike McCready) and Screaming Trees (John Baker Saunders and Barrett Martin) to form Mad Season and released the LP, Above.

Alice In Chains regrouped again to record new material.

Jar Of Flies was certified 2x platinum.

Alice In Chains released Alice In Chains.
Alice In Chainstopped the Billboard Pop Albums chart for a week.

Alice In Chains hit radio airwaves during the year with "Got Me Wrong" and "Grind."

# 179 Singles Artist of the Year

Alice In Chains was certified platinum.

Staley appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. He talked in the magazine about drugs: "I wrote about drugs and I didn't think I was being unsafe or careless by writing about them. Here's how my thinking pattern went: When I tried drugs, they were... great and they worked for me for years, and now they're turning against me... and now I'm walking through hell, and this sucks."
Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Grind").

Alice In Chains taped their performance of MTV Unplugged in New York City.

Cantrell could be heard with the track "Leave Me Alone" on the soundtrack for The Cable Guy.

Alice In Chains opened for Kiss.

Alice In Chains released MTV Unplugged.

MTV Unplugged was certified platinum.
Alice In Chains were nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video ("Again").

Staley's girlfriend died of a reported drug overdose.

Alice In Chains hit radio airwaves during the year with "Heaven Beside You," "Again," and the unplugged versions of "Over Now" and "Would?"
By year's end, Alice In Chains had broken up.

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Again.").

Alice In Chains and Facelift were certified 2x platinum.

Cantrell released a solo LP - Boggy Depot.

Alice In Chains released Nothing's Safe: The Best Of The Box.

Nothing's Safe: The Best Of The Box was certified gold.

Alice In Chains released the box set with additional enhanced CD - Music Bank.

Alice In Chains could be heard with the tracks "Get Born Again" and "Fear The Voices."

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Get Born Again").

Dirt was certified 4x platinum.

Alice In Chains ranked # 34 on VH1: 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Alice In Chains released Live - a collection of tracks recorded in the early 1990s. A live version of "Man In The Box" hit the airwaves.

Alice In Chains released Alice In Chain's Greatest Hits.

April 19: Layne Staley was found dead in Seattle at the age of 34. It was believed that the death was related to a drug overdose and the day of Staley's death was unclear. The remaining members of the group issued a statement a few days after Staley's death: "On April 19, 2002, our friend Layne Staley was found dead in his home. The official cause of death is still unknown. Yesterday, we all managed to come together in Seattle; it's good to be with friends and family as we struggle to deal with this immense loss … and try to celebrate this immense life. We are looking for all the usual things: comfort, purpose, answers, something to hold on to, a way to let him go in peace. Mostly, we are feeling heartbroken over the death of our beautiful friend. He was a sweet man with a keen sense of humor and a deep sense of humanity. He was an amazing musician and an inspiration and comfort to so many. He made great music and gifted it to the world. We are proud to have known him, to be his friend, and to create music with him. Layne struggled greatly for the past decade. We can only hope that he has at last found some peace. We love you, Layne. Dearly. And we will miss you … endlessly."

Staley's death was officially confirmed to be a drug overdose from heroin and cocaine - injected as what is know as a 'speedball.' Although his body wasn't found for 2 weeks, Staley's death date was determined to be April 5th.

Jerry Cantrell released his 2nd solo LP - Degradation Trip.

The book Layne Staley: Angry Chair - A Look Inside The Heart And Soul Of An Incredible Musician by Adriana Rubio was released and included Staley's last interview along with his sketches and diary entries.

Alice In Chain's Greatest Hits was certified gold.

Nothing's Safe: The Best Of The Box was certified platinum.
VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's included "Man In The Box" at # 50.

Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Top Rock Songs chart with "Check My Brain."
Alice In Chains reunited with a new lead singer, William DuVall, for the LPBlack Gives Way To Blue.

Alice In Chains was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Check My Brain").

Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Top Rock Songs chart with "Your Decision."

Black Gives Way To Blue was certified gold.

Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Awardfor Best Hard Rock Performance ("A Looking In View").

Alice In Chains released The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.

Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart, Alternative Albums chart, and Hard Rock Albums chart withThe Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.

• August 24: Alice In Chains released Rainier Fog on August 24th.
• September 8: Alice In Chains topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart, Alternative Albums chart, and Hard Rock Albums chart with Rainier Fog.

• February 10: Alice In Chains were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album (Rainier Fog).

• August 5: Dirt was certified 5x platinum, Jar Of Flies was certified 4x platinum, Facelift was certified 3x platinum, MTV Unplugged was certified 2x platinum, and Alice In Chain's Greatest Hits was certified platinum.

• October 18: Cantrell releasedI Want Blood.

iTunes Amazon.mp3	FaceliftReleased: August 24, 1990 US: 3x Platinum Billboard peak: # 42 Tracks: "We Die Young" - "Man In The Box" - "Sea Of Sorrow" - "Bleed The Freak" - "I Can't Remember" - "Love, Hate, Love" - "It Ain't Like That" - "Sunshine" - "Put You Down" - "Confusion" - "I Know Something (About You)" - "Real Thing"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Sap(EP)Released: February, 1992 US: Gold Tracks: "Brother" - "Got Me Wrong" - "Right Turn" - "Am I Inside"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	DirtReleased: September 25, 1992 US: 4x Platinum Billboard peak: # 6 Tracks: "Them Bones" - "Dam That River" - "Rain When I Die" - "Down In A Hole" - "Sikman" - "Rooster" - "Junkhead" - "Dirt" - "God Smack" - "(Untitled)" - "Hate To Feel" - "Angry Chair" - "Would?"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Jar Of Flies (EP)Released: January 14, 1994 US: 4x Platinum Billboard peak: # 1 (for 1 week) Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Rotten Apple" - "Nutshell" - "I Stay Away" - "No Excuses" - "Whale And Wasp" - "Don't Follow" - "Swing On This"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Alice In ChainsReleased: November, 1995 US: 2x Platinum Billboard peak: # 1 (for 1 week) Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Grind" - "Brush Away" - "Sludge Factory" - "Heaven Beside You" - "Head Creeps" - "Again" - "Shame In You" - "God Am" - "So Close" - "Nothin' Song" - "Frogs" - "Over Now"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	MTV UnpluggedReleased: July 17, 1996 US: 2x Platinum Billboard peak: # 3 Rolling Stone review: Live Tracks: "Nutshell" - "Brother" - "No Excuses" - "Sludge Factory" - "Down In A Hole" - "Angry Chair" - "Rooster" - "Got Me Wrong" - "Heaven Beside You" - "Would?" - "Frogs" - "Over Now" - "Killer Is Me"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Nothing's Safe: The Best Of The BoxReleased: June, 1999 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 20 Tracks: "Get Born Again" - "We Die Young" - "Man In The Box" - "Them Bones" - "Iron Gland" - "Angry Chair" - "Down In A Hole" - "Rooster" - "Got Me Wrong" - "No Excuses" - "I Stay Away" - "What The Hell Have I" - "Grind" - "Again" - "Would?"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Music BankReleased: October, 1999 Billboard peak: # 123 Tracks: "Get Born Again" - "I Can't Have You Blues" (Demo) - "Whatcha Gonna Do" (Demo) - "Social Parasite" (Demo) - "Queen Of The Rodeo" (Live) - "Bleed The Freak" (Demo) - "Killing Yourself" (Demo) - "We Die Young" - "Man In The Box" - "Sea Of Sorrow" (Demo) - "I Can't Remember" - "Love, Hate, Love" - "It Ain't Like That" - "Confusion" - "Rooster" (Demo) - "Right Turn" - "Got Me Wrong" - "Rain When I Die" - "Fear The Voices" - "Them Bones" - "Dam That River" - "Sickman" - "Rooster" - "Junkhead" (Demo) - "Dirt" - "God Smack" - "Iron Gland" - "Angry Chair" - "Lying Season" - "Would?" - "Brother" - "Am I Inside" - "I Stay Away" - "No Excuses" - "Down In A Hole" - "Hate To Feel" - "What The Hell Have I" (Remix) - "A Little Bitter" (Remix) - "Grind" - "Again" (Tattoo Of Pain Mix) - "Head Creeps" - "God Am" - "Frogs" - "Heaven Beside You" - "Nutshell" (unplugged) - "The Killer Is Me" (unplugged) - "Over Now" (unplugged) - "Died"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	LiveReleased: December, 2000 Billboard peak: # 142 Live Tracks: "Bleed The Freak" - "Queen Of The Rodeo" - "Angry Chair" - "Man In The Box" - "Love, Hate, Love" - "Rooster" - "Would?" - "Junkhead" - "Dirt" - "Them Bones" - "God Am" - "Again" - "A Little Bitter" - "Dam That River"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Alice In Chain's Greatest HitsReleased: July, 2001 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 112 Tracks: "Man In The Box" - "Them Bones" - "Rooster" - "Angry Chair" - "Would?" - "No Excuses" - "I Stay Away" - "Grind" - "Heaven Beside You" - "Again"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	Black Gives Way To BlueReleased: September, 2009 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 5 Rolling Stone: Tracks: "All Secrets Known" - "Check My Brain" - "Last Of My Kind" - "Your Decision" - "A Looking In View" - "When The Sun Rose Again" - "Acid Bubble" - "Lesson Learned" - "Take Her Out" - "Private Hell" - "Black Gives Way To Blue"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	The Devil Put Dinosaurs HereReleased: March 28, 2013 Billboard peak: # 2 Tracks: "Hollow" - "Pretty Done" - "Stone" - "Voices" - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" - "Lab Monkey" - "Low Ceiling" - "Breath On A Window" - "Scalpel" - "Phantom Limb" - "Hung On A Hook" - "Choke"
iTunes Amazon.mp3 vinyl	Rainier FogReleased: August 24, 2018 Billboard peak: # 12Grammy Nominee: Best Rock Album Tracks: "The One You Know" - "Rainier Fog" - "Red Giant" - "Fly" - "Drone" - "Deaf Ears Blind Eyes" - "Maybe" - "So Far Under" - "Never Fade" - "All I Am"