R.I.P. Layne Staley (1 Viewer)

[Tom Ryan]

Mark, not to bring any personal debate into this, but it seems a bit hypocritical to tell someone to stay away from one drug but endorse the other, hard or soft.

Now, despite the fact that I don't drink, smoke or do any drugs, I'm all for the legalization of pot, since it's mostly harmless and the benefits would outway the negative consequences. But honestly, drugs in general are not a good idea. Soft drugs can and often do lead to harder drugs, and if you want to avoid what happened to Layne you're better off staying away from drugs entirely rather than dabbling in whatever you THINK will be safe. That's all.

-Tom

 

[Jason Quillen]

Ugh. Terrible.

Very weird. I havent listened to Alice in Chains at all in a number of years. But since we've been having fantastic weather in DE yesterday (Friday) me and my roommate were sitting on the porch and wanted to hear some music. So I grabbed my CD wallet and asked what he wanted to hear - I read "Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains" and he was like wow, I never knew you listened to them (but I've known the guy for 3 years). So after a little Weezer I threw the CD on. Just one of those strange things that would be meaningless otherwise.

Anyway, I remeber these AIC Cds best from when I worked at a restaurant at the beach for about 5 years - every now and then at the end of the night for evening cleanup we'd thrown an AIC cd on to get everyone moving. Always worked.

Anyway, R.I.P. and best of luck to all his friends and family, truly a terrible thing and a sad, sad day for music...

JQ

 

[L. Anton Dencklau]

I saw Alice in Chains perform live on the "Lollapalooza 1993" tour and I feel very lucky that I was able to see them live. The day had been a mix of rain, heat and humidity and after a day's worth of great, great performances (Rage Against the Machine, Fishbone, Arrested Development, and Dinosaur Jr. were all fantastic) the crowd was sweaty, half blind (the sun set almost directly behind the stage during Dinosaur Jr.'s set) and begging for Alice. A white shroud dropped over the stage as the stagehands set up the band's gear and all of the vendor and awareness stands became vacant as everyone crowded in. The band was backlit as they played the opening notes of "Would?", with their exaggerated silouettes playing over the white curtain they were playing behind. The cheer went up and grew deafening at the curtain dropped on cue with Layne's opening "whoooooo" of the song.

The set featured mostly songs from "Dirt": "Rain when I Die", "Sickman", "Angry Chair" were all standouts and Layne introduced one of their "new" songs ("A Little Bitter"). He played guitar during the set and joked playfully with the crowd. On the hotter portions of the day the audience had been sprayed with water from hoses on the sides of the stage. During a break between songs a chant for "water, water" broke out in the crowd to which Layne dutifully responded "Shut up" in his snottiest voice.

Being not without a midwestern sense of humor, some enterprising person managed to bring a severed pig's leg into the concert, which of course found it's way onto the stage. Stating the obvious to those further back who might not have seen it fly up, Layne announced "It's always great to [play a concert] and find a fucking pig's leg on the stage." That pretty much ranks as the weirdest thing I've ever heard someone say during a show.

The sunlight completely faded and "Man in the Box" gave way to the encore of "Rooster" and then it was over....

Certain days in your lifetime, especially those defined by the presence of music, retain their immediacy in your memory despite the fading of specific details. I remember the smells, the bizarreness of someone's pot pipe being confiscated at the door, when ten steps inside were vendors selling every manor of pipe or bong, the hot girl wearing the L7 "Smell the Magic" T-shirt, the thumping reggae beat of "Mutabaruka" greeting you after you made you way through the gate to the second stage, the feeling of people pressed up against each other to see and hear musicians do their thing... all the important stuff.

I was 17 that summer, nearly (good god) ten years ago, and during that period young adults: the people who's ages defined them as being in the middle and end of the "slacker" group defined as "generation X" really felt like the social repression and the force fed culture of the 80's and packaged nostalgia of the baby boom generation had finally faded away into something we could truly embrace as our own. Of course the moment was brief, time has passed and "our" time is long gone. I really feel for today's "generation y" teens: its creepy for me to see them be so willing to be defined, not by their cultural impact, but by their buying power. The music they have so willingly embraced, the "Limp Biskets and Nsyncs" of the world doesn't even hold a candle to the "Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins", and yes, "Alice In Chains", which we unfortunately believed would last forever. Now as if I needed another reminder of my rapid aging, Layne Staley has left us for parts unknown. Its sad, its a relief, and its unfortunate. The death of this man has, and will invariably trigger some of the navel gazing my generation is famous for, but that is what we asked of him all along: to express his pain and to invoke our own emotion, which his aching voice did so admirably. His recorded work is his legacy and for that, and my memorable day in the humid, crowded concert I owe thanks to Layne Staley. May he rest in peace.

"I think its gonna Rain...."

 

[Nick Sievers]

I loved Alice in Chains and regards to his family and friends. A truly great band, I'll be playing some of the albums I own later.

We heard it on the news earlier today, during our Saturday music/movie talk last night we were talking about Seattle bands and Alice in Chains and wondering what Layne is doing these days. Freaky.

 

[Carlo_M]

Anton,

I was at that tour too (except it was the Los Angeles show where they played at some park near a Dam, can't remember the name). And I was to see them at the AIC/Suicidal Tendencies/Metallica tour, but of course Layne's probs had forced him into rehab and they pulled out of the tour.

They were incredible live, and I too am happy to have at least seen them once.

 

[Derek O]

Alice in Chains was one of the greatest bands to come out of the 90s. Definitely one of my faves. Not to be coldhearted, but does this really surprise anyone? He has always been a junkie...he even lost some teeth from his addiction. I'm sure it was an OD. It's sad that he couldn't beat H, but I am not too upset about it. It seems his whole life was a downward spiral.

As far as Alice in Chains goes, Jerry Cantrell will probably start playing more AIC songs in concert, plus if they really wanted to, they could play as a trio. Cantrell wrote most of the songs and sang backup, so it wouldn't be so different.

 

[Mark Schmitt]

The marathon continues today.
Anton, I loved your story. I only saw AIC live once, when they opened for Van Halen in Rochester, NY. My friend had tickets and while I don't care for Van Hagar, I went to just see AIC. I don't remember as much as you did, unfortunately, but I remember Layne had a leg cast on after he broke something not long before. I remember when I heard that story, but I don't remember the details or the bone. Might have been the ankle after jumping onstage. It was after their first album. I just remember how it took guts to get up on stage again with a cast on. He couldn't move much, but he sounded great. I wish I had seen them again. They never got around to Buffalo much, where I was living at the time. I was still hoping I might see them again someday.
Damn.
Tom, I just will say this quickly as I, too, don't want this to become a personal debate. But I have done this for quite a while now and I never ever touched anything else or have ever had a desire to. I think the people that use heroin have some deep-rooted problems and their use of the harder stuff is indicitive of that. I have a friend who had been addicted to heroin. I asked why the hell would she ever want to start taking it in the first place. She replied that she simply didn't care anymore if she lived or died. I couldn't comprehend that feeling. Thank God she got off that stuff. I called her yesterday after hearing the news and told her to promise me never to go back. I agree that some people should never even start with any drugs. Well, nobody should , but some more than others.
OK, enough about that. Just finished Jar of Flies , on with Bank Heist .

 

[Zen Butler]

The marathon continues today.

Yes it does, not only is "Dirt" a contender for one of the best rock albums, the "Mad Season" cd is highly underrated. He was a true original. It seemed more recently their style(AIC) was getting ripped/borrowed, influenced whatever. It's sad, I'll miss Layne greatly. R.I.P

 

[John Garcia]

the "Mad Season" cd is highly underrated

I agree. I feel this album is some of the better stuff Staley put out, and quite a bit different from AIC. Whenever I feel like listening to AIC, I alwasys end up listening to Mad Season also.

 

[Carlo_M]

I just bought the only AIC album I don't have: the live electric one, and I've been listening to it all day.

Next up: The Box Set.

I agree about Mad Season. When that album came out, it didn't leave my CD changer for what must have been a year (except maybe to go to my car CD player).

 

[Jerry Parker]

AIC is one of my favorite bands of all time. They were not as popular as the other seattle groups, but they were probably my favorite. :-(

Rip Layne

NP: Shame in You

 

[Chris Lynch]

Layne Staley,

Goddammit. You asshole. Dammit dammit dammit. NO NO NO!

Layne, we will miss you and love you more than your drug addled mind could ever comprehend.

How many more of you guys are we gonna lose before you realize you can't beat it?

I can only hope that your passing will convince other users, famous or not, that there is no winning at that game, and the only option is to quit playing that game.

My fucking hero is dead. Again.

I pray for you, my brother.

"Now I got room to spread my wings, and my messages of love

Love was my drug, but that's not what I died of...

...You gotta rest, you gotta rest, you gotta rest"

Rest in everlasting peace,

your fan for 12 years,

Chris

 

[Jeff_P]

I will admit that I was not the biggest AIC fans, I loved Mad Season. I am going to revisit my AIC collection now. I just finished watching my Blind Melon DVD on Friday night and was wondering what type of great music Shannon Hoon could of been making if he was still around. Guess I will be saying the same of Layne in a few years.

R.I.P.

NP- Beautiful Creatures-(S/T)

 

[Dean DeMass]

I've been bummed out about this for the last couple of days now and it really pisses me off when someone with such great musical talent with so much to offer to people, wastes their lives on drugs.

My friend and I were talking about the 1st time we saw Chains (Dec. 1992). It was at the Riviera (my favorite place to see a show) in downtown Chicago. Chains just released Dirt and this was one of the 1st shows on the tour. Grunt Truck and Screaming Trees opened up and they were excellent as well. When Chains hit the stage with Dam That River I was blown away. I had yet to experience anything like what I just saw. The strobe lights during Godsmack and Sickman were so intense and the glasses Layne was wearing made him look so sinister. He worked that stage like it was his last performance ever. Love Hate Love was so powerful and Layne put so much into it that I thought he was going to lose his voice after performing that song. That show rates in my Top 5 shows that I ever saw.

When we saw them on Lollapalooza (the best Lolla IMHO), it was a different Layne. He was subdued on the stage and he didn't hit the notes like he did at the Riv. I knew that his downfall had started then.

That Lollapalooza was a great tour. Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Alice in Chains, Primus, Fishbone, Arrested Development, Dinosaur Jr., and Front 242. No big tour has ever beaten that one, IMHO.

-Dean-

NP: Alice in Chains - Mix disc that I made

 

[MickeS]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/67400_layne22.shtml
Staley, 34, lay dead in his North Seattle apartment for two weeks, his body surrounded by heroin-injection paraphernalia, before a relative discovered him, authorities said yesterday.
Foul play was not suspected, and there was to be no criminal investigation, Seattle police spokesman Duane Fish said.
"There was nothing suspicious about the death. It appears to be overdose or possibly a natural death," Fish said.
:frowning:
/Mike

 

[ChrisR]

This really f'n sucks!!!

In '96 me and a friend of mine at the time went to Detroit to see AIC open up for Kiss. We paid $150 each for a ticket. We had to get them from a ticket "broker". We left when Kiss started to play their set. It was the best $150 I've ever spent.

I've been hoping AIC would reunite. Until yesterday.

R.I.P. Layne. I'll miss you brother.

 

[Marshall Alsup]

Sad Sad day. I will never understand why some people do this to themselves. Like Mark Schmitt said ealier, if you're gonna do drugs, keep it to weed. In many ways its better then the rest anyway, especially because you dont risk death.

RIP Layne

-Marshall

 

[Carlo_M]

Link Removed
Brought a tear to my eye, especially the picture of a very young Layne. It shows that although we end up going down dark roads, we all start out very much alike. :frowning:

 

[Zen Butler]

Brought a tear to my eye

Mine too. Thank you Carlo for that link. A beautiful voice, a beautiful sick man.:frowning:

 

[John Garcia]

Wow. Very nicely done on that tribute. One of my favorite AIC tracks too.