After receiving 50 “Seattle is in Washington” comments - thx, got it now guys lol. Growing up in Canada means we didn’t study statewide geography. In the 🇺🇸 you also have “Washington” in the District of Columbia, which is a territory and not a state, or within one, but is on the opposite coast of the state of Washington where all the sports teams named Washington play. So with that said, what’s the capital of Canada guys? 😂
Pearl Jam is mine but every one of these bands were/are amazing and what makes them all special is their live performances. Auto tune has ruined so many things. For perspective, imagine Adele like caliber but everyone being required to have that level of talent just to be invited to the party. That’s what was happening in this genre at the time and it was amazing and special…. I think the performances speak for themselves. Thank you guys for listening. **Edit: Autotune as a means to make a person sound like they can sing is the fucking worst. Autotune as a means of part of the song (Hi Kayne) is different….don’t light me up please.
This song is a tribute to Andrew Wood, the lead singer in Mother Love Bone. Their first album was about to drop when he overdosed in March of 1990. The shirt Layne is wearing was actually Andrew's.
Nirvana may be the most recognizable grunge band, but for my money Alice in Chains is THE greatest grunge band of all time. Layne Staley has one of those rare voices that can move your every part of your soul. Definitely dig further into their catalog!
Alice In Chains inspires me every time with the thought, "I really should start a list of bands that are always better than I remember. Because Alice In Chains goes at the top of the list." (...and then I'm too lazy to flesh out the list any further.)
I saw Layne in a three piece suit at the start of their set on Lollapolooza in 93 and it was like 95 degrees that day! Needless to say he took the jacket tie vest and shirt off after playing Would the first song to start the show! Very charismatic singer and great stage presence! His voice very unique and an unbelievable range! RIP Layne!
Saw them at Lollapalooza 93 as well and he wore a suit as well, slowly stripped over the course of the show until the last, Rooster solo acapella, performed in just his boxers. Classic.
You feel nostalgia, even when. Hearing it for the first time simply because it’s REAL MUSIC. Performed by real ass people and your ears and heart recognize the talent and emotion in their music. Which is something we all long for whether we realize it or not.
Layne Staley is one of the greatest vocalists that has graced this earth. RIP Layne. AIC is one of my favorite bands, great catalog of some great Seattle grunge era music!!!!!! Keep these great videos coming!!!!!! You guys will be at 100K soon!!!!!! Keep rocking!!!!
Layne Staley RIP arguably most distinct power tenors is rock modern era. The harmonies with [guitar] Jerry Cantrell signature. DIRT is a masterpiece album, all bangers. React to his power performance Unplugged MTV Rooster, Angry Chair, Would...
When you paused it near the end the wail that Layne comes in with is so awesome. It's so smooth. Layne was known for being able to perform vocals live that most figured were impossible because of how 'produced' some tracks can get in the studio. His voice has been described as what happens when a guitar string learns how to sing.
They had a very melodic way if harmonizing with each other vocally, THAT BACK THEN, NOBODY ELSE WAS DOING. SWITCHING UP THE VOCALS back and forth, some songs you can't/ don't even realize that 2 different guys are singing 😊
I just look and hear them as a damn fine Rock Band. One of the best and Staley's vocals cemented it all together. Sad he let the sickness take him away. Music will never allow this band to be forgotten.
My favorite Alice in Chains song. I love the feeling of the song, Layne's vocals, the bass, the drums. I put them more in the Alternative Rock genre more than grunge. More songs to do by them - Man in the Box, Down in the Hole, Rooster, No Excuses, Angry Chair, Sea of Sorrow to start out.
Grunge was never really a distinct style or genre but a label the media gave the bands from Seattle and the surrounding area that all had different influences and musical styles. Nirvana(who are from Aberdeen, Washington) where heavily influenced by post punk bands lime the Pixies, classic blues like Lead belly and even the beatles. Soundgarden and Alice and Chains where really metal bands influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin, Heart, Black Sabbath, and Metallica(both bands even toured wirh Metallica) pearl jam was influenced by the 60's folk rock bands, Bob Dylan, Crosby, stills, nash, and young, as well as the doors. All the band where very differenr. Try Temple of the Dogs hunger strike, the band was a tribute to a friend who passed away and included members of Sound garden and Pearl Jam.
As a native of the Seattle area (life- long resident), I had the privilege to see "The Big 4" in their early days in local venues big and small, especially before they earned international acclaim. There were a lot of great bands in this area at that time, but I never really got into Pearl Jam and Nirvana; AIC and Soundgarden were my preferred sounds.
My favorite band of all time! The lead singer (dude in red) is the late Layne Staley. He had one of the most unique and haunting voices ever. It was so powerful without him even trying, and he sung from his heart and could made you feel what he was feeling, which wasn’t always happy and joyful, due to his battle with drugs that eventually took his life, but this song was him in his prime! I urge you to go down the Alice In Chains rabbit hole (that’s also a Alice in Wonderland reference 😉) They don’t have a bad song but I highly recommend their MTV unplugged version of Down in A Hole. The harmonies between Layne and Jerry (the long haired singer and backbone of the band) are amazing and beautiful and the lyrics are pure poetry!
It blows my mind how I can hear this song for the 10 thousandth time and the hair on my arms and neck still stands up hard. Love and respect Layne Staley. RIP ❤❤❤ If I could ... would you ???
Thank You for reminding me of this. This song is originally from the soundtrack to the movie "Singles" which the poster is pictured at the beginning of the video. The movie took place in Seattle and featured AIC in concert, Soundgarden, and some acting from Eddie Vedder from pearl jam in a cameo. Check out that whole soundtrack. Man i really like watching you guys. Your reactions seem educated and balanced. Thank You for that!
The movie was directed by Cameron Crowe and came out at the height of Grunge. Layne Staley was a very talented lead singer and much admired. Another star taken too early. Very fondly mentioned (as well as Kurt Cobain) in the late great Mark Lanegan's book Sing Backwards and Weep.
I never cared about Cameron Crow so much till I found out he did Almost Famous, and married the GREAT wonderful woman Nancy Wilson. Otherwise....so what?
I saw Alice in Chains at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Seattle, circa 1991. They were one of the Seattle grunge bands that were leading the way, away from the 80's hair and metal bands, and towards a whole new style of expression and power. Layne Staley was phenomenal live. His energy was infectious and his vocals; just amazing. Good stuff.
A lot of these bands came into the scene due the movie "Singles". Watch it when time permits. It's a great depiction of the early 90's and the music scene in the Seattle area, where lots of these bands were formed.
Keep reacting to grunge, do more Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. Watch both their unplugged, specifically Pearl Jam’s ‘Black’ unplugged and Alice In Chains unplugged ‘Down in a hole’ and ‘nutshell’
Well when a song is almost 30 yrs old, nostalgia is one of the typical feelings we feel. Plus did Phil say Nirvana wasn't from Seattle, they're from Washington?! 😅
As a GEN Xer, the Seattle scene or grunge scene erupted when I was in university. All of these bands played on our campus…even in Ottawa. I would recommend watching the movie “singles” it is set in the Seattle scene starring Matt Dillon and a lot of the bands have cameos , Pearl Jam are Matt’s band mates in the movie. Highly recommend
this was also a featured single off the soundtrack for the 1992 movie Singles, movie is set in Seattle so you get some other great songs from Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Screaming Trees, Smashing Pumpkins, Mother Love Bone...definitely worth a listen.
How could you have never heard Alice n Chains! Don't you remember back in 91 or 92 when they hit all the radio stations and they played them constantly! Where were you!
This song was actually released for a soundtrack for a movie called singles that was all about the Seattle grunge scene. It had a lot of other grunge band members in it. Definitely worth the watch
Rather mellow reaction, and I am not cynical. To put it on perspective, this song was mix of blues, rock, metal, and all kinds of staff. Grunge is almost reductive because this is one of those bands that has its own genre. I think someone described them as a mix of The Beatles and Black Sabbath. But I personally like them above all. Layne staley the main vocalist is a true genius of singing.
Thank you for not picking this apart second by second it’s a story and y’all did it justice as a Tacoma boy who grew up around it all y’all did good thank you from the Pacific Northwest
Alice in Chains is my personal favorite out of the Grunge bands. They make simple but impactful songs. Some other great tracks by them are Nutshell, Rain When I Die, Down in a Hole, and Man in the Box.
This is Alice in Chains closer, I saw them in Massachusetts in 19 or 20 and let me tell you there is nothing more emotional then listening to 20,000 people sing would together😢😢
Nirvana is from Seattle Washington. The state Washington, not the same as Washington D.C., where our federal government was a located. Don’t feel bad people from the U.S. don’t know the difference for the first 15-25 years of our lives 🤣
Hey guys!!! Thanks for this reaction!!! One of the best bands of this amazing time in the history of music. If you enjoyed this, please check the song "Love hate love" live. Is one of the best ever. Greettings from Argentina
You just experienced one of the greatest singers of all time. Layne Staley is legend. Do yourselves a favor and listen to some more Alice in Chains. His voice is amazing.
While the grunge scene was going on, Vancouver and Canada as a whole, were churning out some great grunge bands too. Check out I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, The Tea Party (One of Led Zeplin’s favourites,) and Moist. Just as talented but thankfully didn’t have the heroin abuse their Seattle peers did.
The backstory with WOULD? ... guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote the song for Andy Wood, singer of Mother Love Bone after Andy died of an overdose in 1990 just as Mother Love Bone was going to hit big. After Andy died, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament dissolved Mother Love Bone and re-emerged as Pearl Jam. WOULD? as a title is a play on Andy Wood's name. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER on the album, official videos and concerts in 91-93. WOULD? appeared on the Singles soundtrack because Seattle, Washington as big as the town is, musically it's a small town. All the bands that came out of the Seattle scene knew each other and went to see each other play the club circuit. Cameron Crowe was married to Nancy Wilson of Heart and he wanted to make a movie about the Seattle music scene and made Singles where a fictional band, Citizen Dick opened for Alice In Chains. They used IT AIN'T LIKE THAT from the Facelift album and Cameron Crowe gave them money to demo songs... AIC took the money, they demoed the 6 acoustic songs that are on SAP EP and two songs ROOSTER and WOULD? that ended up on the Dirt album. Cameron Crowe picked through the songs and used WOULD? out of the bunch. Jerry thought the song was strong enough to be included on the Dirt album and that's how WOULD? ended up on the Singles soundtrack and the same version ended up on Dirt. Whenever you see Bad Animals Studios in the liner notes, at the time the album was recorded, Bad Animals Studios was owned by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Nancy Wilson was married to Cameron Crowe between 1986 and 2010. Drummer Sean Kinney developed that heavy kick-drum at the formation of Alice In Chains. That heavy kick-drum is the foundation of AIC's sound. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell was fine doing backing vocals on the early songs like the ones they played in their clubbing days and on Facelift like the Call and Return of the chorus on MAN IN THE BOX until one day when he was trying to write songs for the SAP EP and the Dirt album, Layne looked at the lyrics and encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all, they were Jerry's lyrics. He should sing them. When Layne and Jerry sang together they achieved the perfect pitch of two voices making one voice. Layne Staley's vocal range can run rings around any other grunge singer in my opinion. Layne could sing the phone book and never hit a wrong note. Even at the end of his life, with no teeth and a lisp, his voice, wit and humor were all still there. Layne's voice and vocal range was so powerful he did NOT need auto tune or pro-tools until he lost his teeth and had a lisp around 1998, and even then he still killed the vocals. Barrett Martin (who played with Layne in Mad Season) said that when he stood to the side of the stage, he could hear the sound of Layne’s vocal resonance come out of Layne's body LOUDER than it did coming out of the speakers, Layne's voice was that powerful. The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and to chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to Layne's choices for his life. That show was filmed on April 10, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a 6-year-long slow suicide. Before the show, drummer Sean Kinney and bass player Mike Inez argued with guitarist Jerry Cantrell about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER. The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through. The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY 8 times even though the dvd only shows 1 time (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was. Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking. Mike Starr (who is in the video) was the first bass guitar player. He left the bad after Rock in Rio January 22, 1993 (long story). Mike Starr was the last person to see Layne alive on April 4, 2002. They had an argument and Starr left. No one noticed Layne had died on April 5, 2002, because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911 on April 19, 2002. Mike Starr died of a prescription drug overdose on March 8, 2011. And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Though I do applaud MoPOP including Layne Staley and Mike Starr when they inducted Alice In Chains in the MoPOP Museum of Pop Culture. It's more recognition of Layne (and Mike) than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (thanks to Rolling Stone's criticisms of Layne and his addiction) and the Grammys (who FORGOT him when he died) have EVER done. Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life. All the information above has longer, deeper stories, and I could say so much more, but UA-cam has a cap on comment length. In the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote songs about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press.
you guys gotta hear their MTV unplugged versions of their songs including this one. Their Unplugged concert is, if not the greatest, one of the greatest acoustic performances of grunge of all time. You get to hear Lane Staley sing live...it's awesome.
From the "big 4" of grunge. All may not agree, but my personal favorite songs are. Soungarden: the day I tried to live. Nirvana: heart shaped box. Alice in Chains: angry chair. And Pearl Jam: Hail hail. You might want to give these a listen.
Thanks for playing AIC. They we're by far my favorite band of that era. Although I consider them more of a Metal band than Grunge. Sadley their lead singer died of a drug overdose way to young. He had such a unique voice and so powerful. But, Jerry Cantrell the lead guitarist keeps it going and AIC is still putting out great music
Dude when I first heard grunge I loved it because I also had a nostalgic feeling, it doesn’t make sense but it’s true it made me feel like I was young and without a care again
muh favorite Alice in Chains song? Nutshell. Actually, that's not only my favorite Alice in Chains song, it's also one of my top songs of all time. I always need more Alice in Chains so hope you get to listen to all the Alice in Chains recs from all the comments!
Alice in Chains ⛓️ were the HEAVIER/ HEAVIEST, and DARKER sounding of all the GRUNGE/ SEATTLE BANDS that came out/ BLEW UP in the early 90's, GOOD OKE DAYS, 80'S were great too
In addition to the vocals on this song, the drumming of Sean Kinney is excellent. Listen to the drum fills near the end of the song. At first listen they may sound the same, but every one of them is different and perfect. Just a great song by a great band.
The vocal harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell (guitarist) gave them such a unique, melodic sound. After Layne died, I wasn't sure what would happen to the band, but they were able to come back with another good vocalist, William DuVall. I would definitely recommend going further into their earlier and post-Layne catalog. BTW, Jerry Cantrell's solo work (My Song, Cut You In, Prism of Doubt) is also worth a listen. Ooops, forgot to mention, great reaction comments!
You guys would absolutely love for your next Alice in Chains reaction...either No Excuses or I stay away. You really can't go wrong with anything you pick but those are both to softer songs that I think especially Samantha will appreciate
Thanks again, guys! Great reaction as usual. FYI - Seattle is the big city in the state of Washington (not to be confused with Washington DC on the other side of the country). Nirvana was from a small, rural town in Washington State called Aberdeen, about 100 miles from Seattle. They did eventually move to the Seattle area, though, and are widely considered a Seattle band (along with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, etc.).
Thank for the support on the channel Gary! Yes, we’ve been informed a few times about the Seattle thing - growing up in Canada will do that to ya 😂. Thanks for all the other deets and the great recommendations!
@@barsandbarbells2022 Of course, I totally get it! I love Canada but my understanding of the geography and the different provinces, etc. is terrible :)
Aic is the pinnacle of grunge while also almost not being grunge at all😂 they imo are a gateway metal band.. heavy riffs, hard drums, harsh vocals, but also beautiful vocals at the same time and very melodic, they are an anomaly! And they’re my favorite by far lol
Nirvana were the poster boys but AIC by far the best of the four amd the ones who first brohhgy Grunge to the masses. Lanes viuce is second only to chris cornell and none of the other four could harmonize Like AIC best of the best I would deep dive more into them Rain when I die Theme bones Down in a hole Rooster
AIC, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, BUSH, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS , PEARL JAM... Grunge!❤❤❤and Hole! BUSH is English grunge lol, so you know :) Grunge...just about the music and the "dirty " sounding guitar ,no glitz needed!
love me some Alice in chains- this is one of my favorite's!!! they have a nice big catalog to go through- another song I recommend is a live song- love hate love live at the Moore-keep em coming!!
Dig deeper into AIC. They are my second favorite band behind the band YES. Layne (singer) actually asked me if I thought they had what it takes to make it. 😳 hell yes they did have “it”. Keep digging. Layne and Cornell never disappoint. Listen to Audioslave too.
Alice in Chains is definitely the best of all of the grunge sound bands... their catalog is deep. You guys oughta try some Stone Temple Pilots next... maybe Plush or Interstate Love Song
Oye. Seattle is in Washington. Its cool. I love watching reactions to my favorite band. My favorite song too. Yes like time slows down. late 60's/ early 70's vibe. so nostalgic for sure.
After receiving 50 “Seattle is in Washington” comments - thx, got it now guys lol. Growing up in Canada means we didn’t study statewide geography. In the 🇺🇸 you also have “Washington” in the District of Columbia, which is a territory and not a state, or within one, but is on the opposite coast of the state of Washington where all the sports teams named Washington play. So with that said, what’s the capital of Canada guys? 😂
Ottawa. But I’m from Niagara Falls, NY so…I’m basically Canadian by proximity.
Ottawa...next?
Lol I immediately was gonna say Seattle is in Washington
Ottawa. (yes, I am an American).
London?
Of the “big four grunge bands”, (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains), AIC is my favorite by far.
Pearl Jam is mine but every one of these bands were/are amazing and what makes them all special is their live performances.
Auto tune has ruined so many things. For perspective, imagine Adele like caliber but everyone being required to have that level of talent just to be invited to the party. That’s what was happening in this genre at the time and it was amazing and special…. I think the performances speak for themselves. Thank you guys for listening.
**Edit: Autotune as a means to make a person sound like they can sing is the fucking worst. Autotune as a means of part of the song (Hi Kayne) is different….don’t light me up please.
@@hatleyhoward7193 pearl jam turned me off when Vedder started thinking he was Jesus or something. It really went to his head.
@@montylc2001same here....AIC, Soundgarden,STP, and Nirvana for me, in that order....
@@joealvarez8733 It's difficult for me to put them in order. They all have different levels of greatness.
for me list is like
1. Soundgarden
2. Nirvana/Alice in chains(really cant decide)
3. Perl jam
This song is a tribute to Andrew Wood, the lead singer in Mother Love Bone. Their first album was about to drop when he overdosed in March of 1990. The shirt Layne is wearing was actually Andrew's.
Nice. Not many know about the shirt!
Can’t go wrong with Alice In Chains! Their catalog of music is amazing in my opinion. One of my all-time favorite bands!!!🤘🤘
'Have I run too far to get home?'--that lyric just stabs you in the heart.
Fuck. It really does for me every time.
Nirvana may be the most recognizable grunge band, but for my money Alice in Chains is THE greatest grunge band of all time. Layne Staley has one of those rare voices that can move your every part of your soul. Definitely dig further into their catalog!
Tad is pretty "grunge"
Totally agree!
miss Layne Daily
Alice In Chains inspires me every time with the thought, "I really should start a list of bands that are always better than I remember. Because Alice In Chains goes at the top of the list." (...and then I'm too lazy to flesh out the list any further.)
nirvana is clearly way better but AIC has some fantastic songs too, all time great songs
I saw Layne in a three piece suit at the start of their set on Lollapolooza in 93 and it was like 95 degrees that day! Needless to say he took the jacket tie vest and shirt off after playing Would the first song to start the show! Very charismatic singer and great stage presence! His voice very unique and an unbelievable range! RIP Layne!
Saw them at Lollapalooza 93 as well and he wore a suit as well, slowly stripped over the course of the show until the last, Rooster solo acapella, performed in just his boxers. Classic.
You are lucky
Rip Layne Stanley...One of the Best Vocalists of the Generation ❤
Love Hate Love live at the Moore!! Shows the power of Layne's incredible voice. ✌❤
I'm a trash metal guy but this might be my all time favorite song. I've got goose bumps every one of the thousands of times I've heard it since 1991.
You feel nostalgia, even when. Hearing it for the first time simply because it’s REAL MUSIC. Performed by real ass people and your ears and heart recognize the talent and emotion in their music. Which is something we all long for whether we realize it or not.
Layne Staley is one of the greatest vocalists that has graced this earth. RIP Layne. AIC is one of my favorite bands, great catalog of some great Seattle grunge era music!!!!!! Keep these great videos coming!!!!!! You guys will be at 100K soon!!!!!! Keep rocking!!!!
Thanks Kevin!! 👊 😎
Layne Staley RIP arguably most distinct power tenors is rock modern era. The harmonies with [guitar] Jerry Cantrell signature. DIRT is a masterpiece album, all bangers. React to his power performance Unplugged MTV Rooster, Angry Chair, Would...
Jerry Cantrell is a once in a generation musical genius and Layne Staley was a once on a generation vocal talent. RIP Layne. RIP Mike Starr.
One of the greatest bands ever, Layne one of the greatest voices of all time.
Absolutely mam
I can put in the DIRT album and listen to it from start to finish without stopping it.
AHH YES!!!...Alice in Chains!!!! Best of the big 4 from Seattle! IMO
When you paused it near the end the wail that Layne comes in with is so awesome. It's so smooth.
Layne was known for being able to perform vocals live that most figured were impossible because of how 'produced' some tracks can get in the studio. His voice has been described as what happens when a guitar string learns how to sing.
They had a very melodic way if harmonizing with each other vocally, THAT BACK THEN, NOBODY ELSE WAS DOING. SWITCHING UP THE VOCALS back and forth, some songs you can't/ don't even realize that 2 different guys are singing 😊
Best grunge band to me. They were more metal leaning than the others in my opinion. Some really heavy riffs.
I just look and hear them as a damn fine Rock Band. One of the best and Staley's vocals cemented it all together. Sad he let the sickness take him away. Music will never allow this band to be forgotten.
They are more grunge leaning to me than the others. Soundgarden is the most metal oriented.
My favorite Alice in Chains song. I love the feeling of the song, Layne's vocals, the bass, the drums. I put them more in the Alternative Rock genre more than grunge.
More songs to do by them - Man in the Box, Down in the Hole, Rooster, No Excuses, Angry Chair, Sea of Sorrow to start out.
Grunge was never really a distinct style or genre but a label the media gave the bands from Seattle and the surrounding area that all had different influences and musical styles.
Nirvana(who are from Aberdeen, Washington) where heavily influenced by post punk bands lime the Pixies, classic blues like Lead belly and even the beatles.
Soundgarden and Alice and Chains where really metal bands influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin, Heart, Black Sabbath, and Metallica(both bands even toured wirh Metallica)
pearl jam was influenced by the 60's folk rock bands, Bob Dylan, Crosby, stills, nash, and young, as well as the doors.
All the band where very differenr.
Try Temple of the Dogs hunger strike, the band was a tribute to a friend who passed away and included members of Sound garden and Pearl Jam.
As a native of the Seattle area (life- long resident), I had the privilege to see "The Big 4" in their early days in local venues big and small, especially before they earned international acclaim. There were a lot of great bands in this area at that time, but I never really got into Pearl Jam and Nirvana; AIC and Soundgarden were my preferred sounds.
that’s awesome, I’ve never been to Seattle I can’t wait to go one day
My favorite band of all time! The lead singer (dude in red) is the late Layne Staley. He had one of the most unique and haunting voices ever. It was so powerful without him even trying, and he sung from his heart and could made you feel what he was feeling, which wasn’t always happy and joyful, due to his battle with drugs that eventually took his life, but this song was him in his prime!
I urge you to go down the Alice In Chains rabbit hole (that’s also a Alice in Wonderland reference 😉)
They don’t have a bad song but I highly recommend their MTV unplugged version of Down in A Hole. The harmonies between Layne and Jerry (the long haired singer and backbone of the band) are amazing and beautiful and the lyrics are pure poetry!
It blows my mind how I can hear this song for the 10 thousandth time and the hair on my arms and neck still stands up hard.
Love and respect Layne Staley. RIP ❤❤❤
If I could ... would you ???
Rooster from Alice in Chains is amazing. Should be on your list
Thank You for reminding me of this. This song is originally from the soundtrack to the movie "Singles" which the poster is pictured at the beginning of the video. The movie took place in Seattle and featured AIC in concert, Soundgarden, and some acting from Eddie Vedder from pearl jam in a cameo. Check out that whole soundtrack. Man i really like watching you guys. Your reactions seem educated and balanced. Thank You for that!
The movie was directed by Cameron Crowe and came out at the height of Grunge. Layne Staley was a very talented lead singer and much admired. Another star taken too early. Very fondly mentioned (as well as Kurt Cobain) in the late great Mark Lanegan's book Sing Backwards and Weep.
I never cared about Cameron Crow so much till I found out he did Almost Famous, and married the GREAT wonderful woman Nancy Wilson. Otherwise....so what?
I saw Alice in Chains at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Seattle, circa 1991. They were one of the Seattle grunge bands that were leading the way, away from the 80's hair and metal bands, and towards a whole new style of expression and power. Layne Staley was phenomenal live. His energy was infectious and his vocals; just amazing. Good stuff.
His voice just gives me goosebumps. He was amazing.
One of my favorite bands of the time period. Great songs, great music....and as someone else mentioned, their "Unplugged" live album is great!!!
A lot of these bands came into the scene due the movie "Singles". Watch it when time permits. It's a great depiction of the early 90's and the music scene in the Seattle area, where lots of these bands were formed.
Keep reacting to grunge, do more Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. Watch both their unplugged, specifically Pearl Jam’s ‘Black’ unplugged and Alice In Chains unplugged ‘Down in a hole’ and ‘nutshell’
Black will be coming in August!
down in a hole unplugged is my favorite performance of any band ever
Well when a song is almost 30 yrs old, nostalgia is one of the typical feelings we feel. Plus did Phil say Nirvana wasn't from Seattle, they're from Washington?! 😅
As a GEN Xer, the Seattle scene or grunge scene erupted when I was in university. All of these bands played on our campus…even in Ottawa. I would recommend watching the movie “singles” it is set in the Seattle scene starring Matt Dillon and a lot of the bands have cameos , Pearl Jam are Matt’s band mates in the movie. Highly recommend
Layne Staley is the goat…. RIP legend … you will never be forgotten ❤
this was also a featured single off the soundtrack for the 1992 movie Singles, movie is set in Seattle so you get some other great songs from Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Screaming Trees, Smashing Pumpkins, Mother Love Bone...definitely worth a listen.
I love the beginning of Would-that bass line is sick! Rip Mike Starr!
This goes in my top 10 songs of all time for me. Love it.
Oh man the "have I roamed too far to get home" bit always hits just right. It's like the heaviest bit of guitar and the sweetest bit of melody.
Best rock vocalist that ever lived!!!❤❤ one of the top 5 bands ever!!! RIP Layne❤❤❤ we love you forever!!!
Their album Dirt is by far one of the greatest albums to exist and once you listen to it in its entirety, you'll know why
How could you have never heard Alice n Chains! Don't you remember back in 91 or 92 when they hit all the radio stations and they played them constantly! Where were you!
Man In The Box Live at The Moore
Love, Hate, Love Live At The Moore
Seeing them Live in 1990 these versions are legendary
This song was actually released for a soundtrack for a movie called singles that was all about the Seattle grunge scene. It had a lot of other grunge band members in it. Definitely worth the watch
Rather mellow reaction, and I am not cynical. To put it on perspective, this song was mix of blues, rock, metal, and all kinds of staff. Grunge is almost reductive because this is one of those bands that has its own genre. I think someone described them as a mix of The Beatles and Black Sabbath. But I personally like them above all. Layne staley the main vocalist is a true genius of singing.
Thank you for not picking this apart second by second it’s a story and y’all did it justice as a Tacoma boy who grew up around it all y’all did good thank you from the Pacific Northwest
Great reaction, amazing band! Love, Hate, Love from their Live at the Moore show is a great example of Layne, when he was at the top of his game.
Alice in Chains (Down in a Hole) MTV Unplugged, by the way Nervana is from Seattle.
Alice in Chains is my personal favorite out of the Grunge bands. They make simple but impactful songs. Some other great tracks by them are Nutshell, Rain When I Die, Down in a Hole, and Man in the Box.
This is Alice in Chains closer, I saw them in Massachusetts in 19 or 20 and let me tell you there is nothing more emotional then listening to 20,000 people sing would together😢😢
good to see your channel starting to soar. One of the best reaction channels out there. You'll be at 100k very soon. Sweet....
Still get chills! 30 years and still
Seattle IS IN Washington.
I was yelling that at my screen. 🥂
Nirvana is from Seattle Washington. The state Washington, not the same as Washington D.C., where our federal government was a located. Don’t feel bad people from the U.S. don’t know the difference for the first 15-25 years of our lives 🤣
And AIC was from California and had nothing to do with Seattle or grunge.
@@nielgregory108 You mean Stone Temple Pilots . AIC was from Seattle
Growing up in Canada gives us a pass! 😂
@@nielgregory108are you joking?
Love Hate Love live at the Moore. Layne has such an amazing voice. Would is my favorite Alice in Chains song.
Hey guys!!! Thanks for this reaction!!! One of the best bands of this amazing time in the history of music. If you enjoyed this, please check the song "Love hate love" live. Is one of the best ever. Greettings from Argentina
How can a human being carry notes that long & powerfully? Amazing!
Seattle is in Washington
🤣🤣🤣 yeah, I caught that myself.
You just experienced one of the greatest singers of all time. Layne Staley is legend. Do yourselves a favor and listen to some more Alice in Chains. His voice is amazing.
This song is absolutely perfect. One of my favourites.
Yall should do LOVE, HATE, LOVE or MAN IN THE BOX, THEY HAVE A HUGE CATALOG OF GREAT MUSIC
Alice in Chains was as much heavy metal as they were grunge, although they're lumped in with the grunge style.
While the grunge scene was going on, Vancouver and Canada as a whole, were churning out some great grunge bands too. Check out I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, The Tea Party (One of Led Zeplin’s favourites,) and Moist. Just as talented but thankfully didn’t have the heroin abuse their Seattle peers did.
Probably my fav Alice in Chains song - and that is saying something!
FANTASTIC GROUP BEEN LISTENING TO ROCK FOR 53 YEARS THERE MY FAVORITE NOW IN 2024
The backstory with WOULD? ... guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote the song for Andy Wood, singer of Mother Love Bone after Andy died of an overdose in 1990 just as Mother Love Bone was going to hit big. After Andy died, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament dissolved Mother Love Bone and re-emerged as Pearl Jam. WOULD? as a title is a play on Andy Wood's name. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER on the album, official videos and concerts in 91-93.
WOULD? appeared on the Singles soundtrack because Seattle, Washington as big as the town is, musically it's a small town. All the bands that came out of the Seattle scene knew each other and went to see each other play the club circuit. Cameron Crowe was married to Nancy Wilson of Heart and he wanted to make a movie about the Seattle music scene and made Singles where a fictional band, Citizen Dick opened for Alice In Chains. They used IT AIN'T LIKE THAT from the Facelift album and Cameron Crowe gave them money to demo songs... AIC took the money, they demoed the 6 acoustic songs that are on SAP EP and two songs ROOSTER and WOULD? that ended up on the Dirt album. Cameron Crowe picked through the songs and used WOULD? out of the bunch. Jerry thought the song was strong enough to be included on the Dirt album and that's how WOULD? ended up on the Singles soundtrack and the same version ended up on Dirt.
Whenever you see Bad Animals Studios in the liner notes, at the time the album was recorded, Bad Animals Studios was owned by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Nancy Wilson was married to Cameron Crowe between 1986 and 2010.
Drummer Sean Kinney developed that heavy kick-drum at the formation of Alice In Chains. That heavy kick-drum is the foundation of AIC's sound.
Guitarist Jerry Cantrell was fine doing backing vocals on the early songs like the ones they played in their clubbing days and on Facelift like the Call and Return of the chorus on MAN IN THE BOX until one day when he was trying to write songs for the SAP EP and the Dirt album, Layne looked at the lyrics and encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all, they were Jerry's lyrics. He should sing them. When Layne and Jerry sang together they achieved the perfect pitch of two voices making one voice.
Layne Staley's vocal range can run rings around any other grunge singer in my opinion. Layne could sing the phone book and never hit a wrong note. Even at the end of his life, with no teeth and a lisp, his voice, wit and humor were all still there. Layne's voice and vocal range was so powerful he did NOT need auto tune or pro-tools until he lost his teeth and had a lisp around 1998, and even then he still killed the vocals.
Barrett Martin (who played with Layne in Mad Season) said that when he stood to the side of the stage, he could hear the sound of Layne’s vocal resonance come out of Layne's body LOUDER than it did coming out of the speakers, Layne's voice was that powerful.
The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and to chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to Layne's choices for his life. That show was filmed on April 10, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a 6-year-long slow suicide.
Before the show, drummer Sean Kinney and bass player Mike Inez argued with guitarist Jerry Cantrell about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER.
The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through.
The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY 8 times even though the dvd only shows 1 time (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was.
Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking.
Mike Starr (who is in the video) was the first bass guitar player. He left the bad after Rock in Rio January 22, 1993 (long story). Mike Starr was the last person to see Layne alive on April 4, 2002. They had an argument and Starr left. No one noticed Layne had died on April 5, 2002, because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911 on April 19, 2002. Mike Starr died of a prescription drug overdose on March 8, 2011.
And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Though I do applaud MoPOP including Layne Staley and Mike Starr when they inducted Alice In Chains in the MoPOP Museum of Pop Culture. It's more recognition of Layne (and Mike) than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (thanks to Rolling Stone's criticisms of Layne and his addiction) and the Grammys (who FORGOT him when he died) have EVER done.
Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life.
All the information above has longer, deeper stories, and I could say so much more, but UA-cam has a cap on comment length. In the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote songs about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press.
you guys gotta hear their MTV unplugged versions of their songs including this one. Their Unplugged concert is, if not the greatest, one of the greatest acoustic performances of grunge of all time. You get to hear Lane Staley sing live...it's awesome.
From the "big 4" of grunge. All may not agree, but my personal favorite songs are. Soungarden: the day I tried to live. Nirvana: heart shaped box. Alice in Chains: angry chair. And Pearl Jam: Hail hail. You might want to give these a listen.
This song was written in memory of Andrew Wood lead singer of Mother Love Bone
Just listen to the magic of this song. God such pain and talent.
This is my FAVORITE BAND OF ALL TIME!!!! LAYNE STALEY, is my favorite singer of all time, besides PAUL RODGERS from BAD COMPANY
Rooster was their biggest song, but I think this is by far my favorite of theirs.
Thanks for playing AIC. They we're by far my favorite band of that era. Although I consider them more of a Metal band than Grunge. Sadley their lead singer died of a drug overdose way to young. He had such a unique voice and so powerful. But, Jerry Cantrell the lead guitarist keeps it going and AIC is still putting out great music
Dude when I first heard grunge I loved it because I also had a nostalgic feeling, it doesn’t make sense but it’s true it made me feel like I was young and without a care again
muh favorite Alice in Chains song? Nutshell. Actually, that's not only my favorite Alice in Chains song, it's also one of my top songs of all time. I always need more Alice in Chains so hope you get to listen to all the Alice in Chains recs from all the comments!
Alice in Chains ⛓️ were the HEAVIER/ HEAVIEST, and DARKER sounding of all the GRUNGE/ SEATTLE BANDS that came out/ BLEW UP in the early 90's, GOOD OKE DAYS, 80'S were great too
Alice In Chains is great. Also Seattle is in Washington lol. 0:40
Right?!?!?! Nutty 😅
In addition to the vocals on this song, the drumming of Sean Kinney is excellent. Listen to the drum fills near the end of the song. At first listen they may sound the same, but every one of them is different and perfect. Just a great song by a great band.
The vocal harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell (guitarist) gave them such a unique, melodic sound. After Layne died, I wasn't sure what would happen to the band, but they were able to come back with another good vocalist, William DuVall. I would definitely recommend going further into their earlier and post-Layne catalog. BTW, Jerry Cantrell's solo work (My Song, Cut You In, Prism of Doubt) is also worth a listen. Ooops, forgot to mention, great reaction comments!
You guys would absolutely love for your next Alice in Chains reaction...either No Excuses or I stay away. You really can't go wrong with anything you pick but those are both to softer songs that I think especially Samantha will appreciate
They also HOSTED MTV'S HEADBANGER'S BALL multiple times
Grunge brought blues back to Rock & Roll. Best description I've ever heard in describing grunge is "it's a little dirty and a little wet"
Man in the Box and Rooster are both Killer Songs!!
Alice in chains dirt album is a classic. High school in the 90s in the halls it was pearl jam and alice in chains
These guys are much more then a grunge band and that’s why they stand out!
AIC's deep cut Sunshine showcases Layne' vocals really nicely
Thanks again, guys! Great reaction as usual.
FYI - Seattle is the big city in the state of Washington (not to be confused with Washington DC on the other side of the country). Nirvana was from a small, rural town in Washington State called Aberdeen, about 100 miles from Seattle. They did eventually move to the Seattle area, though, and are widely considered a Seattle band (along with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, etc.).
Thank for the support on the channel Gary! Yes, we’ve been informed a few times about the Seattle thing - growing up in Canada will do that to ya 😂. Thanks for all the other deets and the great recommendations!
@@barsandbarbells2022 Of course, I totally get it! I love Canada but my understanding of the geography and the different provinces, etc. is terrible :)
Watched them open for Ozzy back in the day. Pretty amazing
Aic is the pinnacle of grunge while also almost not being grunge at all😂 they imo are a gateway metal band.. heavy riffs, hard drums, harsh vocals, but also beautiful vocals at the same time and very melodic, they are an anomaly! And they’re my favorite by far lol
"Alright lets see the minute and half later"
A minute and half later...
Best song ever 😂
Nirvana were the poster boys but AIC by far the best of the four amd the ones who first brohhgy Grunge to the masses. Lanes viuce is second only to chris cornell and none of the other four could harmonize Like AIC best of the best
I would deep dive more into them
Rain when I die
Theme bones
Down in a hole
Rooster
I love watching differences in Canada and USA interpretation. Awesome guys!!!!
AIC, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, BUSH, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS , PEARL JAM... Grunge!❤❤❤and Hole! BUSH is English grunge lol, so you know :) Grunge...just about the music and the "dirty " sounding guitar ,no glitz needed!
love me some Alice in chains- this is one of my favorite's!!! they have a nice big catalog to go through- another song I recommend is a live song- love hate love live at the Moore-keep em coming!!
When you clean your gutters, that black stuff you find at the bottom is called “grunge.”
Not crap. Not mud. But halfway between those two.
Nirvana is from Aberdeen about 2 hours from Seattle. Check out Alice in Chains Unplugged Down In A Hole. It's beautiful.
Dig deeper into AIC. They are my second favorite band behind the band YES. Layne (singer) actually asked me if I thought they had what it takes to make it. 😳 hell yes they did have “it”. Keep digging. Layne and Cornell never disappoint. Listen to Audioslave too.
Alice in Chains is definitely the best of all of the grunge sound bands... their catalog is deep. You guys oughta try some Stone Temple Pilots next... maybe Plush or Interstate Love Song
You MUST do more Alice In Chains. Layne has an incredible voice. Check out Love, Hate, Love the Live version. It will blow you away.
Oye. Seattle is in Washington. Its cool. I love watching reactions to my favorite band. My favorite song too. Yes like time slows down. late 60's/ early 70's vibe. so nostalgic for sure.