Alice in Chains: The Tragic Death of Bassist Mike Starr, Last Person To See Layne Staley Alive
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Alice in Chains Bassist Mike Starr's Career and Death
Days of the New Video • Days of the New :The S...
Alice in Chains Glam Years: • Alice in Chains: Their...
Alice in Chains Facelift Video: • Alice in Chains: The M...
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#laynestaley #mikestarr #aliceinchains
I cite my sources and they may differ than other people's accounts, so I don't guarantee the actual accuracy of my videos.
Alice in Chains story is one of tragedy marked by drugs and death. Half of the band’s original lineup would be lost to drug addiction and while a lot of hte focus is put on late frontman Layne Staley, today we’re going to take a look at the life and career of bassist Mike Starr.
Born in Hawaii in 1966, bassist Mike Starr was the eldest of two having a sister who was three years younger. His parents would split at a young age and Mike would move to Florida with his father. At the age of 9 his father would relocate to seattle and take his son Around the age of 11 or 12 Starr got a job at ihop as a dishwasher and used the money he saved to buy his first bass guitar and started his first band called Cyprus whose name he took from the bible. Starr would end up playing with drummer Sean Kinney in the band.. Starr’s early influences would be Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix with a childhood friend of Starr named Jim Hacker revealing to author David De Sola how the future alice in chains bass player was single minded with his focus in life being becoming a rockstar like Van Halen. In fact his high school yearbook would have starr saying he was going to tour with van halen when he got older and it was a dream that would come true. We’ll talk about that tour later on in this video.
Starr would admit that by the age of 12 or 13 he already was growing facial hair and had a mustache and would spend a fair bit of time in Atlantic City with his father. Starr’s mustache made bartenders think he was 18 and so he was allowed to buy drinks.
In high school around 1982 starr would play in a band named S.A.T.O taking it’s name from an Ozzy Osbourne song with one flyer promoting the band saying “Don’t Say No SATO” The band was reasaonbly successful around Seattle playing shows at the Seattle Arena and Moore Theater and was even featured on a compilation album called Northwest Metalfest. But by 1984 Starr would end up meeting guitarist Jerry cantrell and play in a band called Gyspy Rose, which was a precursor to Alice in Chains. I wanna let you guys know i’ve done a whole video on Alice in Chains glam metal days. The link is below in the description box. Prior to the classic lineup of Alice in Chains forming 1987 guitarist Jerry cantrell played some demos he was working on for drummer Sean Kinney. Also in the room at the same time was Kinney’s girlfriend a women named Melinda. Jerry would mention to Sean that he knew a bass player named Mike Starr to which Kinney replied “that’s weird because this is his sister and pointed at Melinda” and told Cantrell he had played with Mike in a handful of bands since his early teen years. Starr for his part had already met Layne a few years prior telling author Mark yarm how they met “i guess i met layne a couple of years ago, but I don’t remember it”. I was so high i couldn’t dress myself.so i wore my bathrobe with underwear on and my sunglasses and cowboy boots on my honda motorcycle on my way to the beach. Layne would recall that meeting telling an interviewer “when i met mike starr he was on a honda motorcycle in his bathrobe and sunglasses. I said to myself right there. That’s the kind of guy i want to be in a band with ”
Prior to managing Alice in Chains Susan Silver would hear a cassette from the band see them live as well as hang out with them. Silver loved the band but noticed the person they had appointed as their manager was dealing illicit substances and could not be trusted and could possibly land them in jail. The band would concur and ditch their manager and sign with Susan Silver, as well as Pearl jam manager Kelly Kurtis and Ken Deans. Deans would reveal in the book Everybody Loves our Town how Mike Starr posed the biggest headache to the band’s future recalling “Overall the guys were terrific human beings. The biggest problem by far was Mike St
Sources:
Alice in Chains The Untold Story, Book David De Sola
Grunge Is Dead, Book, Greg Prato
Everybody Loves Our Town, Book, Mark Yarm
Here's the video on Facelift ua-cam.com/video/ShifZejOW_I/v-deo.html
Here's the video on Alice in Chains Glam Years ua-cam.com/video/OiHxQuveUds/v-deo.html
Here's the video on Alice in Chains SAP ua-cam.com/video/jWLsGm4bR9o/v-deo.html
Here's the video on Jar of Flies ua-cam.com/video/BjU0uOP0sig/v-deo.html
Susan Silver snakie snake
Video was sad but tastefully done. Thank you for posting. RIP Mike and Lane
Get away from satanism these music stars are satanist FACTS .... JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUTH WAY AN THE LIFE
@Three what do you mean by that ??
@@thetamoramay7331 lol
I was Mikes bass tech for years up till Facelift was released.... And yeah, he was a crazy great friend ! I'm glad I got out of that lifestyle. Jeff Hubbard
That's fuckin badass dude
You lived that era with the band bro 🤙🏼 awesome
Glad you're still alive! I've lost over 50 friends to addiction and suicide. It all sucks.
Probably saved your life.
Wow 😯
"My pain is self-chosen" - River of Deceit. Layne's vocals on this get me every time. RIP.
Same
Lyrical content was extremely prophetic as well. The whole album is incredible, easily in my top 5. McCready and Saunders had just cleaned up we’re hoping to rub off on Layne, but alas, it wasn’t to be
Greatest Rock n Roll album EVER made.
"Above."
Yupe. I’ve been saying this.
He was the most brutally honest lyricist of his time
I remember watching that rehab show when Starr poured his heart out to Layne's mom..... the guilt, the regret, the pain was so heavy. It was hard to watch, I felt so bad for him. It just showed how tortured he was from Layne's death and how it ended. He never got over it.
Hope they found that peace with our Savior. From experience, the only source that can heal and bring love, light, forgiveness and comprehension. Seeing remorse and understanding of one’s wrongs and actions that’s caused others hurt is the first step and evidence to being on the road to redemption. We’ve all fallen and some of the worst transgressors never touched substances or rather wasn’t on them nor the reason for cutting ppl down with their tongues and actions; some of the worst hypocrites of all. At least some have reasons (not excuses) while others never face their shortcomings and embarrassing Shane they’ve brought to their families and showing their arses to the world. Have an uncle like that 🤢🤮, it’s ok for him to drink and the coward he is pick on a child or woman but a person who’s legitimately sick that needs medication, “they’re pill heads.” He and his ex destroyed their son by using him as the escape goat and hurting him and neglect and was a lying thief like his older sister before age ten. Yeah but “drugs” caused all his issues. It’s sickening how ppl blame everything on drugs and take no responsibility or accountability. Yes, they’re terrible. Especially meth, etc, don’t uphold that at all. And these enablers hollering it’s a disease, well yeah the brain gets required but the majority of those ppl who do bad things on stuff, did bad things before ever touching it. Just excuses and doesn’t help anything. Some are just bad ppl, some are good ppl with dealing with issues and pain and they’re are folks that never took from anyone or did wrong to feed that dependency or addiction. It all depends upon the person,circumstances and not all fit into one basket. Definitely a difference between a junkie whose given up everything by choice and one who has a medical dependency but holding it together and fighting tooth and nail. So much stigma and polarizing of either or instead addressing the grey area and whole truth. This society has did away with wrongs, accountability, responsibility but blames everything under the sun and moon for their own poor choices and lack of self discipline and will power. On a very dangerous download spiral while evil accepts and cheerleads ppl to their graves. Hoping more ppl are waking up to the warfare we are under.
but at the same time we were watching him become part of a legend bigger than life...he was the last to see Layne. Amazing. Imagine sitting on that couch with them that day, listening to Layne talk about seeing Demri's ghost...Legendary, even mythological, stuff.
I watched that show, also... Absolutely heartwrenching... And I couldn't believe it when he died, also.
I watched that show also I remember him saying that layne was asking him don’t leave him mike was guilt ridden over that never got over it
Amen Bro...I saw the same thing!
Watching Mike on Celebrity Rehab and how broken up he was about Layne and all the mistakes he made in his life was really difficult to watch.
Was just gonna type that until I seen you posted it.
Yeah no one ever told the boy Rock and roll is a vicious GAME .R.I.P.
Yes I remember him distinctly on Dr Drew. He broke my 💜
Very difficult... 😓
@@brookinghouseof9457 yes the old rock and roll dream live hard fast die young make a good looking corpses is and was wrong . And even those who survived battle THIER own demons .so .... conservatism def. Wrong. But.........
That band manged to become so epic and mind blowing even though having one of the craziest, disrupted paths in the industry.. legends
and in all interviews the whole band is just like a bunch of spicolli's but then they start playing and goddam, they crossed into an ethereal region of extremely complex music and virtuoso singing, playing and songwriting that I never get used to...
One of the craziest, disrupted paths? For Seattle bands, Mother Love Bone, what we now know as Pearl Jam, had disruption. Fate is real. So many musicians deal with this crap. It's unfortunate.
Epic grunge legends!!! 💜💜
@@joejones9520 wtf is a spicolli?? 🤣😛
So you never heard of lynyrd skynyrd?
One of my ex-employees was Mike's best friend. He gave me an early demo on CD that Mike gave him. It's pretty amazing hearing some of their hits in early form and a little punk influence. My employee had an addiction as well and couldn't quit even after Mike's death. Mike's dad was a big influence on the drug use. I'd hear stories about the binges they all would go on as if it was glamorous. My employees story ended much like Mike's. He knew better but just couldn't stop. RIP
So sad 😞
What's up with parents getting high with their kids? I've heard it a lot lately. My parents were too much into God to do drugs with us!🤣
@@marycallozzo463 i know, its beyond gross
Mikes father also said that Demri introduced Layne to heroin. Which I believe.
Unless you’ve gone through opiod withdrawal, you have no idea how truly impossible it feels. Once you move from tabs\percs to oxys, it feels impossible. Once you move from oxys to smoking heroine, it feels more impossible. Once you move from smoking it, to shooting it, it’s game over! Don’t ever touch opioids if you want a happy life, even if your doctor prescribes them, don’t f***ing touch them! ANY pain is more bearable than the pain these drugs will cause you and the ones you love
Theres a Nardwar video with Nirvana where he asks Kurt about the Hollywood Rock Festival show to which Kurt replied "I dont remember any of that show. I was up all night shooting coke with the guys from Alice in Chains." It was a very memorable Nirvana performance an by fsr considered their worst by critics. They hadnt been in the same state in 6 months and hadnt played together in 9. Kurt was in pajamas and out of rhythym the whole set. Forgetting words...not sure if same night or just same tour but Flea played the trumpet on Smells Like Teen Spirit, they all switched instruments while kurt sang and drummed Terry Jack's Seasons in the Sun and then they did an encore in dresses. Kurt was in a blackout for the majority from the xanax they sell over the counter in S America he took to come down from the coke binge and he could barely play. This was the last time they ever appeared as a 3 piece. Pat Smear eould join the band before they toured for in utero and after recording it which they had begun to do on this tour. Those recordings make up much of the boxset from 04.
On an episode of Sobdr House or Celeb Rehab, Star says that night was the first time he shot up and that kurt did it for him. Lemmy from Motorheads wife said that Kurt called their house that night asking Lemmy, then sober, if he knew where they could score dope in Brazil. He said "no" and hung up. That was the first and last time kurt ever called him. They also talked about Lemmys wedding.
Mike Star was on Methadone. Be and his father went to a clinic everyday where theyd buy xanax and coke to shoot all day before going on celebrity rehab. He ultimately got off methadone but died from an alcohol and xanax combination overdose after months of abstinence. Drugs really suck. Celebrity rehab did exlote peoplr but it also took alot of the romance out of drug addiction. Its one thing to "burn out" like Kurt but to "fade away" as Mike Star did os not nearly as glamorous... like shooting coke all night in Brazil sounds fun and is glamorous...sitting in a broken down minivan on your front lawn and shooting a tiny bag of coke and then also splitting a xanax bar with your dad is not so glamorous and only sounds fun if youre an addict... 60 lbs heavier 20 years older 1 million dollars poorer w/ nothing to show but track marks and stories from when before the band kicked you out...and thatx a happy ending for a drug addict. Dudes dead. Theres no coming back from that. Just cuz it didnt kill you yesterday doesnt mean youre promised tomorrow. Dude toured the world shooting drugs and in the end a rx xanax and a rum and coke killed him. Sux.
Maaaaan. I definitely remember all of that. Alice In Chains remains one of the saddest stories in Rock history.
@Christopher Bingham Great points. I definitely agree. I wasn’t comparing it to anyone or band. Just saying it’s still pretty darn sad.
@Christopher Bingham I've never heard of the Lost Prophets. What crimes did the singer commit?
@@mariolopez3728 grape
@@mariolopez3728too much to discuss on UA-cam comments. pedophelia, violating babies, rape, etc
When I saw AIC a couple years back during the end part of Nutshell Will and Mike Inez stepped back from where they were standing and all the lights went off but two spotlights were shined on the empty spaces at the mic, and where Mike was standing to honor Layne and Mike Starr. It brought tears to my eyes.
That’s one of my favorite songs very very moving..
Man, Jar of Flies was my favorite CD in my early high school days. I loved AIC. When Unplugged came out, I was actually shocked they were still a band. Such a sad story. Layne Staley was the greatest vocalist of the 90’s rock scene
still put on JoF every Fall, when the weather starts getting chilly, days get shorter and the leaves are turning. I gotta be careful though about depression- I used to be getting ready for the winter snowboarding season here in the Pac NW, now...I'm old and not doing that anymore. It's very depressing. I miss the 90's. Amazing I'm still alive... 😞
The 4 track album Sap is great too. Aic is the real creators of grunge
Jar of Flies is just the best. In 2011 when I got my car it had a cassette player and I would go to goodwill and get tapes of bands I had always wanted to get into. I must have listened to my Jar of Flies cassette at least a hundred times. Best EP of all time.
I always love hearing more about AiC.
That album DIRT will always be one of the greatest albums ever just awesome!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I actually like Facelift better but they are both great.
I actually like the three legged dog most, it’s all just taste
"I was so high I couldn't get dressed.... So drove my motorcycle to the beach in my bathrobe and undies.."
Amazing Mike lasted as long as he did.
Only in AIC would anyone get away with that haha
He was too high to dress himself, but was perfectly capable of driving a motorcycle. Wow!
I read an article in a major rock magazine after the fact that featured Alice In Chains around the time of the release of "Dirt". It seemed to revel in their use of alcohol and marijuana, but hinted at the band members used harder substances. I remember it turning me off, even as a teenager. I just thought of all the young people that might go down the wrong road because they thought it was cool.
@@whoami7721 Apparently some brewery now uses Layne's artwork for Mad Season to sell beer. Nothing tragic about that. The responses I get for pointing out the hipocracy of using any dead drug addict's work to sell more drugs is usually, "come on man. It's just beer!"
Because just beer hasn't killed thousands..
@@WarlikePeace Great point,alcohol has killed a lot of people.
I get so sad thinking about Mike and Layne, mainly Layne, he locked himself in his apartment and got high for 6 years until it killed him.
Relegalise, regulate, tax and educate.
It will help remove the stigma so people get help quicker.
@@GazB85 Legalizing drugs helps no one and it doesn't remove any stigma. People are judgmental a-holes regardless of laws.
He wasn't burning the candle at both ends. He threw it in the fire.
@@GazB85 there’s certain drugs that would be ok under regulation. Heroin isn’t one of them. That shit destroys yourself and everyone around you.
@@harrycollins3248 Ending the War on (Some) Drugs helps no one?
You can kiss some of your liberties good bye because of that BS 'war'.
Keeping them illegal just leads to more violence and corruption. American's and a few other nations (Soviet Union, Finland, parts of Canada etc) tried alcohol prohibition and it failed, badly!
How modern day idiots don't see the comparison and blatant hypocrisy I do not know.
Harm reduction has proven time and time again to be the better option for the health of society and individuals.
Regulated markets doesn't mean you let people buy whatever they want and as much as they want.
You don't need to fear relegalisation.
Opium, morphine and Heroin were state regulated and users/addicts were licensed in French Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.) and the Dutch West Indies (Indonesia).
Opioid users were on average 45 year old women and were actually dying from old age, not overdoses and new user's were not replace them enough, because it was illegal for the licensed user's to buy a lot (Worries about smuggling.) and also supplying non-user's, potentially facing fines and imprisonment.
Taxes from them could pay for rehab and anti-addiction programmes.
Less people would overdose as they'd be able to purchase their drug of choice in pharmaceutical grade and know their dosage and tolerance.
Governments wouldn't waste as much money on policing, prisons and the military.
Repub's say they want smaller government and individual's to take responsibility for their destiny.
Glad you made a vid on Mike, he’s in my top 3 bass players and theirs definitely not enough information out there on him because he is stupidly overlooked. Keep up the good work
I am LE where Mike use to live. I had many contacts with him and we would always talk AiC if he was in trouble or not. I remember him driving around a beat up of Mazda RX-7 with his Gold Records stuffed in the back. We always got along, he always harbored guilt about Layne's death being the last person to see him alive. I was honored to be asked to provide security to AiC during his funeral.
Geeeezzz, smh bittersweet I'm sure but you're lucky you met him
I got Mike Starr's Ampeg SVT II from the Facelift, and Dirt sessions. He is the reason I picked up bass as a kid.
WOW HOW MUCH DID THAT RUN YOU?
@@chrisluehr3256 Could have bought a used car at the time. Lol
@@jbass7024 WOW THATS SO COOL MAN
@@chrisluehr3256 Yeah it is!
So cool! Was it one of the heads that were sold through BassNorthwest?
I went to Jr. high with Mike and used to hang with him, 1986 & 87. He was sweet🙏♥️
I didn't know much about Mike until that rehab show. My wife watches that kind of stuff. I saw him on there and started watching with her. He seemed like a really nice guy. But drugs will make you do things that you never imagined you would do. If it wasn't for the stigma of addiction, we would still have some of the greats with us.
I kinda knew him in hs. he was funny and outgoing and looked strong and healthy. him and his dad came in the dealership I worked at in about 92 or 93 in n sea. he was a wreck. we talked a bit about people from school and such. the poor guy was cooked. they bought a $30,000 car from us though. claimed Mike was getting paid by Sony to test audio equipment. I wouldn't let him drive it and it was clear to me it was for dad. it was sad, I really liked aic and to see a young guy so burnt up like that.
Yess
Both them boys so sad man the rockers back in the day only went balls to the wall
His pops was a real great influence on Moke seeing how they got arrested after getting off a plane when other passengers seen his dad shooting him up.
Passenger's saw his dad injecting himself or saw him injecting his son?
Where’d you read that?
@@Thatguy55595 he didn't.
@@mattyb567567 it’s on his Wikipedia actually I should’ve known lol
@@Thatguy55595 Does it have a citation too a news article? I know in the past a lot of rumors made it into laynes wiki page because anyone can edit tbose.
If anyone was born with a rockstar look, it was Mike Starr... he def had the look.
Mike Starr had legendary bass riffs, he was my favorite bass player.The Dirt lp is Metal perfection.
The opening bass riff on Rain When I Die. Dude.
@@rawheadrex1972 Hell yeah!
I got to meet his sister a few years back. Still have my Mike Star forever foundation t-shirt I got that night. It has some how become my favorite t-shirt.
I think mike got kicked out because him and Layne were really close and both hooked. You can’t kick Layne out and if they didn’t do something there was a very good chance those two keeping on that path might have meant the end of band a lot sooner. Just an opinion, could totally be wrong.
Actually you could be right. I thought about this theory too.
@@media696 I didn’t know any of them personally so I’m a little reluctant to chime in but, I had heard the under age girls thing as well and that that was a major concern.
Your theory makes sense. It’s also my theory, the only difference being that it wasn’t just about protecting the band’s and Layne’s interests, it was also about protecting Mike’s interests. They had to be separated, for everybody’s good. They were really removing his opportunity to get high by the same token.
It would have been more honest though to kick them both out, but of course that would have been the end of AIC. So maybe the guilt Jerry hints at in his music has something to do with that.
@@Gomba13 yeah that’s fair.
It’s totally wrong. Mike was too much trouble , it was a combination of things, like sleeping with underage girls. The entire band was on hard drugs.
I knew Mike. he was such a friendly and sweet guy to meet and hang with, always very cool with people and fans. my former band opened up for AIC in 1990, I remember asking him in 1990 how
AIC came up with that sound they had, he told me about the Drop D tunings that Jerry experimented with and that Soundgarden was a big influence. I also hung out with Mike in San Antonio backstage during the day in San Antonio on the Clash of the Titans tour, Mike was the only guy in AIC hanging out during the day, he told me they were all sleeping at the Hotel still. But Mike was out there talking with folks and just enjoying the tour it seemed. I was in the Air Force at the time and had 2 other AF Cadets with me in San Antonio, all of us in full dress uniform and Mike remembered me from the NY shows my band had played with him and AIC, he brought us all on the bus in our uniforms, it must have looked pretty interesting to on lookers. Mike was excited to show me his new bass, I think it was a Spectre bass, he was so enthusiastic about it and we both took turns playing it. He has busy style of playing I noticed back then. He told me his Uncle or Cousin was in the Army and he respected Military guys a lot and it made me feel good since I was still in boot camp in San Antonio and just on a day pass. I did get back into the music scene in Los Angeles years later and met up wtih Mike at the Rainbow bar with my friend Nigel Mogg from the Quireboys, we all hung out for awhile and he took off in his little convertable car that the re-hab show had gotten him. We joked with thim that is was a chicks car, he laughed and said it was a gift from the show, I got his cell number that night, still in my phone, he was going to come by my recording studio I had at the time in LA and track some bass, but 2 weeks later I heard the news of his death. Very sad, I always had a good feeling about Mike Starr, he always stood out in my mind and still does. God bless you Mike, I hope and pray you are with the Lord and have found the love you always seeked to find. Mike had a sweet soul, a very genuine and giving nature. God bless.
Awwww wow, that is amazing. You're really lucky.
He's peaceful now and the void he could never fill is filled ☁️ ✝️
A day pass while in Basic? What!?!
Such a sweet story
Fear The Voices is a jam and a half.
Rest easy Layne and Mike..
So many gone and many more to come.
Mike was so proud of [ua-cam.com/video/MEIBILvXPa8/v-deo.html] after the Van Halen tour. He played the cassette for me when they were on break back home. He wrote the jam with Eddie, fulfilling his lifelong dream of that association. Didn't mention any scalping at that time. But ENTIRELY believable. His dad, John, was a pretty coked up mess. So lovable, so sad!
I find it weird to hear how he thought he was a rockstar. .. I met Mike before a show they opened up for ozzy and he said he hated being in front of that many people. Not stagefright, but he gazed out into the crowd that was forming as if he hated it.. He spent ten min with me and never asked for drugs or anything for a backstage pass. I'm a nobody he took time to talk to. A few months later he was out of AIC.
Jerry was jealous of him that's why.
This was really good. Thank you for making this video.
I was a herion addict myself and Layne was asking for help for many years and nobody caught on that they won't come out and say they need help I was the same. But it was too late for the poor guy and doing Crack didn't help the situation at all . Who cares if Layne doesn't talk to you anymore just call the ambulance and try to save his life whatever was left of it. Rehab centers are the worst place to go. Get clean and go out and get away from everyone that's what I did. And it worked.
The end of their bromance is the most heartbreaking breakup ever.
Mike Star was an absolutely beautiful man!
I met Mike Starr in Portland when they were opening for Van Halen on the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album and Facelift. We were 7th row back, 16 years old, and at my first concert. Mike came into the crowd after Alice’s set. He came up to us and offered me his beer. I said nah, but shook his hand. And nothing else, too Start struck I guess. He wanted to talk and I was too stupid stumbling over my words. I just remember him as a heck of a nice guy who humored me. His death saddened me as I really wanted him to come break out of his addiction and record again.
Was in treatment in LA with this dude for 3 weeks. Thought he was a sincere person.
My favorite Bassist of all time. RIP Mike and Layne 🙏
This was a sad story this band lost 2 greats, Rest in Peace Mike and Layne!!⚘
Alice In Chains is my favorite out of the so called "Big Four" (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains) Seattle bands.
What was I doing before I knew this
@@MrBones-lw2bf Knew what? I don't get it.
@@smokedawg1 that Alice In Chains was your favorite out of 4 individual bands
@@smokedawg1 Mr. Jones was just being a sarcastic jerk. My favourite out of *the Big Four* too !
yeah mine too. They were definitely the darkest and heaviest of the Seattle major 4. I like Soundgarden next, quirky timings and guitars, almost as dark and heavy. I go out of town next though- STP was badass af and way better than Nirvana and PJ imo...Deleo had some killer guitar hooks and multitracks! Shame they got written off as grunge pretenders...their stuff is actually more original than some straight grunge lol 🎸🎼🤘👍
They all got their drugs one way or another. Unfair to make Mike the scapegoat.
Mike was a very nice guy, good heart. I fell out of “the scene” by the mid 90’s and had no idea he was mired down in recovery/substance abuse until I heard he had passed. In our twenties the substance intake was all about having a good time, by our 30’s and 40’s people you love start disappearing, by our 50’s “the lifestyle” has killed off a lot of people you loved. Stop now, get help, reach out, stop thinking about yourself and try to imagine what your death would do to your family and friends. I lost two close friends in a week last month. Easily half of my closest friends are gone. Take the hard road (sobriety) and be a better person. Mike Starr was a Rock Starr…….and he was THE bassist for AIC as far as I’m concerned. The original line up were the only AIC I ever knew, what came after wasn’t AIC to me.
I grew up one block over from Mike in ..burien Washington..my best friends brother paul.was Mike's best friend..RIP
They we’re both beautiful. Man it’s so sad.
Layne saying to mike “not like this, don’t leave like this” is the saddest shit I’ve heard. Damn man RIP Layne, and Mike
Would? is one of my favourite songs of all time and I don't think it would be half as good as it is without Mike Bass playing. RIP
I had the pleasure of partying with Mike in Nawlins back in '92 in a Decatur street bar called, 'Kagan's'. He was one of the funnest people I ever partied with.
He kept buying pitchers and filling everyone's cups up and I got him stoned AF on some good weed in a nearby alley.
I didn't recognize him, but I kept noticing his AIC backstage pass so I assumed he was a Tech or Roadie for AIC, so after a couple of hours of partying with him I asked him what he does for AIC. He laughed and replied, "I'm the fucking Bassist, dude."
Smh
Dang that's an amazing story 💙 🖤
good weed in nawlins...in 92 ? ...ya right...u couldnt find good weed in the whole-State bk then /lol
@@chriswoods662 your connects sucked.
@@chriswoods662that’s not true. I live in New Orleans & our weed back then was 🔥
The absolute saddest and most destructive part of excessive drug use is You can't feel any love from anyone! Mostly there sure is not love for yourself 😞
Wow this band is steeped in tragedy not only did we lose this talent, but we also lost Layne😢😭
Great video. This topic was overdue.
So heartbreaking
...yeah...you are 😍🥰
😂oops🤭🙈
@@udsmall7306 what ?
@@adriennereyes5405 nuthin...just a double entendre that... you're cute! 😂🤭
@@udsmall7306 thank you
@@adriennereyes5405 you're welcome! Have a nice night 😍🤭🌌
I still get pretty sad when I think of the What-ifs that might have been had Laynre and Mike been able to overcome their addictions and continued on with Chains up to this day. What would they as a band given us?......not to take away from what Chains has become since both of their deaths......just curious is all.
I feel the same about Jimi Hendrix (27) Randy Rhoads (25) Stevie Ray Vaughn (35 ) and Dime (38). 40-50 years after Jimi & RR passed and it still pisses me off! RIP Mike Starr.
Drug Addiction totally sucks, consuming so many great and talented musicians. Prescription or illicit it's just two different sources for feeding the beast with the same end result.Rip Layne, Mike.
mike starr was a awesome bassist and superb stage presence even sun red sun was great music a very sad loss a true tragedy
Love the pace. Great video thank you.
I have nothing but love for Mike. God bless Mike and Melinda, and their Mom too, I am still a little mad at his Dad though because I wish his Dad protected him from substances better when he was younger. But, I don't have hate, I'm just "a little bitter"....
I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and what I most remember is him saying to me.
Quote, I'm a good person. Not just because of the band ,but because I know I am . end Quote.
God bless he was a sweetheart. And a groovy rocking bass player. Rock in Power*
I really appreciate you producing this AIC info for fans like me.
I had such a crush on him. I literally broke a VHS tape rewinding Would over and over again
I'm more apt to believe Mike Starr's account of why he was selling tickets and back stage passes. Seeing as he was the only one who seemed to stay close to Layne even at the end. Jerry Cantrell gives me the impression he's got the bigger ego of them all.
yes but without Cantrell theydve gotten nowhere, he's like the working man of the band. But he wrote some UTTERLY INSANE guitar stuff, mindblowing.
@@joejones9520 Indeed, Jerry's role in AIC cannot be overstated... at least 50% of the band by himself.
Jerry's voice is almost as great as Laynes was
Jerry definitely had the biggest ego of the group. But without him, the band would’ve never made it. Definitely not due to lack of talent, but mainly due to lack of discipline/responsibility.
@@jessicap9832 Jerry wasn't just the driving force and the leader, he wrote the lion's share of AIC songs.
Mike was such a wonderful, talented kind soul. He was just so stuck mentally and physically. I used to play bass an absolutely he is such a huge musical inspiration for me. I have a tattoo dedicated to him. ❤
Apparently you didn’t know Mike well
Mike was so handsome!!!
AIC was supposed to play Woodstock 94 & canceled just days before the show-they are on the T-shirt & program I have; never saw them live, sadly…..LSMS RIP
My favorite bassist of all time . RIP mike Starr :(
My band was supposed to open for 'Days Of The New feat. Mike Starr' the same week he passed. It was surreal hearing about his death.
Days of the new was such an awesome band. So different!
I had the pleasure of meeting Mike in the early 90s... I can say this video is accurate. Mike from my experience with him was a pretty cool guy. He loved A.I.C. and he loved Layne.. He did create a lot of problems for himself. however he loved his friends and family with all his heart. when I heard he past away I wasn't surprised. Mike was one of those stars that burned bright and hot, and those that burn hot and bright often burn out fast... R.I.P. Mike
That's cool you met in him his happier days. It sucks but some people just aren't built to handle fame and success at a young age... what starts as a blessing becomes more of a curse as the excesses destroy their lives. Some, like Mike (or Layne for that matter) never truly recover from the mistakes they make during the rapid ascent. Very sad. RIP Mike Starr
Love this channel!!
My Mike Starr story: I was/am in band called the Fuckedtones, because we are all fucked. We have stuff on YT right now but our heyday was back in 1987 to about 1993 when we made our best recordings. We all lived in Bellevue, Suburb of Seattle (Layne from there)
Once we got a letter from Capitol records soliciting us, (dear fuckedtones! haha) they called us on phone too....thats another story sorry
I invented a "guitar synthesizer" (called it a samplasizer) It was one of those cheap small digital sampling keyboards like a casio SK1 or SK5 really fun to play with, you could sample any sound up to about three seconds, play it backwards ,loop it or whatever, then run it through amp or mixer..
I opened one up, saw that the keyboard fed the priocessor in a "matrix" pattern...to get signal for 32 notes, it had only 12 wires, and there were clusters of 4 half steps going to 8 signal wires...so think ABCD and 12345678 combos and example 1A would be lowest note in keyboard, 8D would be highest...whatever...so I soldered copper wire to the ABCD connections, (4 "bass strings" they became) and built a cheap wood neck attached it to keyboard and put 8 pieces of copper tape on this neck like eight 1" thick frets. Touching the copper wire strings to copper tape frets would play the 32 notes. Only cost less than five bucks to convert. I made plans to do make them yourself, sold some on back of guitar player magazine in classifieds. Pretty fun didnt make much money at it but fun stuff.
So getting back to Mike - I had fellow guitarist friend from high school Wade, who ran an amp repair and electronics shop in Bellevue. Really smart guy and great guitarist, his good friend since Jr high was Alice ini Chains manager, Kelly Curtis... but didnt know Alice in Chains at this time I was into the Fuckedtones and our own stupid music. Was into Frank Zappa Miles Davis Mahavishnu orchestra etc. So anyways I dropped off two "samplasizers" at Wades shop because I wanted him to check them out. I came back a week later or so to pick them up, and there were these four long haired rock fuckers in the shop, picking up their amps Wade had worked on. I had no idea who they were, they looked just like me however super long hair grungy clothes stoners too obviously just like me. So I went over to them and showed them the guitar synth thing...such as saying Fuck into it, and it played back Fuck into 32 notes....I told them I was in band called the fuckedtones, Sean told me about Fuck name of their band at a time and passing out condoms with fuck on them. I said Fuckedtones isnt meant to be a sexual thing like his Fuck on the Condoms its that we are all just really fucked. they seemed to like that haha
I got Mike to sit down and play the guitar synth through an amp, he was interested (it had four strings) and I told him to try the "tuba" setting on the sound selections
This gives a really tough sounding bass sound when put through an amp and Mike really liked it. I was flat broke at this time, and was itching to sell one of them to these guys. I didnt know who they were - I would ask who are you guys and no one would answer....Wade would say do you know who these guys are? finally they said Alice in Chains but I didnt recognize the name. So Mike wanted to buy both guitar synths I had there....hooray I was hoping to sell them for 200 bucks maybe for two....Mike said twenty bucks for both....I said fuck cmon they are worth way more than that, but I was literally broke and took the twenty bucks,
In consolation knowing I got ripped off pretty much they said we will put this thing in our next album how about that so that was very cool.... Now I could brag I sold two guitar synthesizers I built to the bass player in Alice in Chains, and they have it recorded somewhere on one of their albums....still not sure where, but it was a sampler so could be anywhere I think its some gobblty goop sounds in an intro but not sure.
Anyways, also part of the deal is Mike said he wanted me to make a full-scale bass guitar neck version of it...and he would pay me for that so all in all pretty cool stuff meeting them and selling Mike the two "samplasizers"
It took me a few months to build the big one, I have a friend who knew Mike from music bank days and NAF studios in W Seattle
(Fuckedtones jammed there slong with AIC, Nirvana too for awhile...hanging out at NAF REALLY FUN TIMES all night jams musicians everywhere great times we had our own concrete walled rehearsal room in first floor...the "elites" were up on 2nd floor....I Remember Mark Naffasey (the "tyrant" I called him haha) Buddha, Doc, Spider, the guys who ran the place...Doc and Spider would always come down and we would get them stoned on "Honduras rosebud" which our backwards chuck-boom drummer who could never find where one was always had in ample supply (we were fucked haha) . I never did any coke or heroin but lots of that going around....later place became a rave venue, they were making big bucks putting those on and the live band scene got squeezed out)
So anyways finally I finished the full scale bass synth, got Mikes phone number from my friend who called up Buddha, and I went over to his house in W Seattle to deliver it.
This was the day after they opened for Van Halen in Seattle Coliseum....I was now expecting maybe 200 bucks for it, as he is for sure a fucking rock star now, but guess what all he had was 20 bucks so I sold it to him for that and said fuck it so much for getting rich from these things.... at least I got the synth on one of their albums somewhere.....
I was really pissed off that they fired Mike I think it had alot to do with Mike Inez being available...Inez super good bass player listen to his acoustic playing on MTV concert.....but couldnt belive they did that to Miike as he just as good really and original member......my friend who was recording them at NAF making pre-production tapes (Byron) said it was because he was selling backstage passes and keeping all the money for himself and he was supposed to split it up between everyone in band. I said so fucking what.
Also he said he was doing heroin too, and to that I said so fucking what they are all doing that. So thats the way it goes I think Mike was crushed....I would be.... I am glad he kept his friendship with Layne until the end. True friends all the way fuck all the drug shit going on.
At that time black tar heroin was the thing to do, put it in an aluminum pipe and smoke a hit no needles....super relaxing I guess (I never did it) super cheap too crush up the aluminum pipe throw it away no one gets busted for it ....
Also want to ad I have Kurt Cobain stories too, jammed with him at Gnu Deli in Olympiia, he played drums...super cool jam he played the "stripper-beat" totally great more to that story but Kurt was killed by the Mexican Mafia for switching his source of black tar heroin and not paying off his supplier beforehand or getting permission that was it and nothing else! Just a law of street he violated thats all to it. Told to me by someone really in the know. Nobody wants to prosecute mexican mafia as they will kill your family so made up the suicide everyone stays safe.
OK thats it thanks for reading all this if you made it through
RIP MIKE and LAYNE too
“It’s so hard to come by
That feeling of peace
This friend of mine said
Close your eyes and try
A few of these
I thought I was flying like a bird
But when I looked down
I was standing on my knees”
-Jackson Browne
Would? is my favorite bass intro.
Love that bass drum tribute. R.I.P fellas, you are missed.
Mike was so beautiful ❤❤❤
Thank you for this 💕👏
So tragic.
Good vid. thxs
Love that you strive for historical accuracy, and intricate details.
Hey man very cool video , very informative and i really liked how you did the book quotes. It really adds a lot of depth to the video if that makes any sense.
I think Mike had potential to do more than Alice. He knew it. He was bold and out of control. Later, I think he had alot of regret.
that episode of celebrity rehab with Layne's mom was rough to watch, she came on for the parents day to be with Mike. I watched that whole season just because he was on it
I was on a prolonged voluntold vacation with Mike. Made all these plans for after we could meet. Unfortunately it never occured. I heard so much about Cantrell and Layne (had to filter out the bitterness, I've heard some of the very same things mentioned here) that I felt as if I was their friend. It just reinforces how dangerous and deadly some things are. Ask for help.... on the contrary, it's one of the bravest things you can do.
I remember we got an AIC documentary and a bunch of us watched it. I searched for Mike at some point and I see him standing alone, all the way back of the "theater". I couldn't imagine.... at one point in time having what so many people chase... and now being where we were. I suppose we will never know.
My heart goes out to the departed and all afflicted 🙏
Saw Mike Inez playing bass for Ozzys tour in 97. He's a sick bass player. He makes you wanna bang
There are many bands I deeply regret never seeing live. Alice in Chains is one of those bands. It was late 1991 and my friends and I had tickets to see Van Halen with Alice in Chains at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa California. We were chomping at the bit to see both bands. We lived in the Valencia area and our driver showed up late. Then the traffic was absolute brutality, almost a parking lot the whole way. For those of you who have driven between Los Angeles and Orange County you know that drive can be pure misery. We arrived really late and I can still remember my blood boiling as we were walking into the dark arena through the crowd to find our seats. Van Halen were already a good five songs into their set. We obviously completely missed Alice in Chains, which was effin with me because we alread knew Van Halen really well. We wanted to see this new band everyone was talking about and now, we couldn't even have seen at least the last couple of songs. Then missing the excitement of the opening of Van Halen's set. I was especially pissed because the driver made me late to something before and now my friends were involved who PAID and were ready to go a full two hours before the driver agreed to show up. We honestly talked with the driver about traffic, the distance, and wanting to get there at least on time for our money's worth to enjoy both bands. Seeing the crew change out the equipment between bands is also kind of part of the excitement. Sorry for the ramble people. There is just something about the late 80's and early 90's hard rock and metal music that I really love and miss bad. Thank God Pantera helped carry us through the 90's though. Thank you for this mini documentary on Mike Starr and Layne Staley, RIP to both and Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen and Alice in Chains are eternally iconic and original hard rock bands.
Yeah, I'd wanna punch a driver. After Stevie Ray Vaughn died in that crash, I made it a point to try and go to what shows I could afford. When Lollapalooza came to MI, I saw them. It was an outdoor race track in Milan. It was raining and the wind was blowing stuff away. It was dark, and out comes Layne in a pale pastel blue suit, singing "I Think It's Gonna Rain When I Die". It was amazing and I didn't care if lightning hit me at that point.
The exact SAME THING happened to me on this exact tour. The traffic was horrendous and I missed the whole AIC set. Showed up about 3 songs in on VH. Was so disappointed.
I was supposed to see AIC with VH on that tour also, in Memphis, TN. However Jerry missed the flight, or something along those lines, and AIC didn't play. Layne, Mike, and Sean came out and told what happened. I was very disappointed, as were thousands of others. A replacement opening act was brought in at the last minute, and they were booed unmercifully. I felt bad for them. At least I finally got to see AIC in '92. Layne was on crutches because he had a broken leg. Great show however..
The blurry screen thing takes away from the video. I can’t even finish watching.
Things never took a turn for the better after Celebrity "Rehab". I lived with him at the halfway house in Pasadena after the show. I flew out to help him stay healthy and we were going to start a band with Jimmy D'Anda (Bullitt Boys) and Mike Suppa. He disappeared to Meeks' pad after his dealer held him up for the rock he took from Michael Klein (son of Calvin Klein) who was in a halfway house down the block. I was attached to Mike's hip for almost 2 nightmarish months and saw EVERYTHING. Gayle was the most responsible enabler. If she didn't keep sending him his royalty checks from Seattle, he would have never had unlimited dope flow. Fucked up.
What was he like?
@@coyotebunnie hard to describe what someone's personality is like when it's as complex as his, especially in a UA-cam comment. In short: he was the sweetest lost soul that had zero control.
Travis what's up dude ,? Jesse wants to talk with you about project you have contact I can reach out to you !!
He came and lived with me for a few weeks at my apartment near Melrose when he got kicked off tour and had nowhere to go.
Susan Silver is partly responsible. She drove that band into the ground with nearly non-stop touring for years, even when it was clear Layne and Mike were circling the drain. Nothing is worse for a drug addict than touring. She knew that, but millions were rolling in at the time.
Let me guess, you believe everything icky karayiannis says?
Agreed.
Bless you Mike and Layne 🙏
Went to an alice in chains show not too long ago, all the OG fans we’re saying i looked exactly like mike. Ill never forget that.
Your links pop up too soon, it kind of ruins the conclusion of some of your videos. They can end very abruptly, so there isn't a lot of time to show them, I understand that. I love the channel a lot.
I loved this band when I was a kid and still do. The albums after Layne are so underrated.
I'd LOVE to see a serious limited series (movie/tv) based on this incredible and legendary band.
rest in peace 🙏
I grew up a block away from Mike and my best friends brother was one of his best friends..he was a very nice guy
6:04 Actual footage of layne bringing mike back to life
??? They are just laying there
The Struggle is Real!!!
#modernjunky
#judgemenot
God bless Mike and Layne's soul
The path of the musical artist is littered with the hundreds of tortured souls of dead addicts...it's depressing...and a warning.
Been there, done that. Made it out alive...barely. 😞
Drugs is always a choice.
Starr's last gig was that in Brazil. 1993. It was just amazing!
Why did you censor the Dirt album cover?
I’m sure everyone watching this has already seen it and anyone else could handle it.
What a great bass player he was. Go listen to his work on the albums Facelift and especially Dirt on a good pair of headphones. Sounds amazing.
Did he play on Jar of Flies EP also? Great basslines on that one too... 🎼🎸🤘👍
God he was gorgeous during his AIC days 🖤
They ought to have known, living with Meeks wasn't a good idea! I could just imagine them talking about starting a kick ass band, sitting around getting wasted, while their instruments collecting dust down in the basement.
Happens too often
@@tasosdiaforetico7377 Unfortunately, yes it does! And 9X out of 10, it's an amazing artist with loads of talent.
Good Lord! 1982? Man those were definitely the days when the hairstyle made the person look way older. I’m always saying that about the early late 70’s early 80’s. I was only 5/6? When he was in that photo at 1:35 .. I thought he was younger. Well he looks younger with Alice. (proof it’s the hair 😂) I’m still watching this. Thx for making a doc about Mike Starr. He deserves recognition. Amazing bassist.
Laynes appearance from 1990 until his last pic in 98 is the most drastic change in history. He spent every penny he ever earned on H and Crack.
His life though..
Most dramatic? It took place over 8 year's, hardly 'dramatic'.
@@daveyboy8907 he was sick and needed help, not drugs. Saying "his life" as if it's only his business is just wrong, it's not like he did that out of sheer enjoyment, he did that to ease the pain.
@@GazB85 find somebody else that changed that much over 8 years then please. And we don’t even have a pic of him from the last 4 years of his life. Nobody gave up to an extreme more than him
Huh? “I don’t go broke, and I do it a lot”
Hahaha. I joke
I hung out with Mike one night here in Seattle, I met him through my brother and he happened to live up the street from me