From Songfacts: Jerry Cantrell's father did hear the band perform this song. Jerry told the story in Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine: "He's only seen us play once, and I played this song for him when we were in this club opening for Iggy Pop. I'll never forget it. He was standing in the back and he heard all the words and stuff. Of course, I was never in Vietnam and he won't talk about it, but when I wrote this it felt right... like these were things he might have felt or thought. And I remember when we played it he was back by the soundboard and I could see him. He was back there with his big gray Stetson and his cowboy boots - he's a total Oklahoma man - and at the end, he took his hat off and just held it in the air. And he was crying the whole time. This song means a lot to me."
A long time ago, when I was 19, I was sitting in a lawn chair on the back porch of the house my platoon occupied in Camp Slayer in Baghdad. I liked to sit out in the cool evening and smoke Cuban cigars and watch the moon come up over the date palms while listening to the CD player I bought from the PX at BIAP. I was listening to Norah Jones live at the Blue Note cover Cold Cold Heart, when mortars started to fall in the center of the camp. Our house was over a mile from where the shells would hit, as we were right up against the south east wall. Often we could hear the insurgents talk as they lobbed the shells over our heads trying to hit the top brass in the middle of Slayer, all living near the palaces. Anyway, a buddy of mine comes out and swaps out Norah Jones for Alice in Chains. Obviously he skips to the start of Rooster, as he lit up a Marlboro. We sat there in the dark, smoking, with the moon lighting up the black sky, listening to Rooster while Iraqi insurgents futilely tried to kill us with a 60mm mortar. My kids know not to ever interrupt that song. I doubt they have ever heard it quietly. Hopefully they never have to understand what it means the way I do.
I’ve always considered Jerry Cantrell to be the David Gilmour of 90’s rock. He’s so damn tasteful, always plays the perfect thing, and only plays what NEEDS to be played. Plus he has IMPECCABLE tone.
The orchestra part in "I stay away" can bring me to tears everytime. The way he builds anticipation by making you wait all the way till the end to hear it...oh man...
Personally I think that one song that gets no love or any credit is Rotten Apple. It is a just incredible piece of music. i has everything that Alice in Chains has to offer.
Bullseye. My favorite AiC song. The sensual, dark atmosphere created by that bass line and subtle wah intro got me mesmerized at first listening. 25+ years later, the effect it has on me is still the same.
I think, that "Rotten apple" is criminally underrated. This bass riff is instantly recognizable and the chorus is just killer, over that dissonant chord
I’ve always preferred their deep cuts. Maybe the hits were just overplayed but they have so many songs like Rotten Apple that get overlooked. For me Shame in You is such a great song that gets no love.
Funnest Alice song to play on bass hands down, best bass line of any of their songs hands down. That whole EP is truly a masterpiece, it's beautiful and weird and most importantly human.
In my opinion, “Nutshell” is their best song. While I can’t relate to it, it’s an extremely personal song for Lane and I can’t help but feel for him when I listen to it. Also, the guitar work in that song is just incredible, both acoustic and electric. Hearing that song live is still the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, and I will never forget that moment
Nutshell is the most personal one for me. I can relate to it, not because of addiction but because I was in a really dark place a few years ago and was fighting every day to claw my way out of it. Each day I'd fall into the hole more and more. The despair and pain overwhelmed me so I connect with the lyrics. I made my way out of that hole, though every time I listen to that song it brings back a flood of emotions.
Honestly “I Stay Away” is one of my favorite Alice In Chains songs can’t explain it in the musical terms but ugh just the perfect blend of acoustic yet heavy.
Rain When I Die. Everyone was at their absolute best here from Mike’s tremendous basslines, Jerry’s sick riffs, Sean’s powerful drumming and Layne’s phenomenal vocals.
It's so fucking "funky" & hard all in the same song. Tell me who else can do THAT at THIS level? Rage is fucking awesome at it. AiC just does it at a different level than MOST. (EDIT: AiC just does it at a different level than ALL. (I mean, they are their OWN GENRE ffs.
I was listening to the rock radio station in Houston when they played “Them Bones” for the first time. The DJ hadn’t heard it before, and when it ended, he was yelling, “That was awesome! That was awesome! I’m playing that again and nobody can stop me!” And he did, he played it again.
There was a DJ who reportedly barricaded himself in the studio so he could keep playing Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day" 100 times until the police broke down the door.
I totally agree that Nutshell is up there on the list. Musically, it may not be their most dynamic but the lyrics and their depth uncovered the reality of Layne's life.
Now that is one of my go too songs when I feel like crap, I realize that Layne was going through addiction problems and just letting it out. I really miss his voice and I hate that most of the Seattle vocalists are gone. All that's left is Eddie from Pearl Jam.
@@The_philosophical_musician72 Likewise. However, I can relate to these guys-especially Layne and Kurt (Cobain)-far more than makes me comfortable just a few years since my own times of crisis. ‘Nutshell’ is one of the tunes I listen to when I need to remind myself I don’t always have mi own best interests at heart.
When one put “Dirt” on, one always listens to it start to finish. Can’t stop halfway. It’s “sit in the car in the garage for an extra 20 minutes” material.
I bought it on cassette (yes cassette) and it stayed in my battered mk 1 golfs player for months and was the soundtrack to my college commute from Eastbourne to Brighton every day. Great times.
The ending of Would? kicking in at 2:39 can't be topped - so powerful, the vocal performance is unmatched! Agree with you Rick when you say that song is the sound of Seattle.
Best album is extraordinary claim. However, I would add that it is not only a masterpiece, but an underrated one. Not accessible enough for the masses.
@@Oxmustube the wonderful thing about music is it creates different emotions in different people. Some love it, some hate it, no one’s wrong. But imo, this is my favourite album :)
My pick. The lyrics, the orchestration, the interplay between Cantrell and Stayley’s voices, the dynamic build. It still makes my hair stand on end when I hear it.
Rotten Apple...how are we not talking about that song?! Dark, visceral, moody, emotional, great bass line, great guitar, great solo (weird but awesome), great lyrics and of course the drums....this song needs to be considered one of the best. I get it, it may not be the big radio hits (who cares about that?!) but has to be in the conversation of the absolute best AiC songs of all time
Absolutely agree...is it their best song? I don't know and don't really care. Alice in Chains is one of those bands that has so many phenomenal songs that I feel no need to try to pin it down to just one as "the best" or "the greatest," although I do appreciate it when other people give it a shot like Mr. Beato is doing here. Alice in Chains...great, great band! Legendary!
Hell to the yes. I'm a fan and for my money that performance is the best Ive seen. I cant even imagine what it was like live. His best . Challenge for Uber fans/bootleggers please post anything you've got whether its amazing or sux, All of it is helpful for vocalists and poets and those in recovery.
Dirt is such a great album. I was 21 when it came out. I remember listening to it the first time...and I just couldn't believe how good it was. "Junkhead" is the heaviest, heaviest, heaviest "grunge" song ever written. "Hate To Feel" is one of my favorites and to me it is the epitome of every aspect of the AIC sound. Amazing intro. Killer guitar solo. Killer melodies. Quirky rhythms. Huge guitars. Dark lyrics. "All this time I swore I'd never be like my old man...I can see. Wish I couldn't see at all. I can feel. Wish I couldn't feel at all." I saw them live twice. Once at "The Wow Hall" in Eugene, OR - a tiny little club - before they were headliners. Epic night that I will never forget. And again in Portland at the Meadows. My brain melts just thinking about that night. It was Peak Grunge. GenX's moment.
I'm from Seattle and owned a hair salon in the 80s&90s. Mike Starr and Layne were friends of mine. I'd go to local gigs to hit their hair with spray and they liked eyeliner. ( They also wore spandex in those days, lol) I enjoyed this video and your analysis! All I can say is from the beginning, I knew I was witness to something rare and incredible. Good times, great memories.
Sean Kinney is a phenomenal drummer. He’s a “musical”, thoughtful drummer. Hugely underrated imo. AIC has been one of my favorites for 20 years. Just incredible.
No Excuses for me. When I started playing drums as a kid I was mostly just banging on them as hard as I could and calling it music. I heard No Excuses and it changed my whole approach to the instrument.
There was always something about the harmony of Jerry and Layne that worked so perfectly. It was a natural and reinforcing combination. There's a bit of gentle softness to Jerry against the hard and loud strength of Layne. The combination of their voices was the perfect harmony of sorrow. It embodied those emotions in a way no 1 voice or other voices ever could.
i love that everyone has their own choice on what's the best, and that really speaks to just how talented the band was, that they have so many songs that so many different people say is their favorite
I personally would say Nutshell is my favourite by Alice In Chains, it's a song that can make anyone cry when it comes on from all the emotion the song delivers, but that can be said with so many other AiC songs they were just so talented and deserve all the recognition in the world!
I resinate with nutshell an insane amount man. Love that song. And rooster and would and them bones and heaven beside you and down in a hole. In my opinion, aic should get the amount of recognition that nirvana gets. I like them a lot more than nirvana.
I love how Layne extends the line "same old trip it was back then" each time he sings the chorus. By the third time it's "same old trip it was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack then". Legend.
Love, Hate, Love - the Live at the Moore performance is amazing. They slowed it down and the dissonance was amazing. But my favourite song is definitely Down a Hole (unplugged).
“Down in a Hole” is my favorite Alice In Chains song, but it’s almost impossible to pick because they’re all so brilliant. “Angry Chair” doesn’t get enough love, and it is insanely dark and powerful.
I’ve said this before. It’s not my favorite song of theirs(it’s in the top) but it just feels perfect. When I hear Sean Kinney start on the Unplugged version, I am completely mesmerized. No matter how many times I’ve heard it.
Funny story here- my little sister had the misfortune of having to ride with me on the way to high school in the 90’s and thus having to hear all my music. I listened to a lot of rock, played guitar and such but she was more into sports and cheerleading and all that. Needless to say, we fought all the time about what to listen to bc we were pretty different in a lot of ways and had totally different musical interests. One day it was my turn to pick, and No Excuses came on. Out of nowhere, she got waaaay into it- actually made me drive around the block one more time so she could hear the whole song. She was so fired up over it, I told her my buddies and I were going to play it for the school talent show, but we didn’t know any drummers at our small ass school who could jam that incredible rhythm. She started screaming at me “YOU MUST DO THE DRUMS!” Completely flipped out. Like eyes glowing, hair blowing in the wind crazy girl. Never seen anything like that level of passion from her about music before that or since. After that, it was right back to the way things were. She hated my kind of music and did her own thing. Fast forward 23-ish years… She’s on vacation with her husband the other day and randomly texts me: “I’m in a pizza shop with craft beer, a jukebox, and the most amazing playlist. Thank you for showing me all of that awesome music back in the day.” I have to think they played No Excuses.
"It ain't like that" is the AIC song for me. It perfectly encapsulates everything about the band into one powerful song. They even play it "live" in the movie Singles.
When the music really opens up on Rooster, the face Rick made was probably the same face he had listening to this in his room in his early years. You cannot help but to emotionally invest yourself into these songs.
I’ve always loved it to, and was first confused when Rick called it “flat” but I now see his point. There’s no crash or ride symbols, and the mixing makes it seem like all mid, with little variance toward treble or bass. Still catchy AF, but I see why he’s drawn to the ones with the BIG drums 🤘
Rooster , Down in a Hole, I Stay Away It’s not just the music , it’s the lyrics of a man that’s literally dying in front of the whole world and we just didn’t know it yet. This man ( Layne) is struggling and for those of us that have struggled it touches us. It grabs you by the throat.
The Full Dirt album is So DARK and SAD it gives you Chills seeing-watching someone who is very slowly dieing from Drugs and can't escape it grip. anyone who has been down that road with Heroin-painkillers knows how it Feels to live that life of sickness and pain from them...😢
"Dirt" is the rare kind of album that renders any kind of best track conversation mute. Every track on that record is as good as any the band ever recorded. It's without question the best grunge record and in the conversation for best record of the 1990s. Dirt is a Masterpiece.
Masterpiece. Guitar tone, vocal tone, guitar riffs, off-time, darker interval harmonies (of course, the best), consistency, lyrics. And production; the song choices and mix choices let that album resonate with all those commonalities. Even if the components that make up 'Dirt' aren't one's personal pref, the consistent application of those components in all the songs make it clear that 'Dirt' was the message they wanted to send. Always melodic, always emotional, and always choosing the simple, concentrated message over all. A MASTERPIECE of art.
Shame In You is a masterpiece that no one seems to ever bring up. I think it's one of the most underrated songs. Would love to see Rick do a What Makes This Song Great about it.
The best part about the Would? chorus is toward the end when he goes into the bridge where he goes Try to see it once my wayyyy > Yeaaahhh > Am I wrong? > Have I run too far to get home? This part gives me such a feeling of melancholy. I've been through so much, addiction, loss, and moved so many times, I don't even know where home is anymore. I feel that song in my soul.
Agreed on “Would”. Even as a 14 year old or so, I knew there was something hauntingly beautiful about the vocal melodies, bass riff and guitar work. And and those drums. Simple but powerful. MAN! That song was one I could never stop listening to and even now as a 40 year old it still gives me chills. THEY DON’T MAKE ‘EM LIKE THEY USED TO! As Beato said “there’s no weakness in that song.”
Would was most definitely their biggest barn burner of a song live in the early 1990s. They'd always play it in the first few songs if not open with it to get the crowd moving. It's that first jump from the verse to chorus when the drums and bass ramp up the tension. Everyone would be waiting in anticipation for that moment for Layne to go from soft to wailing, and Jerry to stomp on the overdrive. I remember seeing them at UC Irivne in 1993 with five people, everyone said Would was their favorite.
Frogs is heavily overlooked. Consider how much of it works on their unplugged. Especially knowing the end stage of Layne’s career. How his voice is disguised down to almost a near mumbling and not in the traditional belting tone of previous works is phenomenal. Layne was such a gifted person. If Alice in Chains needs to be dark there is almost none darker than that song.
Alice in Chains is my favorite band specifically because of how diverse their sound is. They have heavy songs that punch you in the face, they have groovy songs that make you want to dance, they have chill songs that make you feel good, and then they have dark moody songs that take you to the deepest and darkest places of your soul. When I'm angry or pumped, I listen to Them Bones or Angry Chair. When I'm in a good mood, I listen to I Know Something or Got me Wrong. When I feel like relaxing, I listen to No Excuses or Heaven Beside You. And when I go to the dark places in my head, I listen to Frogs or Brother, specifically the unplugged versions.
Ikr? I had kind of forgotten about AiC through the years, and then i listened to Check My Brain, and it pulled me right back into them. Would listen to the whole album for months
You shouldn't be surprised you come back to AIC all the time. They are on another level that most bands aspire to be on, but never get there. Jerry's writing and guitar skills are breath taking and Layne was from another world. Nothing to take away from Sean and Mike who are amazing as well. I wish Layne was here, he is so dearly missed
I'm a drummer. Kinney is a percussionist and a world class talent. He and Cameron are my two biggest influences. No excuses intro is killer and I can't immulate it without hours of practice. It's like when people try to play Gadd's drumming in "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" . You know the notes, but musically it never sounds the same.
@@jimbobb3509 Mr. BUNGLE wants a word with you. Go ahead and leave your watch and wedding ring with your wife. I will bring you home after the meeting. Go ahead and sit up front . You want a coffee? Well stop up on Joyce Kilmer and get a coffee.
There are just so many amazing AIC songs it’s really hard to choose. ‘Rooster’ and ‘Them Bones’ are fantastic and I think ‘Would?’ Is definitely right up there too, but for me the 1-2 combo of ‘Nutshell’ and ‘I Stay Away’ from Jar of Flies is something very, very special Indeed.
"I Stay Away" is my favorite, the one I find most moving. That simple chorus of just a few notes at a crescendo could be the perfect chorus following a verse/bridge that goes all over the place. Sometimes, it's not just theory; it's how a song makes you feel. "Rooster" was the first song that drew me in, yet "I Stay Away" is the one I always go back to.
Dirt is a masterpiece I’ve never heard a voice quite like Layne’s. It’s so incredibly unique and has that menacing quality to it - that soft precise growl, for lack of a better word. When he abandons himself to it and just lets rip, it’s absolutely unreal.
The day Dirt was released at 10 a.m. in Detroit, "101.1 The Wrif" played the entire album start to finish without interruption. The album was destined to go platinum before it was even released.
I can listen to Jar of Flies as an album again and again on repeat for hours. However, the song I can listen to again and again for hours from AIC is "Would".
The power of Layne’s voice simply does not get spoken about enough! One of the greatest, most powerful rock vocalists of all time! He absolutely can shred on the mic. Facts. RIP💪🏼👊🏼🙏🏼💥💥💥
The day Dirt was released at 10 a.m. in Detroit, MI "The Wrif 101.1" played the entire album start to finish without interruption and the neighbors got to enjoy it with us🤘 The album was destined to go platinum before it was even released. That was back when people actually listened to broadcast radio.
Almost every chains song has a meaning and a different feeling … for me their music was just more than music . It’s ,soothing, haunting , chilling and beyond . There’s gotta be 25 songs that I can personally say that hits me right to the gut
Shame In You is my favourite track after many years of being a massive AIC fan. It has everything. Would love to see them incorporate it into their live set.
"What the Hell Have I" is one of my favorites. This song always gets forgotten about, due to it being on a movie soundtrack and not on one of their albums.
Im with you. So exotic and the ideas are 100 % relatable. When layne belts out that last All the ti ^^IIIIIIMM¡¡¡□□eee mmmyaaa And then Jerry teases out that last outro lick. Just superb..I end up playing it a dozen times a year. Im so thrilled someone else has it playing out there in the night. Where has the time gone John? What the hell have i let by
I'd personally say 'Nutshell' and 'Down In A Hole' are my favourite AIC tracks. Lyrically, both super relatable, and just generally great pieces of art...
A singer like Layne just has to happen. You can't plan for it or write for it, just have to be lucky enough to find him. Thank god that person who found him was Jerry. What a killer combo.
AiC was my favorite unplugged session, but really I’d love to hear Rick talk about the MTV unplugged sessions in general-they were such an amazing part of music history in the 90s
"Would" is probably my favorite AIC song. Layne's vocals are just incredible and I think sonically, it's the band at their best. As far a lyrics go, I have to go with "Nutshell" and I like the unplugged version the best.
The unplugged version of Nutshell is my favorite... and the addition of the fact that Inez had the whole jab at Metallica for cutting their hair with the whole "Friends don't let friends cut their hair" on his guitar during the recording of this just adds to the lore.... so great
I love the fact that Layne's part of the chorus in Would is different every time. When Rick mentioned the chorus that ends in the higher notes, I thought he was going to play the second chorus, right before the solo.
THANK YOU for giving Black Gives Way to Blue its due! One of the most massive-sounding records ever, an improbably good comeback album, and “All Secrets Known” is an all-time great opening track
Thing about Alice in Chains, is they are one of the TIMELESS TALENTS. They have that magic sound that only few have, which is why there are so many different favourites among fans. My favourite tune changes by the month.
“Junk Head” is my favorite AIC song. Layne is a man giving a testimonial about being hooked and loving drugs!!! His singing is so raw and awesome!!! AIC really doesn’t get the credit they deserve for being a great band!!!
Love Junk Head…Layne’s vocals are so haunting and so good on that track! I remember seeing them play a smaller club in Detroit on that tour and they opened with Junk Head. We were really blown away with that show!! Miss those days!!!!!
Listen to the Junkhead demo. The chorus is my favorite of AIC’s entire catalogue. There’s a harmony in there, a Layne scream, that’s not in the album. And it is the most absolutely breathtaking scream you’ll ever lay your ears upon. Tearing up thinking about how good it is just typing this. I can’t wait for you to hear it
This song is amazing. I love to drive with this blasting as loud as possible, but still w/ good quality. But, it's SO fucking hard... that I'm extra careful driving. I swear to God. lol
"I Stay Away" is still one of my absolute favorite songs, and "Rooster" is the song that got me into them. AIC is just an all-around favorite band for me, across all genres.
No Excuses is probably AIC’s most accessible song. It’s definitely the one that has turned more people who’d never have bought a hard rock album onto their sound
From Songfacts: Jerry Cantrell's father did hear the band perform this song. Jerry told the story in Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine: "He's only seen us play once, and I played this song for him when we were in this club opening for Iggy Pop. I'll never forget it. He was standing in the back and he heard all the words and stuff. Of course, I was never in Vietnam and he won't talk about it, but when I wrote this it felt right... like these were things he might have felt or thought. And I remember when we played it he was back by the soundboard and I could see him. He was back there with his big gray Stetson and his cowboy boots - he's a total Oklahoma man - and at the end, he took his hat off and just held it in the air. And he was crying the whole time. This song means a lot to me."
I had no idea. That would be pretty badass to have your dad do that, honestly.
A long time ago, when I was 19, I was sitting in a lawn chair on the back porch of the house my platoon occupied in Camp Slayer in Baghdad. I liked to sit out in the cool evening and smoke Cuban cigars and watch the moon come up over the date palms while listening to the CD player I bought from the PX at BIAP. I was listening to Norah Jones live at the Blue Note cover Cold Cold Heart, when mortars started to fall in the center of the camp. Our house was over a mile from where the shells would hit, as we were right up against the south east wall. Often we could hear the insurgents talk as they lobbed the shells over our heads trying to hit the top brass in the middle of Slayer, all living near the palaces.
Anyway, a buddy of mine comes out and swaps out Norah Jones for Alice in Chains. Obviously he skips to the start of Rooster, as he lit up a Marlboro. We sat there in the dark, smoking, with the moon lighting up the black sky, listening to Rooster while Iraqi insurgents futilely tried to kill us with a 60mm mortar.
My kids know not to ever interrupt that song. I doubt they have ever heard it quietly. Hopefully they never have to understand what it means the way I do.
Rick
Got Me Wrong from the Unplugged record. . . give me a technical explanation as to why that song kicks so much ass, please.
@@sheldoniusRex Thank you for sharing your story! I hope you're doing well
@@collegecarcompany1 Got Me Wrong is underrated.
I’ve always considered Jerry Cantrell to be the David Gilmour of 90’s rock. He’s so damn tasteful, always plays the perfect thing, and only plays what NEEDS to be played. Plus he has IMPECCABLE tone.
And he can sing 🎤
Bit of a side step or different point to OPs point.
Ive always considered Tool to be the modern metal/rock/whatever version of Pink Floyd.
Totally relate to this idea
Totally agree
Totally agree with you. I've always felt the same way about him as a musician.
The orchestra part in "I stay away" can bring me to tears everytime. The way he builds anticipation by making you wait all the way till the end to hear it...oh man...
Me too!!! It gets me almost every time!
It's my favorite song all time makes me Happy and sad at the same time
Personally I think that one song that gets no love or any credit is Rotten Apple. It is a just incredible piece of music. i has everything that Alice in Chains has to offer.
Such an amazing bassline in that song, never gets old to listen to!
Yes dude!
truly, i’ve been obsessed with it recently
Bullseye. My favorite AiC song. The sensual, dark atmosphere created by that bass line and subtle wah intro got me mesmerized at first listening. 25+ years later, the effect it has on me is still the same.
Agreed, I’ve had it on repeat the past couple days
"I'm never gonna stop talking about grunge" And this is why I'll probably always watch your videos.
Yeah but, shouldn't he recognize hair metal a bit? Just a little bit? He's a guitar player for fuck's sake. Dokken? Def Leppard?
@@dr.juerdotitsgo5119 Def Leppard is kinda corny, like Bon Jovi. Dokken I can agree on more.
@@AnthonyParkDean If you like "traditional" 80's heavy metal, you'll be surprised with Def Leppard's first two albums.
@@dr.juerdotitsgo5119 Interesting..
You knows it!
I think, that "Rotten apple" is criminally underrated. This bass riff is instantly recognizable and the chorus is just killer, over that dissonant chord
Love it. I fill my headphones with that dissonant beauty as loud as they can go and close my eyes and drift where it takes me. Always a ride.
I’ve always preferred their deep cuts. Maybe the hits were just overplayed but they have so many songs like Rotten Apple that get overlooked. For me Shame in You is such a great song that gets no love.
@@kathrineckardt2869 such a good album
Absolutely. Don’t follow and rotten apple are probably my top two off of Jar of Flies.
Funnest Alice song to play on bass hands down, best bass line of any of their songs hands down. That whole EP is truly a masterpiece, it's beautiful and weird and most importantly human.
In my opinion, “Nutshell” is their best song. While I can’t relate to it, it’s an extremely personal song for Lane and I can’t help but feel for him when I listen to it. Also, the guitar work in that song is just incredible, both acoustic and electric. Hearing that song live is still the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, and I will never forget that moment
Preach, brother. Jerry with the Guild 12-string was masterful.
Nutshell and Junkhead are my favs
Agreed
Nutshell and Sludge Factory!! Great songs ❤
Nutshell is the most personal one for me. I can relate to it, not because of addiction but because I was in a really dark place a few years ago and was fighting every day to claw my way out of it. Each day I'd fall into the hole more and more. The despair and pain overwhelmed me so I connect with the lyrics.
I made my way out of that hole, though every time I listen to that song it brings back a flood of emotions.
Honestly “I Stay Away” is one of my favorite Alice In Chains songs can’t explain it in the musical terms but ugh just the perfect blend of acoustic yet heavy.
Love it
I Stay Away is my fav AIC song.
For real. It's a masterpiece.
Yes, "I Stay Away" was always my favorite!
Rain When I Die. Everyone was at their absolute best here from Mike’s tremendous basslines, Jerry’s sick riffs, Sean’s powerful drumming and Layne’s phenomenal vocals.
That is a good shout. Not a single, but maybe the best song on Dirt.
Agreed! That chorus is crazy powerful
my fav AIC song too. Verse & chorus both gripping..
It's so fucking "funky" & hard all in the same song. Tell me who else can do THAT at THIS level? Rage is fucking awesome at it. AiC just does it at a different level than MOST.
(EDIT: AiC just does it at a different level than ALL. (I mean, they are their OWN GENRE ffs.
Such a great song on an album that forever changed my life
Rick should interview Jerry Cantrell. Amazing band and creativity.
That would be cool. If you haven’t already, check out Gibson TV episode with Jerry Cantrell.
I was thinking the same thing. Why hasn’t he by now?
Came here to say this Jerry is a genius!
Down in a Hole, to me, is one of the most beautiful compositions in the history of rock. It takes me to a dark, beautiful place every time I listen. ❤
My favorite song of AiC, and one of my favorite songs of all time.
Just been down that dark beautiful place for the first time ever because your comment !! Yeah great song.
Same here man
It is definitely their best produced song. It has it all. Not my favorite of theirs but AIC is so good, you can really nitpick them.
Layne Staley’s voice could break your heart, or break glass. One of the all time greats. RIP
Well Said !
So true!!
I was listening to the rock radio station in Houston when they played “Them Bones” for the first time. The DJ hadn’t heard it before, and when it ended, he was yelling, “That was awesome! That was awesome! I’m playing that again and nobody can stop me!” And he did, he played it again.
Hahah what a moment.
Haha,that's awesome! 😄
There was a DJ who reportedly barricaded himself in the studio so he could keep playing Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day" 100 times until the police broke down the door.
How good is the first time you discover that song.
It’s like cocaine sound lol
The only thing that sucks about "Them Bones" is that it isn't longer.
“Rooster” was my first introduction to Alice In Chains but I still think “Would?” Is the absolute best song.
I agree "Would?" is the mother fucker !
"Would" and "Down in a Hole" are right at the very pinnacle of their songs...
Rooster, down in a hole, man in the box, I stay away We’re all on the radio constantly in the mid 2000s in my city
They are all so absolutely amazing, that it's really hard to mention one, but my heart also goes with would.
Would is a perfect song...it's got everything, and when it gets stuck in my head for days I'm okay with that...
AIC touches a place in me no other band ever has. I’m an old woman... long time music fan. Thank you Layne, Jerry & cru.
Yes, the music goes down to the depths. AIC is my fave band ever!
“Rotten Apple”. Still gives me chills after all these years.
I never get sick of the melodies in ‘Nutshell’-vocal, bass, and lead guitar.
That's not just my favourite AIC song it's one of my all-time favourite songs EVER!!!
I totally agree that Nutshell is up there on the list. Musically, it may not be their most dynamic but the lyrics and their depth uncovered the reality of Layne's life.
Now that is one of my go too songs when I feel like crap, I realize that Layne was going through addiction problems and just letting it out. I really miss his voice and I hate that most of the Seattle vocalists are gone. All that's left is Eddie from Pearl Jam.
@@migahawk Likewise!
@@The_philosophical_musician72 Likewise. However, I can relate to these guys-especially Layne and Kurt (Cobain)-far more than makes me comfortable just a few years since my own times of crisis. ‘Nutshell’ is one of the tunes I listen to when I need to remind myself I don’t always have mi own best interests at heart.
When one put “Dirt” on, one always listens to it start to finish. Can’t stop halfway. It’s “sit in the car in the garage for an extra 20 minutes” material.
Hopefully not with the engine running!
indeed
And you definitely don't skip or stop before heading Rain When I Die
I bought it on cassette (yes cassette) and it stayed in my battered mk 1 golfs player for months and was the soundtrack to my college commute from Eastbourne to Brighton every day. Great times.
Agree... this one pins the authenticity meter and musically it stings!
The ending of Would? kicking in at 2:39 can't be topped - so powerful, the vocal performance is unmatched! Agree with you Rick when you say that song is the sound of Seattle.
The ONLY thing wrong with Would? is that it’s too short!!
Would is my absolute favorite AIC song, ever.
I love the ending to “would?”
It’s simple but completely gets the point across
Alice N Chains and STP were just freaking awesome, REAL MUSIC, REAL EMOTION
Them and Soundgarden were the best of the 90’s
Rain When I Die. It’s dark, it’s riffy and Laynes vocals are just stellar all around the song especially the chorus.
agree! Rain When I Die is my most played song by them by far
It’s moody, weird, a bit of a death rattle, big bass, heroin laced guitar and vocals...agreed
I actually think the verses are the best part.
the melismatic runs in the choruses of Rain When I Die from Dirt and Sunshine from Facelift are both spectacular imo
I’d pay $50 for a ticket just to see them play that song.
‘Dirt’ is an absolute masterpiece. Personally I think it’s the best album ever made. Absolutely love it from start to finish. RIP Layne.
Best album is extraordinary claim. However, I would add that it is not only a masterpiece, but an underrated one. Not accessible enough for the masses.
@@Oxmustube the wonderful thing about music is it creates different emotions in different people. Some love it, some hate it, no one’s wrong. But imo, this is my favourite album :)
The song Dirt is great as well
@@luckylarry88 hell yeah. That song helped me through a lot of dark times when I was a teenager.
I prefer facelift a litle bit, but dirt is an absolute masterpiece
I really love the entire Jar of Flies album. Rotten Apple was an insanely great opening song for this complete masterpiece.
"Heaven Beside You" was the first song I fell in love with.
For me, it's "Down In A Hole". Great lyrics. Great vocals. Great harmonies. Great melody. Great instrumentation. Damn near perfect. Magnum opus.
Yea, especially the unplugged version
@@TheStepmonkey I like the live version and love the studio version. The latter is more polished and just perfect in every way.
My pick. The lyrics, the orchestration, the interplay between Cantrell and Stayley’s voices, the dynamic build. It still makes my hair stand on end when I hear it.
Down in a hole hits different
What a song
Amen bro
Nutshell and Down in a Hole, to me, are their greatest songs ever. Unbelievable pieces of music 💜
Love,hate,love anyone ? 😭
"I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied" right in the feels man
Nutshell my fav
💯
100%
Bleed the freak (live version) with layne's vocals during the slow part. Goosebumps. Would, Rooster, Nutshell my favourites
Damn right! How could he not even mention the song?
Love bleed the freak can’t pick a favorite though.
In my opinion " Down ln A Hole" is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever created. There is something about it that just reaches your soul.
Rotten Apple...how are we not talking about that song?! Dark, visceral, moody, emotional, great bass line, great guitar, great solo (weird but awesome), great lyrics and of course the drums....this song needs to be considered one of the best. I get it, it may not be the big radio hits (who cares about that?!) but has to be in the conversation of the absolute best AiC songs of all time
I couldn't agree more!
Rotten Apple is an amazing song! Easily one of my favorites!
I'm glad someone else feels the same way. When I most recently listened through their discography I realized how underappreciated Rotten Apple is
That was my choice too and J.o.F. is my least favorite album, but still has 2 of their best songs IMO...
Absolutely agree...is it their best song? I don't know and don't really care. Alice in Chains is one of those bands that has so many phenomenal songs that I feel no need to try to pin it down to just one as "the best" or "the greatest," although I do appreciate it when other people give it a shot like Mr. Beato is doing here. Alice in Chains...great, great band! Legendary!
Love, Hate, Love. The vocal performance was out of this world powerful, intensely emotional libretto without being sappy at all, gorgeous progression.
I agree, this song is outstanding. Another one i love is Junkhead
Love Hate Love is one of their only songs I don't like, It has no groove or rhythm even the lyrics are a bit cringe
I agree- that and Bleed the Freak
Hell to the yes. I'm a fan and for my money that performance is the best Ive seen.
I cant even imagine what it was like live. His best . Challenge for Uber fans/bootleggers please post anything you've got whether its amazing or sux, All of it is helpful for vocalists and poets and those in recovery.
@@pauljones8801bro I sooo agreee omg.. “you told me that I’m the only one” bruhhhh so cringe☠️☠️☠️☠️
Dirt is such a great album. I was 21 when it came out. I remember listening to it the first time...and I just couldn't believe how good it was. "Junkhead" is the heaviest, heaviest, heaviest "grunge" song ever written. "Hate To Feel" is one of my favorites and to me it is the epitome of every aspect of the AIC sound. Amazing intro. Killer guitar solo. Killer melodies. Quirky rhythms. Huge guitars. Dark lyrics. "All this time I swore I'd never be like my old man...I can see. Wish I couldn't see at all. I can feel. Wish I couldn't feel at all." I saw them live twice. Once at "The Wow Hall" in Eugene, OR - a tiny little club - before they were headliners. Epic night that I will never forget. And again in Portland at the Meadows. My brain melts just thinking about that night. It was Peak Grunge. GenX's moment.
I'm from Seattle and owned a hair salon in the 80s&90s. Mike Starr and Layne were friends of mine. I'd go to local gigs to hit their hair with spray and they liked eyeliner. ( They also wore spandex in those days, lol) I enjoyed this video and your analysis! All I can say is from the beginning, I knew I was witness to something rare and incredible. Good times, great memories.
That’s so rad! I’m from Yelm and I’m a new artist inspired by Alice In Chains it’s so cool to me to hear stories about my artist hero’s
Do you know why Layne got into chainring his hair all the time??? I love that!
I envy you :)
I'm not American, in my country, Nicaragua, AIC is one of top 5 bands. I got one, one dream, be in Seattle, you got many good musicans.
Sean Kinney is a phenomenal drummer. He’s a “musical”, thoughtful drummer. Hugely underrated imo. AIC has been one of my favorites for 20 years. Just incredible.
Probably the biggest influence for me growing up. “Angry Chair” was what made me pick up the drums.
No Excuses for me. When I started playing drums as a kid I was mostly just banging on them as hard as I could and calling it music. I heard No Excuses and it changed my whole approach to the instrument.
@@stephensauceda oh yeah that groove was a huge influence later, but I didn’t know wtf was going on the first time I heard it lol
agree. God Am one of my favourite drum tracks of all time
Sean is the secret sauce that makes AIC.
For me not only is Would? their best song, it's one of the greatest songs ever written in any genre in any era. It's basically perfect.
There was always something about the harmony of Jerry and Layne that worked so perfectly. It was a natural and reinforcing combination. There's a bit of gentle softness to Jerry against the hard and loud strength of Layne. The combination of their voices was the perfect harmony of sorrow. It embodied those emotions in a way no 1 voice or other voices ever could.
Junkhead is totally underrated. My favourite song on Dirt. So powerful.
Absolutely. Right there with you.
Yep. Strong stuff.
Man.. Junkhead to me is their best song. I couldn't agree more. And It Ain't so Bad...
JUNKHEAD ✅
I thinking Angry Chair
A full length interview with Jerry would be amazing
Check out the Gibson TV interview with Jerry. Amazing storyteller
The last minute of Would? is my favorite part of a song ever.
i love that everyone has their own choice on what's the best, and that really speaks to just how talented the band was, that they have so many songs that so many different people say is their favorite
I personally would say Nutshell is my favourite by Alice In Chains, it's a song that can make anyone cry when it comes on from all the emotion the song delivers, but that can be said with so many other AiC songs they were just so talented and deserve all the recognition in the world!
I'm with you on that pal
Unplugged Nutshell shakes me every time I hear it.
I resinate with nutshell an insane amount man. Love that song. And rooster and would and them bones and heaven beside you and down in a hole. In my opinion, aic should get the amount of recognition that nirvana gets. I like them a lot more than nirvana.
Nutshell and Rain when I die.
I agree with you.
I love how Layne extends the line "same old trip it was back then" each time he sings the chorus. By the third time it's "same old trip it was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack then". Legend.
So thankful you pointed this specific thing out. Been gettin' goose bumps for 30 years from that.
Love, Hate, Love - the Live at the Moore performance is amazing. They slowed it down and the dissonance was amazing.
But my favourite song is definitely Down a Hole (unplugged).
My two favorites - LHL and down in a hole
“Down in a Hole” is my favorite Alice In Chains song, but it’s almost impossible to pick because they’re all so brilliant. “Angry Chair” doesn’t get enough love, and it is insanely dark and powerful.
Layne is my all time favorite singer. He was amazingly talented.
He’s everyone’s fave
If he’s not you simply don’t know music or anything about it
Him and Cornell will never be beat or matched or even close
“No Excuses” just feels perfect to me, the drums, bass, guitar, but especially the harmonized vocals
Very surprised more people haven’t mentioned it…
The version on Unplugged is terrific..!
Same here, and the Unplugged version is simply *better* in every way IMO
I’ve said this before. It’s not my favorite song of theirs(it’s in the top) but it just feels perfect. When I hear Sean Kinney start on the Unplugged version, I am completely mesmerized. No matter how many times
I’ve heard it.
Funny story here- my little sister had the misfortune of having to ride with me on the way to high school in the 90’s and thus having to hear all my music. I listened to a lot of rock, played guitar and such but she was more into sports and cheerleading and all that. Needless to say, we fought all the time about what to listen to bc we were pretty different in a lot of ways and had totally different musical interests. One day it was my turn to pick, and No Excuses came on. Out of nowhere, she got waaaay into it- actually made me drive around the block one more time so she could hear the whole song.
She was so fired up over it, I told her my buddies and I were going to play it for the school talent show, but we didn’t know any drummers at our small ass school who could jam that incredible rhythm. She started screaming at me “YOU MUST DO THE DRUMS!” Completely flipped out. Like eyes glowing, hair blowing in the wind crazy girl. Never seen anything like that level of passion from her about music before that or since. After that, it was right back to the way things were. She hated my kind of music and did her own thing.
Fast forward 23-ish years…
She’s on vacation with her husband the other day and randomly texts me: “I’m in a pizza shop with craft beer, a jukebox, and the most amazing playlist. Thank you for showing me all of that awesome music back in the day.”
I have to think they played No Excuses.
"It ain't like that" is the AIC song for me. It perfectly encapsulates everything about the band into one powerful song. They even play it "live" in the movie Singles.
Omg I love that song so much
"I Stay Away" is my fave by far. "Heaven Beside You" is great, too. "Rooster" has a place in my heart because it was the first AIC song I heard.
I think the very end of “Would” deserves a tad of attention…just a powerful moment of Layne’s vocals and the instruments punching you in the face.
“Sludge Factory” mtv unplugged performance… very moving when he blows the lyrics and Jerry supports Layne through the moment
When the music really opens up on Rooster, the face Rick made was probably the same face he had listening to this in his room in his early years. You cannot help but to emotionally invest yourself into these songs.
Would is by far their best work; first heard it loud in the movie theater watching Singles! The solo on Them Bones deserves credit too.
The drum opening on "No Excuses" is absolutely phenomenal. Such a sick drum riff.
No doubt. Next level drumming and so subtle...
💯🤟
I’ve always loved it to, and was first confused when Rick called it “flat” but I now see his point. There’s no crash or ride symbols, and the mixing makes it seem like all mid, with little variance toward treble or bass.
Still catchy AF, but I see why he’s drawn to the ones with the BIG drums 🤘
'Love hate love' for me. Their show at the Moore theater in 1991 is basically my favorite live grunge performance of all time.
I had that on VHS and watched it so many times. Love Hate Love is my favorite also. That performance is one of the most amazing of all time.
That an entire show is my favorite version of each of those songs.
You bet me to it, was going to say exactly this.
100% agreed.
My favorite by a mile.
The chorus of Would? is just next level. The bridge is amazing too. Brilliant. Love it. My absolute favorite.
The only bridge I can recall that starts with a tritonal chord change
Rooster , Down in a Hole, I Stay Away
It’s not just the music , it’s the lyrics of a man that’s literally dying in front of the whole world and we just didn’t know it yet. This man ( Layne) is struggling and for those of us that have struggled it touches us. It grabs you by the throat.
The Full Dirt album is So DARK and SAD it gives you Chills seeing-watching someone who is very slowly dieing from Drugs and can't escape it grip. anyone who has been down that road with Heroin-painkillers knows how it Feels to live that life of sickness and pain from them...😢
"God Am" and "Rain When I Die" are two of their songs that still give me chills every time.
I LOVE GOD AM!
And Frogs
neither of these songs get the credit they deserve. it's so hard to pick a favorite but I could listen to either on repeat
my man
Rain when I Die ❤️
Those two do the same with me! They are overlooked but both bangers!
Best song lyric I’ve ever heard is still in No Excuses. “Drained and blue, I bleed for you. Think it’s funny? Well, you’re drowning in it too”
Great line.
Just wow
The whole video is Goosebumps for an AIC fan like me.
Like you I will never stop talking about Grunge
That tuning and Layne's phrasing. That's a whole thing. Beatles harmony with sick distortion. Love your channel.
"Dirt" is the rare kind of album that renders any kind of best track conversation mute. Every track on that record is as good as any the band ever recorded. It's without question the best grunge record and in the conversation for best record of the 1990s. Dirt is a Masterpiece.
_moot_
It's a rock record. AIC is a rock band.
Masterpiece. Guitar tone, vocal tone, guitar riffs, off-time, darker interval harmonies (of course, the best), consistency, lyrics. And production; the song choices and mix choices let that album resonate with all those commonalities. Even if the components that make up 'Dirt' aren't one's personal pref, the consistent application of those components in all the songs make it clear that 'Dirt' was the message they wanted to send. Always melodic, always emotional, and always choosing the simple, concentrated message over all. A MASTERPIECE of art.
@@vincevanderperre6484akshully
Facelift is far better.
Rain When I Die is their best song IMO. Great chorus, great singing, heavy, really dark mood and in a way foreshadows Staley's fate.
Shame In You is a masterpiece that no one seems to ever bring up. I think it's one of the most underrated songs. Would love to see Rick do a What Makes This Song Great about it.
My sentiment exactly.
Totally agree
Absolutely!!! That song resonates with my soul.
i agree. i love Shame in you.
The best part about the Would? chorus is toward the end when he goes into the bridge where he goes
Try to see it once my wayyyy > Yeaaahhh > Am I wrong? > Have I run too far to get home?
This part gives me such a feeling of melancholy. I've been through so much, addiction, loss, and moved so many times, I don't even know where home is anymore. I feel that song in my soul.
Agreed on “Would”. Even as a 14 year old or so, I knew there was something hauntingly beautiful about the vocal melodies, bass riff and guitar work. And and those drums. Simple but powerful. MAN! That song was one I could never stop listening to and even now as a 40 year old it still gives me chills. THEY DON’T MAKE ‘EM LIKE THEY USED TO! As Beato said “there’s no weakness in that song.”
Heard it on MTV and it got my attention right away. AIC was the only truly exceptional band of the 90's.
Would was most definitely their biggest barn burner of a song live in the early 1990s. They'd always play it in the first few songs if not open with it to get the crowd moving. It's that first jump from the verse to chorus when the drums and bass ramp up the tension. Everyone would be waiting in anticipation for that moment for Layne to go from soft to wailing, and Jerry to stomp on the overdrive. I remember seeing them at UC Irivne in 1993 with five people, everyone said Would was their favorite.
47 years old and I listen to it every single day.
I concur... Loop worthy listening for sure.
'Sunshine' from Facelift has always been one of my favs. The vocals are incredible.
Bridge into third chorus of that song is perhaps the best part of any AIC song ever. Facelift their best album.
i was looking for this comment. it truly is one of the greatest aic songs.
Next to Would?, its all by itself in #2 spot for me. My first fave song by AIC
The whole first album is perfect in my opinion. The dirt and dog albums are both near perfect aswell. The most underrated song i think is Don't follow
Love, Hate, Love from their performance at The Moore is hands down THE BEST vocal performance Layne has ever done!
So, so true!
It's fantastic! So impressive
Frogs is heavily overlooked. Consider how much of it works on their unplugged. Especially knowing the end stage of Layne’s career. How his voice is disguised down to almost a near mumbling and not in the traditional belting tone of previous works is phenomenal. Layne was such a gifted person. If Alice in Chains needs to be dark there is almost none darker than that song.
Totally agree
I agree sir, Frogs is so under rated
Yesss. Frogs is freaking amazing and underrated. No one ever mentions it. Its freaking incredible.
Yes!! Thank you!!! Frogs is my favorite more often than any other of my other AiC favorites.
That's what I'm saying. Frogs.
The Facelift album is a very underrated album. Love Hate Love has to be my favorite song. Layne's bellowing at the end is amazing.
I was waiting for someone to mention LHL. My personal favorite, as well. Facelift is incredible.
Every song absolutely rocks!!
I also love Bleed the Freak. Laynes vocals are so powerful
LHL rips. Especially on some of his live versions.
Sunshine
Alice in Chains is my favorite band specifically because of how diverse their sound is. They have heavy songs that punch you in the face, they have groovy songs that make you want to dance, they have chill songs that make you feel good, and then they have dark moody songs that take you to the deepest and darkest places of your soul.
When I'm angry or pumped, I listen to Them Bones or Angry Chair.
When I'm in a good mood, I listen to I Know Something or Got me Wrong.
When I feel like relaxing, I listen to No Excuses or Heaven Beside You.
And when I go to the dark places in my head, I listen to Frogs or Brother, specifically the unplugged versions.
That's 100% accurate
Really disappointed that Rick didn’t even mention Rotten Apple. My favorite AIC song. So dark and moody, it’s amazing.
I am SO GLAD you mentioned Black Gives Way to Blue. Such a KILLER Alice In Chains album. 🤘
My introduction to them and the first time I saw them live was on that album/tour cycle . Made me a fan for life
Ikr? I had kind of forgotten about AiC through the years, and then i listened to Check My Brain, and it pulled me right back into them. Would listen to the whole album for months
Great title track too, made even better by Sir Elton John.
@@vinnregi4882 That song has some serious power.
So much feeling in that last track...hell, the album, but it's more of a concept journey than most of their stuff.
You shouldn't be surprised you come back to AIC all the time. They are on another level that most bands aspire to be on, but never get there. Jerry's writing and guitar skills are breath taking and Layne was from another world. Nothing to take away from Sean and Mike who are amazing as well. I wish Layne was here, he is so dearly missed
True that
I'm a drummer. Kinney is a percussionist and a world class talent. He and Cameron are my two biggest influences. No excuses intro is killer and I can't immulate it without hours of practice. It's like when people try to play Gadd's drumming in "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" . You know the notes, but musically it never sounds the same.
@@jimbobb3509 Mr. BUNGLE wants a word with you. Go ahead and leave your watch and wedding ring with your wife. I will bring you home after the meeting. Go ahead and sit up front . You want a coffee? Well stop up on Joyce Kilmer and get a coffee.
For me "Would?"
Still listening and digging it just like the first time.
And what a superb intro to get in the mood
There are just so many amazing AIC songs it’s really hard to choose. ‘Rooster’ and ‘Them Bones’ are fantastic and I think ‘Would?’ Is definitely right up there too, but for me the 1-2 combo of ‘Nutshell’ and ‘I Stay Away’ from Jar of Flies is something very, very special Indeed.
"I Stay Away" is brilliant, I agree
am I inside, junkhead, hate to feel
"I Stay Away" is my favorite, the one I find most moving. That simple chorus of just a few notes at a crescendo could be the perfect chorus following a verse/bridge that goes all over the place. Sometimes, it's not just theory; it's how a song makes you feel. "Rooster" was the first song that drew me in, yet "I Stay Away" is the one I always go back to.
Absolutely!
Reminds me of a drive down "south this year" lol
I love I stay away but am not a fan of the real grungy parts even tho it brings a nice duality to the song
Something about this song feels like an ending to me. Like part of my soul is leaving as the song ends. It moves me.
The unplugged version of "down in a hole" is my favorite song.
Whale & Wasp is one of my favorites, and Jar of flies as a whole is just one of the best!
“Would” has to be my favorite personally. The groove gets you totally invested then when the chorus hits it’s just perfection.
Dirt is a masterpiece
I’ve never heard a voice quite like Layne’s. It’s so incredibly unique and has that menacing quality to it - that soft precise growl, for lack of a better word. When he abandons himself to it and just lets rip, it’s absolutely unreal.
So true. Nicely put
Awesome tune, and it doesn't get much darker than that.
The day Dirt was released at 10 a.m. in Detroit, "101.1 The Wrif" played the entire album start to finish without interruption.
The album was destined to go platinum before it was even released.
Diet is my favorite song cause I broke up with a gf I was crazy about when I was 22-23
Laynes voice is one of the very best
I can listen to Jar of Flies as an album again and again on repeat for hours. However, the song I can listen to again and again for hours from AIC is "Would".
Am I the only one that LOVES Got Me Wrong? I love Layne's layered vocals on the original, and I love the Unplugged version too.
The power of Layne’s voice simply does not get spoken about enough! One of the greatest, most powerful rock vocalists of all time! He absolutely can shred on the mic. Facts. RIP💪🏼👊🏼🙏🏼💥💥💥
The day Dirt was released at 10 a.m. in Detroit, MI "The Wrif 101.1" played the entire album start to finish without interruption and the neighbors got to enjoy it with us🤘
The album was destined to go platinum before it was even released.
That was back when people actually listened to broadcast radio.
wish it was still like that nowadays smh
I still listen to wrif everyday I’m 24 from the Detroit area I grew up on it my dad played that station on his radios all the time
Almost every chains song has a meaning and a different feeling … for me their music was just more than music . It’s ,soothing, haunting , chilling and beyond . There’s gotta be 25 songs that I can personally say that hits me right to the gut
Shame In You is my favourite track after many years of being a massive AIC fan. It has everything. Would love to see them incorporate it into their live set.
Yeahhhh I absolutely LOVE that one, really under appreciated
"What the Hell Have I" is one of my favorites. This song always gets forgotten about, due to it being on a movie soundtrack and not on one of their albums.
By far one of my favorites. They're such an amazing band. It really was the beginning of the end of great music.
Im with you. So exotic and the ideas are 100 % relatable. When layne belts out that last All the ti ^^IIIIIIMM¡¡¡□□eee mmmyaaa
And then Jerry teases out that last outro lick. Just superb..I end up playing it a dozen times a year.
Im so thrilled someone else has it playing out there in the night. Where has the time gone John? What the hell have i let by
I'd personally say 'Nutshell' and 'Down In A Hole' are my favourite AIC tracks. Lyrically, both super relatable, and just generally great pieces of art...
I kept thinking he was holding Nutshell for his favorite. I love that song. They're all so good though.
I concur and they played both of them last Tuesday when I saw them live
'Whale and Wasp' is so underrated it hurts, i know its an instrumental but damn
So underappreciated
It feels like every possible emotion xD. So good
This is the comment I was looking for.
A singer like Layne just has to happen. You can't plan for it or write for it, just have to be lucky enough to find him. Thank god that person who found him was Jerry. What a killer combo.
AiC was my favorite unplugged session, but really I’d love to hear Rick talk about the MTV unplugged sessions in general-they were such an amazing part of music history in the 90s
I think I've listened to the unplugged album so much the studio versions of those songs sound funny.
Yes best unplugged ever. Love it but makes me sad every time I listen to it. Which is almost daily
"Would" is probably my favorite AIC song. Layne's vocals are just incredible and I think sonically, it's the band at their best. As far a lyrics go, I have to go with "Nutshell" and I like the unplugged version the best.
The unplugged version of Nutshell is my favorite... and the addition of the fact that Inez had the whole jab at Metallica for cutting their hair with the whole "Friends don't let friends cut their hair" on his guitar during the recording of this just adds to the lore.... so great
@@wadewassenberg76 friends dont let friends get friends haircuts was hillarious
If it's going to be the "best" AIC song, it has to have the "haunting vocals". That's what Rooster is missing.
Would is great, Jerry singing the chorus and Layne backing him and coming in with the powerful chorus.
I love the fact that Layne's part of the chorus in Would is different every time. When Rick mentioned the chorus that ends in the higher notes, I thought he was going to play the second chorus, right before the solo.
THANK YOU for giving Black Gives Way to Blue its due! One of the most massive-sounding records ever, an improbably good comeback album, and “All Secrets Known” is an all-time great opening track
Thing about Alice in Chains, is they are one of the TIMELESS TALENTS.
They have that magic sound that only few have, which is why there are so many different favourites among fans.
My favourite tune changes by the month.
“Junk Head” is my favorite AIC song. Layne is a man giving a testimonial about being hooked and loving drugs!!! His singing is so raw and awesome!!! AIC really doesn’t get the credit they deserve for being a great band!!!
Love Junk Head…Layne’s vocals are so haunting and so good on that track! I remember seeing them play a smaller club in Detroit on that tour and they opened with Junk Head. We were really blown away with that show!! Miss those days!!!!!
I love that at the start of the recording you hear "Junk, Fuck" to get everyone on tempo
Absolutely love that song too!!!
Listen to the Junkhead demo. The chorus is my favorite of AIC’s entire catalogue. There’s a harmony in there, a Layne scream, that’s not in the album. And it is the most absolutely breathtaking scream you’ll ever lay your ears upon. Tearing up thinking about how good it is just typing this. I can’t wait for you to hear it
This song is amazing. I love to drive with this blasting as loud as possible, but still w/ good quality. But, it's SO fucking hard... that I'm extra careful driving. I swear to God. lol
My favorite AiC song of all time is “Rain when I die” there is just so much badass to that song.
I convinced my 1992 HS to let us use that as our intro/warmup song for varsity hoops. :) it was amazing.
Its just huge and overwhelming and beautiful. And you just knew it was likely to come to pass...and it did.
Man I am such a fan of AIC and at this point I believed it’s such an honor to hear Mr. Beato praise their music… 😮 I am out of words for this video …
"Sunshine" is a sleeper hit, arena concert anthem
"I Stay Away" is still one of my absolute favorite songs, and "Rooster" is the song that got me into them. AIC is just an all-around favorite band for me, across all genres.
No Excuses is probably AIC’s most accessible song. It’s definitely the one that has turned more people who’d never have bought a hard rock album onto their sound
That one is my FAVORITE