It's impossible. Music is fluid. Just like we've never had another 60's, we'll never have another 90's. I believe there will come a time where there is great music again, but it will have its own unique sound.
@@jared699 There is so much great music coming out right now. The problem is it gets buried underneath all the shit and a lot of people don’t know how to find it. There will never be another Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden etc. but that doesn’t mean there isn’t great music. It’s just different.
check out The Post War - new album Anecdote.....and Ten Miles Wide - album The Gross .......there is important music still being made ....its just much harder to find.
Me three!!!! almost to he point of i can't take it. Loved them back then but now my love is ten fold. How good was he/they!!! We will never have another Layne Voice.
This is where my Gen-Xer pride comes in. I grew up as a kid in my late teens and 20s with this era of music and saw a ton of great bands live in the 90s.
The lyrics on an Alice In Chains song are always deep. This song is probably my ATF from the grunge era. I just wish I realized how sock and rare of a voice lane had in the time. I just knew they rocked and the lyrics were important in every song. The duet style singing. Part of what made them so unique and you didn’t realize unless you watch the videos is that a lot of these words or verses are started by Jerry and then finished with Lane signature pitch. In between the two of them, it sounds like an almost impossible vocal spread. You don’t realize it’s two people singing it one way in one finishing a different way, but it blends perfectly in the middle.
The backstory with WOULD? ... guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote the song for Andy Wood, singer of Mother Love Bone after Andy died of an overdose in 1990 just as Mother Love Bone was going to hit big. After Andy died, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament dissolved Mother Love Bone and re-emerged as Pearl Jam. WOULD? as a title is a play on Andy Wood's name. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER on the album, official videos and concerts in 91-93. WOULD? appeared on the Singles soundtrack because Seattle, Washington as big as the town is, musically it's a small town. All the bands that came out of the Seattle scene knew each other and went to see each other play the club circuit. Cameron Crowe was married to Nancy Wilson of Heart and he wanted to make a movie about the Seattle music scene and made Singles where a fictional band, Citizen Dick opened for Alice In Chains. They used IT AIN'T LIKE THAT from the Facelift album and Cameron Crowe gave them money to demo songs... AIC took the money, they demoed the 6 acoustic songs that are on SAP EP and two songs ROOSTER and WOULD? that ended up on the Dirt album. Cameron Crowe picked through the songs and used WOULD? out of the bunch. Jerry thought the song was strong enough to be included on the Dirt album and that's how WOULD? ended up on the Singles soundtrack and the same version ended up on Dirt. Whenever you see Bad Animals Studios in the liner notes, at the time the album was recorded, Bad Animals Studios was owned by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Nancy Wilson was married to Cameron Crowe between 1986 and 2010. Jerry was fine doing backing vocals on the early songs like the ones they played in their clubbing days and on Facelift like the Call and Return of the chorus on MAN IN THE BOX until one day when he was trying to write songs for the SAP EP and the Dirt album, Layne looked at the lyrics and encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all, they were Jerry's lyrics. He should sing them. When Layne and Jerry sang together they achieved the perfect pitch of two voices making one voice. Layne Staley's vocal range can run rings around any other grunge singer in my opinion. Layne could sing the phone book and never hit a wrong note. Even at the end of his life, with no teeth and a lisp, his voice, wit and humor were all still there. Layne's voice and vocal range was so powerful he did NOT need auto tune or pro-tools until he lost his teeth and had a lisp around 1998, and even then he still killed the vocals. Barrett Martin (who played with Layne in Mad Season) said that when he stood to the side of the stage, he could hear the sound of Layne’s vocal resonance come out of Layne's body LOUDER than it did coming out of the speakers, Layne's voice was that powerful. The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and to chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to Layne's choices for his life. That show was filmed on April 10, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a 6-year-long slow suicide. Before the show, drummer Sean Kinney and bass player Mike Inez argued with guitarist Jerry Cantrell about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER. The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through. The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY 8 times even though the dvd only shows 1 time (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was. Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking. No one noticed Layne had died on April 5, 2002, because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911 on April 19, 2002. And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Though I do applaud MoPOP including Layne Staley and Mike Starr when they inducted Alice In Chains in the MoPOP Museum of Pop Culture. It's more recognition of Layne (and Mike) than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (thanks to Rolling Stone's criticisms of Layne and his addiction) and the Grammys (who FORGOT him when he died) have EVER done. Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life. All the information above has longer, deeper stories, and I could say so much more, but UA-cam has a cap on comment length. In the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote songs about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press. All of this has longer, more detailed stories but UA-cam has a cap on comment length.
I was 26 years old and living the wildest days of my life when Dirt was released. The entire album is a monster that leaves you bruised and battered in a good way. My father actually picked up Dirt for me because I played Facelift constantly, he passed 5 years later, thanks dad, miss you.
In the early 90s, four bands emerged from the Seattle underground, and changed rock music, forever. They were: Soundgarden Pearl Jam Nirvana Alice in Chains Be sure you check them all out!
You're missing some major groups from Seattle. Starting with Mother Love Bone, whose lead singer this song was a tribute to. The death of Andrew Wood caused Chris Cornell from Soundgarden and the remaining members of Mother Love Bone to form Temple of the Dog, which then lead to the creation of Pearl Jam after Eddie Vedder sang with Chris Cornell on the song Hunger Strike.
It’s tough not to get a little choked up listening to certain songs, just knowing how it ended for Layne, been such a huge fan of Alice In Chains for so long and unfortunately I know that pain all too well, I was lucky enough to get out alive after 14 years, I never thought I would make it to 37 let alone 27, I didn’t want to or think I could live without it, couldn’t function without it, I still remember the pain of kicking it for the last time, a year straight of never going without, my tolerance was incredibly high at that time and spending thousands every month, luckily I had a child and as cliché as it sounds, my kids saved my life, kicking it for the last time was incredibly painful, not only physically but psychologically, I had developed an emotional addiction as well as a mental and physical addiction, I legitimately loved it, never been so sick in my life, the awful tingling in my shoulders and arms, it’s something you don’t understand unless you have been through it, absolute torture, couldn’t sleep more than an hour or 2 from just being exhausted enough to fall asleep only to wake up an hour later literally pouring sweat, throwing up, just the flu times 10 but I let it get that bad, I had a pretty good handle on it for years; responsible, reliable, never went too long without taking a day off, kept it together for a long time.
From 1 Layne fan & addict to another, I just wanna say I'm proud of u bro! Seems like our paths are pretty similar... my kids saved me as well & I agree 100% about Layne too. He's 1 of the all-time greats imo & his legacy will never die. I still listen to Mad Season & AiC frequently but it's tough sometimes. Thanks for telling ur story bro!
I am the only Alice in chains fan in my school. I have no friends who like Alice in chains. My friends all make fun of me for liking them. So delusional. They are clearly the greatest band of all time. Keep on listening to them 🤘
Edit: YES. YES IT IS NORMAL to have shivers from listening to that song! If "Would?" is your first foray into AIC, then girl, you better hold onto your butt, cos it's gonna be a bumpy (but beautiful) ride!! And if/when you start digging deeper into their history, and into Layne Staley in general, and really read/study their lyrics...well, just keep a box of tissue at the ready (and more bottled water). And don't forget to check out "Mad Season" too. 😉💔 As well as the book "Alice in Chains: The Untold Story" by David DeSola. 👍
This is music from a better time where musicians wrote their own songs , played their own instruments ,paid their dues , you cared who was number 1 in the charts and it actually meant something
I was a high school sophomore in 1982 in Seattle, hanging in wildly-unsafe basement clubs and dropping acid with a wildly-unsafe group of people. Growing up with that scene.....this is totally the soundtrack of my childhood. Walking around downtown, waiting for the first bus, drunks in doorways and wild staggering figures in light rain......I was 15 when I found all this and it still hits hard these days.
I saw Layne in a three piece suit at the start of their set on Lollapolooza in 93 and it was like 95 degrees that day! Needless to say he took the jacket tie vest and shirt off after playing Would the first song to start the show! Very charismatic singer and great stage presence! His voice very unique and an unbelievable range! RIP Layne!
I still think this is the most bad-ass song in history. I lures you in, and then punches you in the face with the chorus. AIC will always be one of my favorite bands, and this is one of my top-5 songs by them! Love it!
I was in High School through this whole era in Music… It’s been a part of me ever since. Late 80’s-90’s… What a time to be Alive… No Internet 🛜, Record Shops, word of mouth when it came to Bands… More people in the Moment sort of speak… You didn’t need a selfie 🤳 to prove you were there! ✌️
My favourite song by AIC is God Am, from the self titled album. You can hear the hurt in Layne's voice as his addiction took hold of him. A sad but awesome song from a very underrated album. I'm going to be 50 soon, but I was just 16 when I saw AIC live for the first time. Your absolutely right, we need more music like this...Much love!
You said it…that is a great statement about it…they are still the same person inside, however addiction takes over and it is so hard for them to come back from it….I feel so bad for people who suffer from this…their friends and family suffer with them
Hands down my favorite AIC song! The buildup at 4:01 before the "into the flood again" lyrics always gets me. Such a powerful song and each member shines on this one. So sad Layne's gone! Also, not sure it's possible to look cooler in the 90's than Layne with the slicked back hair, goatee, and shades! :)
@@drewzable The main problem and what needs to disappear is the crap that is more popular that rules the airways now and that is included with what she says. Even the radio stations that do play classic rock still half if not 2/3s of the time still plays popular (When it was on at the time it was released.) shit that should be retired.
To check out Lane Staley's best vocal performance, you gotta react to Love, Hate, Love Live at The Moore. His vocals on that are just top notch, powerful, and beautiful. RIP Layne!
OMG the second you stopped it to mentions your "shivers", I was sitting here watching and listening to it with chills throughout my body as well. WTF is that? Never mind the fact that I've heard this song thousands of times. Still gets me. I saw them back in August and man, even thought Layne wasn't there, it still was beyond amazing.
Yeah…it’s normal to get goosebumps from these guys. Their music always finds a chord that seems to be anchored somewhere deep within the nervous system.
such great music im 66 years old have loved rock since the beginning of the 70s AIC is my new favorite group nothing like 70s 80s and 90s rock RIP Layne
Rock is dead it will never be back. The peak of rock started in late 80s with hard rock and metal and it went off after the grunge rock period ended in mid to late 90s. The rock stars and their performances will forever stay in our memories. It will never ever come back be happy with your Taylor swifts and Miley cyruses. 😂😂
This song is was written as a tribute to Andy Wood, the singer of Mother love Bone who died during a heroin relapse just as the band was breaking out. The surviving members would eventually get a new singer and rename the band Pearl Jam.
This is essentially my favorite song of all time. I first watched this music video when it had just been released, and I had no idea what I was in for. I came away wanting to look like those guys, have their rock musician style, and further explore dark music that dealt with such heavy themes.
Great reaction, totally on point with Layne Stayley's story! Okay, moving on from 'Dirt', we have selections from 'Jar of Flies', such as "Rotten Apple", "Nutshell", "I Stay Away", and "Don't Follow" (Why doesn't this song get views?! It's a stone-cold classic! Fuck's sake, people!).. Anyhow, we get on to their third album, and I recommend "Head Creeps", "Heaven Beside You", "Frogs", and "Over Now". Be forewarned, AIC's last studio album is a haunted house. Layne is the ghost. God rest his soul.
One of the greatest bands of all time, one of the greatest songs of all time and my absolute favourite drummer of all time. Superb choice. It might be worth considering some of the more recent stuff. They're still great, as they always have been.
For me, music died after the 1990's were over. The 1990's were a magic era for this sort of music. Alice in chains, Stone temple pilots, Soundgarden, Tool etc. I always find myself coming back to this sort of music :) To me this music is timeless - Hear something like AIC, Tool etc played today, I crank the volume and i am like "f*** yessssssssssss!!!!" :D
1:22 that is normal. It's called frisson which is the phenomenon of chills or goosebumps that come from a piece of music (or from any other aesthetic experience)
This song came out in 92 and it's really cool that you enjoy it that much because; you happen to have the same early 90's style (clothes/makeup/hair style) AND YOU LOOK SO GORGEOUS!!!. I was 10-11 years old and, when I think about that era, sometimes it makes me cry.
Alice In Chains are the best band from the 90s hands all the way down. My dad played Metallica megadeth pantera and Alice In Chains. Layne will always be my favorite vocalist. His grit, the tone how he can shape it all in different tones it’s just all him and his emotions and I love every song and god rest his soul I hope he’s finally at peace. Best grunge band ever. The unplugged version that they went on when Layne wasn’t good at all as absolutely horrible as it was to see him so skinny and just hollow he absolutely KILLED that whole set.
Thanks so much for this reaction I LOVE THIS SONG. My favorite Alice in Chain song is always changing, but for now I will say "I Stay Away." If you react to it please watch the music video, IT'S ICONIC. If you would like to hear other great 90's grunge/alt. rock/metal bands, I would suggest Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Corrosion of Conformity, Rage Against the Machine. Candlebox and White Zombie. And of course you know my hidden gem..."Paw."
The album DIRT and JAR OF FLIES are 2 perfect alblums. As well as S.A.P. and The self titled alblum everyone calls Tripod because it has a 3 legged dog on the cover.
Your arm hair is standing up because this song summons Andrew Wood. It’s about his overdosing experience & his soul realizes his body is in the death process . It’s the apology Andy was never able to give. It’s not about his addiction it’s about what ran through Andy’s mind when he was dying.
I’m a 59 year old banger and, YES, it’s completely normal to have chills and physical reactions to AIC. Accept it as proof that the therapy is working.
AIC.....Nutshell, I stay away, rooster, down in a hole, Love hate love............Saw them in concert after Laine passed, Laine was so good. Love them.
God it’s so hard to believe Layne has been gone 20 years now! It seems like it happened yesterday! Where does the time go?! Song still kills today though!
This song is dedicated to Andy Wood. He was this lead singer of the band mother Love Bone. Check it out it's amazing. He had a huge impact on a lot of people before his time expired and created a lot of bands such as Pearl jam Soundgarden and Alice in chains
A band that got lost in the shuffle of 90's Grunge that you need to check out is Candlebox...they were one of the best that got eclipsed by SO much good music in the early-mid 90's.
This song was featured in the 1992 movie Singles. Check out the whole soundtrack sometime, it's a great snapshot of the early nineties Seattle music scene as well as a couple other great songs.
It’s because rock had 50 or so years in the spotlight. It couldn’t go on forever. It got pushed underground which isn’t a bad thing. There’s still amazing music being made today but the rock stuff isn’t getting the attention it used to. Older people don’t seem to want to try to find the newer rock bands and younger people have their own music now that is just as important to them. That being said, grunge is actually still really popular with people around my age (23) because most of our parents listened to it.
One of many songs written about Andrew Wood, former singer of fellow Seattle grunge band Mother Love Bone. He ODed days before the scheduled release of their debut full length album Apple. Andrew's former roommate Chris Cornell (RIP) of Soundgarden formed a one off bad called Temple of the Dog to record a tribute album for him. He brought in his drummer Matt Cameron and Mother Love Bone bassist Jeff Ament ad guitarist Stone Gossard. They were forming a new bad and brought in new lead guitarist Mike McCready and vocalist Eddie Vedder sang on tw songs while in town to audition for their bad, eventually named Pearl Jam. Ironically several Pearl Jam albums later after Soundgarden broke up, Matt joined on drums, making this an early version of the complete current line up.
1:21 it is normal for those of us who can experience it, yes. There are a whole lot of people who do not experience "tingles" from sound. If you haven't tried it yet, look into ASMR. It's amazing!
A lot of music has the instruments creating the sound with vocals added in. For some reason, with Alice In Chains, it always feels like the singing is the music, not added to it.
"We need to bring this kind of music back!" Rarely have truer words been spoken, but does today's current crop of musicians have the talent, drive and lyrical philosophy to pull it off?
Too many manufactured artistes who don't put in the discipline to master their craft, which includes acknowledging and managing their pain. When the expression 'suffer for their art' is used, I think this is what is meant.
This is such a cyclical argument. Musicians have just as much talent as they ever did. The medium has changed. You’re not going to get another Alice in Chains or Pink Floyd. The bands that try to recreate certain time periods in music don’t usually catch on for a reason. They sound like they’re trying to be their influences. Music has to evolve and change and if you can’t adapt you get left behind; posting comments about “bring REAL music back”. It never left, most people just stopped looking for it and chose to listen to the same music for the rest of their lives, which would be fine if they didn’t dismiss “new” artists at every chance even though they know nothing outside of the current top 40. I’m not saying this is you but I see this stuff all the time and it’s frustrating to know that people shit on a whole generation of artists when they barely know anything about them.
The beginning of this song is pretty good. For me it's at 4:22 . That is such a brilliant chord transition that at the time I had never heard anyone do and it just blew me away. It still does.
Would? Outshined by Sound Garden, Far behind by Candle box and Say hello to heaven by Temple of the Dog are all songs written about Andrew Wood. You should listen to all these songs and then listen to Andrew Wood in Mother Love Bone. Some songs are Stardog Champion, Bone China, Star Gazer,or maybe Man of Golden Words and then you might understand these songs and how tragic his death and the impact he had was.
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The best thing you said is "We need to bring this kind of music back!" Amen sister.
Fo shizzle!
It's impossible. Music is fluid. Just like we've never had another 60's, we'll never have another 90's. I believe there will come a time where there is great music again, but it will have its own unique sound.
@@jared699 There is so much great music coming out right now. The problem is it gets buried underneath all the shit and a lot of people don’t know how to find it. There will never be another Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden etc. but that doesn’t mean there isn’t great music. It’s just different.
check out The Post War - new album Anecdote.....and Ten Miles Wide - album The Gross .......there is important music still being made ....its just much harder to find.
I agree most of the music today is crap!
I've been listening to Alice in chains for 20 plus years and I still get chills when Layne sings
Me too. 61 years old and the tears flow.
Me three!!!! almost to he point of i can't take it. Loved them back then but now my love is ten fold. How good was he/they!!! We will never have another Layne Voice.
As a 23 year old who just got into aic I feel like I've been cheated by being born too late to appreciate Layne's vocals in person
@@motivationmike4722same. At 32 I feel like I missed the best generation. Missed Layne, and Cornell 😔
Me too😊
The intro bass is what hooks you and then it all just comes together in mastery. What a band. 'Love Hate Love' live at The Moore is epic.
You need to see and hear Layne Staley at his absolute best! THIS IS IT!
i love that song!
It’s layne my guy
heavy bass intros are always great.
Its just pure genuis
This is where my Gen-Xer pride comes in. I grew up as a kid in my late teens and 20s with this era of music and saw a ton of great bands live in the 90s.
X
Same here
During the Grunge era not even Nirvana or Pearl Jam could hold a candle to them, they were second to none!
The lyrics on an Alice In Chains song are always deep. This song is probably my ATF from the grunge era. I just wish I realized how sock and rare of a voice lane had in the time. I just knew they rocked and the lyrics were important in every song. The duet style singing. Part of what made them so unique and you didn’t realize unless you watch the videos is that a lot of these words or verses are started by Jerry and then finished with Lane signature pitch. In between the two of them, it sounds like an almost impossible vocal spread. You don’t realize it’s two people singing it one way in one finishing a different way, but it blends perfectly in the middle.
probably because AIC wasnt/isnt grunge
@@rayelee1301 HAHA!!!
@@rayelee1301 You have no clue lol
@@Voffsing1 sound nothing like grunge...thats a pretty big clue
The backstory with WOULD? ... guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote the song for Andy Wood, singer of Mother Love Bone after Andy died of an overdose in 1990 just as Mother Love Bone was going to hit big. After Andy died, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament dissolved Mother Love Bone and re-emerged as Pearl Jam. WOULD? as a title is a play on Andy Wood's name. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER on the album, official videos and concerts in 91-93.
WOULD? appeared on the Singles soundtrack because Seattle, Washington as big as the town is, musically it's a small town. All the bands that came out of the Seattle scene knew each other and went to see each other play the club circuit. Cameron Crowe was married to Nancy Wilson of Heart and he wanted to make a movie about the Seattle music scene and made Singles where a fictional band, Citizen Dick opened for Alice In Chains. They used IT AIN'T LIKE THAT from the Facelift album and Cameron Crowe gave them money to demo songs... AIC took the money, they demoed the 6 acoustic songs that are on SAP EP and two songs ROOSTER and WOULD? that ended up on the Dirt album. Cameron Crowe picked through the songs and used WOULD? out of the bunch. Jerry thought the song was strong enough to be included on the Dirt album and that's how WOULD? ended up on the Singles soundtrack and the same version ended up on Dirt.
Whenever you see Bad Animals Studios in the liner notes, at the time the album was recorded, Bad Animals Studios was owned by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Nancy Wilson was married to Cameron Crowe between 1986 and 2010.
Jerry was fine doing backing vocals on the early songs like the ones they played in their clubbing days and on Facelift like the Call and Return of the chorus on MAN IN THE BOX until one day when he was trying to write songs for the SAP EP and the Dirt album, Layne looked at the lyrics and encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all, they were Jerry's lyrics. He should sing them. When Layne and Jerry sang together they achieved the perfect pitch of two voices making one voice.
Layne Staley's vocal range can run rings around any other grunge singer in my opinion. Layne could sing the phone book and never hit a wrong note. Even at the end of his life, with no teeth and a lisp, his voice, wit and humor were all still there. Layne's voice and vocal range was so powerful he did NOT need auto tune or pro-tools until he lost his teeth and had a lisp around 1998, and even then he still killed the vocals.
Barrett Martin (who played with Layne in Mad Season) said that when he stood to the side of the stage, he could hear the sound of Layne’s vocal resonance come out of Layne's body LOUDER than it did coming out of the speakers, Layne's voice was that powerful.
The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and to chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to Layne's choices for his life. That show was filmed on April 10, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a 6-year-long slow suicide.
Before the show, drummer Sean Kinney and bass player Mike Inez argued with guitarist Jerry Cantrell about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER.
The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through.
The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY 8 times even though the dvd only shows 1 time (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was.
Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking.
No one noticed Layne had died on April 5, 2002, because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911 on April 19, 2002.
And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Though I do applaud MoPOP including Layne Staley and Mike Starr when they inducted Alice In Chains in the MoPOP Museum of Pop Culture. It's more recognition of Layne (and Mike) than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (thanks to Rolling Stone's criticisms of Layne and his addiction) and the Grammys (who FORGOT him when he died) have EVER done.
Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life.
All the information above has longer, deeper stories, and I could say so much more, but UA-cam has a cap on comment length. In the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote songs about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press.
All of this has longer, more detailed stories but UA-cam has a cap on comment length.
Nice post.
Well done
Appreciate the backstory. 👍
I knew there would be one of you LOL
Thank you for writing this comment that was basically an entire novel about Alice in Chains. ☺️
I was 26 years old and living the wildest days of my life when Dirt was released. The entire album is a monster that leaves you bruised and battered in a good way. My father actually picked up Dirt for me because I played Facelift constantly, he passed 5 years later, thanks dad, miss you.
The riffs,The power in his voice,
Their sound, Timeless. R.I.P LAYNE.
It is normal. Shivers, goosebumps, chickenskin, whatever, the phantasmal, ethereal harmony between these two gives me the chills.
In the early 90s, four bands emerged from the Seattle underground, and changed rock music, forever.
They were:
Soundgarden
Pearl Jam
Nirvana
Alice in Chains
Be sure you check them all out!
Beyond that though you had the broader alt 90s rock sound with stone temple pilots, smashing pumpkins, etc
@@ctguitarguy8510
Truth spoken.
the right one at the top i see..lol
You're missing some major groups from Seattle. Starting with Mother Love Bone, whose lead singer this song was a tribute to. The death of Andrew Wood caused Chris Cornell from Soundgarden and the remaining members of Mother Love Bone to form Temple of the Dog, which then lead to the creation of Pearl Jam after Eddie Vedder sang with Chris Cornell on the song Hunger Strike.
@@holocaust_2.0
Am very much aware of these bands. Was just keeping it brief for starters.
His voice. Is. Unmatched. To this. Day. What. A legacy.
This song is thee Pure definition of a "BANGER!" Rest In Power Layne Staley Forever.
"We need to bring this kind of music back!" Ive been wishing for that for years
It’s tough not to get a little choked up listening to certain songs, just knowing how it ended for Layne, been such a huge fan of Alice In Chains for so long and unfortunately I know that pain all too well, I was lucky enough to get out alive after 14 years, I never thought I would make it to 37 let alone 27, I didn’t want to or think I could live without it, couldn’t function without it, I still remember the pain of kicking it for the last time, a year straight of never going without, my tolerance was incredibly high at that time and spending thousands every month, luckily I had a child and as cliché as it sounds, my kids saved my life, kicking it for the last time was incredibly painful, not only physically but psychologically, I had developed an emotional addiction as well as a mental and physical addiction, I legitimately loved it, never been so sick in my life, the awful tingling in my shoulders and arms, it’s something you don’t understand unless you have been through it, absolute torture, couldn’t sleep more than an hour or 2 from just being exhausted enough to fall asleep only to wake up an hour later literally pouring sweat, throwing up, just the flu times 10 but I let it get that bad, I had a pretty good handle on it for years; responsible, reliable, never went too long without taking a day off, kept it together for a long time.
Great for you, putting the kids first. Admirable to were able to leave it, sorry for people like Layne who never do.
wow
much respect to you
From 1 Layne fan & addict to another, I just wanna say I'm proud of u bro! Seems like our paths are pretty similar... my kids saved me as well & I agree 100% about Layne too. He's 1 of the all-time greats imo & his legacy will never die. I still listen to Mad Season & AiC frequently but it's tough sometimes. Thanks for telling ur story bro!
I am the only Alice in chains fan in my school. I have no friends who like Alice in chains. My friends all make fun of me for liking them. So delusional. They are clearly the greatest band of all time. Keep on listening to them 🤘
You should be making fun of them for not liking Alice in Chains.
Apple 3.14 exactly!!
Tell your not friends to F.O.
Join the club man
Trenton M haha yea
Edit: YES. YES IT IS NORMAL to have shivers from listening to that song! If "Would?" is your first foray into AIC, then girl, you better hold onto your butt, cos it's gonna be a bumpy (but beautiful) ride!! And if/when you start digging deeper into their history, and into Layne Staley in general, and really read/study their lyrics...well, just keep a box of tissue at the ready (and more bottled water). And don't forget to check out "Mad Season" too. 😉💔 As well as the book "Alice in Chains: The Untold Story" by David DeSola. 👍
This is music from a better time where musicians wrote their own songs , played their own instruments ,paid their dues , you cared who was number 1 in the charts and it actually meant something
An amazing track from an amazing record! DIRT is a Must Hear MASTERPIECE!!!
I was a high school sophomore in 1982 in Seattle, hanging in wildly-unsafe basement clubs and dropping acid with a wildly-unsafe group of people. Growing up with that scene.....this is totally the soundtrack of my childhood. Walking around downtown, waiting for the first bus, drunks in doorways and wild staggering figures in light rain......I was 15 when I found all this and it still hits hard these days.
I’m glad you made it thru all that….. great, visual story….you could be a song writer
Layne had such a unique voice there will never be another. RIP🙏🏻
If you wear a flannel shirt and listen to this song you are instantly hypnotized. That's just basic science. 😂
I saw Layne in a three piece suit at the start of their set on Lollapolooza in 93 and it was like 95 degrees that day! Needless to say he took the jacket tie vest and shirt off after playing Would the first song to start the show! Very charismatic singer and great stage presence! His voice very unique and an unbelievable range! RIP Layne!
I still think this is the most bad-ass song in history. I lures you in, and then punches you in the face with the chorus. AIC will always be one of my favorite bands, and this is one of my top-5 songs by them! Love it!
Nothing beats that key change going into the bridge and it’s nearly the end of the song. Gives me chills every time.
I was in High School through this whole era in Music… It’s been a part of me ever since. Late 80’s-90’s… What a time to be Alive… No Internet 🛜, Record Shops, word of mouth when it came to Bands… More people in the Moment sort of speak… You didn’t need a selfie 🤳 to prove you were there! ✌️
Goosebumps! And i have heard this songs hundreds of times! What a voice , what a band!
That's how you're supposed to feel when you first truly experience Layne and Jerry. Nothing will ever top Love, Hate, Love live at the Moore.
I never understood why people like that version of Love, Hate, Love so much
The best vocal version of that song is from the 'Live' album
I've been loving this song for many years and I get full-body shivers every time I hear it
My favourite song by AIC is God Am, from the self titled album. You can hear the hurt in Layne's voice as his addiction took hold of him. A sad but awesome song from a very underrated album. I'm going to be 50 soon, but I was just 16 when I saw AIC live for the first time. Your absolutely right, we need more music like this...Much love!
You said it…that is a great statement about it…they are still the same person inside, however addiction takes over and it is so hard for them to come back from it….I feel so bad for people who suffer from this…their friends and family suffer with them
Hands down my favorite AIC song! The buildup at 4:01 before the "into the flood again" lyrics always gets me. Such a powerful song and each member shines on this one. So sad Layne's gone! Also, not sure it's possible to look cooler in the 90's than Layne with the slicked back hair, goatee, and shades! :)
"We need to bring this kind of music back!"
Well, I have good news for ya. Alice in Chains is still going.
And still just as strong as ever!!
Foreal?
@@drewzable The main problem and what needs to disappear is the crap that is more popular that rules the airways now and that is included with what she says. Even the radio stations that do play classic rock still half if not 2/3s of the time still plays popular (When it was on at the time it was released.) shit that should be retired.
Alice in chains died with Layne
Strong as ever? Lets not get carried away friend
@@luckylarry88 facts... the new music isnt the same
To check out Lane Staley's best vocal performance, you gotta react to Love, Hate, Love Live at The Moore. His vocals on that are just top notch, powerful, and beautiful. RIP Layne!
OMG the second you stopped it to mentions your "shivers", I was sitting here watching and listening to it with chills throughout my body as well. WTF is that? Never mind the fact that I've heard this song thousands of times. Still gets me. I saw them back in August and man, even thought Layne wasn't there, it still was beyond amazing.
As a huge fan of this band for many years, love seeing reactions like this one!
Alice In Chains was a band that many other bands that toured with them envied. Such a perfect unit of sound.
Yea you!!!
Keen observation of this ode to the blissful suffering of addiction written by one friend to another
All that music of the 90’s is so good because at its core it’s soul music
I think Would? Is my favorite Alice In Chains song, next for me is Dam That River.
Would. Then Rooster. Angry chair. Them bones. In no particular order .....
Yeah…it’s normal to get goosebumps from these guys. Their music always finds a chord that seems to be anchored somewhere deep within the nervous system.
such great music im 66 years old have loved rock since the beginning of the 70s AIC is my new favorite group nothing like 70s 80s and 90s rock RIP Layne
Layne was an angel. thank you for this reaction. It made me feel very happy
There were no computers back then, no AI, no gaming, no computer mixing, when you messed up you started singing again. lol
80s and 90s music, just hits different. Especially if you lived it :D
Would? is my first AIC song and suddenly loves it, I don't know how many times I've heard this song..
Is full body shivers normal? With this band, yes. They’re a level of their own 🤘🤘🤘
Rock is dead it will never be back. The peak of rock started in late 80s with hard rock and metal and it went off after the grunge rock period ended in mid to late 90s.
The rock stars and their performances will forever stay in our memories.
It will never ever come back be happy with your Taylor swifts and Miley cyruses. 😂😂
This song is was written as a tribute to Andy Wood, the singer of Mother love Bone who died during a heroin relapse just as the band was breaking out. The surviving members would eventually get a new singer and rename the band Pearl Jam.
Lane is a legend
This is essentially my favorite song of all time. I first watched this music video when it had just been released, and I had no idea what I was in for. I came away wanting to look like those guys, have their rock musician style, and further explore dark music that dealt with such heavy themes.
I've been a big fan of Alice in Chains since 1990. I was 20 years old and I will always love AIC!
1 of my favourites if theirs. And no matter how many times I hear it, I still get goosebumps.
Imm 66 and have loved all forms of rock these guys are so awesome
It was fun seeing them live in like 92-93 for Free. Perks of a job
Great reaction, totally on point with Layne Stayley's story! Okay, moving on from 'Dirt', we have selections from 'Jar of Flies', such as "Rotten Apple", "Nutshell", "I Stay Away", and "Don't Follow" (Why doesn't this song get views?! It's a stone-cold classic! Fuck's sake, people!).. Anyhow, we get on to their third album, and I recommend "Head Creeps", "Heaven Beside You", "Frogs", and "Over Now". Be forewarned, AIC's last studio album is a haunted house. Layne is the ghost. God rest his soul.
One of the greatest bands of all time, one of the greatest songs of all time and my absolute favourite drummer of all time. Superb choice. It might be worth considering some of the more recent stuff. They're still great, as they always have been.
Yes shivers are normal. It’s been over three decades, I still get shivers.
For me, music died after the 1990's were over. The 1990's were a magic era for this sort of music. Alice in chains, Stone temple pilots, Soundgarden, Tool etc. I always find myself coming back to this sort of music :) To me this music is timeless - Hear something like AIC, Tool etc played today, I crank the volume and i am like "f*** yessssssssssss!!!!" :D
"What the hell have I?"
Alice in Chains
1:22 that is normal. It's called frisson which is the phenomenon of chills or goosebumps that come from a piece of music (or from any other aesthetic experience)
This song came out in 92 and it's really cool that you enjoy it that much because; you happen to have the same early 90's style (clothes/makeup/hair style) AND YOU LOOK SO GORGEOUS!!!. I was 10-11 years old and, when I think about that era, sometimes it makes me cry.
Layne Staley with Mad Season doing River of Deceit is freaking beautiful & haunting especially Live
Alice In Chains are the best band from the 90s hands all the way down. My dad played Metallica megadeth pantera and Alice In Chains. Layne will always be my favorite vocalist. His grit, the tone how he can shape it all in different tones it’s just all him and his emotions and I love every song and god rest his soul I hope he’s finally at peace. Best grunge band ever. The unplugged version that they went on when Layne wasn’t good at all as absolutely horrible as it was to see him so skinny and just hollow he absolutely KILLED that whole set.
Whenever i listen Alice In Chains it's like they punch me in the stomach and say, be strong, get your head up and move on.
Thanks so much for this reaction I LOVE THIS SONG. My favorite Alice in Chain song is always changing, but for now I will say "I Stay Away." If you react to it please watch the music video, IT'S ICONIC.
If you would like to hear other great 90's grunge/alt. rock/metal bands, I would suggest Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Corrosion of Conformity, Rage Against the Machine. Candlebox and White Zombie. And of course you know my hidden gem..."Paw."
The album DIRT and JAR OF FLIES are 2 perfect alblums. As well as S.A.P. and The self titled alblum everyone calls Tripod because it has a 3 legged dog on the cover.
Your arm hair is standing up because this song summons Andrew Wood. It’s about his overdosing experience & his soul realizes his body is in the death process . It’s the apology Andy was never able to give. It’s not about his addiction it’s about what ran through Andy’s mind when he was dying.
Anyone who wants to hear & feel the power of Layne's true voice needs to watch the Unplugged session.
The interplay between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantell's vocals in always hauntingly beautiful.
I’m a 59 year old banger and, YES, it’s completely normal to have chills and physical reactions to AIC. Accept it as proof that the therapy is working.
AIC.....Nutshell, I stay away, rooster, down in a hole, Love hate love............Saw them in concert after Laine passed, Laine was so good. Love them.
"Frission" (getting goosebumps when listening to Music) is found in about 86% of people, so yes, normal.
Love that speaking voice! And " Chains " for more than 30 years!
Yes it's normal to get the shivers that's the effect Layne Staley's voice has on people
God it’s so hard to believe Layne has been gone 20 years now! It seems like it happened yesterday! Where does the time go?! Song still kills today though!
This song is dedicated to Andy Wood. He was this lead singer of the band mother Love Bone. Check it out it's amazing. He had a huge impact on a lot of people before his time expired and created a lot of bands such as Pearl jam Soundgarden and Alice in chains
And Temple of the Dog
Welcome to my teens in the PNW.
I'm a grungy lil garden gnome and this makes me so happy 🌲🌊🖤
The song is about their friend Andy Wood ....Jerry Cantrell wrote it
Music in 1992: no software.
Music in 2023: *software.*
A band that got lost in the shuffle of 90's Grunge that you need to check out is Candlebox...they were one of the best that got eclipsed by SO much good music in the early-mid 90's.
This song was featured in the 1992 movie Singles. Check out the whole soundtrack sometime, it's a great snapshot of the early nineties Seattle music scene as well as a couple other great songs.
Would? is my favorite alice in chains song
Criminal that this only has 218 views! That's lower than one of my songs lol. Great reaction
I agree with you, this music should be brought back. 90s were the peak of many genres, since then it seems like it's been in a decline.
It’s because rock had 50 or so years in the spotlight. It couldn’t go on forever. It got pushed underground which isn’t a bad thing. There’s still amazing music being made today but the rock stuff isn’t getting the attention it used to. Older people don’t seem to want to try to find the newer rock bands and younger people have their own music now that is just as important to them. That being said, grunge is actually still really popular with people around my age (23) because most of our parents listened to it.
One of many songs written about Andrew Wood, former singer of fellow Seattle grunge band Mother Love Bone. He ODed days before the scheduled release of their debut full length album Apple. Andrew's former roommate Chris Cornell (RIP) of Soundgarden formed a one off bad called Temple of the Dog to record a tribute album for him. He brought in his drummer Matt Cameron and Mother Love Bone bassist Jeff Ament ad guitarist Stone Gossard. They were forming a new bad and brought in new lead guitarist Mike McCready and vocalist Eddie Vedder sang on tw songs while in town to audition for their bad, eventually named Pearl Jam. Ironically several Pearl Jam albums later after Soundgarden broke up, Matt joined on drums, making this an early version of the complete current line up.
Shivers are quite normal with Layne's voice...
These musicians deserve goose bumps.
Alice in chains is real music!!! Keep on rocking!!!
1:21 it is normal for those of us who can experience it, yes. There are a whole lot of people who do not experience "tingles" from sound. If you haven't tried it yet, look into ASMR. It's amazing!
A lot of music has the instruments creating the sound with vocals added in. For some reason, with Alice In Chains, it always feels like the singing is the music, not added to it.
Laynes voice is so unique you know right away who's singing
"We need to bring this kind of music back!" Rarely have truer words been spoken, but does today's current crop of musicians have the talent, drive and lyrical philosophy to pull it off?
Too many manufactured artistes who don't put in the discipline to master their craft, which includes acknowledging and managing their pain. When the expression 'suffer for their art' is used, I think this is what is meant.
This is such a cyclical argument. Musicians have just as much talent as they ever did. The medium has changed. You’re not going to get another Alice in Chains or Pink Floyd. The bands that try to recreate certain time periods in music don’t usually catch on for a reason. They sound like they’re trying to be their influences. Music has to evolve and change and if you can’t adapt you get left behind; posting comments about “bring REAL music back”. It never left, most people just stopped looking for it and chose to listen to the same music for the rest of their lives, which would be fine if they didn’t dismiss “new” artists at every chance even though they know nothing outside of the current top 40. I’m not saying this is you but I see this stuff all the time and it’s frustrating to know that people shit on a whole generation of artists when they barely know anything about them.
The beginning of this song is pretty good. For me it's at 4:22 . That is such a brilliant chord transition that at the time I had never heard anyone do and it just blew me away. It still does.
Soundtrack of my teenage years 🥰 This Nirvana, Faith no more and NIN ❤😊
Some would say Would? is their masterpiece. Some would say Rooster. Others would say Man in The Box. Success would say the latter
Would? Outshined by Sound Garden, Far behind by Candle box and Say hello to heaven by Temple of the Dog are all songs written about Andrew Wood. You should listen to all these songs and then listen to Andrew Wood in Mother Love Bone. Some songs are Stardog Champion, Bone China, Star Gazer,or maybe Man of Golden Words and then you might understand these songs and how tragic his death and the impact he had was.
That whole album is amazing. Dirt, Sickman, Rooster.
Entirely normal to get the chills!! I have been listening to this song since forever, and still got the chills when it started playing =) Perfection.
Just one out of my high school kegger playlists. It sucks getting old but at least we have the memories. Gen-X
Perfect song from a masterpiece of an album