I'd imagine this was one of the brighter moments for him, at least a few songs into the track list when he was comfortable enough to remove the shades.
I've given MTV a lotta shit over the years but goddamn they have my eternal gratitude for putting together this utterly beautiful set..... everything about this performance is perfect. The mood, the lighting, the stage arrangement, the camera work and of course... the best band of the 90's proving why..... nothing to hide when you're performing acoustically like this, this is true once in a lifetime talent right here boys and girls. Thank you MTV.
Totally. Months away from Layne's health failing, and hadn't played live in several months, yet gave probably the best live performance of their career. Absolutely amazing.
I was lucky enough to be here at this show... I was only 18 at the time. Buddy of mine from my neighborhood was a sound engineer for MTV in NYC... He got 3 passes. Wasnt a big AIC fan at the time, and I cant lie, the show was kinda a clusterF.. They messed up a ton of times, had to restart, Layne forget lyrics a lot, and it was kinda all over the place. I watched the uncut DVD... Yeah they still cut out a lot of stuff XD.. When they nailed the songs, they were wonderful, and the show, as a whole, was enjoyable. Very intimate atmosphere. I was 5 rows behind Metallica, so I was distracted by this for parts of the show.. Most of the people in the audience were MTV staff, other musicians/friends/family of AIC. It is a time and show I will never forget, that is for sure. I cant believe its been almost 30 years.
@@JonHop1probably didn’t help he shot up herion just before he went on stage it well known, all the same sounds amazing here, you one lucky person to have witnessed that cluster F
Aww man, you can literally see Jerry's face light up simply because the boys were playing together perfectly that night, with he and Layne killing it vocally. It clearly meant the world to him & it continues to mean the world to us. R.I.P Layne ❤
Supposedly Layne could barely function. They had to restart a lot of songs because Layne kept messing up. He was nodding off slipping off his chair the whole time where the crew would have to come prop him up. They were able to get good takes and edit into something complete but the Live show was an awkward mess, so they say.
@@natestain7103 You can go back and watch the Kiss tour, he was barely coherent and could barely recite lyrics. I love AIC, and Layne, but he was in a horrible spot towards the end. I'm not trying to put him down, it's just important to recognize the reality of the situation.
@@gunsmokeandghouls you miss the point, dude. it's not about one being better than the other, but one falling off the chair on a MTV show and the rest of the band and the audience had to cope with it.
Doesn't even flinch. He doesn't move his chest or shoulders.... Its pure power wether the note is silky soft or hes at the top of his lungs. Its almost like he's in a trance....touching sublime raw and truly beautiful
@@surge45-70 well if you knew music. Youd know the difference. The entire performance was flawless. You try getting through one song after a six pack. Theres no way he was effed up for this
I can't tell you how much I love your comment. It's so great to see that the even the generations older then my parents can value the Seattle scene. 💯♥️😁
How the fuck Layne pulled this show off is absolutely incredible. 100lbs dripping wet, exhausted and high as fuck, and still just nails every note. Remarkable! And watching Jerry just ecstatic about the fact that Layne is pulling it off makes you smile. They look like they really enjoyed playing this show.
He barely opened his eyes this entire show. He just opens his mouth and it comes right out. Unbelievably talented and sad at the same time. We all fight our own battles, but it's so hurtful that someone with such great influence and such a powerful gift wasnt able to overcome. RIP Layne.
Crazy how this was 1996, layne looks to have aged 20 years in 2. Jerry, Sean, and Mike (shockingly) look the same as they did in their prime. Layne had such a huge demon on him, squeezing him for all it could.
@@whiteyfisk9769 this is not a demon, but a dull craving for drugs, it is not necessary to frame this phenomenon somehow with myths and images. there are no demons, or you are stuck and burn yourself out in the desire for high, having overcome the craving for life. or you want to live and stop it. drug addicts are not pink ponies, suffering, poor and in need of attention, they are cells of a cancerous tumor and human laziness, which are called some kind of demons for self-justification. it is time for the world to harden or it will rot. it has already begun, unpunished robberies, terrorists who tell the world how to live and whom everyone is afraid to offend, today a dozen rockets flew into my city, because the world is still trying to find people among the savages, we will all pay dearly for it ((
Ppl always say what they would do if they had a time machine or go back in time once what historical event they would go to I would go to alice in chains mtv unplugged 1996
Jerry and the rest of the band members actually tried to help Layne many times with his drug addiction problems but unfortunately he cut off his contact with the band after 1996.
I agree, but tbh I think that Pearl Jam's Unplugged was not too worked. They just played the songs as they used to, but with acoustic guitars and bass. You see AIC, Nirvana, STP and The Cranberries (among others). All of them added something to the performance, and it was different
Pearl Jam definitely did the best unplugged, there's absolutely no contest between Sober Eddie Vedder and strung out Layne Staley. If he were sober it would be a different story.
The biggest fights I got into with my parents was because of a nirvana show. Sept 20 1991 at opera house in Toronto. My older cousin got us tickets for my 8th birthday (sept 20). They didn’t let me go. I didnt talk to them for such a long time. They didn’t let me go to their 1993 show in Toronto either. I bet you can guess but early April 1994, the day the music died, was rough times for the family. I went nuts. You are a lucky man.
I really wish Soundgarden would have done an unplugged. So many of their songs are just as good this way as they are full electric and Chris can sing anything in any setting
as a teenager in the early 2000's remember cruising rural back roads in Kentucky with my friends jamming out to you all, after 2003 we all went into the military because there weren't much options around KY for us to get out, plus we were partying a little too hard, going on 3 combat deployments and losing some friends and back at home losing my dad and my family falling apart, I listened to this once I got home and this song hit even harder. The song didn't make me feel as alone, I was suicidal for a few years but finally got help for it. I always listen to this and think someone always have it worse than you and to not give up. Thanks for it.
As a young guy who also grew up in rural western KY I can relate on many levels! Hang in there and savor every minute with your loved ones, they’re all you’ve got in the end. Good luck.
Toothless in a long-sleeved shirt, wearing gloves to hide the needle marks and just about high enough to be able to do it, wreaks havoc and hits every note. RIP Layne.
I remember Jamming to AIC in high school. My dad came knocking on my door and asked who this band was. I ask if it was to loud. He told it wasn't loud enough. He said he liked them. So, this band is of his favorites. Good times.
@@jordanowens6253 this music helped me in recovery from my addiction . there are songs like don't follow have such meaning of hope these guys were living trying to get a message through RIP Lane and Mike
Damn...Layne Staley had an AMAZING VOICE! He's boarderline nodding out on stage yet put on the best unplugged vocal performance in MTV history! R.I.P. brother. 😢
You got it dude. I love my pops (RIP) but goddamn growing up in a PTSD household was fucking crazy as shit. There were times I thought my dad would kill me in my sleep haha. I get emotional hearing this song every time
It's an experience that is uniquely ours. My father passed away July 11, 2021. I'm his first born. A son,. The first friend I ever had told me "Py (a nickname), your dad was hard on you....I'm mean hard." I tried to explain that as a 47 year old man I know he was and how vietnam was the ever present reason for why. He was never physically violent, but everything no matter how insignificant, was magnified and carried a life or death overtone. Eventually, I told my friend it's something I can't explain and even if I could he (my friend) still wouldn't understand. We definitely share a bond as children of vietnam combat veterans.
I'm 18, played guitar since I was 10 and jam/play with my mates all the time and sometimes something musically magically happens and something fits together so perfectly (instruments + feelings and energy) that you just can't help but look over at your mate with that smile like 'fuck man did you just hear how mad that sounded' and they're already smiling back like 'yea thought that was just me'. Music will always be my life
White Lightning It’s actually the brotherly love and concern that Jerry had for Layne - Jerry was sick with food poisoning but he still knew that Layne was in a bad way with his heroin addiction - which is a real disease, not a moral failing or a choice. It’s no different than a diabetic with intense sugar cravings. We just choose to demonize the substance and criminalize the sufferer, to no good end. Portugal demonstrates the better, more humane way
Layne died 20 years ago today; he was dying here and not only gave one of the best performances of all time, he still gave a better performance than anybody today. RIP Layne you were one of the greatest singers to ever live, we miss you.
It's sad, his eyes are sunken in, hes on crack and heroin and probably other stuff. Poor Layne, sucks he never found his peace of mind while he was here. Theres no way to say "this is the best performance". Theres probably a lot of classical musicians and people who admire that kind of music and say "this is the best performance". This music is actually kind of simple, which isn't bad it's just not technically challenging where it takes you playing since you were 4 years old to master. This song does take some skill, it's just not intensely challenging. I love it though, rip layne, and I relate to this music more than classical. I've listened to Alice in chains for like 20 years now.
My God, the strength that those two had that night. Layne Staley was so messed up on Heroin, Jerry Cantrell was so sick from food poisoning. They both knew that this would be their last show together. They both pulled all of their strength together and gave us the best acoustic show that has ever been recorded. Layne Staley hit every note perfectly on "Rooster" because he knew how important that song was to Jerry Cantrell and there was no way he was going to let him down. Quite possibly one of the best duo's in the history of music.
I’m 71 years old and the Vietnam War was the hardest for me to get through. Protesting in the streets of Detroit and in Washington DC while my high school buddies were fighting. He captures the essence of the sheer horror of war like no one else. Coupled with his own pain. He is one of the finest singers that ever existed. God rest his soul.
To everyone who doesn't know. Rooster has a triple meaning. Rooster was the nickname of jerry's dad, and he was in the vietnam war. The 101st airborne had eagle patches on their arms, and the Vietnamese thought the eagle was a rooster. And lastly, M60 gunners we're called Roosters because the flashes from the barrels looked like rooster tails. There was a whole lot of thought and emotion put into the writing of this song. By far one of the best songs ever written in my opinion.
A rare moment in time when everything comes together to make something so perfect it leaves you speechless. This unplugged performance is so underrated it's criminal.
I've given MTV a lotta shit over the years but goddamn they have my eternal gratitude for putting together this utterly beautiful set..... everything about this performance is perfect. The mood, the lighting, the stage arrangement, the camera work and of course... the best band of the 90's proving why..... nothing to hide when you're performing acoustically like this, this is true once in a lifetime talent right here boys and girls. Thank you MTV.
Ain't found a way to kill me yet Eyes burn with stinging sweat Seems every path leads me to nowhere Wife and kids, household pet Army green was no safe bet The bullets scream to me from somewhere Here they come to snuff the rooster Yeah, here come the rooster You know he ain't gonna die No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die Here they come to snuff the rooster, ah yeah Yeah, here come the rooster, yeah You know he ain't gonna die No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die Walkin' tall machine gun man They spit on me in my homeland Gloria sent me pictures of my boy Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death My Buddy's breathin' his dyin' breath Oh god, please won't you help me make it through? Here they come to snuff the rooster Yeah, here come the rooster, yeah You know he ain't gonna die No, no, no you know he ain't gonna die. Rest in Peace Layne
Imagine being rooster and your son is on mtv and top of the charts with a song about you . Imagine all these years later your son still doing what he loves and showing his continued love for you theough the song . Its heaven on earth
MTV actually played music? all i have ever seen is some bullshit reality crap about some Jersey punks or some black people that had the latest garbage rapcrap or hipnot shit, mean while, they are burning down the place they live, now thats brilliant!
@@AnnaLVajda Yesss lol - Eminem's videos were art - couldn't wait to watch the VMA's because the music and videos were amazing - it was a great time - I miss dial up lol
I was a huge Nirvana & Pearl Jam fan, but I’m just now realizing how I missed the truly great performances by Alice In Chains. I will be making up for missed opportunities. This performance has me in tears.
you and me both, in tears.... I post this song every memorial day on all my social media, in honor of the vets, like Jerry's uncle, who served out nation in viet nam.....
Yeah I feel that of the 90s Era grunge bands, AIC is hands down the best of the major 4.... Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Soundgarden. I just think Nirvana and Pearl Jams (Nirvana being hands down the #1 most popular of them all of course) Their sound sorta just fit that mainstream grunge vibe/aesthetic of the 90s era little more than AIC. To me Nirvana and Pearl jam gave off a similar sort of vibe and sound in a lot of their songs, but alice was a different vibe altogether. A Little darker feel/vibe to it, sounds more natural n organic, and the lyrics just hit home more. Like their songs sometimes just make you sit back and think about life, it makes you feel things... The songs are deeper and have more meaning it feels like (to me at least 🤷🏽) AIC is overall just more more complex i guess. And much more of a unique sound, especially in the vocals department. Layne had the perfect voice for grunge honestly. Idk, just my thoughts...sorry for this long ass rant lmao. Probably didn't make much sense, baked as hell and several beers in loll.
I feel you!!🤧😫🤧was too much engrossed in other grunge bands....I didn't realize how much Layne was the epitome of pure genius💔💔he's possibly one of the greatest vocalist to have ever lived!!!!💔💔😭😭😭rest easy 💙 ❤️ ♥️ legend.
This tune never gets old but I do. What a hell of a time to be living in at 39. Today is my birthday and im rocking some Alice In Chains. Gotta appreciate mtv back then for doing this kind of stuff.
As a recovering opiate addict this live performance means a lot to me. You can see and hear the pain in him. Or lack there of. He was numb and just trying to stay well at this point. Yet he still was able to perform at this level. Amazing and tragic. Rest in power layne ✊
When you have tolerance you're not completely wiped out like most people believe, my friend would shoot H and go to work, no one had any idea he was under the influence of anything, you would think he was completely sober, same case for me when i used to take oxies.
Me too!! AIC unplugged album got me through withdrawals!!! Especially down in a hole I would listen to it on repeat when I was miserable and couldn't sleep!! Their music and laynes voice got me thru it all!!!
Understand that this whole performance was cleverly edited as Layne was dropping off and forgetting every other line cause he was so lit. So epic when he could put it together but you could just see he is just barely there.
YES! People always comment on how “high” Layne was during this performance, but he was at the point in his addiction that he probably really couldn’t get the euphoric feeling anymore, so he was just using to not get sick.
I think what makes Rooster such an amazing piece of music is it puts you in the shoes of every soldier in the field which is why it still resonates with a lot of veterans. When Vietnam happened, young lads like Jerry's dad (who is THE Rooster) were plucked from their homes and drafted to fight in a war they did not want to fight. They were scared, tired and filled with uncertainty. Jerry did an amazing job writing this and conveying those emotions and the effects of war while Layne's powerful voice made it truly live!
Only 25% of Vietnam soldiers were drafted. The other 75% were all volunteers. Careful of what you wish for, or volunteer for. This song is one of my all time favorites. And I was born in the mid 50's.
@@joaodel95 Except that THAT was exactly what Jerry was thinking. He's talked about writing this many times and one thing he's said was that he wanted to feel what it was like for his dad. When Jerry asked his dad if he got close to what it was like his dad replied "you got too close". You can hear him tell the story here /watch?v=thptpyQswJ0
5:52 that shadow that casts over Layne's face and under his eyes during those final melancholy falsetto notes of the song is so haunting and beautiful..... it almost looks like a painting or something. Mtv did an amazing job lighting this show. Kudos.
Apparently they had to mess around with it a lot because layne had dyed his hair pink, then the had to do a few edits to get the tick of approval from the band, mostly layne. There’s a video about it on yt somewhere
I listen to this song often, it's an eerie reminder of what my Dad went through over there and the PTSD that haunted him till the day he died. Unfortunately us children of Nam Vets suffer from secondary PTSD, I'm sure Jerry did too, which is probably part of the reason he wrote this song, the sad thing is my Dad was spat on and called a baby killer in the airport. 😢
@@HighlinetowermanSorry your father had to go through what he went through. Rich politicians send the middle class and poor to fight their meaningless wars. Seems like history keeps repeating itself. Take care.
I think you have the bands in the right order, but picking 1 song is almost impossible. Can u imagine if AIC did love hate love instead of the killer is me to finish
A good Bass player is so valuable to a band. I've played in 4 different bands over the last 30 years, and finding a good, pure Bass player was always difficult. Guitar players are a 'dime a dozen',...but a true Bass player is a gem!
It's sickening to see how effortlessly Layne can sound so epic. He is a master of vocals, what he has can't be taught. Think of all the music he could of made but was taken to soon.
Effortlessly man!! High as a kite and still so fucking powerful without even trying. God ot always gets me when i go and have a late 90s music marathon. These new generations will NEVER understand not be able to create the memories we did growing up and look back 20+ years later and just be consumed by it!!
LOVED this song for years!! Still think THIS live version better than the original studio version. The rawness and acoustic makes it better. Miss MTV unplugged series. When MTV was ACTUALLY music and cool!
i cant believe he lived almost another 6 years after this. i mean Layne looks like death in the unplugged. Anyhow one of the greatest singers period !!!!
Often thinking about him, how he didn't deserve to die alone, forgotten, abandoned...he deserved so much more. He deserved life, happiness, healing. Hope you're in peace now Layne. We love you and miss you.
@@mihajlopetkovic388 he chose exile, and to ignore the people who loved him and tried to help him with his addiction. It’s really sad, heroin took over his mind and I don’t think he appreciated how much his life meant to everyone else. He was in a dark place, that’s what made their music authentic and powerful.
anyone reading this comment: i just started listening to AIC and this was the first song that popped up. from the bass, to the guitar, and to the beautiful voice of Layne, this is truly amazing. AIC just gained a fan. 👍🏾
Freaking get chills every time I hear Layne sing Rooster....wow, dude was one of a kind....overall harmonies were so tight....what a performance....WOW!
That voice. The fact he sounded that damn good and performed the songs so well even whilst his addiction was killing him :( He was criminally underrated as well.
@@matthewanthony4606 I'd like to think both, lol but anyway that's talent. I couldn't sing if I was nodding, I can barely talk, and his singing is great.
I hate drugs so much man..too many great musicians lost because of addiction 😢 Layne was a legend sadly his career was cut short because of this poison.
What can you do after selling your soul to the devil in exchange for fame and money? To numb the pain of her loss with drugs. It's sad that this is how the machine works
The honest pain and dark aurora around layne is truly breathtaking. That's why he and kurt can reach ppl from the grave and through 3 generations and pull emotions out of ppl 30 years later. This is no facade this is what true darkness looks like and a man battling a self admitted lost cause looks look......true demons man...darkest porformance ive ever seen..
Cheyenne Johnson i hate when people compare greats like layne and scott to kurt. people only think kurt was great because he died so young to be honest nirvana fucking sucks and the best talent from that group is dave. kurt sucked at guitar and didn’t have a good voice he was dark and he died young and now he’s a cult following but he sucks plain and simple
@Anthony D. woah, calm down there buddy, B W was just staing an opinion and it was a damn good one, they both show amazing emotion just in different ways, both performances are amazing
Same here bro and tell him yeah life is a bitch but please stay with us. I could only imagine the long talks he and Jerry had with one another about defeating life's demons. Cantrell has fought plenty of them himself over the years.
I lost a friend this year to alcoholism, before the lockdown. He was a huge fan of bands like Alice In Chains and Nine Inch Nails, and he definitely related to their lyrics. Honestly, I think he was beyond help, and I think that's true of someone like Layne. It can be practically impossible to keep people like that away from substances, sometimes the pain and damage runs too deep.
la descubrí a los 30, en realidad sabia de su existencia, pero como yo era un heavy metal ortodoxo y radical (un idiota en realidad) despreciaba el movimiento Grunge. Hubo un dia en el que me dije, voy a escuchar a estos sujetos y me compre jar of flies, entonces pense "caramba!", luego escuche esta concierto desenchufado y a partir de alli, me recrimine por mucho tiempo no haberlos disfrutado en su momento
@brent brumley They opened up for Kiss for a series of concerts after this and then after that, Alice In Chains and Layne parted ways. A group of recovering addicts formed a band called Mad Season in ‘94 and chose Layne to sing lead. They had an album called “Above” that is really good if you get a chance to hear it. After addiction resurfaced in a couple members and I think one passed away, that band fizzled as well and Layne went basically into seclusion at his apartment in Seattle and ultimately passed on 4-5-2002 alone and unchecked for over 2 weeks. He only weighed 86 pounds and was 6’ 1” tall. There were many unused bags of heroin, cocaine and nitrous cartridges all over the place. He OD’d on a speedball. 😢
@@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg it was wrong,,kiss dosen't even deserve to be in the same building as them, i was there, Layne was skinny and sick looking but pulled it off,,but yeah that and like dude said , well they never parted ways , officially , he just did some shit with Mike from Pj and a cpl others and i think did a ahow,,,
l've heard Love, Hate, Love a hundred times & I still get goosebumps & feel a visceral gut punch when he hits the low notes & then immediately the high. Perfection.
i’ve always been amazed by how easily layne could hit those notes, no strain at all. just amazing he was the best vocalist to ever live. he died too young, rip
Such a real moment at 1:36 - this man is quite literally baring his soul and dying in front of us here. He is tired. He is sad. There's a spark, but he's just so tired from emotional pain.
Same thing in that last bit of the song. It's just heartbreaking seeing how much life had taken from him, look at his sunken eyes and him staring down with little more to give
What pain? He's got the whole world at his feet and everything everyone could ever want. Any body thats still miserable after all that doesn't need or deserve to be here then...
The "Unplugged" series was the best thing MTV ever did.
This show was the best of that series.
RIP Layne - gone FAR too soon...
This and Nirvana Unplugged were probably the best shows they ever produced.
@@candycabngfl
No arguments here.
RIP Kurt - ALSO gone far too soon...
Now that you said it, yup. It was.
George Michael's one was the best hands down
@@eugeniosorosina8247 same with Bryan Adams
Breaks my heart looking in Layne's eyes. Knowing he is likely suffering, but still has a voice like an angel. RIP Layne Staley.
*Staley
@@sm7baller435 whoops my bad, I thought that didn't sound right.
Pretty sure he's just high as a kite. Lol, no disrespect to you or him. Just saying.
I'd imagine this was one of the brighter moments for him, at least a few songs into the track list when he was comfortable enough to remove the shades.
Too sad.
How lucky we are that this was all videoed and captured for us to watch over and over again. Legendary performance.
For real...
I've given MTV a lotta shit over the years but goddamn they have my eternal gratitude for putting together this utterly beautiful set..... everything about this performance is perfect. The mood, the lighting, the stage arrangement, the camera work and of course... the best band of the 90's proving why..... nothing to hide when you're performing acoustically like this, this is true once in a lifetime talent right here boys and girls. Thank you MTV.
Totally. Months away from Layne's health failing, and hadn't played live in several months, yet gave probably the best live performance of their career. Absolutely amazing.
Hard to enjoy the album versions when you can watch this. Still EPIC.
couldnt agree more.
To be alive during this era of music was special. Miss those days.
❤ I miss those days so much it honestly hurts. ❤ 🙏 ❤
Same. I remember using zamzar to put on my old ipod shuffle. Id listen to AiC in my bed and fall asleep to them.
I was lucky enough to be here at this show... I was only 18 at the time. Buddy of mine from my neighborhood was a sound engineer for MTV in NYC... He got 3 passes. Wasnt a big AIC fan at the time, and I cant lie, the show was kinda a clusterF.. They messed up a ton of times, had to restart, Layne forget lyrics a lot, and it was kinda all over the place. I watched the uncut DVD... Yeah they still cut out a lot of stuff XD.. When they nailed the songs, they were wonderful, and the show, as a whole, was enjoyable. Very intimate atmosphere. I was 5 rows behind Metallica, so I was distracted by this for parts of the show.. Most of the people in the audience were MTV staff, other musicians/friends/family of AIC. It is a time and show I will never forget, that is for sure. I cant believe its been almost 30 years.
@@JonHop1 Wow what a story. Thank you for sharing
@@JonHop1probably didn’t help he shot up herion just before he went on stage it well known, all the same sounds amazing here, you one lucky person to have witnessed that cluster F
Aww man, you can literally see Jerry's face light up simply because the boys were playing together perfectly that night, with he and Layne killing it vocally. It clearly meant the world to him & it continues to mean the world to us.
R.I.P Layne ❤
Supposedly Layne could barely function. They had to restart a lot of songs because Layne kept messing up. He was nodding off slipping off his chair the whole time where the crew would have to come prop him up. They were able to get good takes and edit into something complete but the Live show was an awkward mess, so they say.
@@natestain7103 You can go back and watch the Kiss tour, he was barely coherent and could barely recite lyrics. I love AIC, and Layne, but he was in a horrible spot towards the end. I'm not trying to put him down, it's just important to recognize the reality of the situation.
💯❤
Why can't we appreciate both? Why does one have to be better?
@@gunsmokeandghouls you miss the point, dude. it's not about one being better than the other, but one falling off the chair on a MTV show and the rest of the band and the audience had to cope with it.
U can see how powerful his voice is when he barely opens his mouth and that sound comes right out
Doesn't even flinch. He doesn't move his chest or shoulders.... Its pure power wether the note is silky soft or hes at the top of his lungs. Its almost like he's in a trance....touching sublime raw and truly beautiful
Right on nice tag my name Alex too
@@jeffgreen3115 Might be cause he is drugged out like most were.
@@surge45-70 so you think he can only sing good because he was “drugged” up 😂 Your ignorance is showing
@@surge45-70 well if you knew music. Youd know the difference. The entire performance was flawless. You try getting through one song after a six pack. Theres no way he was effed up for this
When Layne screams “Yeah” and the drums kick in with the audience Cheering ..... that gives me goosebumps every fucking time
Same here, man
You nailed it! 👍🏼💕
Same!!!! 😍
Me too mate
2:03
Layne's voice is so hauntingly beautiful that words can't describe. God rest his sweet soul 🙏
I was in my 20’s when they came out and I listened to them nonstop. His side project Mad Season is one of my favorites as well. I miss him.
What happened to him?
he died somewhere around 2002-03 from an ovedose
@@jfjc5694
because he was haunted
overdose@@jfjc5694
I’m 70 years old and am a big fan of classic rock from the 60’s and early 70’s. I only recently started listening to AIC. They are fantastic!
I can't tell you how much I love your comment. It's so great to see that the even the generations older then my parents can value the Seattle scene. 💯♥️😁
Bit late bro... . Only messing brother they're fantastic totally agree with you.
If you like AIC check out the screaming trees....
I play bass in a garage band with a couple of guys in their 40’s. We are playing Rooster. The bass line in fun to play.
Nowl that most classic rock stations are playing nineties era bands I see a lot of older generation guys listening to Alice In Chains
“Oh God pleeeaasssse, won’t you help me make it through” takes on a whole new meaning.
I'm glad so many people are here still
Usually when Layne sings that part he looks up like asking God to please help him make it through
🙏🙏
😭
Same meaning just hits differently
I’m 14 years old and I’m so happy my parents named me after this legend
Layne Miller I love that! Your parents have great taste.
You should man. What a great choose...
i was supposed to be named kurt if i was a boy!
@@WRATHEDRAL kurt cant be a girl name???
bro layne its aiden, the one that was on ur bus, layne staley is a legend
When a candle burns twice as bright, It will burn half as long. We still miss you Layne.
Bladerunner😊
My eyes are glowing werilly as i finalize this song...
@@bob_velseb783*sits back and has a cup of Joe, and watches the wheels go round cuzzzz....*
Dude, that’s to ALL of the greatest!!!
@@MadManDan these danm blue collared tweekers, they have ALWAYS run this town!
**HEYY-YUUH!**
Alice In Chains is the soundtrack to anyone entering their thirties and beyond.
Truly, one of those bands you can connect with more the older you get.
40's*
1000%. Funny I was literally thinking the same thing.
i guess i'm 10 years too early
@AnyaKittyMeow don't worry, you still have time. It will make sense, I promise.
Not really. I'm 35 and always found them boring af.
How the fuck Layne pulled this show off is absolutely incredible. 100lbs dripping wet, exhausted and high as fuck, and still just nails every note. Remarkable! And watching Jerry just ecstatic about the fact that Layne is pulling it off makes you smile. They look like they really enjoyed playing this show.
He was very sick when he did this. His eyes are so jacked up. 😢
Also, he bought all the candles on stage. He didn’t like the setup at first so he changed it last minute. A great gone too soon. 💔 😢
He was on angel dust for sure
You can hear his lack of teeth in the song which just adds to the tragedy. odaat
he OD 2 weeks later
He barely opened his eyes this entire show. He just opens his mouth and it comes right out. Unbelievably talented and sad at the same time. We all fight our own battles, but it's so hurtful that someone with such great influence and such a powerful gift wasnt able to overcome. RIP Layne.
Crazy how this was 1996, layne looks to have aged 20 years in 2. Jerry, Sean, and Mike (shockingly) look the same as they did in their prime. Layne had such a huge demon on him, squeezing him for all it could.
@@whiteyfisk9769 this is not a demon, but a dull craving for drugs, it is not necessary to frame this phenomenon somehow with myths and images. there are no demons, or you are stuck and burn yourself out in the desire for high, having overcome the craving for life. or you want to live and stop it. drug addicts are not pink ponies, suffering, poor and in need of attention, they are cells of a cancerous tumor and human laziness, which are called some kind of demons for self-justification. it is time for the world to harden or it will rot. it has already begun, unpunished robberies, terrorists who tell the world how to live and whom everyone is afraid to offend, today a dozen rockets flew into my city, because the world is still trying to find people among the savages, we will all pay dearly for it ((
To be in that audience would be a lifetime gift
Imagine these people out there still that were there. To talk to them would be wild
They were(sorry if it's the wrong were) all in the same room as AIC and Metallica, pretty badass
100%
Ppl always say what they would do if they had a time machine or go back in time once what historical event they would go to I would go to alice in chains mtv unplugged 1996
That voice.. loved it in 1996, still giving me goosebumps today.
Same, goosebumps
His voice is unreal
Daniela S. Hell yea🙌🏼
His voice is peculiar..not another like it!
Nothing compares to Layne....nothing
jerry’s little smile and nod to mike as layne kills it, i love how jerry was always so proud of layne..
Amazing performance. 🤩
What if he nodded because that bass feel.
its the bass lick bro, awesome performance though
Stfu you act like you know them. You're just a person on the internet.
@@bipedalhominid6815 so are you.
Most of us hide our pain. Layne put it out there in every note he sang.
Best gift MTV ever gave to this world.
Indeed
Agreed and second Was Nirvana
Damned right it is!!!
2:01 Jerry's smile at Layne when Layne looked back at him for reassurance. 🥰
Jerry is a class act.
like a brother to a brother..so emotional..
The brotherhood of AIC is one of the best things about them, almost as good as the music itself. AIC forever.
Jerry and the rest of the band members actually tried to help Layne many times with his drug addiction problems but unfortunately he cut off his contact with the band after 1996.
I never caught that before! Absolutely love that! Good catch!
AIC didn't get the same attention that Nirvana did, but musically they were far superior and Layne was on another level vocally and it wasn't close.
Joseph Johnroe truth!
@Yashwanth O nirvana beatles, soundgarden led zeppelin, aic black sabbath, mudhoney stooges, pearl jam idk
Because Nirvana wasnt Grunge....Nirvana was punk rock
AIC was darker than any other grunge band in 1996
@@fededran In 1996, maybe, but overall Soundgarden was so much darker
In my opinion AIC did the best "Unplugged" performance and there was quite a few great shows. Pearl Jam, Nirvana & STP were all great.
@Jeter Pordanson Always wondered why SG didn't. They had really great songs that could have been great acoustic
Also I loved Queensryche's Unplugged
Soundgarden was never at the same level of AiC!
your the comment on every single unplugged video
I agree, but tbh I think that Pearl Jam's Unplugged was not too worked. They just played the songs as they used to, but with acoustic guitars and bass.
You see AIC, Nirvana, STP and The Cranberries (among others). All of them added something to the performance, and it was different
Pearl Jam definitely did the best unplugged, there's absolutely no contest between Sober Eddie Vedder and strung out Layne Staley. If he were sober it would be a different story.
Layne and Chris were once in a lifetime vocalists. I’m glad I was alive during their heyday
Absolutely right
And Chester dude. Never forget Chester!
Yes & yes 💯‼️❣️
The biggest fights I got into with my parents was because of a nirvana show. Sept 20 1991 at opera house in Toronto. My older cousin got us tickets for my 8th birthday (sept 20). They didn’t let me go. I didnt talk to them for such a long time. They didn’t let me go to their 1993 show in Toronto either. I bet you can guess but early April 1994, the day the music died, was rough times for the family. I went nuts.
You are a lucky man.
I really wish Soundgarden would have done an unplugged. So many of their songs are just as good this way as they are full electric and Chris can sing anything in any setting
Chris Cornell did various unplugged sessions playing SG songs.
chris is shit at covering rage against the machine tbf
😩 I would love to hear black whole sun unplugged!!!
@@ll2323You can find a ton of acoustic Black Hole Sun videos on UA-cam. Mostly just Chris by himself, but still awesome
Facts. A SG unplugged would have been great. Chris had one of the most amazing voices, sadly also gone too soon. 😭
2:01 - Layne turns around to Jerry - "Am I doing OK?" 2:03 - Jerry smiles. "You're doing OK, Layne". No words were necessary. Heartbreaking.
Exactly brother,he will always be missed!!!!
Why did u have to point that out. Tears bro
Heartbreaking 💔I cry for him.....
yes but right after that smile he sang the best in the whole song in those few moments after. that's what reassurance can do.
Very precious moment.
as a teenager in the early 2000's remember cruising rural back roads in Kentucky with my friends jamming out to you all, after 2003 we all went into the military because there weren't much options around KY for us to get out, plus we were partying a little too hard, going on 3 combat deployments and losing some friends and back at home losing my dad and my family falling apart, I listened to this once I got home and this song hit even harder. The song didn't make me feel as alone, I was suicidal for a few years but finally got help for it. I always listen to this and think someone always have it worse than you and to not give up. Thanks for it.
Vault Boy Glad your better. Stay strong my friend.
As a young guy who also grew up in rural western KY I can relate on many levels! Hang in there and savor every minute with your loved ones, they’re all you’ve got in the end. Good luck.
Vault Boy
Thank-you for serving your country! Much *RESPECT* from Canada!
Hope you’re doing fine dude!
I’m a Kentucky girl. The bluegrass state rocks!!
Toothless in a long-sleeved shirt, wearing gloves to hide the needle marks and just about high enough to be able to do it, wreaks havoc and hits every note. RIP Layne.
Jerry was so happy this entire show, he was constantly looking around all wholesome-like and having face-convos with his bandmates lol
waddlesmcsqueezy yeah!! Haha
Yeah! Except that brief moment where Metallica makes Italy about them in between songs.
Jerry was also pretty ill for this show. He said he had gotten food poisoning from a hot dog he ate earlier in the day.
waddlesmcsqueezy Jerry had food poisoning from a hotdog he had earlier so he hid it pretty well during this performance
@@markconnorsmusic a crack pipe jes
I remember Jamming to AIC in high school. My dad came knocking on my door and asked who this band was. I ask if it was to loud. He told it wasn't loud enough. He said he liked them. So, this band is of his favorites. Good times.
Your father has taste
How cool to have such supportive parents
@@jordanowens6253 this music helped me in recovery from my addiction . there are songs like don't follow have such meaning of hope these guys were living trying to get a message through RIP Lane and Mike
That’s a beautiful memory
That's awesome
My father wanted this played at his funeral so that's what he got. It was kinda odd, but cool at the same time. Fly high Steebo.
Nice, but sorry for your loss.
Sorry man. Vietnam vet?
Was he a 'Nam vet?
@@fyou2327 does that matter to this song
How does people even play things at funerals do they bring speakers to the gravesite
Damn...Layne Staley had an AMAZING VOICE! He's boarderline nodding out on stage yet put on the best unplugged vocal performance in MTV history! R.I.P. brother. 😢
Layne can sing “yeah” better than anyone in the world.
Heck ya!!!
"A wild James Hetfield appears"
James hetfield would disagree lol
Garrett Abbey James Hetfeild is a close 2nd. Not better than Layne tho
@@Gsmoovie420 lol you compared James to Layne,,,,silly
This song is so important not only to the people who fought in that war, but also to us kids who dads came home from that war all messed up.
Melhor acustico de todos os tempos...
You got it dude. I love my pops (RIP) but goddamn growing up in a PTSD household was fucking crazy as shit. There were times I thought my dad would kill me in my sleep haha. I get emotional hearing this song every time
my grandfather fought in the vietnam war, and this song has always meant a lot to my dad. when i found out what it meant, i understood
@@fahq8484 yes..me too.😔👍
It's an experience that is uniquely ours. My father passed away July 11, 2021. I'm his first born. A son,. The first friend I ever had told me "Py (a nickname), your dad was hard on you....I'm mean hard." I tried to explain that as a 47 year old man I know he was and how vietnam was the ever present reason for why. He was never physically violent, but everything no matter how insignificant, was magnified and carried a life or death overtone. Eventually, I told my friend it's something I can't explain and even if I could he (my friend) still wouldn't understand. We definitely share a bond as children of vietnam combat veterans.
Seeing them look at each other and smile.......goddamn I love music.
I'm 18, played guitar since I was 10 and jam/play with my mates all the time and sometimes something musically magically happens and something fits together so perfectly (instruments + feelings and energy) that you just can't help but look over at your mate with that smile like 'fuck man did you just hear how mad that sounded' and they're already smiling back like 'yea thought that was just me'. Music will always be my life
I think the smile at the beginning is because Layne forgot to sing the last part of the vocal melody
White Lightning It’s actually the brotherly love and concern that Jerry had for Layne - Jerry was sick with food poisoning but he still knew that Layne was in a bad way with his heroin addiction - which is a real disease, not a moral failing or a choice. It’s no different than a diabetic with intense sugar cravings. We just choose to demonize the substance and criminalize the sufferer, to no good end. Portugal demonstrates the better, more humane way
Val Halla brotherly love. As well as a small error lol. That’s why it was funny
@@valhalla7408 interesting comparison because you give a heroin junkie sugar so they don't get sick when they're coming down.
Layne died 20 years ago today; he was dying here and not only gave one of the best performances of all time, he still gave a better performance than anybody today. RIP Layne you were one of the greatest singers to ever live, we miss you.
I agree 100 percent. Laynes life would make a great story. It has it all. Even the model girlfriend dying.
Too true.
Seriously, he looks worn here. 🖤❣
It's sad, his eyes are sunken in, hes on crack and heroin and probably other stuff. Poor Layne, sucks he never found his peace of mind while he was here.
Theres no way to say "this is the best performance". Theres probably a lot of classical musicians and people who admire that kind of music and say "this is the best performance". This music is actually kind of simple, which isn't bad it's just not technically challenging where it takes you playing since you were 4 years old to master.
This song does take some skill, it's just not intensely challenging. I love it though, rip layne, and I relate to this music more than classical. I've listened to Alice in chains for like 20 years now.
@@lemons1618 really think that is what put him over...
My God, the strength that those two had that night. Layne Staley was so messed up on Heroin, Jerry Cantrell was so sick from food poisoning. They both knew that this would be their last show together. They both pulled all of their strength together and gave us the best acoustic show that has ever been recorded. Layne Staley hit every note perfectly on "Rooster" because he knew how important that song was to Jerry Cantrell and there was no way he was going to let him down. Quite possibly one of the best duo's in the history of music.
It ,a special gathering, agreed 👍, 2 bad we don't live ever
Damn i didnt know Cantrell had food poisoning.They had to have him on some good meds to survive that one
Why do you think they knew it would be the last time performing?
😂 you really into this shit 'ey
Rooster
I’m 71 years old and the Vietnam War was the hardest for me to get through. Protesting in the streets of Detroit and in Washington DC while my high school buddies were fighting. He captures the essence of the sheer horror of war like no one else. Coupled with his own pain. He is one of the finest singers that ever existed. God rest his soul.
Indeed my friend, so many greats from the 90's have already departed.
Amen 🙏
Rori, I wonder if you knew my father.
Thank you for your service, rock on man
Hand salute my brother.
He was operatic. His voice holds all the pain of the world.
Agree you can hear that heroin cry
Amazing range!!
Poor Layne...it's rough seeing him like that.
The man was fighting some serious demons
Yeah, please give your kids a big hug everyday and tell them to say NO to drugs!! Seriously..
HEROIN IS A BIG PROBLEM DUDE
how was it wasted tho?
@@oppaipoison2074 Wasted as in he chose something he didn't know would take his life. Nobody who starts drink or drugs plans to become an addict.
Can't Imagine how much Layne must have suffered. So sad hope he found Peace.
So, Jerry Cantrell is the unsung hero for Alice.........plays guitar while singing perfect harmony. Also has great hair. RIP Layne.
unsung my ass
Also wrote most of the songs (i think)
He wrote this song for his father and to pay tribute to his time in Vietnam.
He was the leader of the band. He was behind it all from the start.
@@knux5796 He did.
To everyone who doesn't know. Rooster has a triple meaning.
Rooster was the nickname of jerry's dad, and he was in the vietnam war.
The 101st airborne had eagle patches on their arms, and the Vietnamese thought the eagle was a rooster.
And lastly, M60 gunners we're called Roosters because the flashes from the barrels looked like rooster tails.
There was a whole lot of thought and emotion put into the writing of this song.
By far one of the best songs ever written in my opinion.
Wrong
Not for this song. The meaning was Cantrells fathers nickname was Rooster...thats it...simple as that.
Also, the soldiers who were stationed in Vietnam longer than the others were referred to Roosters.
Rooster was a name of soilder who went into war first and usually came out first they were called rooster company
Thank you for this!
A rare moment in time when everything comes together to make something so perfect it leaves you speechless. This unplugged performance is so underrated it's criminal.
I feel like Lane was propped up to do this performance. So sad he needed help 😢
I’m not a religious man but Layne was the epitome of what you call “god given talent”. It’s just awesome getting to witness him sing.
Amen🙏🙌🙏
Functional addict!-! I can identify. He was truly the BEST
@@lauragoldenberg7305 ua-cam.com/video/OasMAX7UsMw/v-deo.html
Exactly, he was one of a kind
I've given MTV a lotta shit over the years but goddamn they have my eternal gratitude for putting together this utterly beautiful set..... everything about this performance is perfect. The mood, the lighting, the stage arrangement, the camera work and of course... the best band of the 90's proving why..... nothing to hide when you're performing acoustically like this, this is true once in a lifetime talent right here boys and girls. Thank you MTV.
One of my neighbor's favorite songs, whether they like it or not.
Ha!
My neighbors love it, no one here would dislike this kind of song here in my hometown.
Same here brother
Lol same here
By far the best comment 💯
Vietnam was ugly and our men didn’t deserve any of it, from the war to coming home to being spit on, respect to all of them❤️
Exactly and our government could give a shit less
Pathetic. We asamericans need to stand up and do better!
This performance is a miracle. Everyone played with perfection and Layne’s vocals is just heavenly .
Ain't found a way to kill me yet
Eyes burn with stinging sweat
Seems every path leads me to nowhere
Wife and kids, household pet
Army green was no safe bet
The bullets scream to me from somewhere
Here they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah, here come the rooster
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die
Here they come to snuff the rooster, ah yeah
Yeah, here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die
Walkin' tall machine gun man
They spit on me in my homeland
Gloria sent me pictures of my boy
Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death
My Buddy's breathin' his dyin' breath
Oh god, please won't you help me make it through?
Here they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah, here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no you know he ain't gonna die.
Rest in Peace Layne
Thank you . RIP Layne,
Gracias tete tu me los enseñaste el pote de las moscas thank you layney...montse siempre pienso en ti
ohh i see my fellow indian brother 🙏
I’m listening to this song In Saigon 2021.
Lyrics by Jerry Cantrell though don’t forget
He never lost that soul in his voice. It just gets you man.
-JB 89- yeah the truth
How in the hell does this only have 20 million views!? This is one of the greatest live performances of all time.
I've watched a 10 million times
@@jmich1762 me too
Not everyone has great taste
Most of those were and still are me in some way shape or form
The unplugged Nirvana was much more powerful and popular at that time. Even the REM one was more popular
Imagine being rooster and your son is on mtv and top of the charts with a song about you . Imagine all these years later your son still doing what he loves and showing his continued love for you theough the song . Its heaven on earth
Wasn’t Heaven on earth for Layne
Back when MTV actually had relevant shit pertaining to music on it.
Back when everything made sense - good music - culture
MTV actually played music? all i have ever seen is some bullshit reality crap about some Jersey punks or some black people that had the latest garbage rapcrap or hipnot shit, mean while, they are burning down the place they live, now thats brilliant!
As teenagers we watched music videos almost non stop.
Amen brudda🤔
@@AnnaLVajda Yesss lol - Eminem's videos were art - couldn't wait to watch the VMA's because the music and videos were amazing - it was a great time - I miss dial up lol
Layne has a voice that is so unique. It could never be duplicated.
I was a huge Nirvana & Pearl Jam fan, but I’m just now realizing how I missed the truly great performances by Alice In Chains. I will be making up for missed opportunities. This performance has me in tears.
you and me both, in tears.... I post this song every memorial day on all my social media, in honor of the vets, like Jerry's uncle, who served out nation in viet nam.....
@@albertdonkrell7838 The only thing I can think of is I was so engrossed with college & work!
Good stuff but this amount of heroin is just silly. Happy death.
Yeah I feel that of the 90s Era grunge bands, AIC is hands down the best of the major 4.... Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Soundgarden. I just think Nirvana and Pearl Jams (Nirvana being hands down the #1 most popular of them all of course)
Their sound sorta just fit that mainstream grunge vibe/aesthetic of the 90s era little more than AIC. To me Nirvana and Pearl jam gave off a similar sort of vibe and sound in a lot of their songs, but alice was a different vibe altogether. A Little darker feel/vibe to it, sounds more natural n organic, and the lyrics just hit home more. Like their songs sometimes just make you sit back and think about life, it makes you feel things... The songs are deeper and have more meaning it feels like (to me at least 🤷🏽) AIC is overall just more more complex i guess. And much more of a unique sound, especially in the vocals department. Layne had the perfect voice for grunge honestly.
Idk, just my thoughts...sorry for this long ass rant lmao. Probably didn't make much sense, baked as hell and several beers in loll.
I feel you!!🤧😫🤧was too much engrossed in other grunge bands....I didn't realize how much Layne was the epitome of pure genius💔💔he's possibly one of the greatest vocalist to have ever lived!!!!💔💔😭😭😭rest easy 💙 ❤️ ♥️ legend.
This tune never gets old but I do. What a hell of a time to be living in at 39. Today is my birthday and im rocking some Alice In Chains. Gotta appreciate mtv back then for doing this kind of stuff.
The bass during this whole performance was absolutely perfect. The tuning, the playing the mixing the everything. Perfection!!
i still cant read what the bass says
@@mikesantiago14 friends don’t let friends cut their hair
@@RandyBoBandy. ahh that makes sense, thank you
@@mikesantiago14 friends don’t let friends get friends haircuts, Metallica we’re in the audience with short hair so it was a dig at them
Well thats a simple bass line.
As a recovering opiate addict this live performance means a lot to me. You can see and hear the pain in him. Or lack there of. He was numb and just trying to stay well at this point. Yet he still was able to perform at this level. Amazing and tragic. Rest in power layne ✊
When you have tolerance you're not completely wiped out like most people believe, my friend would shoot H and go to work, no one had any idea he was under the influence of anything, you would think he was completely sober, same case for me when i used to take oxies.
Me too fellas
Me too!! AIC unplugged album got me through withdrawals!!! Especially down in a hole I would listen to it on repeat when I was miserable and couldn't sleep!! Their music and laynes voice got me thru it all!!!
Understand that this whole performance was cleverly edited as Layne was dropping off and forgetting every other line cause he was so lit. So epic when he could put it together but you could just see he is just barely there.
YES! People always comment on how “high” Layne was during this performance, but he was at the point in his addiction that he probably really couldn’t get the euphoric feeling anymore, so he was just using to not get sick.
I think what makes Rooster such an amazing piece of music is it puts you in the shoes of every soldier in the field which is why it still resonates with a lot of veterans. When Vietnam happened, young lads like Jerry's dad (who is THE Rooster) were plucked from their homes and drafted to fight in a war they did not want to fight. They were scared, tired and filled with uncertainty. Jerry did an amazing job writing this and conveying those emotions and the effects of war while Layne's powerful voice made it truly live!
No, its just cause the song is great. The feelings are personal, you cant pretend to know what another peaple think about.
Thanks for letting us know what those young men were thinking and feeling.
Only 25% of Vietnam soldiers were drafted. The other 75% were all volunteers. Careful of what you wish for, or volunteer for. This song is one of my all time favorites. And I was born in the mid 50's.
The line that hits me is they spit on me in my hometown. They risked their lives and the ones that made it back were treated like 💩.
@@joaodel95 Except that THAT was exactly what Jerry was thinking. He's talked about writing this many times and one thing he's said was that he wanted to feel what it was like for his dad. When Jerry asked his dad if he got close to what it was like his dad replied "you got too close". You can hear him tell the story here /watch?v=thptpyQswJ0
5:52 that shadow that casts over Layne's face and under his eyes during those final melancholy falsetto notes of the song is so haunting and beautiful..... it almost looks like a painting or something. Mtv did an amazing job lighting this show. Kudos.
Apparently they had to mess around with it a lot because layne had dyed his hair pink, then the had to do a few edits to get the tick of approval from the band, mostly layne.
There’s a video about it on yt somewhere
Absolutely
How are they not in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame yet???
The RnR hall of fame is a joke. How many non rock artists are in there? One is too many.
They will soon
I hope so:/
Ngl I’m a Nirvana fanboy, but for Alice in chains not to be in the hall of fame just baffles me.
I 100% agree it's ridiculous
Just knowing this song was about his dad and he dealt with PTSD from Vietnam makes this song more powerful
fun fact lanye had shot up with his dad atleast once
I listen to this song often, it's an eerie reminder of what my Dad went through over there and the PTSD that haunted him till the day he died. Unfortunately us children of Nam Vets suffer from secondary PTSD, I'm sure Jerry did too, which is probably part of the reason he wrote this song, the sad thing is my Dad was spat on and called a baby killer in the airport. 😢
@@HighlinetowermanSorry your father had to go through what he went through. Rich politicians send the middle class and poor to fight their meaningless wars. Seems like history keeps repeating itself. Take care.
Top 3 MTV Live Unplugged songs
1.Alice in chains - Nutshell
2.Pearl Jam - Black
3.Nirvana - where did you sleep last night
those are the three performances I would die to see
i would tie lake of fire in there somewhere too
Well tbh I love the live performance of rooster too I would put it same spot as nutshell
nirvana all apologies was better
I think you have the bands in the right order, but picking 1 song is almost impossible.
Can u imagine if AIC did love hate love instead of the killer is me to finish
The sound designer did the bassist wonders for this show. The entire show hes stood out and that’s says everything for a bassist.
i'm a bass player and couldn't agree more!
A good Bass player is so valuable to a band. I've played in 4 different bands over the last 30 years, and finding a good, pure Bass player was always difficult. Guitar players are a 'dime a dozen',...but a true Bass player is a gem!
He is the entire tone of the song. He is exactly what the song needed to sound perfect.
To me being musical I believe the bass guitar sets the tone for most if not all songs especially in rock music like this
The respect and joy from Jerry at 1:26 💯
It's sickening to see how effortlessly Layne can sound so epic. He is a master of vocals, what he has can't be taught. Think of all the music he could of made but was taken to soon.
He wasn't taken, he took himself.
Effortlessly man!! High as a kite and still so fucking powerful without even trying. God ot always gets me when i go and have a late 90s music marathon. These new generations will NEVER understand not be able to create the memories we did growing up and look back 20+ years later and just be consumed by it!!
Robert G people don’t give this band enough credit.
It’s 2020, I was born in 83 and watching AIC for the first time. I’ve heard the music but never seen them before. Amazing!
Mike enjoy the new found music! Quite talented. Perhaps try Blind Melon. Shannon hoon died before they got the recognition they deserved.
LOVED this song for years!! Still think THIS live version better than the original studio version. The rawness and acoustic makes it better. Miss MTV unplugged series. When MTV was ACTUALLY music and cool!
i cant believe he lived almost another 6 years after this. i mean Layne looks like death in the unplugged. Anyhow one of the greatest singers period !!!!
True words 💯
@@bdizzzzy Also looks like he missing his teeth here ?
@@geoffreyholliday1971 yes , horrible drug addiction but Layne is the best 90s rocker of all time. Rip
Looked like Hell
Sounded like Heaven
Often thinking about him, how he didn't deserve to die alone, forgotten, abandoned...he deserved so much more. He deserved life, happiness, healing. Hope you're in peace now Layne. We love you and miss you.
Unfortunately he deserved everything he got
@Bonjour thank you I'm glad you appreciate my superior intelligence.
@@latouselatrec why tho
@@mihajlopetkovic388 he chose exile, and to ignore the people who loved him and tried to help him with his addiction. It’s really sad, heroin took over his mind and I don’t think he appreciated how much his life meant to everyone else. He was in a dark place, that’s what made their music authentic and powerful.
Forgotten???? Hell no layne will never be forgotten
this is the purest form of prayer.
an unadulterated soul, spilling from its vessel.
an expression of the space between space.
Layne is beyond mesmerizing to watch it’s insane how someone you don’t even know can leave such a lasting impact on your emotions.
US Army veteran......100% disabled PTSD....I support this video....still strong at nearly 70...
I tip my hat to ya man. Hope you're making it okay 👍
Thank you for your service. God bless you. I lost my uncle Donald Layfield in Cambodia, he was 20 This song says it all.
I'm a veteran myself, tho from a different era. Keep enjoying life, you deserve every minute of it.
That's my Era & I lost 3 class mates or neighbors plus 2 others I didn't know as well from my small hometown. Still saddens me recalling those lost.
Israel thanks you for your service
anyone reading this comment: i just started listening to AIC and this was the first song that popped up. from the bass, to the guitar, and to the beautiful voice of Layne, this is truly amazing. AIC just gained a fan. 👍🏾
Would is my neighbors favorite song whether they like it or not!
Welcome to the fold my friend ❤️👍😎🤘
@@slevinkelevra5901 thanks. 💓
Amen
May I suggest some really other good bands? Petal Jam, Faith No More and my all time favorite, Tool.
As a veteran 🇺🇸 this song .... brings tears to my eyes . " It's the best song ever " 🇺🇸
Same here brother. The Iraqis tried. They obviously didn’t succeed.
Still here....10x lucky. The last one G-man told me...Hey that was it.
Welcome home! You served a valiant service and nobody recognizes it. You are the backbone of America. Thank you!
Thank you for all of your service 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
At the VA hospital listening now.... Thank you for your sacrifice Sir!!!!💯💥🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🎯✌️💯
Gone way too soon this young man did. Every time I hear Layne sing he gives me goosebumps. Rest in Peace.
That VOICE still makes me cry...
That ragged stressed out raspy type of voice sells alot of music. Sorry for your sadness.
He sang it so effortlessly. That alone showcased his amazing talent.
Love how Mike plays the guitar overdub on bass at 1:25, Jerry's reaction too😆
Layne had that voice where he sounded just as good live as on his record Just his voice alone could move your soul ONE OF A KIND
These two together vocal wise, it doesn’t ever nor will get better than this.
Agree!! 💙💙💙
Completely agree!!
Freaking get chills every time I hear Layne sing Rooster....wow, dude was one of a kind....overall harmonies were so tight....what a performance....WOW!
Hi I recommend a song called 'Looking Into The Mirror' By Robert Nix
Listening to a man singing his own funeral song… RIP Layne. Your wings have not been clipped nor denied. Fly high brother 🙏♥️
It's about Jerry's dad in the Vietnam War
I know…
That voice. The fact he sounded that damn good and performed the songs so well even whilst his addiction was killing him :( He was criminally underrated as well.
I love how his eyes are closed, he shuts the world out and let’s the music take over
lol no he was on the nod
@@matthewanthony4606 I'd like to think both, lol but anyway that's talent. I couldn't sing if I was nodding, I can barely talk, and his singing is great.
And he is high AF
@@therealjd1503 Nevertheless performing like a mofo!
cause he fucking shy person.. he was virgo
Layne's voice gives me chills everytime. The raw emotion in his voice is unparrelled.
I hate drugs so much man..too many great musicians lost because of addiction 😢 Layne was a legend sadly his career was cut short because of this poison.
What can you do after selling your soul to the devil in exchange for fame and money? To numb the pain of her loss with drugs. It's sad that this is how the machine works
Addiction and mental illness is no joke. Great song
Layne can’t keep his eyes open but sings like an angel. Man was sooooo talented.
The honest pain and dark aurora around layne is truly breathtaking. That's why he and kurt can reach ppl from the grave and through 3 generations and pull emotions out of ppl 30 years later. This is no facade this is what true darkness looks like and a man battling a self admitted lost cause looks look......true demons man...darkest porformance ive ever seen..
Cheyenne Johnson i hate when people compare greats like layne and scott to kurt. people only think kurt was great because he died so young to be honest nirvana fucking sucks and the best talent from that group is dave. kurt sucked at guitar and didn’t have a good voice he was dark and he died young and now he’s a cult following but he sucks plain and simple
Haunting and Heartbreaking
Dylan Field dude i reported you for child abuse
They’re going to reach people forever with their music👍
@@thomasdavis3998 I've reported you for child abuse
This is still one of the most powerful, affecting, moving, beautiful performances of all time. What talent they had, so young, just incredible ❤
Legendary performance by Layne, the best unplugged show of all time
While it is amazing - it isn’t as good as Black - Pearl Jam. I never seen so much emotion in a song in my life
@Anthony D. woah, calm down there buddy, B W was just staing an opinion and it was a damn good one, they both show amazing emotion just in different ways, both performances are amazing
geezus, this unplugged is better than 99% of the the studio recordings out there... damn this is good!!
Yep, no auto tune or pitch correction ....
His voice hits me like a thunder... a thunder I want to feel going through my bones for hours...
Just pure raw talent.
Layne, this world was not meant for one as beautiful as you. You're missed, brother RIP
The greatest vocalist of the 90s and it's not even a debate. RIP Layne
AFNMen!!!!! Second only to Andy Wood!!!!! The reason the world even looked at Seattle!!!!!
Layne, Jonathan Davis of KoRn, and Zach De La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine are my top 3 favorites.
Straight up
Chris Cornell was no slouch either
CC was better@@gaugehaver2426
when the drums kick in, and the audience claps... amazing. I get chills every time
Powerful. They were so good.
Yes indeed
Real shame he’s gone. Just wanna give Layne a hug, damn.
Same here bro and tell him yeah life is a bitch but please stay with us. I could only imagine the long talks he and Jerry had with one another about defeating life's demons. Cantrell has fought plenty of them himself over the years.
I lost a friend this year to alcoholism, before the lockdown. He was a huge fan of bands like Alice In Chains and Nine Inch Nails, and he definitely related to their lyrics. Honestly, I think he was beyond help, and I think that's true of someone like Layne. It can be practically impossible to keep people like that away from substances, sometimes the pain and damage runs too deep.
Bro Ryback you would crush him lol, growing up this guy carried a youth generation like no other. Damn music was good then
No homo
Same here 😊🫂♥️
55 years old and recently discovered this band. Can't get enough of it. Even went out to get myself a new hifi.
la descubrí a los 30, en realidad sabia de su existencia, pero como yo era un heavy metal ortodoxo y radical (un idiota en realidad) despreciaba el movimiento Grunge. Hubo un dia en el que me dije, voy a escuchar a estos sujetos y me compre jar of flies, entonces pense "caramba!", luego escuche esta concierto desenchufado y a partir de alli, me recrimine por mucho tiempo no haberlos disfrutado en su momento
44 just discovered them, loved STP, Nirvana, and pearl jam. Their first album is probably better then all of those bands.
Can't believe this is live considering how great he sounds....incredible. RIP Layne.
People in the audience didn't know the history they were watching one of the darkest most haunting performances ever
my god right
Would you mind explaining? Was this one of his last shows? I've been a fan since.... jar of flies? Decades now, but I may not know all the details.
@brent brumley They opened up for Kiss for a series of concerts after this and then after that, Alice In Chains and Layne parted ways. A group of recovering addicts formed a band called Mad Season in ‘94 and chose Layne to sing lead. They had an album called “Above” that is really good if you get a chance to hear it. After addiction resurfaced in a couple members and I think one passed away, that band fizzled as well and Layne went basically into seclusion at his apartment in Seattle and ultimately passed on 4-5-2002 alone and unchecked for over 2 weeks. He only weighed 86 pounds and was 6’ 1” tall. There were many unused bags of heroin, cocaine and nitrous cartridges all over the place. He OD’d on a speedball. 😢
@@rpmevo8 I cannot even imagine Alice In Chains opening for friggin Kiss lol... and I lived through that era. The 90's were weird, man.
@@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg it was wrong,,kiss dosen't even deserve to be in the same building as them, i was there, Layne was skinny and sick looking but pulled it off,,but yeah that and like dude said , well they never parted ways , officially , he just did some shit with Mike from Pj and a cpl others and i think did a ahow,,,
Layne's vocals legit giving me goosebumps
l've heard Love, Hate, Love a hundred times & I still get goosebumps & feel a visceral gut punch when he hits the low notes & then immediately the high. Perfection.
The Rooster is about Jerry Cantrell Sr who served as a grunt with the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) Division in Vietnam.
mark hanley Jimi Hendrix also served in the 101st airborne. Wonder if he and Jerrys Dad met.
Probably not, Hendrix got discharged before he could get deployed
i’ve always been amazed by how easily layne could hit those notes, no strain at all. just amazing he was the best vocalist to ever live. he died too young, rip
Such a real moment at 1:36 - this man is quite literally baring his soul and dying in front of us here. He is tired. He is sad. There's a spark, but he's just so tired from emotional pain.
Same thing in that last bit of the song.
It's just heartbreaking seeing how much life had taken from him, look at his sunken eyes and him staring down with little more to give
reb1138 Heroin addiction is what killed him. I have worked with junkies in active addiction - it drags you down, and creates unimaginable depression.
136 = Betrayed, Passion, and Awkward. (I study numerology)
What pain? He's got the whole world at his feet and everything everyone could ever want. Any body thats still miserable after all that doesn't need or deserve to be here then...
@@roberthaizlip4351 You may place value on these things, others, such as Layne, do not.