@@timc3665 ever since AIC came out Layne has been my favorite singer and everyone in our circle thought so too. I always thought the majority of people loved him too, but I was taking a survey of people that liked or disliked him. There wasn’t an internet to get information, just rock magazines and MTV and I was never home. We would always find trouble to get into most the time. My point is that I never knew people looked over him, we practically worshiped him. I did find it really shocking they weren’t inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame the first year possible. But they’ve had a rocky history with Rolling Stone magazine (I heard they run the hall of fame) ever since they put that closeup photo of Layne on the cover with the title ‘ the needle and the damage done”. They promise to put the whole band on the cover and not focus on Layne drug addict, both of which they did anyways. AIC threatened to whip the authors a&$ when they seen him and then laid a deuce/sh/# in a box and mailed it to the author.
His voice and the feelings that he did put on the songs was on another level. Recently listening to alice in chains again after years and still gets me.
Layne was a beast behind the mic. Best vocalist I've ever heard: raw talent and pure emotion, I believe every word he ever sang and that's something one can't "learn". I miss him...
@@Shade_Tree_Mechanic lacking in real emotion. Derivative of early Yankovic. Overly reliant on vibrato for tension rather than complexity of atonal regimented juxtaposition of natural chordation
Literally THIS song has Mike, Sean and Jerry all having their most badass collective moment of their careers together only for Layne to steal the show himself. The demo version is even more impressive on that with how they were playing around with the vocal lines
@@OddYxD Starr was going off on the bass in here as well the bass line is immaculate, junkhead imo is collectively their best all around song/performance.
@@lordofhador5843 I was kidding Jerry was the one responsible for the musical sound and the best riffs like you said. There would be no AIC without either Layne or Jerry. I know AIC is still around but mainly from the fans carrying over from the Layne years. I do think both of them would be part of a band that “made it” and we would still know them. AIC came out when I was 16 and everybody I hung out with lost their mind(mostly over the Dirt album).
I think what makes Layne's voice so powerful is the fact he meant and felt every word he sang. Listening to his lyrics retrospectively is quite heart breaking when you know how the story end. RIP to one of the most unique voices in rock
"I listened to all of my parents' records. Joe Cocker & Elton John have got feeling, soul. I'm not really interested in whether someone is technically or musically correct. If there's a lot of power and emotion, that's what I like." - Layne Staley
I watched a rare interview with him recently and the female reporter asked him if he had any current inflences which would've been in the early '90s. Layne's answer was Prince which surprised her but it shows that he wasn't your typical rock singer. There was another video of him criticizing many rock bands for only singing about superficial shit like sex and cars so he was a very honest and genuine person which absolutely shines through in his vocal delivery.
Layne was once in a lifetime singer he made his on vocal path in everything he did he was such a trendsetter back in the 90s ! He was one talented dude!
Jerry said in an interview that when he first heard Layne sing he thought the voice was coming out of a 300 pound biker instead of skinny little Layne loll
@@carolynl.890 i always think about how layne had such a quiet, mild, almost high pitched speaking voice. but the second he starts to sing it’s like a roar, he had a voice that could shake the room. if you had heard an interview of his before ever hearing any of his songs i guarantee you would never have been able to predict what would come out of him lol.
Perfect breakdown. You get it! My wife asked me and my daughter “what do you listen to when your depressed?” We both said “Alice in Chains” the she said what do you listen to when you’re happy? We both said “Alice in Chains.” There is something about the true emotive singing that Layne had that really helps you feel. That aside, the great debate amongst us Gen X grungies….. Who had a better voice? Layne Staley or Chris Cornell? I always go back and forth on this one.
Man, we cannot compare the two, only appreciate what they gave us. Love, Hate, Love live at the Moore was the single greatest performance of all time, in my opinion, but Layne could not have done what Cornell did with tracks like Beyond the Wheel and Hunger Strike. Different strokes for different blokes but both of them were and will always be one of a kind
Yup, no point of comparison nor a competition. I enjoy them the same although I have a softer spot for Chris. I'd add Ed Kowalczyk in that group of supernatural singers with impossible and inimitable voices of the 90s.
@@rael2099 I have soft spot for him too. Based solely on the fact he was one of my first crushes lol. That aside, I can’t compare nor rank them. It’s horrible that Chris is gone and incredibly sad. Thru the years, as I continue to listen to and watch AIC or Mad Season it just seems so much more tragic. You can just see Layne fading.
The way he belts out "I do it a lot yeahhh" right before the solo is one of my top 3 Layne moments. Goosebumps every single time. He just absolutely destroys. Miss him so damn much.
He’s the only one that does that for me. No matter how many times I’ve heard a particular song it still gives me the same feeling, I’ve never heard anyone else that did that for me. Others have came close for me, in particular.... Steve Marriott, Greg Allman, John Fogarty, Chris Cornell.... but Layne is the only one who does it every time 🤘🏽
@@BradCross1982 Their unplugged performance gets me every time. Layne's hunched over posture and blank look on his face is haunting. Seeing how unwell he was is almost hard to watch. But damn, what a performance.
Yes. Even at his worst he was still great. As I mentioned before some other singers come close for me but Layne is the only one who gives me goosebumps every single time no matter how many times I’ve heard the songs, especially his live performances I love them, I a few of Alice In Chains live bootlegs burned onto cd, perfect for cruising 🤘🏽
This was in 1992, this was actually in his prime. His voice is a powerhouse that people have said could be heard over the speakers. They worked the crap out of his vocals with the amount of touring. It wasn’t till 93 he almost begged them to cancel a show because it was causing so much strain. But he definitely was singing healthy. His voice was the most incredible and unique I have ever heard. He sang I quote like an “angry angel”. He was said to been heard over the speakers. He is the best of all time. Rest In Peace layne. He was a beautiful person. Chills every time I hear him. 🤘
Agree. Hell, the Whole show is Amazing. l Wore OUT the VHS l bought. Need to find it on DVD. Check out AIC at the 1313 club. Its on Utube, just audio. l was there that night. Best show l saw them do live.
Thank you Beth for this video. It's soothing to see how this gives other people shivers, too :) like at 02:25 where Lane becomes nothing less than sort of an ultra loud stadium siren putting out a long screeching holler without a decay in pressure, just to move up 3 halftones at the end of it. That's not just a "Yeah" but comes to "Yeeeeeeaaaahhhhoowwweahh", sounding like finally the yell goes down the drain in a sink. Absolutely amazing how he can do artsy things like that with such control of his voice in a live situation... 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🎶
Beth the appreciation and analysis you provide with Layne and other raw emotional talent sets you apart from the balance of individuals across this medium. Thanks so much for just being you and honest to the these artists giving all of what they have in life.
His voice kills me. It’s so distinct, hard and soft at the same time. Every time I hear his voice it remind me of my youth, but makes me so sad. I feel like the best voices are only around for such a short time
Layne Staley is the most unique singers I’ve ever listened to. You think he’s going one way then he goes someplace totally unexpected. He literally sings to a tune all his own. Not to mention he did many of his own harmonies. I have loved AIC & him since I bought Dirt (when it came out). I actually listened to AIC today. Layne Staley AIC is always in the lineup!
His entire MTV unplugged session was absolutely amazing... his voice was on point even though he was about to nod out throughout the entire thing. RIP Layne
The best part of the song for me is the chorus where Jerry's beautiful vocal harmony comes in, and you can hear Mike's incredibly funky and catchy bassline just carry the melody so well. Fucking amazing
This song right here helped me understand the mind of a drug addict. My dad was clean for 30 plus years until ALS and multiple knee surgeries caused him to have a relapse I still get chills listening to this song.
“No Excuses” from Unplugged, Love Hate Love from Live at the Moore, “Dirt” from Dirt lol, “Over Now” from Alice In Chains. Too hard to pick a favorite.
@@melanieballard110 Down in a Hole from unplugged, Sludge Factory from unplugged, Dirt from dirt, Angry chair from Dirt, Died from Music Bank, Bleed the freak from Facelift and Rooster 2 versions
One of the best live performances from Alice in Chains. This was Layne Staley in his pocket in terms of vocal power/dexterity. If you do AIC again, Please check out "God Am Live at the Kiel Center, St. Louis, MO, July 1996." I personally go for the audio recording because the live video is grainy but nevertheless this is an underrated gem from Alice in Chains. This performance was the last time Layne Staley was on helm as lead vocalist. Layne was at this point deep in the thralls of his heroin addiction and physically and mentally gone (the glaring weight loss, long sleeved clothes and gloves to hide the needle marks, (e)motionless, and teeth decay). Layne's bandmates were also struggling with addiction (particularly lead guitarist/secondary singer/songwriter/riff lord Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney dealing with alcoholism). With all that going on in these guys' personal lives, this rendition of "God Am" is an exercise of despair rooted from the band's personal pain and sorrow. Layne in particular, gives a harrowing yet powerful and piercing vocal performance that will hit anyone a certain way. I think can be up there with any of AIC's live work, including their performance of "Junkhead." Love your content Beth Roars! 😁👍❤️ Hope all is well
Layne had the ability to sing better live than in the studio recording sometimes. Junkhead is a great example, but also Man in the Box. What a great loss!
Some of their songs also feature a lot more harmonizing between him and their guitarist, Jerry Cantrell, who is a good singer too, just not Layne level (who is?) I can't think of another rock band from the era that had a better harmonizing pair. Heaven Beside You is one that comes to mind where Cantrell takes the lead.
You gotta do the song "Real Thing" from live at the Moore. Layne sings that song with a different passion then usual--you'll see him in a different light. Hardly anyone does it.
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@@jasonhasse6920f you really don't get it then you didn't hear what he did a second before that. She did it because she didn't wanted to stop it again to comment on yet another natural accentuation that he produced. He scooped really low before finishing a phrase. Go to 8:00 and listen to what she said.
Layne was always better live than he was in the studio version. The lyric "What's my drug of choice? Well, what have you got? I don't go broke and I do it a lot." Layne had an accountant and access to a continual supply of money thanks to royalty checks always coming in. He spent his money on drugs, toys, and video games mostly. Layne had tried just about every drug in a span of twelve years. He sent Demri out to get drugs once, for cocaine, she came back with heroin. It's a toss-up whether she introduced him to heroin, or he discovered it on the tour with Van Halen in 1991 or if one of the guys in the industrial rock band Ministry taught him to shoot heroin, or he discovered it on his own. But, once he had heroin that was it. It's hard to break a heroin habit. He did do crack on a regular basis. When they found his body, they found a handful of needles around and under his body and two crack pipes on the coffee table. It's unclear if Mike Starr had taken the drugs with him when he left the day before because all they found was five hundred dollars in cash, heroin stains on the carpet between the bathroom and living room, and drug paraphernalia. The door was bolted from the inside when the police caused around $12,000.00 in damage breaking the door down. Crack was one drug that Mark Lanegan REFUSED to do with him because crack messed Lanegan up. So apparently Lanegan had discovered a drug that was a bridge too far for him, but he sure didn't help Layne's situation at all. Layne was working on Mad Season's Above album (and later on Tripod) and the assistants in both sessions had asked Layne why he was doing this (using drugs) to himself. Both times, Layne replied to the effect of "I'm either going to drink or do dope, and drinking is harder on me." Cantrell said in 2013: "That darkness was always part of the band, but it wasn’t all about that. There was always an optimism, even in the darkest shit we wrote. With the Dirt album, it’s not like we were saying ‘Oh yeah, this is a good thing.’ It was more of a warning than anything else, rather than ‘Hey, come and check this out, it’s great!’ We were talking about what was going on at the time, but within that, there was always a survivor element - a kind of triumph over the darker elements of being a human being. I still think we have all of that intact, but maybe the percentage has shifted." The Dirt album, most of the songs written by Layne, aside from a handful of them, concern his own feelings about his drug addiction. He knew he had made a mistake by getting into drugs. He wanted his fans to LEARN FROM his mistakes, he never wanted them to follow in his footsteps. Having a fan come up and tell him they were high was the exact opposite of what he intended. According to Jerry Cantrell, "I think SICKMAN is not that bad. I thought most of the hassle would come from JUNKHEAD and GOD SMACK. Those songs are put in sequence on the second side those five songs from JUNKHEAD to ANGRY CHAIR for a reason: Because it tells a story. It starts out with a really young naive attitude with JUNKHEAD, like drugs are great, sex is great, rock'n' roll, yeah! Then, as it progresses, there's a little bit of growing up and a little bit of a realization of what it's about, and that ain't what it's about. I've been using this phrase a lot, but it makes a lot of sense: It's really easy to die; it's really hard to live. It takes a lot of guts to live. It doesn't take a lot of guts to die. Those five and SICKMAN are the only ones talking about that type of mentality (drugs). The rest of the stuff is not like that at all. A good portion of it is a story, and it's meant to be that way. It's kind of overwhelming and unpleasant at times, unsettling maybe, but that's why all those songs are together. Even if it's disturbing, it's not something anybody else needs to worry about or the way somebody else needs to live their life." And for reference, GOD SMACK -- as two words -- is an Alice In Chains song that Layne wrote concerning HIS feelings about his own drug addiction. 'Godsmack' -- as one word -- is a horrible Alice In Chains tribute band who took their name from the Alice In Chains song, and stole their whole look and sound from Alice In Chains, and is the reason why I hate tribute bands. I see Layne Staley of AIC and Jim Morrison in the same way a little bit. Whereas Jim was only musically active from 1964/65 - 1970.... that's 6 years... there was a finality to his passing. Maybe it had to do with the other band members not doing anything for so many years after Jim died until Manzarek decided to regroup with new singers as The Doors of the 21st Century. With Layne ... Layne was around a lot longer than Jim... 12 years, but in that span, Layne was probably only active the same amount of time as Jim as far as albums and live shows over the years (not the actual amount of shows between the two, but the YEARS they were seen at live events). After the 4 KISS shows in 1996, people only saw him out and about sporadically. Other musicians tried to spark a creative flair hoping if he was creative he wouldn't want the drugs, but it only worked for as long as it took to complete the project and he'd close down again. 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. Both Layne and Jim kept their humor and wit even to the end of their lives. "Whatever dramas are going on in my life, I always find that place inside my head where I see myself as the cleanest, tallest, strongest, wisest person that I can be." -- Layne Staley "My bad habits aren't my title. My strengths and my talent are my title." -- Layne Staley "When I tried drugs they were fucking great, and they worked for me for years, and now they're turning against me- and now I'm walking through hell and this sucks. I wrote about drugs, and I didn't think I was being unsafe or careless by writing about them. I didn't want my fans to think heroin was cool. But then I've had fans come up to me and give me the thumbs up, telling me they're high. That's exactly what I didn't want to happen." -- Layne Staley
I’ve heard of several musicians getting turned on to heroin by Ministry and also Butthole Surfers (specifically Al Jourgensen and Gibby Haynes). On a personal level though, I’d like to give a shout out to Natalie for leading me down that dark path. You nearly killed me but in the end only ended up killing yourself.
The bit about the song order, that's a lost art. Songs on albums used to be ordered in specific ways to tell a story, or have themes, or simply to establish an overall sense of musical motion. Now, if you even get a whole album, the songs are generally just thrown on in some arbitrary order.
@@PaulGuy lost art for sure - the order makes a big difference - and it’s even more pronounced when albums were organized to split into side A and side B in vinyl or cassette tapes. I love when both sides to an album have a distinct vibe - and the B side of Dirt is no exception. It’s definitely got a grimy heroin vibe to it.
the guy is missed. Alice in chains music is so heavy loaded. makes it more sadder the way he was slowly sinking into death. everytime he sings you hear this kickass talent but also you hear the undertone of his kinda depressing state of himself. gives me chills.
Layne is how I found your channel :) It makes me so happy that you regularly come back to him as well as Chris Cornell because you articulate what made them special *SO* well. More please!!!
He also hits an insane high note at the end on the studio version. It’s the last “yeaaaa-ah-ah-aayyaaah” In addition to being so unique and emotionally raw, Layne also had a great range. Out of all those Seattle scene singers, I think he was only surpassed in terms of vocal range by Chris Cornell (still hurts to think of these guys in the past tense…RIP to all of them, and long live Eddie Vedder).
Penso o mesmo. Ele colocava todos os sentimentos no vocal. Agora a música escolhida pra analisar poderia ser outra, apesar de eu amar tudo que o Layne cantava.
@@evaldomoreira3078 poderia ser essa mesma, só que claramente ele estava rouco aí,essa versão não é nem de longe a melhor performance dele nessa música, que é difícil pra caralho de cantar... aqui no UA-cam tem versões em que ele apavora em JUNKHEAD
As a singer/ guitarist/ songwriter myself, the one singer that I would say has this emotive style right now, is Jay Buchanan from the band "Rival Sons". Jay is an incredible vocalist and writer. I bet you would like him. His acoustic performances are typically my favorite. But the band is awesome.
Thank you for recognizing Layne’s greatness. He is a once in a lifetime talent. Their music helped me cope through my darkest times. Not always in the mood for this type of music as I grow older, but it’s still my favorite!
Beth is so freaking adorable. Lol. I love her so much. This is one of my favorite bands of all time. Layne is the reason I'm a vocalist myself and I miss him every day.
AIC is one of the greatest bands to me, and Layne is without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists ever. I was pumped for this reaction, my fav live performance ever.
Even with the voice kind of broken at this performance, Layne managed to give us an insane performance. The most visceral singer of all time in my opinion. Greetings from Brazil!
Unforgettable performance by Layne. Listened to this album so many times and it still hits hard every time I hear it. Thanks for covering it Beth!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is one of those moments where you leap to click play at first sight. It's like an event. For 29 years I've been listening to this song, Beth Roars, and it was nice to hear you add some nuance and color to this incredible performance that I hadn't noticed before. Fun to watch you rock out too. Thanks!
This guy doesnt need introducing. He's legendary.
Yesss
Word!
Just like Martin L. Gore
Layne Staley is a god among insects. It took 25 years but he is now becoming recognized for the true talent that he was.
@@timc3665 ever since AIC came out Layne has been my favorite singer and everyone in our circle thought so too. I always thought the majority of people loved him too, but I was taking a survey of people that liked or disliked him. There wasn’t an internet to get information, just rock magazines and MTV and I was never home. We would always find trouble to get into most the time. My point is that I never knew people looked over him, we practically worshiped him. I did find it really shocking they weren’t inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame the first year possible. But they’ve had a rocky history with Rolling Stone magazine (I heard they run the hall of fame) ever since they put that closeup photo of Layne on the cover with the title ‘ the needle and the damage done”. They promise to put the whole band on the cover and not focus on Layne drug addict, both of which they did anyways. AIC threatened to whip the authors a&$ when they seen him and then laid a deuce/sh/# in a box and mailed it to the author.
Layne Staley was one of the most amazing voices to ever set foot on this planet. He sang with passion!
His voice and the feelings that he did put on the songs was on another level. Recently listening to alice in chains again after years and still gets me.
@@Franciscogonzalez-un7hp True!
FACT!!
Agreed.
Incredible voice
Layne's voice always gets me. Every. Single. Time.
Without a doubt man - it's second to none. He was an absolute legend.
Every. Single. Time. I hear you 🤘
Layne was a once in a lifetime experience. There will never be another singer like him. He’s the greatest vocalist from the grunge era.
*of all time
Agreed and I like to add that no one and I mean no one says, sings, screams, snarls "Yeah" like Mr Layne Staley.
@@shamtenma5350 agreed , makes James hetfeild sound like a school girl
I think Cornell might have a say in here
@@helmetpig1986 Yeh I always go back and forth on the two.
His singing and that heavy, distorted bass riff together are just something else. Rest easy, Layne and Mike, you absolute legends.
The world didn't know what they had when Layne Staley was still alive. The man was untouchable.
Layne was a beast behind the mic. Best vocalist I've ever heard: raw talent and pure emotion, I believe every word he ever sang and that's something one can't "learn". I miss him...
Layne’s was just a raw force of nature. Just nothing like him and will be forever missed
The best thing about Layne was his authenticity. You really felt his pain when he sang.
Its true his singing was so heart based. He was all heart.
I didn't feel his pain.
@@pornsakpongthong1092 Listen to Love Hate Love - Live at The Moore 1990
@@Shade_Tree_Mechanic lacking in real emotion. Derivative of early Yankovic. Overly reliant on vibrato for tension rather than complexity of atonal regimented juxtaposition of natural chordation
@@pornsakpongthong1092 Lol everyone can feel his emotion through singing but its hard to please know-it-alls like you
There is NO ONE like him now, and there never will be, which is the greater tragedy. We still miss you, Layne.
With Layne's performance on this song we almost forget about how Sean Kinney absolutely strangled that drum set.
Sean is such a badass lol
Literally THIS song has Mike, Sean and Jerry all having their most badass collective moment of their careers together only for Layne to steal the show himself.
The demo version is even more impressive on that with how they were playing around with the vocal lines
@@OddYxD Starr was going off on the bass in here as well the bass line is immaculate, junkhead imo is collectively their best all around song/performance.
You nailed it brother
@@OddYxD wheres the demo version?
Beth's excited reactions to Layne are so cute!
She is awed by him....and well should be
She might respect his vocals but I honestly can't tell if she likes it by her body language.
@@davidg6218 I think she does. It's like the reaction someone has when something 'Burns so good', you know?
@@D4n1t0o OK. I wish she commented more. I would love a vocal coach but have nowhere to practice currently.
@@davidg6218 she doesn't headbang just to headbang.. her body language showed that was really into it im not sure what you mean
Also, can’t forget Jerry’s vocal harmonies, riffs, and absolutely haunting solo in this one. Or Mike and Sean, of course.
Who’s Jerry??
@@td315 the guitarrist
@@lordofhador5843 I was kidding Jerry was the one responsible for the musical sound and the best riffs like you said. There would be no AIC without either Layne or Jerry. I know AIC is still around but mainly from the fans carrying over from the Layne years. I do think both of them would be part of a band that “made it” and we would still know them. AIC came out when I was 16 and everybody I hung out with lost their mind(mostly over the Dirt album).
I think what makes Layne's voice so powerful is the fact he meant and felt every word he sang. Listening to his lyrics retrospectively is quite heart breaking when you know how the story end. RIP to one of the most unique voices in rock
"I listened to
all of my parents' records. Joe Cocker & Elton John have got feeling, soul. I'm not really interested in whether someone is technically or musically correct. If there's a lot of power and emotion, that's what I like."
- Layne Staley
I watched a rare interview with him recently and the female reporter asked him if he had any current inflences which would've been in the early '90s. Layne's answer was Prince which surprised her but it shows that he wasn't your typical rock singer. There was another video of him criticizing many rock bands for only singing about superficial shit like sex and cars so he was a very honest and genuine person which absolutely shines through in his vocal delivery.
Layne painted a masterpiece with his voice every single time he stepped up to the microphone-he’s a legend.
There will never be another Layne Staley... May he rest in peace.
NEVER!!!!!
Layne was once in a lifetime singer he made his on vocal path in everything he did he was such a trendsetter back in the 90s ! He was one talented dude!
He sounds amazing because his voice is the psychical expression of his broken soul... A true feeling, a true voice.
Feeling sad, angry, lost, hopeless, dreamy, happy? Grunge it is, that is all.
Layne sounds like a damn mountain Lion.
This comment made me laugh
And I don’t laugh at UA-cam comments often
Yeah, definitely a sound that if you don't know it, you're, like, "WTF was that?!?", but if you do, you know the sh!t is getting real!
Jerry said in an interview that when he first heard Layne sing he thought the voice was coming out of a 300 pound biker instead of skinny little Layne loll
@@carolynl.890 i always think about how layne had such a quiet, mild, almost high pitched speaking voice. but the second he starts to sing it’s like a roar, he had a voice that could shake the room. if you had heard an interview of his before ever hearing any of his songs i guarantee you would never have been able to predict what would come out of him lol.
Layne was a cat
Layne always felt what he was singing. I think this is why he was different. Legendary! Forever.
So casual at the end. "Thanks a lot".
Very down-to-earth.
Easily one of the most humble rockstars ever
I cannot hear this song without waiting for that exact moment
It is a cry
Perfect breakdown. You get it! My wife asked me and my daughter “what do you listen to when your depressed?” We both said “Alice in Chains” the she said what do you listen to when you’re happy? We both said “Alice in Chains.” There is something about the true emotive singing that Layne had that really helps you feel.
That aside, the great debate amongst us Gen X grungies….. Who had a better voice? Layne Staley or Chris Cornell?
I always go back and forth on this one.
Just having to ask the question, to compare two vocal legends, is a blessing
Man, we cannot compare the two, only appreciate what they gave us. Love, Hate, Love live at the Moore was the single greatest performance of all time, in my opinion, but Layne could not have done what Cornell did with tracks like Beyond the Wheel and Hunger Strike.
Different strokes for different blokes but both of them were and will always be one of a kind
I’ve quit comparing. I love them both.
Yup, no point of comparison nor a competition. I enjoy them the same although I have a softer spot for Chris.
I'd add Ed Kowalczyk in that group of supernatural singers with impossible and inimitable voices of the 90s.
@@rael2099 I have soft spot for him too. Based solely on the fact he was one of my first crushes lol. That aside, I can’t compare nor rank them.
It’s horrible that Chris is gone and incredibly sad.
Thru the years, as I continue to listen to and watch AIC or Mad Season it just seems so much more tragic. You can just see Layne fading.
it's always a pleasure to hear Layne
The way he belts out "I do it a lot yeahhh" right before the solo is one of my top 3 Layne moments. Goosebumps every single time.
He just absolutely destroys. Miss him so damn much.
Does anyone else get goosebumps from Layne's voice?
Everytime.
He’s the only one that does that for me. No matter how many times I’ve heard a particular song it still gives me the same feeling, I’ve never heard anyone else that did that for me. Others have came close for me, in particular.... Steve Marriott, Greg Allman, John Fogarty, Chris Cornell.... but Layne is the only one who does it every time 🤘🏽
@@BradCross1982 Their unplugged performance gets me every time. Layne's hunched over posture and blank look on his face is haunting. Seeing how unwell he was is almost hard to watch. But damn, what a performance.
Yes. Even at his worst he was still great. As I mentioned before some other singers come close for me but Layne is the only one who gives me goosebumps every single time no matter how many times I’ve heard the songs, especially his live performances I love them, I a few of Alice In Chains live bootlegs burned onto cd, perfect for cruising 🤘🏽
Every damm time for the last 34. Years
Layne Staley, the greatest singer Ive seen in my entire 25 years of life.
Mine too in my 52's...
You like AIC and you have Guts on pfp, you're a cool dude.
Layne Staley has helped me through my darkest times. A talented musician and a wonderful man.
My favorite version of this song! I get goosebumps every time.
Hypnotic! Thank you Beth for honoring the one and only Layne.
0:23 “Layne’s voice is heartbreaking”. Nailed it.
This was in 1992, this was actually in his prime. His voice is a powerhouse that people have said could be heard over the speakers.
They worked the crap out of his vocals with the amount of touring. It wasn’t till 93 he almost begged them to cancel a show because it was causing so much strain. But he definitely was singing healthy. His voice was the most incredible and unique I have ever heard. He sang I quote like an “angry angel”. He was said to been heard over the speakers. He is the best of all time. Rest In Peace layne. He was a beautiful person. Chills every time I hear him. 🤘
6:06 its heartbreaking, calming, strong and magical at the same time.
She needs to do Godsmack by this band so I know that the fuck he is doing with his voice in that song.
It sounds like he pushes in and out or side to side on his Adam’s apple. Like a manual vibrato or something on godsmack.
@@jonvonjoni3045 I hope it's that easy. But I would love for a person trained to hear it.
It’s a very fast vibrato. Hard to do naturally but can do it easier tapping on your Adam’s apple
Alice in chains "Bleed the Freak" from Moore Theater next please!
Agree. Hell, the Whole show is Amazing. l Wore OUT the VHS l bought. Need to find it on DVD. Check out AIC at the 1313 club. Its on Utube, just audio. l was there that night. Best show l saw them do live.
Yes, the harmonies and of course tge epic screams by Layne following the guitar solo
I'd like to see
How you all would bleed for me
Toronto 1992 is also another killer version of BTF
Thank you Beth for this video. It's soothing to see how this gives other people shivers, too :) like at 02:25 where Lane becomes nothing less than sort of an ultra loud stadium siren putting out a long screeching holler without a decay in pressure, just to move up 3 halftones at the end of it. That's not just a "Yeah" but comes to "Yeeeeeeaaaahhhhoowwweahh", sounding like finally the yell goes down the drain in a sink. Absolutely amazing how he can do artsy things like that with such control of his voice in a live situation... 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🎶
Beth the appreciation and analysis you provide with Layne and other raw emotional talent sets you apart from the balance of individuals across this medium. Thanks so much for just being you and honest to the these artists giving all of what they have in life.
Layne makes me cry every goddamn time I listen to him, no matter what mood I'm in. RIP angel.
His voice kills me. It’s so distinct, hard and soft at the same time. Every time I hear his voice it remind me of my youth, but makes me so sad. I feel like the best voices are only around for such a short time
Only singer I think always sounds better on the “live” version. He was just legendary.
I love how you feel this and pick up on how the techniques connect to the emotions.
Layne was insanely awesome live! Miss both him and Chris!
Layne Staley is the most unique singers I’ve ever listened to. You think he’s going one way then he goes someplace totally unexpected. He literally sings to a tune all his own. Not to mention he did many of his own harmonies. I have loved AIC & him since I bought Dirt (when it came out). I actually listened to AIC today. Layne Staley AIC is always in the lineup!
His entire MTV unplugged session was absolutely amazing... his voice was on point even though he was about to nod out throughout the entire thing. RIP Layne
Layne's imperfections were absolutely perfect. Thanks for the video, Beth.
It’s not just me I’m sure but when he kicks in the first chorus it makes my body and my head tingle. Voice from god.
Layne was the best singer to walk the planet, so much soullll.
Probably my favorite AiC song. Every member is firing on all cylinders.
The best part of the song for me is the chorus where Jerry's beautiful vocal harmony comes in, and you can hear Mike's incredibly funky and catchy bassline just carry the melody so well. Fucking amazing
This song right here helped me understand the mind of a drug addict. My dad was clean for 30 plus years until ALS and multiple knee surgeries caused him to have a relapse I still get chills listening to this song.
Layne really was special. Thank you for this video, Beth.
I'm a simple man. I see beth roars and Alice in chains and I have to click
There will never be another one like him. RIP Layne.
Junkhead, Angrychair, and Don’t Follow. My three favorite AIC songs.
“No Excuses” from Unplugged, Love Hate Love from Live at the Moore, “Dirt” from Dirt lol, “Over Now” from Alice In Chains. Too hard to pick a favorite.
Got me wrong - MTV unplugged too!
@@imstnn Agree. I love the entire Unplugged album.
You chose wisely. Much love to you.
@@melanieballard110 Down in a Hole from unplugged, Sludge Factory from unplugged, Dirt from dirt, Angry chair from Dirt, Died from Music Bank, Bleed the freak from Facelift and Rooster 2 versions
He was as real as it gets.
The Goat imo from a rock vocal standpoint.
What a voice! His emotiveness and rasp are unparalleled.
Would love to see you react to Tamino.
One of the best live performances from Alice in Chains. This was Layne Staley in his pocket in terms of vocal power/dexterity.
If you do AIC again, Please check out
"God Am Live at the Kiel Center, St. Louis, MO, July 1996." I personally go for the audio recording because the live video is grainy but nevertheless this is an underrated gem from Alice in Chains. This performance was the last time Layne Staley was on helm as lead vocalist. Layne was at this point deep in the thralls of his heroin addiction and physically and mentally gone (the glaring weight loss, long sleeved clothes and gloves to hide the needle marks, (e)motionless, and teeth decay). Layne's bandmates were also struggling with addiction (particularly lead guitarist/secondary singer/songwriter/riff lord Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney dealing with alcoholism). With all that going on in these guys' personal lives, this rendition of "God Am" is an exercise of despair rooted from the band's personal pain and sorrow. Layne in particular, gives a harrowing yet powerful and piercing vocal performance that will hit anyone a certain way. I think can be up there with any of AIC's live work, including their performance of "Junkhead."
Love your content Beth Roars! 😁👍❤️
Hope all is well
Never been click faster before
literally my favorite song ever
Layne always put it out there when doing live performances. Should see live in settle moore. Man in the box..
Beth Roars has the most soothing voice I have ever heard.
I love this band so much, thank you for feeling all the feelings that Layne gave us… he is a legend and missed dearly
Layne was underestimated, but his voice will be eternal, he who does not understand does not know about music.
He was never underestimated nerd
Layne was underestimated? Wasn't he a world famous rockstar?
Layne had the ability to sing better live than in the studio recording sometimes. Junkhead is a great example, but also Man in the Box. What a great loss!
Some of their songs also feature a lot more harmonizing between him and their guitarist, Jerry Cantrell, who is a good singer too, just not Layne level (who is?) I can't think of another rock band from the era that had a better harmonizing pair. Heaven Beside You is one that comes to mind where Cantrell takes the lead.
They were such a perfect pair 💔
I often like how Jerry's singing highlighted how amazing Layne was, because Jerry himself is an amazing singer.
You gotta do the song "Real Thing" from live at the Moore. Layne sings that song with a different passion then usual--you'll see him in a different light. Hardly anyone does it.
This yup....She did Love, Hate, Love from that show but that whole concert is fire....
Amazing video. I’ve always been blown away with what Layne can do with his voice.
Long live the legend... Layne Staley ❤ 🤘
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Love you.
Why’d you roll your eyes at 7:23(4)?
@@jasonhasse6920f you really don't get it then you didn't hear what he did a second before that. She did it because she didn't wanted to stop it again to comment on yet another natural accentuation that he produced. He scooped really low before finishing a phrase. Go to 8:00 and listen to what she said.
Layne was always better live than he was in the studio version.
The lyric "What's my drug of choice? Well, what have you got? I don't go broke and I do it a lot."
Layne had an accountant and access to a continual supply of money thanks to royalty checks always coming in. He spent his money on drugs, toys, and video games mostly. Layne had tried just about every drug in a span of twelve years. He sent Demri out to get drugs once, for cocaine, she came back with heroin. It's a toss-up whether she introduced him to heroin, or he discovered it on the tour with Van Halen in 1991 or if one of the guys in the industrial rock band Ministry taught him to shoot heroin, or he discovered it on his own. But, once he had heroin that was it. It's hard to break a heroin habit. He did do crack on a regular basis. When they found his body, they found a handful of needles around and under his body and two crack pipes on the coffee table. It's unclear if Mike Starr had taken the drugs with him when he left the day before because all they found was five hundred dollars in cash, heroin stains on the carpet between the bathroom and living room, and drug paraphernalia. The door was bolted from the inside when the police caused around $12,000.00 in damage breaking the door down. Crack was one drug that Mark Lanegan REFUSED to do with him because crack messed Lanegan up. So apparently Lanegan had discovered a drug that was a bridge too far for him, but he sure didn't help Layne's situation at all.
Layne was working on Mad Season's Above album (and later on Tripod) and the assistants in both sessions had asked Layne why he was doing this (using drugs) to himself. Both times, Layne replied to the effect of "I'm either going to drink or do dope, and drinking is harder on me."
Cantrell said in 2013: "That darkness was always part of the band, but it wasn’t all about that. There was always an optimism, even in the darkest shit we wrote. With the Dirt album, it’s not like we were saying ‘Oh yeah, this is a good thing.’ It was more of a warning than anything else, rather than ‘Hey, come and check this out, it’s great!’ We were talking about what was going on at the time, but within that, there was always a survivor element - a kind of triumph over the darker elements of being a human being. I still think we have all of that intact, but maybe the percentage has shifted."
The Dirt album, most of the songs written by Layne, aside from a handful of them, concern his own feelings about his drug addiction. He knew he had made a mistake by getting into drugs. He wanted his fans to LEARN FROM his mistakes, he never wanted them to follow in his footsteps. Having a fan come up and tell him they were high was the exact opposite of what he intended.
According to Jerry Cantrell, "I think SICKMAN is not that bad. I thought most of the hassle would come from JUNKHEAD and GOD SMACK. Those songs are put in sequence on the second side those five songs from JUNKHEAD to ANGRY CHAIR for a reason: Because it tells a story. It starts out with a really young naive attitude with JUNKHEAD, like drugs are great, sex is great, rock'n' roll, yeah! Then, as it progresses, there's a little bit of growing up and a little bit of a realization of what it's about, and that ain't what it's about. I've been using this phrase a lot, but it makes a lot of sense: It's really easy to die; it's really hard to live. It takes a lot of guts to live. It doesn't take a lot of guts to die. Those five and SICKMAN are the only ones talking about that type of mentality (drugs). The rest of the stuff is not like that at all. A good portion of it is a story, and it's meant to be that way. It's kind of overwhelming and unpleasant at times, unsettling maybe, but that's why all those songs are together. Even if it's disturbing, it's not something anybody else needs to worry about or the way somebody else needs to live their life."
And for reference, GOD SMACK -- as two words -- is an Alice In Chains song that Layne wrote concerning HIS feelings about his own drug addiction. 'Godsmack' -- as one word -- is a horrible Alice In Chains tribute band who took their name from the Alice In Chains song, and stole their whole look and sound from Alice In Chains, and is the reason why I hate tribute bands.
I see Layne Staley of AIC and Jim Morrison in the same way a little bit. Whereas Jim was only musically active from 1964/65 - 1970.... that's 6 years... there was a finality to his passing. Maybe it had to do with the other band members not doing anything for so many years after Jim died until Manzarek decided to regroup with new singers as The Doors of the 21st Century. With Layne ... Layne was around a lot longer than Jim... 12 years, but in that span, Layne was probably only active the same amount of time as Jim as far as albums and live shows over the years (not the actual amount of shows between the two, but the YEARS they were seen at live events). After the 4 KISS shows in 1996, people only saw him out and about sporadically. Other musicians tried to spark a creative flair hoping if he was creative he wouldn't want the drugs, but it only worked for as long as it took to complete the project and he'd close down again. 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. Both Layne and Jim kept their humor and wit even to the end of their lives.
"Whatever dramas are going on in my life, I always find that place inside my head where I see myself as the cleanest, tallest, strongest, wisest person that I can be." -- Layne Staley
"My bad habits aren't my title. My strengths and my talent are my title." -- Layne Staley
"When I tried drugs they were fucking great, and they worked for me for years, and now they're turning against me- and now I'm walking through hell and this sucks. I wrote about drugs, and I didn't think I was being unsafe or careless by writing about them. I didn't want my fans to think heroin was cool. But then I've had fans come up to me and give me the thumbs up, telling me they're high. That's exactly what I didn't want to happen." -- Layne Staley
Did You type all that?
@@imatoaster7831 Yes. Copied/pasted Jerry Cantrell's quotes... and I typed the rest.
I’ve heard of several musicians getting turned on to heroin by Ministry and also Butthole Surfers (specifically Al Jourgensen and Gibby Haynes).
On a personal level though, I’d like to give a shout out to Natalie for leading me down that dark path. You nearly killed me but in the end only ended up killing yourself.
The bit about the song order, that's a lost art. Songs on albums used to be ordered in specific ways to tell a story, or have themes, or simply to establish an overall sense of musical motion. Now, if you even get a whole album, the songs are generally just thrown on in some arbitrary order.
@@PaulGuy lost art for sure - the order makes a big difference - and it’s even more pronounced when albums were organized to split into side A and side B in vinyl or cassette tapes. I love when both sides to an album have a distinct vibe - and the B side of Dirt is no exception. It’s definitely got a grimy heroin vibe to it.
this song gives me goose bumps in EVERYTHING, it seems to take my soul out of my body. lots of feeling.
the guy is missed. Alice in chains music is so heavy loaded. makes it more sadder the way he was slowly sinking into death. everytime he sings you hear this kickass talent but also you hear the undertone of his kinda depressing state of himself. gives me chills.
Layne always will hit so damn hard!
The bass in this though. Mike's bass tone is what brought me to Alice In Chains in the first place, when I heard that intro to Would?
It's awesome to see you evolve from the 1st time hearing him to now. I can tell your a fan of him now. Awesome!
Layne is how I found your channel :)
It makes me so happy that you regularly come back to him as well as Chris Cornell because you articulate what made them special *SO* well.
More please!!!
Love that sandpaper Staley sound!
When Layne sings you can feel it!! What a beautiful and heartbreaking performance, I miss Layne so dearly 😇 RIP Layne Staley and Mike Starr 😇
Whenever I hear him sing, I want to sing.
A lot of people miss that really low note he hits in this song. Never really here Layne use his lower register. Very cool.
He also hits an insane high note at the end on the studio version. It’s the last “yeaaaa-ah-ah-aayyaaah”
In addition to being so unique and emotionally raw, Layne also had a great range. Out of all those Seattle scene singers, I think he was only surpassed in terms of vocal range by Chris Cornell (still hurts to think of these guys in the past tense…RIP to all of them, and long live Eddie Vedder).
One of my favourite recordings 😍.
My favorite voice of all time.
Greetings from Portugal 🇵🇹
You`re absolutely right, there is no one even close to him in these days music... Layne was phenomenal... period.
Layne was always one of my favorite singers.
My favorite song of theirs and the best version of it. Absolutely crushing and from the depth of his soul. So sad.
I think Glasgow 93 and Seattle Center 92 are better live versions of Junkhead than this one, but.......that’s just my opinion 🤘🏽
I love your energy in your reactions Beth 😁. A great way to start the end of my week!
O melhor "yeah" do rock, como disse Mark Lanegan. Na minha opinião a voz mais visceral do rock, dava pra ouvir os sentimentos dele em cada palavra. 🇧🇷
Penso o mesmo. Ele colocava todos os sentimentos no vocal. Agora a música escolhida pra analisar poderia ser outra, apesar de eu amar tudo que o Layne cantava.
@@evaldomoreira3078 poderia ser essa mesma, só que claramente ele estava rouco aí,essa versão não é nem de longe a melhor performance dele nessa música, que é difícil pra caralho de cantar... aqui no UA-cam tem versões em que ele apavora em JUNKHEAD
@@Anjonaencruzilhadarecords Gosto é uma coisa muito doida mesmo, na minha opinião essa é uma das melhores versão ao vivo da Junkhead.
As a singer/ guitarist/ songwriter myself, the one singer that I would say has this emotive style right now, is Jay Buchanan from the band "Rival Sons". Jay is an incredible vocalist and writer. I bet you would like him. His acoustic performances are typically my favorite. But the band is awesome.
I really like how you describe his singing and delivery ( "ripping..", "oozing", etc.). Great word choices!
Thank you for recognizing Layne’s greatness. He is a once in a lifetime talent. Their music helped me cope through my darkest times. Not always in the mood for this type of music as I grow older, but it’s still my favorite!
This song has a really nice bass line in the chorus. Always catches my ear.
Beth is so freaking adorable. Lol. I love her so much. This is one of my favorite bands of all time. Layne is the reason I'm a vocalist myself and I miss him every day.
Agreed. Same here. Exept for I also starting MCing, because of Zack from RATM. First time hearing Facelift left me speechless and deeply touched.
@@kermitpocanowski1 hell yeah man. Facelift blew my mind the first time I heard it. Love that record.
AIC is one of the greatest bands to me, and Layne is without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists ever. I was pumped for this reaction, my fav live performance ever.
I really liked him in Mad Season. 'River of Deceit' is probably my favorite off that album.
Another great reaction! And I do so love how you react! Keep 'em coming Beth.
Even with the voice kind of broken at this performance, Layne managed to give us an insane performance. The most visceral singer of all time in my opinion. Greetings from Brazil!
Thank you Beth! Love your analyses ☺
Glad you like them!
@@BethRoars I do! Actually teaching me a lot about singing as well :)
So, thank you again!
You should listen "Godsmack", a really twisted vocals by Layne on that
So true!!!!!
Yeah, but it’s not good. It’s him doing an H druggie the whole time.
@@GoAsCloseAsYouCan That´s the point...and it´s very good, my opinion.
I love your reviews. Most people focus on the shocking subject matter of the song. Youre focusing on Layne's power and nuance. Excellent insight.
Unforgettable performance by Layne. Listened to this album so many times and it still hits hard every time I hear it. Thanks for covering it Beth!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is one of those moments where you leap to click play at first sight. It's like an event. For 29 years I've been listening to this song, Beth Roars, and it was nice to hear you add some nuance and color to this incredible performance that I hadn't noticed before. Fun to watch you rock out too. Thanks!