Formed in the mid-1980s by singer Layne Stanley, Diamond Lie would go through several name changes before settling on Alice in Chains. The group gained popularity during the Seattle grunge explosion of the 1990s. Today, Alice in Chains remains a highly influential band of the period, mentioned alongside other grunge heavyweights like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana. Much like Nirvana, fans believe Alice in Chains never quite reached their peak due to the death of Layne Staley, the group's lead singer. While many believe his death was the result of a drug overdose, this was not the case. Layne Staley passed away in April 2002 due to a bacterial infection caused by drug use. All we have left now is the legacy of music Layne and his bandmates left behind. Alice in Chains released a variety of EPs, CDs, and live albums before the death of Layne in 2002. The first was a self-released EP titled Sweet Alice, with the last studio album being their self-titled release in 1995. 1992's Dirt is widely regarded as their best album. Dirt was recorded while Layne was dealing with his addiction to heroin, and this subject found its way into the lyrical content of many songs, including "Sickman," "Junkie," and "Dirt." The only Alice in Chains CDs to be released since Layne Staley's death have been rarity compilations, live albums, and best-of collections. However, in 2005, three members (Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, and Sean Kinney) regrouped to perform a benefit concert to aid the tsunami victims of south Asia. In 2006, they reformed again to honor Seattle band Heart on VH1's Decades Rock Live. Sean Kinney has since stated he would like to write new material, but not under the name Alice in Chains. |
