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Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released three studio albums, three EPs, two live albums, four compilations, and two DVDs. The band is known for its distinct vocal style which often included the harmonized vocals of Staley and Cantrell.
Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 17 million albums worldwide,[title=ALICE IN CHAINS: New Album Title, Release Date Revealed ] including 14 million in the United States alone. The band achieved two number-one Billboard 200 albums (Jar of Flies and Alice in Chains), 11 top ten singles on the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, and six Grammy Award nominations.
Although never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity due to Layne Staley's problems with substance abuse, culminating in his death in 2002. Alice in Chains reunited in 2005 and as of 2009 have finished recording their first studio album in 14 years with new lead vocalist William DuVall. The album, Black Gives Way to Blue, is due for release on September 29, 2009 via Virgin/EMI.
HistoryFormation (1986-1989).
Following the demise of his band Sleeze in 1986, vocalist Layne Staley formed Alice N' Chainz, a band which he said "dressed in drag and played speed metal".[ title=Music Bank] The new band performed around the Seattle area playing Slayer and Armored Saint covers
. Staley met guitarist Jerry Cantrell while working at Music Bank rehearsal studios, where the two struggling musicians became roommates, and lived in a rehearsal space they shared. Alice N' Chainz soon disbanded and Staley joined a funk band who at the time also required a guitarist. Staley asked Cantrell to join as a sideman. Cantrell agreed on condition that Staley join Cantrell's band Diamond Lie, which at the time included drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr. Eventually the funk project broke up and in 1987 Staley joined Cantrell on a full-time basis. Diamond Lie played in clubs around the Pacific Northwest, often stretching 15 minutes of material into a 45-minute set. The band eventually took the name of Alice in Chains.[ author=Kleidermacher, Mordechai ]
Local promoter Randy Hauser became aware of the band at a concert, and offered to pay for demo recordings. However, one day before the band was due to record at the Music Bank studio in Washington, police shut down the studio during the biggest marijuana raid in the history of the state.
Facelift and Sap (1990-1992)
Alice in Chains soon became a top priority of the label, who released the band's first official recording in July 1990, a promotional EP We Die Young. The EP's lead single, "We Die Young", became a hit at metal radio. After its success, the label rushed Alice in Chains' debut album into production with producer Dave Jerden.[ archiveurl=web.archive.org/web/20060703145800/http://www.aliceinchains.com/discography/dirt.aspx] Cantrell stated the album was intended to have a "moody aura" that was a "direct result of the brooding atmosphere and feel of Seattle".[year=1991 ]
The resulting album, Facelift, was released on August 21, 1990, peaking at number 42 in the summer of 1991 on the Billboard 200 chart.[title=Alice in Chains - Artist chart History ] Facelift was not an instant success, selling under 40,000 copies in the first six months of release, until MTV added "Man in the Box" to regular daytime rotation.[Gill, Chris (September 1999). "Dirt". Guitar World.] The single hit number 18 on the Mainstream rock charts, with the album's follow up single, "Sea of Sorrow", reaching number 27,[title=Singles ] and in six weeks Facelift sold 400,000 copies in the US.[url=www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:hifyxq95ldje ]
Facelift was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America by the end of 1990, while the band continued to hone its audience, opening for such artists as Iggy Pop,[
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