“Lip Lock Rock”
Lipscomb, Phil
Live at the Moore
Live Facelift
“Livin’ on a Prayer”
Loder, Kurt
Loft, Nick
Lollapalooza tour
Lombardi, Vince
London Bridge Studios, Seattle
“Long Gone Day”
Los Angeles riots
Los Angeles Times
Lost Dogs
Love, Courtney
Loveline
Lovemongers
L.O.V.Evil
LSD
Lunte, Robert
MacDonald, Patrick
Mad Season
formation of
recordings by
Mahar, Joseph P.
Majestic Theater, New York City
Malfunkshun
documentary on
Mallory, George
Marian, Gabriel
marijuana/hash
Mark Alan Productions
Markham, Chris
Martin, Barrett
Martin, Dave
Martin, George R. R.
Masters of Reality
Mauer, Mary
McCallum, Nancy Elizabeth Layne
lawsuits by
name trademark by
Staley’s death and
Staley’s drug use and
McCready, Mike
McKagan, Duff
McMillan, Ben
McMurray, Jacob
Meadowdale High School, Lynnwood, Washington
Meeks, Micaela
Meeks, Travis
Megadeth
Metallica
Alice in Chains tours with
Cantrell band tour with
methadone
microfish
Ministry
Mintz, Alan
Miss Washington Pageant
Mitchell, Mike
Mix
Mohrer, Keith
Mookie Blaylock
Moore Theatre, Seattle
Morello, Tom
morphine
Morrison, Jim
Mother Love Bone
Mothra and Fuck
Mötley Crüe
MTV
Buzz Bin on
Headbangers Ball on
News
New Year’s Eve party by
120 Minutes on
Unplugged
Video Music Awards by
Muasau, Matt
Mudhoney
Munroe, Ronny
Murphy, David
Murphy, Dennis
Murphy, Derek
mushrooms (magic)
MusiCares MAP Fund
the Music Bank, Seattle
closure of
drugs at
founding of
Staley/Alice in Chains ties to
Musique Plus
Mustaine, Dave
“My Song”
Naficy, Mark
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Press Photographers Association National Award for Editing
Navarette, Rene
Neil, Vince
Nelson, Willie
Neon Christ
Nesbitt, Bobby
Newsted, Jason
New York Times
Nickelback
“1988 Full of Pain, Full of Hate”
Nirvana
influence of
Noble, Dean
The Nona Tapes
Northwest Area Music Association (NAMA)
Northwest Metalfest
Novoselic, Krist
Nutter, Scott
O’Brien, Mariah
Offspring
OK Hotel, Seattle
Olson, Scott
One on One Recording Studios, Los Angeles
Opana
Osbourne, Ozzy
Osbourne, Sharon
Oswald, Barry
Pantera
Parashar, Raj
Parashar, Rick
Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC)
Parkinson, Paul
Parrott, Demri Lara
background of
death of
heroin/drug use by
rehabilitation attempts by
Staley’s relationship with
Parrott, Steven
“Party People”
Pasadena Recovery Center
Paterno, Peter
Pavitt, Bruce
Pearl Jam
side projects by
Staley’s death and
Pearl Jam Twenty
Pellington, Mark
Penis NV
Percocet
Perkins, Stephen
Peters, Darrell
Peterson, Cole
Pfeiffer-Simmons, Karie
Phillips, Mackenzie
Phoenix, River
Pieretti, Casey
Pink Floyd
Pinsky, Drew
Piottin, Hugo
Plum, Jonathan
Poison
Pollock, Nick
in Alice ’N Chains
in Sleze
Staley’s friendship with
Pop, Iggy
Portillo, Sally Pricer
Portnoy, Mike
Prato, Greg
Primus
The Profile
The Prophet (Gibran)
Puddle of Mudd
Pulse
Purple Rain
Pusateri, Vincent Charles (aka Vinnie Chas)
Q101, Chicago
Queensrÿche
Rachman, Paul
Rachtman, Riki
Radio.com
Rage Against the Machine
Rainbow Tavern, Seattle
Rammell, Lisa Ahern “Leigh”
Rarup, Cain
Raskulinecz, Nick
Razzle (drummer)
Redding, Noel
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Reed, Lou
Remme, Devin
the Replacements
Rew, Ben
Reznor, Trent
Rhinehart, Nick
Richards, Stephen
Ring, PC
“Ring Them Bells”
Rip
“River of Deceit”
Roadrunner Records
Robert Lang Studios, Seattle
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rocket
Rockline
Rockwell, Norman Scott
Roddan, Spencer
Rodriguez, Robert
Rogers, Brett J.
Rolling Stone
Alice in Chains exposé by
Rose, Axl
Rubin, Rick
Rubio, Adriana
Sadie (cat)
Sampson, John
“Sand”
SATO
Saturday Night Live
Saunders, Henrietta
Saunders, John Baker, Jr.
death of
heroin use by
Saunders, Joseph
Scaccia, Mike
Scantlin, Wes
Schenck, Rocky
School of Rock
Schwartzman, John
Screaming Trees
Seattle Center
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Times
Seattle, Washington. See also the Music Bank, Seattle
heroin/drug scene in
influence, musical, of
Seattle Weekly
Second Coming
“Self Pollution Radio”
Semanate, Ed
Serletic, Matt
Severance, Mike
Sharp, Duncan
Sheeley, Evan
Shelley, Mary
Sheppard, Jim
Shoaf, Jimmy
Shorewood High School, Seattle
the Showbox, Seattle
Shuss, Todd
Sibbald, Alex
Silver, Bruce
Silver, Jean
Silver, Jet
Silver, Samuel
Silver, Susan Jean
as Alice in Chains’ manager
background of
Cornell’s relationship with
drug use and
Rolling Stones’ exposé and
Staley’s death and
Starr’s dismissal and
Singles
Sixx, Nikki
The Skinny
Slash (guitarist)
Slaughter Haus 5
Slayer
Sleze. See also Alice ’N Chains
at Music Bank studios
name change by
recordings by
“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
The Smoking Gun
Snider, Dee
Sober House
Social Crisis Records
Sony Music. See also Columbia Records
Sorum, Matt
Soundgarden
breakup of
influence of
Spanaway High School, Washington
Speech (singer)
SPIN
Spys4Darwin
Staley, Audrey
Staley, Earl B.
Staley, Earl R.
Staley, Layne Thomas (Rutherford). See also Alice in Chains
alcohol use by
in Alice in Chains
in Alice ’N Chains
artwork by
biographies on
birth/childhood of
Cantrell’s relationship with
in Class of 99
Cobain’s death and
condo purchase by
death of
in Diamond Lie
drug interventions for/by
drug overdoses by
drug rehabilitation attempts by
drug use by
estate of
first performance of
in 40 Years of Hate
hepatitis C and
influences, musical, on
in Mad Season
on MTV Unplugged
Music Bank’s association with
name change by
Parrott’s relationship with
skinhead assault by
in Sleze
solo material of
Starr’s relationship with
success’s impact on
suicidal thoughts by
teeth, loss of, by
tributes to
voice lessons by
weight loss by
Staley, Paul R.
Staley, Phillip Blair
Stark, George
Starr, Gayle
Starr, John
Starr, Melinda
Starr, Michael Christopher. See also Alice in Chains
in Alice in Chains
arrests of
background of
on Celebrity Rehab
death of
in Diamond Lie
Dirt production and
dismissal from Alice in Chains of
drug/alcohol use by
in Gypsy Rose
Staley’s relationship with
womanizing by
Stevie Ray Vaughan Award
Stewart, Damon
Studio 606, Los Angeles
Sub Pop Records
Sundown M. Ranch, Washington
Sundquist, Scott
Sun Red Sun
Sun-Sentinel
Tacoma Little Theatre, Washington
Tacoma News Tribune
Taft, Josh
Taproot
Tate, Geoff
Temple of the Dog
Terzo, Nick
Thayil, Kim
“The Things You Do”
This Is Spinal Tap
Throm, Rick
Tillman, Jim
Timmins, Bob
Tool
Town Meeting
Triad Studios, Seattle
“Tribute”
True, Everett
Trujillo, Elan
Trujillo, Rob
Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City
tsunami benefit, 2005, Seattle
Turner, Steve
Twisted Willie
Uhlir, Paul
Ulrich, Lars
U-Men
Unchained (Brandon)
University of Washington
Kane Hall
Van Halen
Van Halen, Eddie
Vanity Fair
Vedder, Eddie
Velvet Revolver
Vernon, Darrell
Virgin/EMI
the Vogue, Seattle
Voice Box (effect)
Von Haartman, Bengt
the Walkabouts
Washington State Battle of the Bands, 1982
Welty, Ron
Wesley, R. Joseph
White, Kim
Wiederhorn, Jon
“Wild Horses”
Wilkins, Kevan
Williams, Christopher
Wilmar, Diana
Wilson, Ann
collaborations/tributes by
Wilson, Nancy
collaborations with
WMMR, Philadelphia
Wood, Andrew
Wood, David
Wood, Kevin
Woodruff, Aaron
Woodstock ’94
Wright, Toby
Yarm, Mark
Zappa, Frank
Scott Hunt took out this ad announcing a new rehearsal space at a warehouse in Ballard in September 1984. This was the beginning of the Music Bank.
The Rocket
Sleze and Tim Branom at London Bridge Studios, circa 1986. (Standing, left to right) Unknown woman, Tim Branom, Peter Barnes, Johnny Bacolas, and Nick Pollock. (Kneeling, left to right) Layne and an unknown man.
Nick Pollock
Sleze practicing in their first room at the Music Bank, circa 1985. (Left to right) Layne Staley, Jim Sheppard, and James Bergstrom.
Nick Pollock
Layne and Nick Pollock performing at Kane Hall with Alice ’N Chains, circa 1987. Layne is wearing the purple outfit that had once belonged to Prince, loaned to him by his girlfriend Chrissy Chacos.
Nick Pollock
Nick Pollock joining Alice in Chains (who used the name Diamond Lie at the time) onstage for “Queen of the Rodeo” during their first-ever show, which took place at Kane Hall on January 15, 1988. Mike Starr is on the right side.
Nick Pollock
These photographs, circa spring/summer of 1988, were probably taken within a few weeks or months after Layne and Demri started dating.
Courtesy of Randall Hauser
Layne, Jerry Cantrell, and Sean Kinney at London Bridge Studios working on the demo that ultimately got them signed to Columbia Records in the summer of 1988.
Courtesy of Randall Hauser
Mike Starr and Rick Parashar during the demo recording sessions. In addition to co-owning and founding London Bridge Studios and working with Alice in Chains, Parashar worked with several bands from the era, most notably Pearl Jam.
Courtesy of Randall Hauser
Layne performing in his Mohawk look. This photograph was taken during the August 11, 1988, show at the Kent Skate King attended by Diana Wilmar, where she got the idea to shoot a story about the band for KING 5.
David Fox–Fox Wilmar Productions
Alice in Chains and director Paul Rachman on the set of the “Man in the Box” video shoot in Malibu State Park, December 1990. Within six months, the video would jump-start the band’s career thanks to heavy rotation on MTV.
© Bob Gruen/www.bobgruen.com
Layne and John Baker Saunders performing with Mad Season at the Crocodile Café, April 22, 1995.
© Karen Mason-Blair/www.karenmasonblair.com
Despite difficulties during the preparations, the Unplugged show was a success. Randy Biro, Susan Silver, and Michele Anthony were in tears during “Nutshell.”
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Layne with studio assistant Elan Trujillo, who was assigned to help him. Layne and Trujillo talked about video games, and Trujillo showed him how to use Offspring drummer Ron Welty’s electronic drum kit, August 22, 1998.
Annette Cisneros
Layne blowing out his thirty-first birthday cake while playing around on Ron Welty’s electronic drum kit, August 22, 1998.
Annette Cisneros
Alice in Chains regrouped while Jerry and Sean were touring with Metallica to record two new songs with Dave Jerden but were not able to finish with him. They had to ask Toby Wright to record the vocals in Seattle and put the songs together from the various sessions. These were the last songs Layne recorded.
Annette Cisneros
Sean and Jerry hugging after the K-ROCK Tsunami Continued Care Relief Concert, February 18, 2005. It was their first show as Alice in Chains in nearly a decade and their first since Layne’s death three years earlier.
Kevin Casey/Getty Images
Alice in Chains at the MusiCares MAP Fund benefit in 2012, where Jerry was honored for his support of the organization and helping other addicts. Jerry celebrated ten years of sobriety in July 2013.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
About the Author
David de Sola is a journalist with experience working at CNN, 60 Minutes, and Reuters, whose work has also been published in The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, and other print and online publications. He lives in Los Angeles.
Visit his Web site at www.daviddesola.com and follow him on Twitter @daviddesola. Or sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraphs
Introduction
Part I: 1967–1984
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Part II: 1984–1989
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Part III: 1989–1996
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Part IV: 1996–2001