For centuries, it has not been uncommon for an artist’s work to be virtually unnoticed before his or her death. Often this type of art beautifies something ugly or glorifies something destructive, allowing it to stand out among its counterparts.
This month marked the four-year anniversary of the death of Layne Staley, who perhaps was best known as the lead singer for Alice in Chains, the heavy metal band that became popular in the early ’90s.
Alice in Chains first formed in Seattle, in 1987, with Layne Staley (lead vocals), Jerry Cantrell (lead guitar), Sean Kinney (drums) and Mike Starr, later to be replaced by Mike Inez (drums).
Despite the band’s frequent comparison to other grunge acts, Alice in Chains had an overall heavier and darker sound than many bands of the time, fitting the group more appropriately into progressive rock.
Their debut album Facelift went gold in 1991, while Jar of Flies became the first EP to debut No. 1 on the Billboard charts, as well as going on to sell more than 2 million copies.
The band also headlined Lollapalooza in ’93. They were awarded “Best Song from a Movie,” that same year at the MTV Video Music Awards for the single “Would?” off the Singles soundtrack.
Being swept into the grunge movement of the ’90s, it’s painfully ironic that Staley’s death shares an anniversary with the death of Nirvana’s front man Kurt Cobain, only eight years previous.
Although there are conflicting opinions as to what truly happened to Cobain, Staley’s death was no mystery.
The singer/ songwriter overdosed on cocaine and heroin in his apartment on April 5, 2002, after a long battle with addiction.
Fans witnessed Staley’s addiction in lyrics of haunting songs like “Junkhead,” “Down in a Hole” and “Hate to Feel,” from the somber album Dirt.
Lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell even touched upon the subject of death within the lyrics of “Would?,” written in memory of Mother Love Bone’s Andrew Wood, a friend who had also died of a heroin overdose.
After releasing Jar of Flies, the band decided not to tour due to Staley’s ongoing struggle, causing many to worry about the seriousness of his addiction.
In 1996, Staley confirmed the rumors in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine and said, “I’m scared to death, especially death by my own hand. They (drugs) worked for me for years, and now they’re turning against me- and now I’m walking through hell, and this sucks.”
Staley agreed to perform for MTV’s Unplugged series in 1996, one of his last performances with Alice in Chains.
He delivered an unforgettable performance. The album debuted at No. 3 and went platinum in its first month.
After Staley’s girlfriend died as a result of heroin usage in 1996, Staley retreated from public life, only reappearing briefly to work with music side project, Mad Season, and to perform for the last time with Alice in Chains, on tour with KISS.
Six years later, Staley was dead of an overdose.
It was interesting that there was barely anything written about Layne’s passing,” quotes author/musician Henry Rollins. “He was really talented. It’s sad that he checked out.”
Charles Cross, author of the Kurt Cobain biography Heavier than Heaven, also spoke out about the possibility of writing something about Staley.
“I loved Layne. He was a sweetheart and an underrated talent,” Cross says. “However, I’m not sure if I’m personally ready for that much darkness. I may write about Layne in he future, but I probably couldn’t spend four years in that box.”
Still, others attribute lack of coverage on Staley with the timing of his death.
Many believe that if Layne passed in the nineties, when the grunge scene was still a major part of music and culture, his death would most likely be publicized to a larger extent.
Despite lack of attention in the public eye, many musicians still remember and appreciate Staley through their music.
Staind’s song “Layne” off the album 14 Shades of Grey, and Pearl Jam’s hidden track “4/20/02” found on the Lost Dogs album, have been written for Staley, while former band member Jerry Cantrell dedicated his solo album, Degradation Trip, to Layne’s memory.
In an MTV interview, Maynard James Keenan of groups Tool and A Perfect Circle also referenced his relationship with Staley when asked where he drew his ideas for songs that dealt with drug recovery.
I don’t know what drug addiction is like. I drew on the experiences of friends who have gone through recovery, and friends who will never go through recovery,” says Keenan. “Being a friend to someone like Layne, it really kind of does your head in. I don’t understand it, but I do want to help people who are on that borderline.”
Perhaps because Alice in Chains wasn’t the only band at the time to sing of issues like drugs, isolation, and depression, it was easy for many to tag them as just another grunge band.
Anyone who was around for the wave of Seattle grunge rock in the ’90s would recognize that the band fit perfectly into this mold of angst.
However, the band’s lyrics, melodies, and overall sound remain unique to them only, because the subject matter in their songs did not serve to define or awaken a generation; rather it was used to explore the darker dimensions of their own experiences.
Staley’s lyrics may have appeared more straightforward and literal than those of Cobain’s, but they were no less poetic. His vocal ability alone soared above many of his contemporaries, while the raw, emotional intensity he used in his vibratos remains a rare quality that many artists to this day have tried to emulate.
Music seemed to be one of the only outlets where Staley allowed his emotions to surface, without being overcome by them.
Said critic Jon Wiederhorn: “If Nirvana were about the joy of destruction, Alice in Chains embodied the beauty of decay.”
