You are still missed Layne Staley

[TheNinja]

Thought to have died on April 5, 2002 - he wasn't found until 4/20/02.


In his last interview, which took place in early 2002, Staley spoke of the damage caused by his heroin addiction:

"I'm not using drugs to get high like many people think. I know I made a big mistake when I started using this shit. It's a very difficult thing to explain. My liver is not functioning, and I'm throwing up all the time and shitting my pants. The pain is more than you can handle. It's the worst pain in the world. Dope sick hurts the entire body."

Also, "When his body was found he weight 86 pounds....and he was 6'1"."



In my opinion, their MTV Unplugged album is one of the most emotional and passionate albums put out. You could hear both the pain in Layne's voice but also the pleasure of feeling more free and carefree while singing.

 

[Platypus]

:sun:

 

[SunnyD]

Drugs are bad.... mmm'kay?

 

[Steve]

In a way I'm glad I didn't really discover AIC until late in life. I think they're the best alt/grunge band to listen to (though they often classified themsevles as heavy metal) and while the sound of Kurt Cobain's voice is unique and compelling (especially for the genre), Layne's voice just has a power about it that makes you want to keep listening. In fairness I suppose it doesn't help that radio kinda killed Nirvana for me.

 

[me123]

Mad Season was incredible. Highly underated album.

 

[neegotiator]

Originally posted by: me123
Mad Season was incredible. Highly underated album.

:thumbsup:
Wake Up probably my favorite song on that album

 

[funkymatt]

same day Kurt died.

Heroin is bad, mmkay.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Jar of Flies - one of my favorite albums

 

[Barfo]

he is still missed indeed.

 

[rivan]

Signed.

AIC is the soundtrack of my early 20s.

 

[TheNinja]

Originally posted by: rivan
Signed.

AIC is the soundtrack of my early 20s.

I hear ya there!

 

[meltdown75]

The River of Deceit pulls down
the only direction we flow is down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBACTCS4SmI

 

[judasmachine]

one of my faves.

 

[WT]

:music:Wake up young man, its time to wake up ..... slow suicide's no way to go. Ohhh ... :music:


From listening to Layne sing for years, you as a fan just knew this song was a self portrait of himself and his inner demons.

 

[Joemonkey]

yeah, didn't left eye or whoever else from TLC die around the same time? i was pissed when the MTV video music awards had a big tribute to her but didn't mention a DAMN thing about layne even though he did more for music then she ever could have

 

[geno]

Sad in a tragic way when you consider how he went out...

 

[Triumph]

One of my favorite bands of all time. The untitled album (with the 3 legged dog) was my soundtrack for a few semesters in college. It wasn't much of a surprise when he died, though. I think most people knew he was headed for it.

 

[Kadarin]

Who?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Who?

hehe, my question too. Never heard of him or the band. Listened to some of the songs and it seems I didn't miss much. Just something "off" about them.

 

[SludgeFactory]

I was surprised he lived as long as he did, he looked pretty terrible in '96. Everybody was talking about how bad he looked after their Unplugged premiered. He was already going downhill during the Tripod sessions, it obviously rubbed off on Cantrell's songwriting as that album is *way* dark.

They (and Soundgarden to a degree) ended up standing the test of time better than the other Seattle bands for me. All the dipshits who've copied, ripped off, and/or named their band after AIC songs are boring -- it was Cantrell's ability to harmonize with Staley's power vocals, thrown into those heavy, minor-key songs that gave them that sound and made them interesting.

RIP Layne.

 

[tailes151]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Who?

hehe, my question too. Never heard of him or the band. Listened to some of the songs and it seems I didn't miss much. Just something "off" about them.

Alice in Chains

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: SludgeFactory
I was surprised he lived as long as he did, he looked pretty terrible in '96. Everybody was talking about how bad he looked after their Unplugged premiered. He was already going downhill during the Tripod sessions, it obviously rubbed off on Cantrell's songwriting as that album is *way* dark.

They (and Soundgarden to a degree) ended up standing the test of time better than the other Seattle bands for me. All the dipshits who've copied, ripped off, and/or named their band after AIC songs are boring -- it was Cantrell's ability to harmonize with Staley's power vocals, thrown into those heavy, minor-key songs that gave them that sound and made them interesting.

RIP Layne.

Agreed, but I'd ad Pumpkins to that list. They're still around I think, but Siamese Dream, Gish, Melon Collie, are great albums today.

 

[TwiceOver]

Glad I got to see them when he was still around.

 

[SirChadwick]

AIC is one of the greats! Layne will truly be missed... his voice and passion is irreplaceable.

RIP.

 

[TheNinja]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Who?

hehe, my question too. Never heard of him or the band. Listened to some of the songs and it seems I didn't miss much. Just something "off" about them.

You guys are either too young, or weren't much into music that wasn't "super main stream" in general. Very influential and passionate band during it's time.

SludgeFactory said it best that a combo of Layne and Jerry's voices was awesome. In my opinion their lyrics and power/passion also set them apart.