Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Who would've thought Maynard James Keenan, the spooky singer for TOOL and A PERFECT CIRCLE, would have made a near-perfect singer for ALICE IN CHAINS? That was one of the many surprises Friday night when some of Seattle's brightest musical stars came out for a cause at Premier nightclub.

The cause was a benefit concert for victims of last year's tsunami and the stars included Ann and Nancy Wilson of HEART, NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic, SUPERSUCKERS, SIR MIX-A-LOT, THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION and others. But the brightest stars were the remaining members of ALICE IN CHAINS ? drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist Jerry Cantrell ? who performed together for the first time in six years.

Novoselic acted as emcee for the show, which was put on by radio station K-Rock (KRQI-FM/96.5) and raised more than $100,000 for relief efforts.

The reformed ALICE IN CHAINS featured several big names filling the shoes of late vocalist Layne Staley, who died of a drug overdose in 2002. Wes Scantlin from PUDDLE OF MUDD, Pat Lachman from metal band DAMAGEPLAN, Ann Wilson and Keenan all shared microphone duties throughout the evening.

While none of the vocalists were dead ringers for Staley, each turned in remarkable performances that paid justice to the fallen singer. The band performed two sets, one acoustic the other plugged-in, with Lachman taking the lion's share of the vocal duties.

But the evening wasn't just about ALICE IN CHAINS. The Wilson sisters performed a three LED ZEPPELIN covers along with "Barracuda" and "Crazy On You", SIR MIX-A-LOT offered up rap-metal versions of "Baby Got Back" and "My Posse's On Broadway", and SUPERSUCKERS played a blazing set.

But still, ALICE IN CHAINS owned the evening. The band's acoustic set started off with "The Killer Is Me", which was followed by "No Excuses". Lachman fared surprisingly well while Cantrell sang backup. Later in the set, which closed with "Down In A Hole", Ann Wilson brought a soulful edge to "Brother".

For its second set of the night ALICE IN CHAINS opened with "It Ain't Like That" from "Facelift". After the song Cantrell introduced Scantlin, a surprise guest, who sang "Again" with Lachman and then took over vocal duties for "Would" and "Angry Chair". Between the two, with Lachman's pointy goatee and Scantlin's Staley-esque stage movements, they could've passed for a Layne doppelganger.

But it was Keenan, another surprise performer, who proved the most natural fit at replacing Staley. His twisted and braided hair flew as he prowled the stage while singing. He impressively nailed "Man in the Box" and "Them Bones".

For the last song of the night, Wilson, Keenan, Lachman and Scantlin took turns trading verses and lines during "Rooster". The "We Are The World"-style rendition of the song was the perfect ending for a magical night filled with surprises.

ALICE IN CHAINS set lists:

Acoustic w/ Pat Lachman of DAMAGEPLAN:

01. The Killer Is Me
02. No Excuses
03. Heaven Beside You
04. Brother (w/ Ann Wilson of HEART)
05. Got Me Wrong
06. Down In A Hole

Electric:

01. It Ain't Like That (w/ Lachman)
02. Again (w/ Lachman and Wes Scantlin from PUDDLE OF MUDD)
03. Would (w/ Scantlin)
04. Angry Chair (w/ Scantlin)
05. Them Bones (w/ Maynard James Keenan from TOOL and A PERFECT CIRCLE)
06. Man In The Box (w/ Keenan)
07. Rooster (w/ Lachman, Wilson, Keenan and Scantlin)

Damn, what an awesome line-up, I wish I was there to see that!

the magic has been building for awhile...

anyway.... some dudes batteries went out & only got the acoustic set they did - Geting more details now if you don't have an easytree account.

"Anyway, if anyone wants the unplugged set, I just put it up on Easytree:
http://www.easytree.org/torrents-details.php?id=28958

Lot's of talkers, and a quiet set, so it was tricky getting the levels right. But it is a nice show."

thanx to Jeff

-BP

http://www.seattle-sound.com/audio/   has everything you need to know on the recording.

The crowd is going nuts.... they are louder than the band & singing with them. so the recording kind of sux...  well they are on acoustic so what ya gonna do sound wise.  pretty focking kool though.  This is already on eBay...  Jeff not happy  :-\

peace -BP

damm that soundz kewl as shite@!

wish Icoulda seen that 1@!

It is possible for anyone to post the link to download the show again? I got to listen to Man in the Box and it is fucking awsome. I would apperciate if anyone has the whole show downloaded?

Thank You

Just started listening to this really cool band... The guitars aren't so good, but the lyrics are incredible. Listen -> 'Down In A Hole', 'No Excuses'.

My favorite band of the grunge era........in love with these guys when they came out.

When he died it was a bummer.

You wanna hear something awesome?

Die young

Again

Love Hate Love

Would

And what put them on the map: Man in the box

Wha?

The guitars are awesome - Jerry Cantrell knows exactly what the song needs - u might be listening to stuff from their self-titled album where the guitar is pretty low key

AIC are in my top 5 fav bands - Facelift and Dirt are supremely good albums - but AIC do take some time to appreciate, at first it all kinda sounded the same to me,

Anything from their first two albums is highly recommended

Tripod and Dirt changed my fuckin' life : ok:

ALICE IN CHAINS ROCK! I'm listening to Them RIGHT now!!!!  : ok:

You've gotta be kidding, the guitar playing along with Layne's vocals is the best thing about AIC!
Jerry Cantrell is highly underrated, and in my opinion was one of the best rock guitarists to emerge from the so-called "grunge" scene. But I always considered AIC to be more metal or hard rock than "grunge", whatever the hell that is.

Check out all their albums starting from Facelift, and the classic (must-have for any rock fan) album Dirt and then tell me "the guitars aren't so good".

great band .

You should also check out the Mad Season album "Above".

Wasn't that with Layne Stanley?

AIC was/is the best band out of the Grunge era...Nirvana(IMO) was/is the worst. Layne?s voice is so powerful.

Nine years ago i was jut getting into the band, now I have lots of their albums, the box set, Mad Season and Degradation Trip By Cantrell.

yeah it was Layne .Mike McGready . Barrett Martin abd Baker

what happend to Mike Star?

Degradation Trip is amazing. I strongly recommend AIC fans to check it out!

Degradation Trip is good...but "Boggy Depot" by Jerry Cantrell is even better in my opinion.  This cd is amazing.  Definetely pick it up...if you can find it.

Is this thread about the Wesley Willis song?   :D

Well I just started listening, so.... Guess I'll get Dirt...

Steve Hochman of The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the surviving members of the popular Seattle grunge-metal group ALICE IN CHAINS, whose singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002, are exploring ways they might be able to perform again on a regular basis.

The seeds were planted this past February when guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney reunited at a benefit for victims of the Indonesian tsunami. At that show, which took place in Seattle, four vocalists ? TOOL's Maynard James Keenan, PUDDLE OF MUDD's Wes Scantlin, DAMAGEPLAN's Pat Lachman and HEART's Ann Wilson ? stepped in for Staley.

"The guys had so much fun that they thought maybe there's something else we want to do," Bill Siddons, who co-manages the band with original manager Susan Silver, tells The Los Angeles Times. "We'd love to find a way to let these guys perform together and have the fun they had and honor and respect what they created in the past, as well as Layne's contributions."

What shape that might take is very uncertain at this point, though Siddons insists there will be no reality show to find a singer, ? la "Rock Star".

"That's a perfect example of what happens when you marry television and music badly," Siddons says. "It's not what ALICE was ever about."

They may not even be looking for a lead singer, at least not one full-time member, Siddons adds. While they're open to the potential of something along the lines of the current QUEEN tour (in which veteran rocker Paul Rodgers is filling in for the late Freddie Mercury), that's far from a given.

"We might do a date here or there if there are opportunities to get a special guest to sing," Siddons says. "That's been discussed. More likely at this point we'll do benefits rather than paying gigs."

"Part of the enigma," Silver tells The Los Angeles Times, "was they didn't play that much."

That, she said, was as much the case for the band as for the fans, and the February show let the musicians get a taste of what they'd missed.

"It was so terrific for them to play together," she said. "But they're not ready to announce a new person, make a new record and start the cycle over yet. They want to just go have fun and give a tip of the hat to Layne and the people who enjoyed the music."

They should just get a singer and record under a new name. Otherwise, it would make AIC fans angry, and I doubt they would have a wide fanbase without the AIC fans.

Yeah, how could a band change a member or two and keep the same name?  ::)

Sounds cool!  I would have loved to have been there!! :beer:

Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley were easily one of the greatest duos of the 90s, but nobody ever gives the the credit they deserve and its a damn shame. They were dark and melancholy, yet innovative and melodic, and i really think they get shit on in the shadows of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. I dont know, it just really bothers me the band is so unappreciated by the general public, and I needed a place to vent. :beer:

I think Alice In Chains get a good deal of respect among fans and the music media...

It might seem like they dont simply because their time unfortunately passed almost a decade ago.  "Alice In Cains" has been little more than Greatest Hit-type collections since 1996.  Theyll always be regarded as one of the "big four" to push "grunge" music into the mainstream.  Their accessibility was surely stifled by their relentlessly dark sound and persona, but I think they are and will continue to be held in high regard by rock fans and critics, as they should.  They were a fantastic band with a ton of classic songs.  :yes:

STP, on the other hand, may never get the respect they deserve... :no:

I say they get Scott Weiland.  Then of course Velvet Revolver would need a new singer.  Then they could get...let's say Axl Rose.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  Its all falling into place.

I like Alice In Chains..Never knew much of there stuff until a few days ago..I love Them Bones,It Aint Like that and Man In The Box in amazing

I LOVE Alice In Chains. Such a great band. Layne RIP.

I'm listening to Face Lift for the first time, and I like it. The vocals are way overproduced, but the music is good, especially the solos. It's very metallic at times; it's kind of like Metallica's Load without the suckage. AiC could have been a good doom metal band, but their grunge sound is good enough. I'd say they're not as good as Soundgarden was, but it's a very good band.

Fuck Nirvana for scaring me away from this for so long.  :rant:

Yeah they have that effect....

...I stayed away from the awesome Pixies for ages since i heard there were a massive influence on Nirvana and many people told me they were very similar...

....Thinking about it i've stayed away from Alice In Chains for pretty much the same reason.......think i might go download some stuff by them, give 'em a wizz

Anyone got their Unplugged Session on CD? Awesome show by the guys.

Alice In Chains opened up for POISON, of all people, back in 1990.

Unplugged is great.

I got the DVD, the whole concert. Great. One of the best unplugged shows MTV ever aired.  : ok:

Nothing comes close to "Jar Of Flies" for me though. I think this is one of the best EP's/albums of the 90s and it's just as underrated as the band.

I seen Alice in Chains in concert  right when their first album came out. They opened for Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth. GREAT show!!

What a bill!

Yes it was. Alice only played for about 30 minutes, and the other bands played about an hour each. It was the 2nd best concert I have ever seen in my life.

I take it you have seen GNR in their glory days then?  :yes:

Yes. Seen them on July 20th, 1991, Mountain View,CA

COMES WITH THE FALL vocalist/guitarist and member of Jerry Cantrell's (ALICE IN CHAINS) touring band William DuVall has been tapped to sing lead vocals with the reunited ALICE IN CHAINS at the taping of an episode of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!", a tribute to HEART that will take place March 10 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. "The show promises to be a lot of fun ? an all-star miniature 'Last Waltz' scenario, with jamming between the two honorees and famous friends of both bands stepping in to lend a hand," stated DuVall. "I am honored to be a part of such an historic occassion." Also appearing on the program will be former JANE'S ADDICTION/RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS guitarist Dave Navarro and Gretchen Wilson. A spring air date for the show is to be announced shortly.

i could not listen to alice in chains without layne staley singing.end of.

http://www.novarock.at/, now it makes sense.  Jerry Cantrell has found a new vocalist and AIC will be at NovaRock with GNR.

WOW!!!

i really dont know what to say to that......good on em' if its 4 fun, i wouldnt know what to think if they record under the name with the new guy, but 4 kix of playin' live, i say go 4 gold!! : ok: :beer:

I feel the same. With the exception of Soundgarden, Alice in Chains were the best thing to come out of that grunge mess. I can understand the former members playing together, but not by using the name alice in chains. That's like spitting on Layne's grave. Thats like Axl dying and a combination of former members using the name GNR. Should never happen.

maybe its a tribute!!


oh c'mon man, do u think there doin' it to piss him off??????

AC/DC's fiirst singer died- and they got a new singer and kept the name.       no one cares about that now do they

Yeah.... Well, Layne was a huge creative force in AIC wasn't he?

Personally I don't see a problem with them resurrecting AIC, I loved them back in the day, but I have no idea what this new singer sounds like, I have Cantrell's solo albums though, I guess i should listen for background vocals.

BTW damien24, Bon Scott died before AC/DC got really huge, and Cantrell and Staley had uncanny chemistry. AC/DC's music is a bit more simple than AIC too. AIC did some crazy vocal harmony stuff.

I remember seeing a show with AIC minus Staley, and Weiland on vocals instead, and it was pretty sweet sounding. I don't think I have it anymore though :'(

Bon Scott wasn't a founding member of the band.

I do have a problem with them trying to go on without Layne. But at the same time, I'm interested to see how well they will do.

neither was Slash!!

I think Cantrell should sing the songs live..He does a frigin kick ass job

I think it's alright for Jerry & the guys to use AIC. It's always different situation when someone dies. Besides, I think Layne would be happy for his friends to keep playing music that they wrote & love. I'm sure Layne always felt a little bad for kind of being the reason the his friends couldn't play more of the music they loved & that probably just made his situation worse.

i dont have a problem with wahat there doina nd nobody should since cantrell was half the band anyway.but the reason for me why alice in chains are my favourite band(along with tool)is alot do with laynes voice having so much in it,and with the songs that were meant to be sung by him,take nutshell for  example at the unplugged mtv thing.nobody can even come close to it.so its all good and i would go and see em but for me it wouldnt be what alice in chains was all about and thats layne staley.

I second that. There's songs on Jerry's last solo album that sound just like Layne singing too.

That's definitely true. AIC was so good because what Layne sang about was real & he had the greatest "haunting" voice ever. Now that I think about it, it would be weird to see some healthy, well adjusted guy singing & call it AIC. Maybe they should just get a new name &  cover a couple of AIC tunes that aren't so obviously about being addicted to heroin.

No one said he was. Quit quoting me in threads and trying to start arguments for no reason. Its pathetic.

It's Official: ALICE IN CHAINS Is Back! - Feb. 21, 2006 
 
ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell's official web site administrator, who goes by the name of "ceojc", has confirmed that the band will be reuniting for an appearance at the Nova Rock festival in Austria in mid-June (web site), with "a lot more" concert dates yet to be announced.

"I hate to keep on saying this, but as most of you have heard, ALICE will be performing at Nova Rock in Austria," "ceojc" writes. "This is true. ALICE is back.

"Europe is a long way to go for just one show, so I feel that we are going to have a lot more to do.

"Because this is Europe and a big festival, don't count on any special ALICE tickets but you never know what the future brings.

"Let me explain why things went down the way they went down. It was not the way we wanted it to happen. The festival promoter secured a bunch of really big bands like METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES and ALICE. The promoter decided to have a big press conference on Monday [Feb. 20]. We had not finished securing the 'business side' of the show by the time Monday rolled around. Because Monday was President's Day, our office was closed and we could not make a decission regarding releasing the info to you guys. Our European agent, because our office was closed, made an executive decision to release the show info. We fully support his choice but could not say anything untill we spoke to him to get the full stroy and due to the time difference and travel we could not make the announcement untill just now.

"Guys, please remember that nothing is official unless it comes from our office. We like to surprise you but sometimes that is not always possible.

"Jerry, Mike [Inez, bass], Sean [Kinney, drums] and the managment team are doing our best to keep you guys informed. You mean a lot to the guys and they want you to know that."

ALICE IN CHAINS frontman Layne Staley died on April 5, 2002 from a mixture of heroin and cocaine. Staley was found dead two weeks later, surrounded by intravenous drug paraphernalia in his Seattle apartment. The death certificate reads Staley's death resulted from "an acute intoxication due to the combined effects of opiate (heroin) and cocaine." The death was classified as "accidental."

As previously reported, COMES WITH THE FALL vocalist/guitarist and member of Jerry Cantrell's touring band William DuVall has been tapped to sing lead vocals with ALICE IN CHAINS at the taping of an episode of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!", a tribute to HEART that will take place March 10 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. It is not presently clear if DuVall will be joining the group on any of the other dates that are currently being scheduled. 
 

thats going to be a kickass concert. i wish Layne was still around though :'(

Guns N' Roses, Alice In Chains, TOOL, KoRn, Deftones...  Wow, just need Audioslave... :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

That will be awesome.  Wish I could be there.  Has anyone heard that guy that Cantrell was talking about sing before?  Is he good as layne Staley?

i dunno..... ive got mixed feelings about this.  im a diehard alice fan, and i dont know if i'll be comfortable seeing someone else take layne's place.  all i know is that that duvall guy has some pretty big shoes to fill.

There's no doubt about that.  But I'm guessing he must be bad ass if Cantrell is having him take the lead spot

I heard on the radio today the Duff will be the bassist for Alice In Chains for several shows!

Can I just say that the rebirth of true rock and roll is upon us!  Yeah!

And I'm welcoming it with open arms  :yes:

I'm a big fan of Alice but I don't know if anyone else can pull it off.  All this festival needs is Velvet Revolver so the original GNR would be on the same stage just at different times lol.  Why the hell don't we have festivals like this the US?  I want to see these bands at the same show too!  Actually I've seen the majority of them just would like to see them again.

Great news!

I wish Jerry would sing though...Layne will be missed at those shows.  :-\


Now just gimme a Soundgarden reunion and 2006 is perfect.  ;D

Great news, I love Alice In Chains, but why is this in the GN'R dicussion section?

Great news I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance---Geico

Maybe rhythm guitar.  Mike Inez, one of the best in da biz, is AIC's bass player.

Fuckin' A. He used to PLay with Ozzy too. Did you know he got credit for the Music to Ozzy's "No More Tears?" That's a sweet fucking song : ok:

AIC is one of those bands, one of those UNDERrated bands... that shouldn't of lost their singer...

I miss Layne.

Yep and asshole media swept it under the carpet when he died

:rant:

Launch Radio Networks reports: The surviving members of ALICE IN CHAINS are regrouping for at least one live performance and perhaps many more, according to the band's publicist. The group has confirmed its appearance at the Nova Rock festival in Austria in mid-June, with more dates in Europe and North America being discussed. It has not yet been revealed who will sing lead vocals for the group. William DuVall, a member of ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell's solo touring band, will take the mic on March 10 when the group appears on a taping of the VH1 show, "Decades Rock Live!". It is not clear if DuVall will join ALICE IN CHAINS for any other appearances.

DuVall has performed ALICE IN CHAINS songs on tour with Cantrell, who told Launch that he was impressed with the way DuVall handled the material. "William's really a great singer, and he really did that stuff well," Cantrell said. "There are not too many cats that pull that stuff off, and he's one of the few that can. Very talented guy."

Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney performed together for the first time in nine years at a February 18, 2005 tsunami relief benefit in Seattle, Washington, playing with several different singers. ALICE IN CHAINS vocalist Layne Staley died in April of 2002.

The Nova Rock show will also feature METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, HARD-FI and more.

The "Decades Rock Live!" taping, which will take place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is a tribute to Seattle rockers HEART. A spring air date is expected to be announced soon.

ah man, i'm well excited! AIC are probably my favourate band of all time (am i allowed to say that on a gnr board?) of course it's never gonna be the same without layne but to see the rest of the guys playing live again is gonna be fucking awsome and i'll be damned if i don't get to go.

grunge music was an awsome scene when it came out and before it got confussed for some of those shite soundalikes by the media and ignorant youths alike. it's because of little wankers like silverchair, amongst others, that grunge has got this stroppy teenager stigma that now hangs over it.

while we're on the subject of alice in chains and grungs, it is imperitave that you add

mad season
temple of the dog
and, mother love bone

to you'r cd collections, they're all awsome albums and if you don't have them you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.

It's good to see that the original 3 from AIC are reforming.  Cantrell wrote almost everything in their catalog.  But it'll be strange to see them turing under the name AIC without Layne.  You know, it would be pretty amusing if GNR and AIC toured together. :hihi: 

In the words of Jerry Cantrell, "There will be some Alice in Chains shows this year ? that's a fact."

There may even be a new record from the grunge rockers, who've been idle for close to 10 years. At this point, the guitarist said, all



he can really say is that the band is active, and that the remaining members of Alice ? himself, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney ? will be taking the stage this summer to perform songs from the band's catalog.

"We're making it up as we go along," Cantrell explained. "It's what we always did in the past. We're writing the book as we live it. We feel confident that we will have a good time and that it's something that will live up to the same level. It's an exploratory thing, and we're just having fun with it. We'd like to go out and play for the people that supported us and love the music as much as we have all these years. We want to celebrate what we did and the memory of our friend."

That friend, of course, is late Alice frontman Layne Staley, who died in April 2002 from a mixture of heroin and cocaine (see "Layne Staley, Alice In Chains Singer, Dead At 34").

"We have played with some [singers] who can actually bring it and add their own thing to it without being a Layne clone," Cantrell explained, adding that the three remaining AIC members will be meeting with several would-be Staley proxies in the coming months, to front the group at European festival gigs. Alice in Chains have been listed as one of the acts performing at Austria's NovaRock Festival in June, but the guitarist said nothing's been confirmed yet.

"We're not interested in stepping on [Staley's] rich legacy," Cantrell said. "It's a tough thing to go through. Do you take the Led Zeppelin approach and never play again, because the guy was that important?" (In 1980, Zeppelin broke up after the death of drummer John Bonham.) "That's the approach we've taken for a lot of years. Or, do you give it a shot, try something? We're willing to take a chance on it. It's completely a reunion because the three of us who're left are back together. But it's not about separating and forgetting ? it's about remembering and moving on."

"We're going to go and play the songs one more time," said Kinney. "It seems like the right time, so I figure we'll go out and play a few gigs and see where it goes. I think we might just show up in assorted places in the U.S. in the next few months without much notice and play some clubs and little theaters, and then go to Europe and play these festival gigs. Beyond that, we don't know at this point."

In addition, Kinney said the band hopes to play several North American dates this summer. Cantrell, Kinney and Inez started jamming together late last year, and the reunion will get into full swing March 10, when the reunited Alice in Chains perform at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as part of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live" homage to Heart. Former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan, "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood, Rufus Wainwright and Gretchen Wilson are also set to appear. Cantrell promised a host of other special guests during the show, but he wouldn't give names.

The band will perform with Comes With the Fall frontman William DuVall ? a member of Cantrell's touring band. And DuVall could, theoretically, be part of the Alice in Chains fold come this summer. "We've done some rehearsing with Will and we're having a lot of fun with him," Cantrell said. "But we're still in the beginning stages where we're trying to figure out what we want to do. He could cut it, without a doubt ? but we haven't made a final decision on that yet."

"If we found some other dude, I'd love to move on," Kinney said, "write some cool tunes and change the name and go on like that. I don't see continuing as Alice and replacing somebody. ... We're not trying to replace Layne. We want to play these songs one more time, and if it seems like the right thing to do, it'll happen. I don't know how long it will go or where it will take us. It's kind of a tribute to Layne and our fans, the people who love these songs. It's not some 'I'm broke and I need the money' situation. We love playing together."

Kinney said Alice in Chains had been approached by the producers of "Rock Star" for the reality show's second season. They turned the offer down.

this year is looking better and better for music.
we are being saved.

 Two brand-new photos of ALICE IN CHAINS members Jerry Cantrell (guitar) Mike Inez (bass) and Sean Kinney (drums) rehearsing for their upcoming appearance at the taping of an episode of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!" have been posted online at Cantrell's official web site (both pictures feature VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan, who will also be making an appearance at the "Decades Rock Live!"

(http://www.jerrycantrell.com/images/gallery/jc_wfriends01.jpg)
(http://www.jerrycantrell.com/images/gallery/jc_wfriends02.jpg)

Cool to see Kinney and Inez again.

Yeah. It's great to see these guys back out on the road and kicking ass again. Layne went too soon but I am sure the rest of the band will make him proud.

some one has to say this- fuck the new alice in chains-? ?the only reason these guys are doing this is for the money-? ? what was A.I.C doing when Layne died?? i thought they were broken up to be honest-? ?nobody gave a rats ass about jerry cantrells solo work or what any of these other junkies did.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

i love A.I.C,? and im sure there are other ways for these guys to pay for their girlfriends boob-jobs-? put together a decent live DVD of old footage?? or licence songs to a few good movies-

who here thinks Dave Grohl and the the other guy from Nirvana (kirk?)? should get back together and tour around with someone singing kurts parts?? i think the tour would make millions- think of the T-shirt sales!? ?

hell we should put together a festival:
the new nirvana with the guy from Yellowcard singing
Alice In Chains redux
Elvis impersonaters
The Doors of the 21st century
Queen w/ paul rogers


somewhere up in rock n roll heaven Layne, Morrison and the guy from Queen are rolling in their graves.

dude, alice in chains disbanded cuz Layne was too fucked up and refused any help. don't know all the particulars, but you might wanna review all the facts before you run your mouth. :rant:

I think it's fantastic that the remaining members have managed to reunite and I hope to be able to see a bootleg or go see them if they actually tour in Canada.

And the bass player from Nirvana is named Krist :P and no they shouldn't cuz Kurt was the driving force behind Nirvana.

AIC was a collaborative effort with everyone contributing. if anyone did more song writing than others, it was prolly cantrell.

Yeah it's a shame, although he was already gone before he left this world.

The reunited ALICE IN CHAINS have lined up the following European dates during the spring/summer:

May 26 - Super Bock Super Rock - POR
May 28 - Madrid Festimad - Madrid, SPA
Jun. 02 - Rock am Ring - N?rburgring, GER
Jun. 03 - Rock im Park - N?rnberg, GER
Jun. 04 - Gods of Metal - Milan, ITA
Jun. 10 - Download - Donington Park, UK
Jun. 11 - Download - Dublin, IRE
Jun. 15 - Novarock Festival - Nickelsdorf, AUT
Jun. 16 - Provinssirock Festival - Sein?joki, FIN
Jun. 17 - Hultsfred Festival - Hultsfred, SWE
Jun. 24 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, BEL
Jun. 25 - Hellfest - Clisson, FRA
Jun. 26 - Razzmatazz - Barcelona, SPA
Jun. 27 - Macumba - Madrid, SPA
Jul. 01 - Waldrock - Burgum, NETH @ Holland
Jul. 02 - Goffert Park - Nijmegen, NETH

Exactly, Jerry Cantrell wrote 90% of AIC's music and lyrics, check the album's credits for reinforcement.
I think it's great that they're touring again, because I missed seeing them play live back in their day : ok:

And how can you say it's about the money? If they started touring as soon as Layne died (to cash in on his death) then maybe you could say that, but it's been 4 years since he passed on. Get over it.

You are a very angry young man aren't you? :hihi:

Can't you simply enjoy the fact that these guys are all still out and about and playing music for people that still want to hear it?

I am a HUGE AIC fan and have read both sides from you guys and have to say a couple of things.? I don't think it is about just the money.? Musicians love to play, it's what they do.? AIC was a fantastic band, so it is not that strange the band would want to record again.

With that said, someone talked about Kurt being the force behind Nirvana.? That is inarguably true.? BUT is not Dave pretty good in his own right? And what about Krist??? I think the SAME is true about Layne Staley.? Yeah, (Sadly) Layne was indeed pretty fucked up on Heroin at the end, but wasn't Kurt also pretty deep into the abyss of drugs??? Layne had a VERY unique voice and I think he was the driving force behind the Chains very much similar to the way Kurt was to Nirvana.? NO KURT=NO NIRVANA? ? ?NO LAYNE=NO ALICE IN CHAINS.   

This is kind of going out into left field now, but since there are some AIC fans here...Does ANYBODY have info on where I can get "Bite the Bullet"?? It is from the infamous "treehouse demos'' and is the ONLY legit song I don't have by AIC.

Thanks!?
?

 

would it have been different if they had in a alternative universe, fired layne say after the third album and got another singer? would they still be "cashing in" then?

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal that former PANTERA and current SUPERJOINT RITUAL/DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo will be performing with the reunited ALICE IN CHAINS tonight (March 10) at the taping of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!" tribute to HEART at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Anselmo will join ALICE IN CHAINS members Jerry Cantrell (guitar), Mike Inez (bass) and Sean Kinney (drums), plus guest musician (on second guitar) Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) for two songs: "Them Bones" and "Would?" COMES WITH THE FALL vocalist/guitarist and member of Jerry Cantrell's touring band William DuVall will also make an appearance on lead vocals for two songs ? "Man in the Box" and "Angy Chair". Also scheduled to appear are former JANE'S ADDICTION/RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS guitarist Dave Navarro and Gretchen Wilson, among other guest performers. A spring air date for the show is to be announced shortly.

"Gretchen Wilson"......??  OH, I get it...SOMEONE has to be the trailer-trash groupie!!

When will this be on TV?

How cool, Duff is gonna be jamming some great songs with them!
Has this been on yet?

Phil Anselmo is the shit.. I think they just taped it unless it was live. Im gonna check it out tho.. I want to see this shit.

don't forget "yours truely" please : ok:

If thats your opinion, fine. However as already mentioned Cantrell was the main creative force in that band. If you haven't heard them, you should check out his solo albums. You would be hard pressed to find any songs on them that couldnt pass for a new AIC song.  :peace:

Ya this show was taped the other night and will be premiried in the spring

Is there any way of finding out the broadcast date?

Hasnt been announced yet

Yes I have heard them. Geez, I don't post on things I have no clue about.  I have "Boggy Depot" and both versions of "Degradation Trip".  Both are decent.  I am hard pressed to find but a few that could pass for a new AIC song though.  Really only 2 hit really close "Jesus Hands" from the first and "Bargain Basement Howard Hughes" from the second. 

This "as already mentioned" shit is ridiculous though. The person who stated this earlier opinion (Neemo) is very high on my list of class-acts on this site.  But I don't need someone saying "as already mentioned" to me like I'm an idiot because my opinion is different.  Yes, Cantrell was a huge contributor in terms  of writing music and lyrics.   Layne did  not write as much as Jerry.  But Layne added his fantastic emotion (sometimes lack of) and voice to the mix that were vital.   Layne also collaborated with quite a few of the songs lyrically.

My opinion (and apparantley several others judging from Cantrell's sucess versus AIC) is both were vital and neither could be replaced.  That doesn't mean that I am not glad to see the rest of the band playing again, or don't respect other peoples difference in opinions.  Just don't try and belittle mine because I don't echo your feelings.

You have got to be kidding.  This is as close to AIC as VR is to Guns N Roses.

Are they even recording again? I understood it was just a live gig. Yes Dav Grohl is Fucking Brilliant but never got the chance to do anything creative for Nirvana, Like 1 song i think and it was a rare track Not even a b-side :hihi: . Not sure about Krist's involvement in the SOng Writing process, but he was there from day 1. Kurt did go to rehab, Layne refused. and yeah I agree AIC wouldn't have made it without Cantrell and Staley together as a tandem. I'll see if i can track down Bite the Bullet for you : ok:


I'm hoping that is a good thing :-[ if it's not then I'm not gonna give you that track if i find it :rofl: :peace:

I'm thinking one song on the 2 albums could pass for AIC, "Cut You In" from boggy depot

I'm hoping that is a good thing :-[ if it's not then I'm not gonna give you that track if i find it :rofl: :peace:

I'm thinking one song on the 2 albums could pass for AIC, "Cut You In" from boggy depot

Yeah bro, definitely a good thing.  You and about 5 others is the reason I joined this site.  You post for 2 reasons: to either help someone out or because you have something (besides cutdowns or other bullshit) to contribute.  I am so sick of the "Newbie" treatment shit.  I have lots to contribute too and have been coming to this site  for years, just didn't have the time to join until recently.

Very good point about "Cut You In" too, that one I forgot. It would fit in perfectly on "Tripod" or "Jar of Flies". 

I don't know if they (AIC) are going to be doing studio or not but if it helps until then, I have the Tsunami Benefit stuff and will be glad to hook you up with it.   :beer:   

Launch Radio Networks reports: The surviving members of ALICE IN CHAINS returned to the stage for only the second time since 1996 on Friday night (March 10) at the Trump Taj Mahal resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the taping of a new episode of the VH1 Classic series "Decades Rock Live!". The show, a tribute to HEART, also featured appearances by former JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro, "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood and singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, as well as HEART itself. But aside from the headliners, it was clearly ALICE IN CHAINS that a large portion of the crowd was there to see, judging from the fanatical audience reaction.

ALICE IN CHAINS opened the evening with a four-song set. COMES WITH THE FALL singer William DuVall, who has also performed in ALICE guitarist Jerry Cantrell's solo band, sang the first two songs, "Angry Chair" and "Man In The Box".

For "Them Bones" and "Would?" ALICE IN CHAINS brought out ex-PANTERA vocalist Philip Anselmo, making one of his rare live appearances since the death of former PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott in December of 2004.

VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan joined the group on second guitar for its entire set, which the band dedicated to Abbott and late ALICE IN CHAINS frontman Layne Staley, who died in 2002.

ALICE IN CHAINS returned at the end of the night for "Rooster", to which HEART singer Ann Wilson contributed vocals. Cantrell, McKagan and Navarro stuck around to join HEART on "Barracuda".

ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Inez pulled double duty, playing for both ALICE IN CHAINS and HEART.

The show is scheduled to premiere on VH1 Classic on May 5.

The reunited group will tour this summer, although it has not been determined if it will use one vocalist or a rotating cast. European festival dates have been confirmed, with U.S. club shows likely for the end of May and a full North American trek possible for the fall.

The band, which also features Sean Kinney on drums, performed for the first time in nine years at a tsunami benefit in Seattle in February of 2005, where they were joined on vocals by Ann Wilson, TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan, PUDDLE OF MUDD's Wes Scantlin and others.

Launch Radio Networks reports: ALICE IN CHAINS made only its second live appearance in a decade on Friday night (March 10), when the surviving members of the group performed at a taping of the VH1 Classic series "Decades Rock Live!" The event kicked off a new round of activity for the band, which plans to tour both the U.S. and Europe this year. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell told Launch that one of the main reasons for the group's return is to honor the memory of its late lead singer, Layne Staley. "It hurt enough to lose the guy, but to have him just totally swept under the carpet when he died was an insult," he said. "But, you know, we don't have any control over that, and we were lucky enough to spend time with the guy and call him our friend, you know, and we lived and we built this thing, and it's totally about honoring Layne and honoring the music and celebrating, and it's also about celebrating us being alive and being together."

I made that comment to acknowledge that someone had already made the point, and we didnt have to read a wasted post of "I already said that". If you thought it was a personal attack at you, than you have bigger issues to deal with than a re-united AIC. :peace:

If thats your opinion, fine. However as already mentioned Cantrell was the main creative force in that band. If you haven't heard them, you should check out his solo albums. You would be hard pressed to find any songs on them that couldnt pass for a new AIC song. 

Above is your reaction to me saying No Layne=No AIC.  "As already mentioned" in this respect is like saying "Regardless of your opinion....".  Maybe you didn't mean it to be condescending but it came off that way. If you didn't (intend it that way) please accept my apologies.  That's the bad thing about the written word it comes off wrong sometimes. 

Anything else we need to talk about just PM me.

Those songs from Facelift must be in a future setlist, besides Man In The Box and We Die Young which were always there i would like to hear Sunshine or Put You Down again.

A couple of people have said here that Jerry's solo albums don't compare to AIC's albums, but I think they could easily stand alongside the best of AIC, especially songs on Degradation Trip. Songs like What It Takes, Spiderbite, Solitude, Cast Away, Thanks Anyway, Bargain Basement Howard Hughes, Psychotic Break...

Hell, nearly every song on there reminds me of AIC in some way, even his vocals sound reminscent of Layne on some songs.

People, it's the same band as before, with a different voice(s).

Same band, same songwriting... different voice and maybe attitude.

I owuld see them

Layne wrote a lot of lyrics in Alice In Chains.
Plus, you can't match those harmonies he done.
The vocal layering on their last CD is insane.

I really don't see the point of a new Alice In Chains. It's nice to keep a flame going, but when your singer dies, you should just give it a rest. Especially considering the band was pretty much finished before the singer died....

 From the Vh1's Decades Rock Live. See if you can recognize everyone.
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-11/899469/heartdecades.jpg)

And from Jerry's Bday? ;D
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-11/899469/JCBday.jpg)

Launch Radio Networks is reporting that the reunited ALICE IN CHAINS will play at least five shows in the U.S. before heading overseas for a series of summer European dates. The band have revealed on their web site that the first date of their U.S. tour will be May 18. No city or venue has been named yet, but a message posted at the site reads, "While we can't yet share too many details about this tour, we can tell you that all the venues will be clubs, which will give fans an intimate AIC experience. We can also tell you that every city the band plays in has its own major league baseball team."

The band has also confirmed that COMES WITH THE FALL vocalist/guitarist William DuVall will sing lead vocals for the group on its upcoming run, along with a few "special guests."

DuVall performed two songs with ALICE IN CHAINS last month in New Jersey at a taping of the VH1 Classic series "Decades Rock Live!". He has also sung ALICE IN CHAINS material as part of guitarist Jerry Cantrell's solo touring band.

MTV.com is reporting that the reunited ALICE IN CHAINS ? guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, along with COMES WITH THE FALL frontman William DuVall ? have booked five very intimate club dates that will act as a primer for the band's European festival tour, beginning May 26 at the Super Bock Super Rock in Portugal.

A spokesperson for the band said while DuVall ? who is a member of Cantrell's touring band ? will act as ALICE's chief frontman, a number of surprise guest vocalists and musicians will take the stage with the band at all five shows. Former GUNS N' ROSES and current VELVET REVOLVER bassist Duff McKagan will be one of those unannounced guests. It's unclear at this point at which shows he'll be slapping the bass.

ALICE IN CHAINS' U.S. tour dates:

May 18 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy
May 19 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 21 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
May 22 - Boston, MA @ Avalon
May 23 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Aug. 11 - Sturgis, SD @ 2006 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

The reunited ALICE IN CHAINS are scheduled to take part in one of Japan's biggest music festivals ? the Udo Music Festival. Set over two days in two different locations, the Udo Music Festival features dozens of acts and about 50,000 concert-goers. And for the first time ever, AIC will be part of the madness. On July 22, the band will play at the Fuji International Speedway and then on July 23 they will perform at the Festival's other location, the Osaka Izumi Otsu Phoenix.

As previously reported, ALICE IN CHAINS have confirmed the five dates and cities for its U.S. mini-tour next month, beginning on May 18 in Los Angeles and ending on the 23 in New York City. The shows will all take place in either small clubs or theatres. These gigs and a previously announced date at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August are the only announced North American shows for the reunited group so far, with European festival dates on tap for June and July. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney will be joined on vocals by COMES WITH THE FALL frontman William DuVall. However, surprise guest vocalists and musicians are expected to show up at each of the five U.S. dates, with bassist Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) already rumored to be coming along as a second guitarist.

It's been 10 years since the last official performance by ALICE IN CHAINS before the 2002 death of singer Layne Staley, and Mike Inez told Launch Radio Networks that the group's fans have waited long enough for them to play again. "Not to put a time limit on it, but if it was 10 years, you know, I think we needed that time to put some space in between it," he said. "It just feels right, and we're coming from a pure spot, and it's just more of a celebration of our music we created. Just one more time around the world. We're gonna bring it to the people and everyone's invited."

The surviving members of the band played together for the first time since 1996 at a Seattle tsunami benefit in February of 2005. They regrouped again in March for a taping of the VH1 Classic series "Decades Rock Live!", at which plans for more touring and a possible new album were first revealed.

Upcoming ALICE IN CHAINS shows:

May 18 - The Roxy - Los Angeles, CA
May 19 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
May 21 - Cabaret Metro - Chicago, IL
May 22 - Avalon Ballroom - Boston, MA
May 23 - The Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
May 26 - Super Bock Super Rock - Lisbon, POR
May 27 - Copera - Granada, SPA
May 28 - Madrid Festimad - Madrid, SPA
May 30 - Santana 27 - Bilbao, SPA
Jun. 02 - Rock am Ring - GER
Jun. 03 - Rock im Park - Nurburg, GER
Jun. 04 - Milan Gods of Metal - Milan, ITA
Jun. 06 - Novesta Hall - Zlin, CZR
Jun. 07 - Spodek - Katowice, POL
Jun. 08 - Pet?fi Csarnok Open Air - Budapest, HUN
Jun. 10 - Download Festival - Donington, UK
Jun. 11 - RDS Download Festival - Dublin, IRE
Jun. 13 - Volkshaus - Zurich, SWI
Jun. 15 - Novarock Festival - Nickelsdorf, AUT
Jun. 16 - Provinssirock Festival - Sein?joki, FIN
Jun. 17 - Hultsfred Festival - Hultsfred, SWE
Jun. 19 - Vega - Copenhagen, DEN
Jun. 20 - Rockefeller - Oslo, NOR
Jun. 22 - Bataclan - Paris, FRA
Jun. 23 - Hellfest - Clisson, FRA
Jun. 24 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, BEL
Jun. 26 - Razzmatazz - Barcelona, SPA
Jun. 30 - TopVar Rock Fest - Nove Mesto nad Vahom, SK
Jul. 01 - Waldrock - Burgum, NETH
Jul. 02 - Goffert Park - Nijmegen, NETH
Jul. 22 - Udo Music Festival - Fuji International Speedway, JPN
Jul. 23 - Udo Music Festival - Osaka, JPN
Aug. 11 - 2006 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - Sturgus, SD

ALICE IN CHAINS will be making a "massive" announcement via their official web site, AliceInChains.com, on May 15 at around 4:00 p.m. PST. "It's so big that we can't even hint at what it's about but we can tell you that you'll be kicking yourself later if you don't stop by the site at around 4:00 p.m. PST on Monday," the band write in their newsletter.

Perhaps a new album?  I do hope so.  AIC was the best of the Seattle scene by far.

Launch Radio Networks reports: Although news broke online late Tuesday (May 9) that ALICE IN CHAINS would be making a "massive" announcement on its website this Monday (May 15), a representative for the band's management told Launch yesterday (Wednesday, May 10) to disregard that notice, chalking it up to an "overenthusiastic" fan club moderator. The item about the big revelation has since disappeared from the site.

lets say axl rose died tomorrow?   

is it ok for slash and duff to get a new singer and go out as GNR?





I would rather listen to the surviving members play the songs with no one singing.

alice in chains were great

its not even close without layne, but still cool to hear the songs again.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Seattle rock band Alice in Chains, one of the biggest acts of the early 1990s until drugs got in the way, launched its first tour since 1996 in Los Angeles on Thursday with the help of a few famous friends.

Former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan turned up at the packed Roxy Theater to sing a tune, as did former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan, playing guitar, accompanied the band on five songs.

The sold-out show at the 450-capacity venue was the first of five that will take the band to clubs in San Diego (May 19), Chicago (May 21), Boston (May 22) and New York (May 23). The band played a last-minute "open rehearsal" in Seattle on Tuesday. A European jaunt begins on May 26 in Lisbon.



Alice in Chains last toured in June-July 1996, when it opened four shows for Kiss. Subbing for vocalist Layne Staley, who died of a drug overdose in April 2002, is William DuVall, an old collaborator of guitarist Jerry Cantrell.

The afro-coiffed DuVall, sporting an unbuttoned leather shirt, effectively channeled the menace of his ill-fated predecessor. Cantrell in a vintage Eveready t-shirt, bass player Mike Inez in a Led Zeppelin t-shirt and drummer Sean Kinney kept things just as heavy as they did in their heyday.

The economical 70-minute performance centered on tunes from the band's breakthrough 1992 album "Dirt," including "Down in a Hole" (sung by Corgan), "Rooster" (Lanegan), "Junkhead," "Angry Chair," "Would?" and the final song "Them Bones." Others included "Man in the Box" and "We Die Young" from 1990's "Facelift," and "Again" and show opener "Sludge Factory" from the band's final studio release, the self-titled 1995 "three-legged dog" album.

3-D Entertainment announced today that legendary grunge rockers ALICE IN CHAINS will headline the Locobazooka! music festival at the Tweeter Center on Sunday, August 13, 2006.

New England's largest music festival, Locobazooka! is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. For the past several years, the festival had been held at the Fitchburg Municipal Airport in Fitchburg, MA. Dan Hartwell, 3-D Entertainment President, remarked, "Locobazooka! grows bigger and better every year. With an incredible band like ALICE IN CHAINS headlining and the move to a first-class venue like the Tweeter Center, this year's 15th anniversary celebration is going to be huge!" Hartwell added that additional bands would be announced in the coming weeks.

One of the most successful and influential bands to come out of the Seattle music scene, ALICE IN CHAINS reunited earlier this year for the first time since the death of lead singer Layne Staley in 2002. The band's recent U.S. club tour included a sold out show at Boston's Avalon Ballroom last night.

Locobazooka! has become known by both music fans and music business professionals alike as a springboard to success for many up-and-coming bands. KID ROCK, LIMP BIZKIT, GODSMACK, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, STAIND, SLIPKNOT, SHADOWS FALL, DAMAGEPLAN, and DISTURBED are just a few Locobazooka! veterans who went onto become major headliners after playing the festival.

The festival has also become known as a unique opportunity for unsigned bands to play alongside major label artists in front of an audience of thousands of fans. "Now that we've officially announced the festival, we are going to get swamped with submissions and phone calls from bands looking to play Locobazooka! We still have a few spots left that we need to fill, so I urge any band that wants to play Locobazooka! to get in touch with us immediately," said Hartwell.

Tickets for Locobazooka! United We Rock Festival featuring ALICE IN CHAINS go on-sale Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets are available at the Tweeter Center Box Office and at Ticketmaster outlets, including Filene's, by calling (617/508) 931-2000, or (617) 228-6000, or by logging on to www.teapartyconcerts.com.

ALICE IN CHAINS have announced four more U.S. dates in August to coincide with their appearance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD. The group's U.S. itinerary is now shaping up as follows:

Aug. 03 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH
Aug. 04 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
Aug. 05 - Musikfest, River Place Venue - Bethleham, PA
Aug. 11 - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - Sturgis, SD
Aug. 12 - Sioux Empire Fairgrounds - Sioux Falls, SD

All the pre-sales for the new dates will take place on Tuesday, May 30.

no one cares

Wrong as usual damien, some of us do.  So piss off.

You obviously cared enough to read this topic and post a reply... ;D


Anyway, I hope this version of AIC make it out to Australia on this tour, as I missed seeing them back in the day.

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield joined ALICE IN CHAINS on stage for a renditon of their song "Would?" at the Rock am Ring festival in N?rburgring, Germany on Friday, June 2.

ALICE IN CHAINS setlist ? June 2, 2006 at Rock am Ring festival in N?rburgring, Germany:

01. It Ain't Like That
02. Junkhead
03. Again
04. Dam That River
05. We Die Young
06. Them Bones
08. No Excuses
09. Rooster
10. Would? (feat. James Hetfield)
11. Man in the Box

i hope someone recorded that broadcast.

If anyone was alert enough to cap this, I'd love to see it

did duff play with them?  any gnr reference?

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich joined ALICE IN CHAINS on stage at Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark Monday night (June 19) for a rendition of the AIC classic "Man in the Box". Also making guest appearances with the group were STONE SOUR's Corey Taylor and Josh Rand, who jammed with ALICE IN CHAINS earlier in the set on "Again".

ALICE IN CHAINS setlist for June 19, 2006 show at Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark:

01. Sludge Factory
02. Dam That River
03. Rain When I Die
04. It Ain't Like That
05. Again (feat. Corey Taylor & Josh Rand)
06. Junkhead
07. No Excuses
08. Down in a Hole
09. We Die Young
10. Them Bones
11. Man in the Box (feat. Lars Ulrich on drums)
Encore:
12. Nutshell
13. Rooster
14. Would?

ALICE IN CHAINS ? Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Mike Inez and William DuVall (who will handle lead vocals for the group) ? completed a short U.S. tour in May and are currently on the road in Europe playing a series of club dates and festival appearances.

Wow, Lars on drums for Man In The Box? Cool!
Would love to hear a recording of that.

So now Lars and James have both guested with AIC, time for Kirk and Rob to join them too.

William DuVall did a spot on job at Download IMO.

The Essential Alice in Chains", a two-CD compilation that originally was slated to be released more than two years ago, finally will see the light of day July 25 via Sony/Legacy.

CD 1:

01. We Die Young
02. Man In The Box
03. Sea Of Sorrow
04. Love, Hate, Love
05. Am I Inside
06. Brother
07. Got Me Wrong
08. Right Turn
09. Rain When I Die
10. Them Bones
11. Angry Chair
12. Dam That River
13. Dirt
14. God Smack
15. Hate To Feel
16. Rooster

CD 2:

01. No Excuses
02. I Stay Away
03. What The Hell Have I (Remix)
04. A Little Bitter (Remix)
05. Grind
06. Heaven Beside You
07. Again
08. Over Now (Unplugged)
09. Nutshell (Unplugged)
10. Get Born Again
11. Died
12. Would?


Wheres It Aint Like That?

do they really need another compilation/hits type album released?  its ridiculous.. oh well!

Completely agree mate. He has a powerful enough voice to be an able deputy to Layne. Sure, nobody is ever gonna be quite as unique as Layne, but DuVall did a great job.

yup, William DuVall does a good job... still, I wish I'd have seen AIC with Layne at least once in my life... oh well.


P.S. I taped the Rock am Ring broadcast of Alice in Chains with James Hetfield. I can' t put it up on my PC though  :-\

FALL Tour Announced!!!

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1538132/20060808/alice_in_chains.jhtml?headlines=true

hmm i used to love alice in chains but i always figured that if they were to continue playing music that jerry would just assume lead vocals>  glad to hear that the new guy sounds good though> does anyone know if they have a new album coming out?

no album in the works at this point....

jerry says new material is a possibility but i wouldn't hold my breath honestly.

I'm still waiting to hear Jerry's 3rd solo album which was promised a couple of years ago.

i just got "Dirt" recently, AMAZING!!! I respect Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana, but Stone Temple Pilots and now Alice In Chains are my favorite bands from the "grunge" era.

i know i'm a new fan but i don't think they should make a new album, it won't be the same without Layne Staley.

Also, although Staley's body wasn't discovered until April 19 in his Seattle home, he actually died on April 5. That date is eight years to the day after the suicide death of Cobain!

how creepy is that?

Not as creep ay finding the body 2 weeks after he died - damn, what a site that must have been, after 2 weeks a body dont look good....

yeah damn..

what would u guys reccomend i get after Dirt? how are the other records?

Jar of Flies is really good, its all acoustic and has some really great songs on it GnFnR87.

Has anybody heard whats going on with the record Jerry was going to record with Glenn Danzig? It sounded like it'd be pretty interesting I hope its still gonna happen.

Wow. Dirt is a fantastic album...I'd suggest "Facelift" next, followed by the Jar of Flies EP.  "Bleed the Freak," "And We Die Young," "It Ain't Like That," etc.  A lot of great material from their debut...enjoy.

Jar of Flies, although it's pretty short, only like 7 songs. Facelift is good, as is Grind. Didn't Layne do a side project too, Mercy River or something River?? I remember a good song from that. He was a talent.

Oh yeah, as to his death, IIRC I think his sister actually is the one who found him.. Or maybe she just called police to check on him. She hadn't heard from him for a while & suspected something bad. Sad.

Mad Season with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. Amazing album. Also, Sap is great. It's an acoustic EP released before Dirt- shorter than Jar of Flies, but their songwriting was at its best for this and Dirt, I think.

Searched for this topic
And didn't get anything...
Figured I'd ask here!

Show is next Thursday....
I'm going with my nephew...
Anybody else?

Splash

/Mike

my sister is going to see AIC at Buzzfest in Houston tommorow, other bands playing are Avenged Sevenfold, OKGO, StoneSour, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and some other crap bands. I wanted her to take me (i'm not old enough to drive) but i guess i'm not going.

Have fun at the gig McGann, their new singer is pretty good.

And of course, it's Jerry Cantrell for crying out loud!

I had forgotten all about that since I dont work down there anymore. If there are still tickets, I might have to go hit that show. Thanks for the reminder : ok:

The show is tonight!
I'll let you know how it is...
Haiku might be tough!!!!

Splash

/Mike

An AWESOME concert.
William DuVall is PERFECT
The band is SO tight.

Very cool setlist
Mix of old stuff from "Facelift"
Even "Bleed the Freak"

Up to the late stuff
"Grind", "Sludge Factory", et al
The whole show just rocked.

It's hard in haiku
To review a concert well...
I'll finish later.

(I don't plan this stuff
And, especially at work,
Challenging as hell.)

Splash

/Mike

Cool, I got an AIC shirt from their concert that I mentioned, the one with the lungs and heart on the front

Launch Radio Networks reports: ALICE IN CHAINS filmed its concert on Tuesday night (October 31) in Providence, Rhode Island for a possible DVD release, guitarist Jerry Cantrell told Launch at the first of the band's two New York City shows on Wednesday (November 1). The Halloween performance was two hours and forty minutes long, with the group playing additional songs for the filming. There's no indication yet of when the DVD could surface or what other features it might contain.

As it is, the group's current North American tour features the reunited band playing a two-hour show that includes an acoustic middle section as well as an eight-minute video tribute to late ALICE IN CHAINS frontman Layne Staley. Drummer Sean Kinney told Launch that the band feels the singer's presence onstage. "He's there every night," he said. "That's one of the main reasons we're doing it. I have no doubt that he'd be totally, 'Well, what took you guys so long?'It took me a long time for me personally to come to terms with even wanting to put myself in that situation, you know. This is the best way. We were all kind of in the same place, that felt like it was the right thing to do, you know. We bring him along in all our ways, you know, he's around us all the time."

I'll be seeing them tonight in buffalo. :beer:

is this lineup strictly for touring or will they record an album??

has anything been mentioned regarding this?

I think Jerry said its possible but nothing for sure about recording.

who loves this album? its so dark and dirty.. i Love it! one of the best of the 90s i believe and I just put it on for the first time in ages!

favorites on this album?

mine are:  Rain When I Die, Would?, Rooster, Them Bones, Junkhead, Down in a Hole

badass record, but we already have an Alice in Chains thread!!!

anyway its a pretty awesome album i love Rooster, Angry Chair, Would, Them bones.

I love Layne Staley, he wrote some really heartfelt and real lyrics and its a really shame what happened to him.

i hate how Godsmack took their name from one of the songs on this record then proceeded to totally rip off alice in chains in every way,  down to their fucking logo!!

Awesome album. Although listening to it these days it's clear to see Layne was already well on his way to drug addiction when the band recorded this. Still, amazing guitar playing and killer vocal harmonies from Jerry and Layne.

Easily one of the best heavy rock records to come out in the 90's. : ok:

i love dirt and there self titled album after it too. Great band great album, i feel they were wrongly labelled as grunge. They were dark metal to me.

I need to get this, i only have facelift, which i love, and greatest hits.

wow !!! you must get Dirt, which I think is their best album then Jar of Flies and Unplugged.
some amazing stuff in these albums!!! :)

jar of flies? is that an album? i thought they only did 3 albums  :confused:

Its an EP, fucking amazing. u have to get it. they released it after Dirt i believe.

It's definitely one of the best albums of the 90's but I think it can give most of the great rock albums ever made a run for their money.  Dirt is a very dark album and Alice in Chains at their best.  This album just goes to show how great of a songwriter Jerry Cantrell really was (5 of the 13 songs were written by him; Dam That River, Them Bones, Would, Down in a Hole, Rooster, and another 5 were co-written by him) and how Layne Staley was able to bring those songs alive...amazing fucking rock album.

Layne Staley was already hooked on drugs by the time this album came out as someone had said, "Layne was on his way to drug addicition."  He was already there as was most of the band.  I think I read once that over 60% of AIC lyrics are about Heroin and Dirt is a concept album about the drug, although not every single song on here is specifically about H.  It's an album full of misery and despair and I fucking love it.

One of the best rock albums of all time.  Fact.  Stands up to The Stones, Beatles, The Who, Zeppelin, Sabbath, all of them.

i finally got Facelift and this album is awesome too. the one-two punch of "We Die Young" and "Man in A Box" is killer.

Got 3rd row tickets to see them in Toronto...Not a huge fan but I do like them...Im hoping Duvall sounds good enough singing the songs

Duvall is AWESOME.
I saw them in October.
Legacy intact!!!

Splash

/Mike

Good to hear...I was just judging by some of the videos ive seen of them in europe I wasnt inpressed with

listening to there first album, i preffer it over dirt, its not so depressing and has lots of great wah solos

Does anyone have the "SAP" EP? I had it years ago, and can't find it now.

I bought it years and years ago but I am pretty sure they still sell it and it shouldn't be more than like 5-6 bucks.
Yeah I saw them last year and while no one will ever be Layne (possibly the most under rated singer ever) Duvall sounded amazing.
It's an EP but it's got 9 tracks of all original material. It is honestly amazing. I absolutely love everything this band ever did and sometimes I think it might be as good as DIRT, albeit shorter. It's amazing tho man, every track. When you hear it you'll probably recognise some songs as it had a few hits on it.

I loved AIC.

Check out the box set if you can.

Alice In Chains recorded its acoustic performance Friday night (August 31) at The Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for an upcoming live album. It is likely ? although not officially confirmed ? that the remaining three AIC acoustic shows while on the road with VELVET REVOLVER this summer and fall will also be recorded for the live CD, which is tentatively due in early 2008.

ALICE IN CHAINS's setlist for last night's concert was as follows:

01. Don't Follow
02. Heaven Beside You
03. Brother
04. I Can't Remember
05. Nutshell
06. Killer is Me
07. Love Hate Love
08. Sludge Factory
09. Angry Chair
10. No Excuses
11. Down in a Hole
12. Got Me Wrong

Encore:

13. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (ELTON JOHN cover)
14. Squeeze Box (THE WHO cover)
15. Rooster

Remaining ALICE IN CHAINS "Acoustic Hour" shows (in between regular dates with VELVET REVOLVER):

Sep. 01 - Pageant - St. Louis, MO
Sep. 29 - Antone's - Austin, TX
Oct. 01 - House Of Blues - New Orleans, LA

y'know ever since they announced that they are gonna record a new album with duvall i heard fans made a online petition asking them not to in respect for Layne...

i'm not sure how i feel about them recording a new album without him....

Im sure theres alot more people who would like to see them record a new album then not...I think they should

As much as I don't think anything they do will measure up to the amazing music they created with Layne, who was a brilliant rock singer, I would love to hear any music by Jerry Cantrell. The man is just as gifted as songwriters come. All of his solo stuff is incredible, and he wrote the bulk of AIC material himself.

I cant stand Jerry's solo stuff - i think a new AIC album would just sound like that: bland

Fan-filmed video footage of ALICE IN CHAINS' September 1, 2007 acoustic performance at the Pageant in St. Louis, Missouri can be viewed below. The concert was one of several AIC acoustic shows that are being recorded for an upcoming live album, tentatively due in early 2008.

ALICE IN CHAINS's setlist for the St. Louis concert was as follows:

01. Don't Follow
02. Heaven Beside You
03. Brother
04. I Can't Remember
05. Killer is Me
06. Nutshell
07. Love Hate Love
08. Sludge Factory
09. Angry Chair
10. Down in a Hole
11. No Excuses
12. Got Me Wrong

Encore:

13. Curtains (ELTON JOHN cover)
14. Sqeeze Box (THE WHO cover)
15. Would?
16. Rooster

Remaining ALICE IN CHAINS "Acoustic Hour" shows (in between regular dates with VELVET REVOLVER):

Oct. 01 - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
Oct. 12 - Plush - Jacksonville, FL
Oct. 13 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
Oct. 15 - The NorVa - Norfolk, VA
Oct. 16 - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium - Asheville, NC
Oct. 17 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
Oct. 19 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK
Oct. 20 - The Blue Note - Columbia, MO
Oct. 21 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO
Oct. 23 - Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO
Oct. 25 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV

Where's the link to the fan filmed footage?

Anyone heard there version of Squeeze Box on there current acoustic tour? man they own that song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2yXfZMmTRQ

Just saw 'em, they totally kicked ass.

dirt is one of my favorite albums,and would kick ass.

This is the coolest video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg4q9hQj3Tg&feature=related

Alice with Phil Anselmo and Duff


 :peace:

I don't understand why they're going to do something like that... I guess it's worth a try, but I would have to agree with the fans, not wanting them to in respect for Layne.

It's like when the Doors tried to pull something like that off ('cept they actually sued for even TRYING that...)

Anselmo sounds like a turd compared to Layne...
Im so massively into AIC these days, Layne was just absolutely amazing. and of course, the other guys as well.
I support them releasing a new album, though I wouldn't mind if they did it under another name. anyway, it'll be great to hear those 3 guys release some new music, and Duvall is doing pretty good on vocals. I bet it will kick major ass considering Jerry's singwriting skills!

I can't hold it against the guys for doing what they're doing, but I think hanging on to the AIC name is a misstep.  For better or worse, AIC died with Layne.

Some sweet new videos with Layne here :

http://www.aliceinchains.com/biography/layne.aspx

Eh...Layne sang a lot of their songs, wrote most or all of 'em, and his 2002 solo album was the best thing he ever did...I'm cool with him using the name.

I fucking grew up on Anselmo man! But you're right, Layne smokes him, and many others. Forever I have thought Layne was an amazingly underrated vocal talent. I don't think most people realise until they try to sing one of his songs.


I think you meant to say Jerry. And if you did I agree Degradation Trip 1&2 is a masterpiece and probably my favorite album of this century so far. I don't think we have to worry about Jerry and crew writing a bunch of garbage at an attempt for a cash grab. I think when/if they release something it's going to be pretty quality.

I think I'm really getting in to them.. at least Dirt :smoking:

Check out Jar of Flies next...it's brilliant.

AIC's acoustic (mostly) EPs are what set them apart from the rest of grunge. Jar of Flies and Sap have a beauty to them that very few things can match. Rotten Apple - Nutshell - I Stay Away - etc... man JoF is brilliant. AIX acoustic gets me through the most depressing times of winter, but it's good for the summer too.

really liked that too, i think i'm falling in love with them, was a while ago i felt like this when checking out a new band  :)

have only listened to some singles before but figured i like them so why not listen more, good choice

From the AIC newsletter:

Alice in Chains is ascending on the horizon...
The band will kick off 2009 with a main stage slot on Australia's Soundwave Festival (Feb 21 - Mar 1) alongside Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, Alkaline Trio, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and more. However, more touring isn't the only thing up Alice in Chains' sleeve for 2009.
There's a brand new record on the wayhe band's first studio album since 1995. Right now, Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, Sean Kinney and William Duvall are hunkered down in a Los Angeles studio crafting their latest opus. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Stone Sour), the album promises top be a sonic journey guided by eerily psychedelic solos and unforgettable riffs.
In the meantime, we want to welcome you to a brand new look for ALICEINCHAINS.COM. To coincide with Alice in Chains entering the studio to record their first new album in over 10 years, the official website is getting a massive overhaul.
The site will continue to change and evolve over the course of the next several days, weeks and months, so please bookmark it and continue to check it several times a day until it becomes a distraction at home and begins to affect your performance at work.
As the band commences with the recording of the new album, there will be weekly updates on the site, giving you the inside scoop from the studio via photos, videos, and written accounts. This will continue for as long as the recording takes place, and if some snippets of new material happen to get posted along the way, so be it!
Also new to the site is the vault section, where all things Alice from all eras of Alice will live. It's pretty barren now, but we have a treasure trove of rare items and never before seen photos and video that will slowly build this page into what will eventually be recognized as the single greatest use of the internet since the inception of 1-800-Dentist dot com.
You're also encouraged to submit photos and scans from your own collection to send to us. Pictures, posters, ticket stubs, cell phone video of Jerry buying smokes at 7-11: if we deem it worthy of inclusion in the vault, it'll have a home there for all to see.
In addition to the new site, we've initiated a sale of all Alice in Chains merch. For the next 6 weeks, all merch in OUR STORE is being sold for the same price that we pay to make it. Our cost is your cost...once the designs are sold out, they're gone for good, so go now!
There will be much more to come, so stay very close...
- Alice in Chains

Awesome cant wait to hear it and see them live again....IMO they blew VR off the stage

First studio update from Jerry and the boys, some funny shit.

"Don't think, it can only hurt the ballclub"...

Fucking classic...

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45602204

there's a chance that this will be awesome :P

i'm not sure i like duvalls voice though

More fun from Jerry and the boys in studio...

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=46019917

any updates falcon? :)

#3 studio update
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=108969

#4 studio update
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109406

ALICE IN CHAINS: Studio Update - Dec. 3, 2008 
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=110169

sounds good, i hope i'll like the vocals

also: thanks : ok:

#6 Studio update
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=110745

#7 Studio update
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111213

AIC without Layne is yuck!!!

I'm actually kind of interested in this project. They haven't even released an album yet and people are already saying stuff like that. Very disgusting.

How is that different now that Guns n'' roses is without slash, duff and matt sorum?

JC's solo work was outstanding, so I look forward to the new AIC.

 :hihi: :rofl: :hihi: :rofl: :hihi: :rofl:

I'm sorry but,

 :rofl: :hihi: :rofl: :hihi: :rofl:

Ahh... maybe because the singer is still alive.

Have you listened to Degradation Trip double CD he released?
It pretty much sounds like AIC without Layne singing.

I don't see what's so funny about that statement.

ac/dc sucks eh?

Look it, I'm not the biggest AIC fan, but they were a great band and still are, Jerry sounds alot like Layne when hes doing backup vocals, and the new lead is awesome, I seen them when they were opening for Velvet Revolver, and id have to say they blew them away, so im looking forward to a new album

I own/owned Degradation Trip and Boogey Depot

Both sound very much like the self titled AIC album

All three albums sound like shite

In my oh so humble opinion

I cant believe even Mr Cantrell would regard these albums as anything particularly special

Jerry re-mortgaged his house to finance Degradation Trip and went through some pretty tough personal times during the making if that album too, so I'd say he rates it as something special. And that album is much heavier than the self-titled AIC album and has allot better guitar riffs and solos too.

not sure I agree with that. but Jerry's solo albums are great!

ALICE IN CHAINS Guitarist: We're Not Intending To Replace LAYNE STALEY - Jan. 1, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell recently spoke to Neala Johnson of the Herald Sun about the band's participation in Australia's Soundwave festival which kicks off next month.

"I don't think there's one of us who expected to be where we are today," he said. "We started from a very cool place ? Sean [Kinney, drums] organized a benefit in our home town to raise some money for the tsunami relief, and it was a hit.

"It was a pretty heavy moment, playing together for the first time since we had lost Layne [Staley, late ALICE IN CHAINS singer who died in 2002], but it was also really cool to see our fans' reaction ? that was really inspiring. It led to the next step of us saying, 'That was fun, why don't we get together and just play in a room?'

"So we did. And that led us to William [DuVall, current ALICE IN CHAINS singer], who was a friend of mine for several years. And that led to the tours, which led us to writing. And the material we were coming up with was really cool . . . so here we are today."

"Am I worried we're gonna fall on our face? Dirty our memory? Is that what I'm worried about?" Cantrell asked.

"Fuck no, I'm not worried about that at all. If we didn't believe in what we're doing, and why we're doing it, we wouldn't be doing it.

"The reasons are all pure to us, and as long as we stick to that we can't go wrong. People will say whatever they're going to say, but they're not inside this band."

"There's no replacing Layne, and we're not intending to replace Layne," Cantrell added.

"William performs the old material very well, and very respectfully ? not trying to be Layne ? but we don't even feel like Will is a new lead singer of ALICE IN CHAINS.

"There's also myself, who's been a big part of the vocal sound in this band with the support of Layne. Layne was really instrumental in me growing as a vocalist.

"So we feel like we've added a really talented member in Will and the unit is strong, we're growing together."

"This chapter is equally as important as any chapter in the book on ALICE," he said.

"This is about living. It was of course a crushing loss to lose our best friend and partner. But it's a common human experience.

"What's important in life is when you get thrown off the proverbial horse: after you're done nursing your injuries, it's time to get up and continue to live."

ALICE IN CHAINS entered a Los Angeles studio in October with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, STONE SOUR, TRIVIUM, SHADOWS FALL, DEATH ANGEL) to begin recording its first all-new studio effort since 1995's self-titled third album.

ALICE IN CHAINS has mostly stayed off the road since 2007, but played at a radio station festival in Peoria, Arizona on September 20.

Watch ALICE IN CHAINS performing "Them Bones" live at Germany's Rock Am Ring 2006:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111705

ALICE IN CHAINS: More Footage From The Studio Posted Online - Jan. 10, 2009

The eighth in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the new ALICE IN CHAINS album can be viewed below.

Jerry Cantrell (vocals, lead guitar), Mike Inez (bass), Sean Kinney (drums) and William DuVall (vocals, guitar) are hunkered down in a Los Angeles studio crafting their latest opus. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, STONE SOUR, TRIVIUM, SHADOWS FALL, DEATH ANGEL), the album promises to be a sonic journey guided by eerily psychedelic solos, and unforgettable riffs.

ALICE IN CHAINS' manager, David Benveniste (Beno) of Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group, previously stated, "Our collective vision is to extend ALICE IN CHAINS into phase two of their career worldwide. They have tremendous heritage, having sold some 15 million records, and an amazing repertoire of new material that they've written. Most importantly, ALICE IN CHAINS will be on the road in 2009 bringing new music to fans everywhere."

The new disc will mark the recording debut with ALICE IN CHAINS of frontman William DuVall, who has been singing with the group since they officially reunited in 2006. Original vocalist Layne Staley died in April 2002.

ALICE IN CHAINS will kick off 2009 with a main-stage slot on Australia's Soundwave Festival (February 21 - March 1) alongside such acts as NINE INCH NAILS, LAMB OF GOD, ALKALINE TRIO, THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS and more.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=112241

Alice In Chains are playing some of their own headline shows in Australia too. Can't wait to see them live, even if it is without Layne (RIP)

Got my tickets to see Alice In Chains live in Sydney next month and I'm really looking forward to it. Can't wait to see Jerry Cantrell ripping it up, that guy is such an underrated guitarist.

I thought I'd check out their new singer William DuVall's band Come With The Fall, and wow, I was pleasantly surprised. This guy sounds like Chris Cornell at times and the music sounds like Superunknown era Soundgarden!

Check out songs from their latest EP The Reckoning: http://www.comeswiththefall.com/music.html

It actually gives me faith in what this guy could bring to the new AIC material.

Still miss Layne.

But I'm looking forward to hearing the new material.

Yeah, unfortunately he will never be back...

Can't wait to hear the new material this summer as well.

ALICE IN CHAINS: More Footage From The Studio Posted Online - Jan. 20, 2009

The ninth in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the new ALICE IN CHAINS album can be viewed below.

Jerry Cantrell (vocals, lead guitar), Mike Inez (bass), Sean Kinney (drums) and William DuVall (vocals, guitar) are hunkered down in a Los Angeles studio crafting their latest opus. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, STONE SOUR, TRIVIUM, SHADOWS FALL, DEATH ANGEL), the album promises to be a sonic journey guided by eerily psychedelic solos, and unforgettable riffs.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=112836

Alice In Chains In The Studio

by Paul Cashmere - February 10 2009

Alice In Chains are well down the track of recording their first new material since the death of Layne Staley.

The band began work on the new album last October under the guidance of Nick Raskulinecz (Stone Sour/Foo Fighters) producing.

William DuVall from Comes With The Fall is the current singer with the band and will be heard on the album and on their upcoming Australian tour for the Soundwave Festival.

Video of the band recording has been posted at their official website.

William tracking vocals:

Week 10 Update

Video: http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7565

I've been listening to a lot of AIC lately, I've got the album 'Dirt' in my CD player right now...

which ?s an awesome fucking album :headbanger:

From AIC's myspace:

Rock on the Range

Alice in Chains is proud to announce their first North American show for 2009: Rock on the Range in Columbus, OH on May 16.

All of the info can be found at www.RockontheRange.com.   

I'm going to see AIC in a few days and I can't wait! :beer:

Jerry Cantrell gave an interview to Aussie radio last week and he said they might debut some new songs while they're here in Australia, so I'll be sure to write a full gig report.

Just got back from the Sydney show and I am just lost for words, it was fucking awesome. The new singer William is great. There were moments I closed my eyes and it sounded just like Layne singing. Simply amazing.

I'll try to find the actual setlist, but they played so many gems - Love Hate Love, Dirt, We Die Young, It Ain't Like That, Rain When I Die. And the entire band absolutely nailed it.

If they play near at a venue near you, go see them and they'll erase any doubts you may have about whether they should be continuing as AIC without Layne. William sure won me over tonight.

awesome man!, hope they play a festival I'm attending this summer

ALICE IN CHAINS: Adelaide Footage Available - Mar. 4, 2009

Video footage of ALICE IN CHAINS' February 28, 2009 performance at the Soundwave Festival in Adelaide, Australia can be viewed below (clips uploaded by "backpackdave08").

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=115481

ALICE IN CHAINS: In Mixing Mode - Apr. 9, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS was interviewed by Altitude on the "black carpet" of Tuesday night's (April 7) Epiphone Revolver Golden Gods Awards at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Watch the chat below.

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell recently spoke with Australia's Courier-Mail about the group's upcoming album, its first full-length set of new material in more than 13 years and first without lead singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002 after a long battle with drug addiction. Handling lead vocals is William DuVall, who has sung with the group ever since it reactivated in 2005. Cantrell said, "The new stuff is cool. It's pretty goddamn crushing. I've stepped up a little bit from where I was before . . . obviously, it'll be a new sound from William being there ? but it sounds like an ALICE IN CHAINS record and a kick-ass one. There's everything from the darkest of dark, heavy shit to acoustic stuff. Throw all that together and that's what you'll get."

Cantrell told The Pulse of Radio when the band first got back together that they did not have a set plan to tour or make a new album. "You know, if you were looking at how to really capitalize on this experience and really make dough and make it a profitable thing, a band might, you know, would come out with a singer, have a record ready and all that," he said. "But that's not where we're coming from with this thing. We're coming from the place of 'It feels good, and we're having a good time, so we'd like people to be a part of that.'"

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=117889

ALICE IN CHAINS SET TO RELEASE FIRST ALBUM IN 14 YEARS

April 08, 2009

Alice in Chains have finished recording their first album together in 14 years and the band, which now features William Duvall on vocals, is eyeing a September release for their highly anticipated album of new material. After the untimely death of former vocalist Lane Staley in 2002, the band did briefly reunite in 2005 and now fans will finally have their long awaited album of new material from the band who was at the forefront of the Seattle grunge scene in the 1990's.

We caught up with guitarist Jerry Cantrell at the Revolver Golden God Awards to get an update on where the band is at in the studio and when they plan on releasing the album.

"We actually finished recording March 18th, which was my birthday and the day William's son was born so it was a pretty cool day. Huge day! So, we finished on the 18th and we're in the process of mixing right now. We're just about done with that. We're looking at a September release."

http://www.artisannews.com/ans101/templates/?a=5616&z=98

The new stuff is cool. It's pretty goddamn crushing. I've stepped up a little bit from where I was before . . . obviously, it'll be a new sound from William being there ? but it sounds like an ALICE IN CHAINS record and a kick-ass one. There's everything from the darkest of dark, heavy shit to acoustic stuff. Throw all that together and that's what you'll get."

Sounds great, maybe the rock release of the year.

A studio visit with Alice in Chains

01:00 PM PT, Apr 25 2009

The daily ritual is always the same: nine guys kneeling around a pile of money in Studio B at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, shouting, cheering and moaning as a pair of dice rolls across the carpet, delivering moments of euphoria and defeat. The members of Alice in Chains are among the group, briefly distracted from their final week of sessions for the band's first album of new material in nearly 14 years. Against the wall is an impressive row of vintage electric and acoustic guitars. Incense is burning and a U.S. flag hangs over a sound partition. But for the moment, the rock will have to wait.

Guitarist Jerry Cantrell looks up from his pile of cash and smiles. "Compared to how we used to have fun," he says, "this is pretty tame." The low-stakes game is Left, Center, Right, and many $5 bills change hands before it's over. The day's winner is producer Nick Raskulinecz, laughing now as drummer Sean Kinney grumbles something about the man's take of "two hundred bucks in the last two games."

The real challenge is still ahead, as the three surviving members of Alice in Chains -- Cantrell, Kinney and bassist Mike Inez -- work to complete new songs as a band for the first time since the death of singer Layne Staley from a heroin and cocaine overdose in 2002 at the age of 34. Their album, still untitled and set for release mid-September on Virgin/EMI, will be another case study of a major group continuing after the loss of a key member. AC/DC managed the transition successfully back in 1980, while others have failed to match their earlier triumphs, including INXS (whose search for a new singer was turned into a 2005 reality TV show) and classic rock acts Queen and the Doors.

"I don't think we ever intended to do anything," says Cantrell, 43, his thick, blond beard marking the months of preparation and recording that has gone into the new album. "With the passing of Layne, all possibility of that went out the window, probably in my mind and everyone else's too."

Genesis of a comeback

The first sign of a second act came from a chance reunion in Seattle at a 2005 benefit for tsunami relief organized by Kinney. They decided to explore the idea, recruiting singer-guitarist William DuVall, a rock shouter from Atlanta in the Chris Cornell tradition with enough inherent gloom to fit easily within the Alice in Chains sound. His former band, Comes With the Fall, was a favorite of Cantrell's and was once described by Rolling Stone as "a hard rock delight . . . like Alice unchained."

Alice in Chains has slowly, methodically rebuilt its career ever since, starting small with a five-city club tour in 2006, followed by longer road trips across the U.S., Europe and Australia. "We bonded by being on the road and by being onstage," says DuVall, also bearded and wearing a black Stooges T-shirt. "But obviously there is an emotional back story that's pretty extensive for everybody here."

Staley, the wounded frontman with a blond goatee, was a bold but at times seemingly frail young rocker, prophesying his own addiction and death in the songs "Sludge Factory" and "God Smack," where he sang: "What in God's name have you done? / Stick your arm for some real fun." His slow decline and isolation cut short the life of a band still at a popular peak.

Staley's last live stage performance with Alice in Chains was in 1996. Reassembling the group was painful, says Cantrell, and public.

"It's never a bad thing to work on yourself or walk through some heinous [stuff] in your life," he says. "It's whether you want to do it or not. I probably wouldn't have wanted to do it on my own, and the reason it was better is because we were doing it together."

The group found a surprisingly young audience waiting for them at their first reunion shows, including 30,000 fans in Lisbon, Spain, the first stop of their European tour, says Kinney. "They weren't born yet when our records came out," he says. "I was a little confused. I expected a bunch of beat-up rock people."

A loud legacy

Alice in Chains' music was dark and brooding, a mutant blend of alternative rock and real metal, with flashes of big, classic-rock guitar. The band was among the first to emerge from the '90s Seattle grunge scene, beating Nirvana and Soundgarden to national fame and multiplatinum record sales, inspiring another generation of hard rock and metal acts, including Godsmack (which took its name from the Alice song). Recapturing that original sound while remaining contemporary was a central mission of the new recordings.

"Being an Alice in Chains fan myself, I know what I want to hear," says Raskulinecz, previously a producer for Rush, Foo Fighters, and Coheed and Cambria. "It's a performance record. There's not any trickery. It's those guys performing the instruments and singing the parts and doing it over and over and over again until we get it right."

The band began work on the album last October at Foo Fighter Dave Grohl's private Studio 606 in Northridge, before moving to Henson in December. "We've been working toward this for over a year now," says Cantrell. "It's a long haul."

Among the visitors to their recording sessions was Staley's mother, who, along with other family members, has expressed ongoing support for the band. "It was really important that it was OK with them," says manager Susan Silver, who first began representing Alice in Chains 21 years ago and now co-manages the resurrected band with David Benveniste and his Velvet Hammer firm. "There were a lot of baby steps. The first year especially was such a profound healing for everybody."

There was some initial resistance from within the industry in 2006, particularly from U.S. promoters, she says, but that has largely changed. When Benveniste, who also represents System of a Down, Deftones and Cypress Hill, began approaching record labels with a sampling from the new sessions, the offers started coming from virtually every major label; the band eventually signed with Virgin/EMI.

"The response has been amazing. We got massive offers off of four or five songs," says Benveniste. "The most important thing to me was that we position this as a new band moving forward. The band is not a heritage act -- this band is a new act and we're going to market it as such. It's a double-headed monster."

Men in the box

At Henson, the band gathers around Raskulinecz for a playback of the songs in progress, and the sound is recognizably thundering and gloomy. Harmonizing together, the vocals of Cantrell and DuVall have a familiar texture: "California's all right / check my brain . . ." The lyric refers to Cantrell relocating to Los Angeles six years ago. Once a proud Seattle rocker with a bad attitude about Southern California, he realized he felt at home here. "I like how I am right now," he says, "and I like where I'm living."

There are other hard rock songs played, then an acoustic track called "Your Decision" -- Cantrell's voice sings of surviving pain and choosing to live. It's followed by a seven-minute epic built on heavy slabs of guitar, drums and bass, something like Black Sabbath but far quicker.

Raskulinecz sits in the control room with a coffee mug in one hand, playing air drums with the other, while Kinney raises devil horns with both hands. These are the final days in the studio, which Inez compares to "the last day of school, cleaning out the lockers." When it's done, Cantrell and DuVall will shave off the beards. They look content, whether over lunch or while throwing dice, but they're also aware the new album will leave a lasting first impression about the reconstructed Alice in Chains.

"It's a big thing. I've joined a group that has a strong identity and a strong legacy," says DuVall. "Nobody's sitting here who wants to, in any way, disrespect or sully that legacy. You want to add to it."

He stands in the control room, plucking a bluesy riff on a burgundy Gibson SG guitar. He's preparing to add a few lyrics to a song about a friend, and he decides to postpone lunch.

"You know, I'm going to do it right now, while I'm hungry," says DuVall.

"I like your attitude," Raskulinecz replies with a grin.

Behind the microphone, DuVall rips into a tough, raspy flow, barking out scenes of "carnage" and "bodies," lyrical metaphors for an Atlanta blues guitarist who killed himself the day after his 29th birthday. He'd been another young musician with career struggles, finally unable to survive the life he chose.

"That's where I found myself for years in many bands. It gets hard, and you only do it because you have to," DuVall says afterward. "Some of the friends you lose are more famous, but it doesn't hurt any less."

Photos: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/04/a-studio-visit-with-alice-in-chains.html

Here is a video interview with Jerry Cantrell at the ASCAP Awards on April 22nd.

He says expect the new album in the Fall and that they will be on tour probably about a year and a half touring it.

Jerry Cantrell at ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2009

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

ALICE IN CHAINS will support KID ROCK at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, July 18. Also scheduled to appear is CYPRESS HILL. Tickets are on sale via Tickets.com and at the Comerica Park box office.

ALICE IN CHAINS has signed with Virgin Records, a division of EMI Music, for the release of the group's first new album in 14 years. According to a feature in the Los Angeles Times, the yet-to-be-titled disc will be out in mid-September. Production on the project was completed last month after more than a year of writing and recording. The Times writer, who got a preview of some of the material, called the album "recognizably thundering and gloomy," with an acoustic track called "Your Decision" followed by what the reporter described as "a seven-minute epic built on heavy slabs of guitar, drums and bass, something like BLACK SABBATH but far quicker."

The disc will mark the recording debut of vocalist William DuVall, who joined the group in 2006. Original singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002 after nearly seven years in which the band was all but inactive.

Guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez regrouped in 2005 for a charity show before embarking on several tours in 2006 and 2007 with DuVall on the mic.

When asked about stepping into the shoes of Staley, DuVall told the Times, "It's a big thing. I've joined a group that has a strong identity and a strong legacy. Nobody's sitting here who wants to, in any way, disrespect or sully that legacy. You want to add to it."

All of ALICE IN CHAINS' previous albums and EPs were on Columbia Records.

Kid Rock? Seriously?

ALICE IN CHAINS: New Album Title, Release Date Revealed - June 11, 2009

Legendary rock band ALICE IN CHAINS has set "Black Gives Way To Blue" as the title of its first new studio album in more than 10 years, due on September 29 via EMI's Virgin Records. The band and producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS) began recording last October at Studio 606 in Northridge, California and recently finished mixing at Henson Studios in Hollywood.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=121762

Wow, "Black Gives Way To Blue" in my book says "Legend gives way to crappy singer and Cantrell trying to get back to the spot after a failed, although great, solo career."

New song A Looking In View! Good stuff.

http://www.myspace.com/aliceinchains

ALICE IN CHAINS: New Song Available Via iTunes, Amazon - June 30, 2009

A new ALICE IN CHAINS track entitled "A Looking In View" is now available for purchase via iTunes and Amazon. Two short teasers for the song's accompaying video clip can be viewed below. Meanwhile, sources tell The Pulse of Radio that an official radio single called "Check My Brain" will head to rock stations in mid-August.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122797

ALICE IN CHAINS Announces Tour Dates - June 30, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS are giving fans a sneak preview of their highly anticipated upcoming album, "Black Gives Way To Blue" (Virgin/EMI) by posting a brand-new song online. The seven-minute-long track, titled "A Looking In View", can be heard on www.aliceinchains.com. A companion video for the song is forthcoming and its trailer is available on the band's site. "A Looking In View" will appear on "Black Gives Way To Blue", in stores September 29.

Upcoming ALICE IN CHAINS shows:

July 18 - Detroit, MI - Comerica Park (with Kid Rock)
Aug. 01 - Dublin, IE - Marlay Park
Aug. 02 - Stevenage, GB -Knebworth House - Sonisphere
Aug. 04 - London, GB - Scala
Aug. 06 - Cologne, DE Essigfabrik
Aug. 08 - Berlin, DE - Columbia Club
Aug. 10 - Hamburg, DE - Grunspan
Aug. 12 - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg
Aug. 22 - Pomona, CA - Epicenter
Sep. 04 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Sep. 05 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
Sep. 07 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
Sep. 08 - New York, NY - The Fillmore
Sep. 15 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
Sep. 16 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
Sep. 19 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
Sep. 20 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
Sep. 21 - Minneapolis, MN - First Ave
Sep. 26 - Portland, OR - Roseland Grill
Sep. 28 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122838

This is not an easy song to listen to. It's like a 7 minute jam session that doesn't go anywhere

Dissapointing first single, but I'm sure the album is quite good

I don't think its the first single, I think "Check My Brain" is tabbed for radio (see above) in August..

It's not a single. This song is growing alot after listening it for a few times now. Can't wait to hear the rest.

I'm digging the song...
It's CRAZY heavy and dark...
DuVall's VERY good!

Splash

/Mike

To my ears, the track sounds like vintage Alice in Chains.

Alice in Chains Say Michael Jackson Influenced Everybody - Even Slipknot

7.02.2009 5:30PM | By: Chris Harris


It's been one week since the death of pop icon Michael Jackson, and Jerry Cantrell, guitarist of Alice in Chains, still can't believe he's gone. Or that Farrah Fawcett's gone, too. But one thing's for sure. Both Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney respect the King of Pop for a myriad of reasons.

"Being a musician, you appreciate what it takes to operate at this level and for you to create things that can strike people in such a huge way," Cantrell tells Noisecreep. "You have to respect the magnitude of that guy's career and his creative output, and to maintain that since you're five-years-old? That's ridiculous. Nobody does that."

Both Cantrell and Kinney spoke last Friday, soon after Jackson passed, "and we were talking about how Farrah and Michael Jackson, two of the hugest icons of our childhood, dead in the same day," Cantrell recalls. "Who didn't bow to Farrah and didn't live in an era where Michael Jackson wasn't everywhere? And look at the guy's musical legacy, which permeated through all cultures."

But did Jackson's music influence Alice? "He had an influence on everybody," Kinney says. "How could you be alive for the last 30 years and not know about Michael Jackson, or heard some of his songs? Even if you're some death metaller guy, don't feel like you can't tell your friends you liked [Jackson's 1979 LP] 'Off The Wall.'"

"(Slipknot vocalist) Corey Taylor has a tattoo of 'Off the Wall' on his back," points out Cantrell, laughing. "So, even Slipknot were fans, I guess."

Kinney says that while Jackson's death is sad, he hopes the situation won't "bring out the worst in people, and I hope they just try to rationalize they're thinking before going negative with it. The guy had a f---ed up life. If I was five-years-old and famous, that would do some damage. Very few people get to his level and remain there. He's one of those guys and it's a shocking thing when someone like that goes. I've got all of his records. I have 'em."

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/07/02/alice-in-chains-say-michael-jackson-influenced-everybody-even/

slipknot actually are fans! :D watched them last week and after the gig they played beat it as a tribute over the PA

also, clown did an interview and he talked a bit about MJ

Alice in Chains Moving on From 'Really Devastating Blow'

7.06.2009

Following their mid-'90s disappearance as vocalist Layne Staley descended further into a darkness that ultimately led to his tragic death in 2002, the remaining members of Alice in Chains -- Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, and Mike Inez -- reunited for a 2005 benefit in their hometown of Seattle then teamed with new member William DuVall in 2006 for a full tour, and have been active ever since.

Now, drummer Sean Kinney tells Noisecreep that with their forthcoming album, 'Black Gives Way Into Blue,' the band is finally going forward from the death of their fallen bandmate. "This is us moving on from a really, really devastating blow," Kinney says. "I carry this every day forever and it really brought it more to life when we were sitting there dealing with it together, knowing we never shared that with anybody. Jerry, Mike, and I and everyone involved, we kept all this to ourselves since we pretty much pulled out in the mid-'90s. That's a long time to f---ing hold on to some s---, so I think this is part of the healing process."

Guitarist Jerry Cantrell says those themes and hardships are evident in the new material. "I remember early on talking to Sean and he's like, 'Dude, tell the story. F---ing lay it out there, go for it,'" Cantrell says. "And there's a lot of s--- to draw from."

In writing the new material, Cantrell followed the same approach he and Staley took back in the early days of Alice. "We've always been a band that writes close to home," he says. "I remember writing songs or writing lyrics and showing them to Layne and having him show me his lyrics and there was a certain level, which was no punches pulled and straight-up f---ing honest stuff. So this record, it's today, it's many years later, of course the dynamic's changed and we're moving on, Layne's not here, but why we do things is intact and how we go about it is the same."

And with the new record, Kinney is finally getting rid of some of the past. "You don't notice how much you carry around until you start unloading some stuff," he says. "And for me, it kind of lifted a lot of stuff and gave me a better perspective in my own life on what to do. I've seen myself and Jerry, just a lot of people in our lives, come from some pretty f---ing dark joints and over the years head in a more positive place and this is part of that process."

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/07/06/alice-in-chains-moving-on-from-really-devastating-blow/

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'A Looking In View' Video Available - July 7, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS' video for the new track "A Looking In View" is available for viewing at the band's official web site. (Note: You must be 18 years of age to view.)

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123209

Everyone should check this out. The song rocks and the video is quite disturbing.

The Pulse of Radio reports: ALICE IN CHAINS fans and members of the press heard the band's upcoming album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", in its entirety at a private listening party in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (July 14). Following the playback over a PA system, the band itself performed a three-song acoustic set, opening with 1992's "Down In A Hole" before playing two songs from the new album ? "Your Decision" and the title track ? live for the first time ever. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell thanked the audience for coming, saying, "It's been a long road to get here, man. There's a lot of miles to go."

On first listen at Hollywood's Montalban Theatre, ALICE IN CHAINS' first new record in 14 years seemed to encompass both extremes of the band's sound. Monster rockers like "A Looking In View" and the psychedelic "Check My Brain" were balanced out by softer numbers like the melancholy title track and "Your Decision", which could have easily found its way onto one of the band's acoustic EPs such as "Jar Of Flies".

The song "Black Gives Way To Blue" is an emotional tribute to original singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002 after a long struggle with drugs.

Cantrell told The Pulse of Radio that coming back together as a band was made easier by taking it one step at a time. "Losing Layne was such a huge thing, without a doubt, and such a challenge to even consider this, and if we had looked at the big picture early on, it never would have happened," he said. "We just kept looking a little bit down the road and a little bit down the road and here we are. And it's kind of like I don't even want to turn around and look behind us and see how far we've come, man. We've come a long way in the last couple of years, you know. I just want to keep looking ahead at the next step."

Singer and guitarist William DuVall joined ALICE IN CHAINS when they officially regrouped for a 2006 tour and now shares lead vocals with Cantrell. He makes his recording debut with the band on this album.

ALICE IN CHAINS will release "Black Gives Way To Blue" on September 29.

Cell phones and cameras were not allowed into the listening party to avoid any leaks of the album.

ALICE IN CHAINS will play this Saturday (July 18) in Detroit as guests of KID ROCK, and at California's new Epicenter festival on August 22, before starting a round of North American tour dates on September 4 in Washington D.C.

The Pulse of Radio reports: ALICE IN CHAINS will perform this Saturday (July 18) at Comerica Park in Detroit as special guests of KID ROCK and then again at California's Epicenter festival next month. But with the band's new album not out until the end of September, drummer Sean Kinney told The Pulse of Radio not to expect to hear a lot of new material live before then. "We're gonna play what we put out before the record," he said. "All this stuff is like, kind of like warm-up little stuff to do before the album comes out. And then once it comes out, we'll play whatever we want to off that record, and we'll add it in with the other stuff."

The band's first new album in 14 years, "Black Gives Way To Blue", arrives on September 29.

heard the new song...blah.  All you need is about 7 or 8 AIC songs and youre all set.  They all sound exactly the same.  Good band, but they haven't evolved at all.

Did you never hear Jar of Flies?

Maybe they need another drummer, a couple of pianos, and some trumpets, huh?  Pfft

Of course..I live in America.

nah, a decent song writing class or two should do it.  I'm also a firm believer in "No orignal lead singer= No band."  Except for the lone exception in the history of mankind which is Ac/Dc.

Pink Floyd fans would probably disagree with you.

Faith No More and Genesis fans as well.   Also, if its ONLY the lead singer left, then its still the same band....

i don't listen to iron maiden, but i  don't think that bruce dickinson was the original singer was he?

Bruce came second. They also had a third singer in the late 90s called Blaze Bayley, Bruce returned in the 2000s.

Also, Crashdiet are on there third singer now.

And i love Motley Crues self titled album with Corabi on vocals, sure its not classic Crue but it still rocks.

true, but the othee guys have nothing on dave

you guys are missing the point..By original lead singer I mean the one that the band really broke through with..sure plenty of bands replace the lead singer and still flounder around living off of accomplishments made with the previous singer.  Iron Maiden really hit it big with Bruce Dickinson.  I'm not talking about bands who came into their own with a guy who wasn't the original singer.  That has happened many times.  Im talking about established acts who soldier on past their prime with a different singer. Skid Row, Judas Priest to name a couple.  It never works,  except for Ac/Dc and Van Halen.  Its like Guns N Roses replacing Axl Rose...see that is the only irreplaceable member of the band!

For me the only thing that is irreplaceable is the lead singer. I also feel that way about lead guitar players, but I make exceptions in that case from time to time.  But no lead singer, no deal for me.  You are free to disagree with me, but how would you feel about Grohl and Noveselic touring as Nirvana?  U2 without Bono, Metallica without Hetfield,  STP without Weiland,   Aerosmith without Steven Tyler, The Stones without Mick Jagger...and so on..see it makes no fucking sense.  The lead singer is the most identifiable part of any band.

exactly, and remind me how did that Blaze Bayley thing work out for them? :hihi:

bodhi, don't u like dirt and jar of flies? among the best of the 90's IMO

sure they are good albums.  Nowhere near as good as "Use Your Illusion" or Metallica's "Black album"..but they were solid albums for the 90's alt rock/grunge/hard rock/whatever you want to call it scene.  AIC blew away Pearl Jam imo, even though they were not as successful.

well, he was originally the main song writer and wrote all the songs on the debut album....plus he formed the band, n also played joint lead guitar.

Gonna see them in 2 weeks. Will be great.

Ok can we end this lead singer talk rambling...Everyone knows its not the same, some ppl have different favourite members of the band (i.e guitar players may be more into Cantrells guitar work and harmonies), etc...And lost of ppl would still pay to them them with DuVall, hes a decent lead singer, pretty badass, and the rest of the band love him, They gave it some time to, Can you blame Jerry and the band for wanting to try and move on and pay tribute to Layne? Seen them live with Velvet Revolver for the first time and they kicked ass man...so power to them

Duvall rules, can't wait to hear the new album.

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Black Gives Way To Blue' Track-By-Track Review Available - July 22, 2009

MetalSucks' Vince Neilstein attended an exclusive listening event in New York City last night for ALICE IN CHAINS' new record, "Black Gives Way to Blue". A complete report, including a track-by-track breakdown of the album, can be found at this location.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=124027

Alice In Chains return

04 August 2009

A new album is on the way, titled Black Gives Way To Blue, slated for release in September, and they?ve posted a taster track on their official site.

The band played an initial charity reunion show in 2005 and since then bassist Mike Inez said, step by step, it has slowly come together.

"From the get go I have to say that we didn?t have a grand scheme or master plan for this," he admitted. "Just to be talking to you about a new Alice In Chains release is pretty mind blowing."

As for how the new singer William DuVall has coped, stepping into Layne Staley's shoes, he seemed confident.

"It?s working out just fine you know. It?s just non-stop comedy," he explained. "The whole world provides you with an initiation when you walk into something like this, but it?s cool."

Slipknot?s approval

Corey Taylor from metal heroes Slipknot is one person very excited about this particular comeback and he told 6 Music he was very impressed with their performance at Sonisphere festival in Hertfordshire last weekend.

?It was gorgeous man," he enthused. "I couldn?t have asked for a better thing to happen to such a great band to be honest and their new stuff is sickeningly good.

"I?m so ecstatic that they are going to continue. It?s wonderful. In the face of adversity, they?ve come again."

As for the new record, Taylor added: "That?s going to be album of the year for a lot of people. First of all, it?s a long time coming, second of all they?ve got a fantastic singer. William is so good."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20090804_aliceinchains.shtml

COREY TAYLOR On New ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Their New Stuff Is Sickeningly Good' - Aug. 7, 2009

SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has told BBC's 6 Music he was very impressed with ALICE IN CHAINS' performance at Sonisphere festival in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom last weekend. "It was gorgeous, man," he enthused. "I couldn't have asked for a better thing to happen to such a great band, to be honest, and their new stuff is sickeningly good.

He added, "I'm so ecstatic that they are going to continue. It's wonderful. In the face of adversity, they've come again."

As for ALICE IN CHAINS' new record, Taylor stated, "That's going to be album of the year for a lot of people. First of all, it's a long time coming; second of all, they've got a fantastic [new] singer. William [DuVall] is so good."

ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", is scheduled for release on September 29.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. All Secrets Known
02. Check My Brain
03. Last Of My Kind
04. Your Decision
05. A Looking In View
06. When The Sun Rose Again
07. Acid Bubble
08. Lessons Learned
09. Take Her Out
10. Private Hell
11. Black Gives Way To Blue

ALICE IN CHAINS has tapped U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes to shoot a clip for "Check My Brain", the first single from "Black Gives Way To Blue".

Fans and members of the press heard "Black Gives Way To Blue" in its entirety at a private listening party in Los Angeles on July 14, followed by a three-song acoustic set by the band in which it debuted two songs from the album live ? the title track and "Your Decision".

The group's tour starts on September 4 in Washington D.C.

Fan-filmed video footage of Taylor performing the ALICE IN CHAINS classic Them Bones" with the Los Angeles-based all-star "jam" group CAMP FREDDY ? including members of ALICE IN CHAINS and JANE'S ADDICTION ? on May 15, 2008 at The Roxy in West Hollywood can be viewed below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=124904

 

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Black Gives Way To Blue' Artwork Unveiled - Aug. 12, 2009

The cover artwork for "Black Gives Way To Blue", the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS, can be viewed below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=125146

Check My Brain - Full Song

http://www.grungereport.net/2009/08/14/listen-to-alice-in-chains-new-single-check-my-brain/

^^Thanks for posting the song.  Very cool, I like it.  :)

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Check My Brain' Released To Radio; Audio Stream Available - Aug. 14, 2009

"Check My Brain" ? the first single from "Black Gives Way To Blue", the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS ? has been released to radio and can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. (Note: This is a reduced-quality version of the audio file.)

Due on September 29, "Black Gives Way To Blue" is ALICE IN CHAINS' first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist/vocalist William DuVall) recorded the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. All Secrets Known
02. Check My Brain
03. Last Of My Kind
04. Your Decision
05. A Looking In View
06. When The Sun Rose Again
07. Acid Bubble
08. Lessons Learned
09. Take Her Out
10. Private Hell
11. Black Gives Way To Blue

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=125287

Just a band I've never been able to get into

listened to the song. not my cup but I am not a fan of dark grunge type stuff

From Slash....

Heard the new AIC song today, fucking brilliant! #fb

about 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Love the new AIC tune...New cd should be great

Q&A: Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains

The guitarist/songwriter on Layne Staley's legacy, Dave Grohl's support, and recruiting Elton John for the band's new album.

By William Goodman 08.21.09

Alice in Chains recently announced that a very special guest would appear on their first album in 14 years, out September 29 -- and that person is Elton John, who plays piano on the record's title track "Black Gives Way to Blue," an emotional tribute to late frontman Layne Staley. It's a surprising collaboration, but one that guitarist/songwriter Jerry Cantrell tells SPIN.com was like an act of fate.

"Elton John was Layne's first concert," says Cantrell, 43, sitting in a dim New York hotel bar, clutching a cocktail with a hand that has no less than three skull-and-cross-bones rings on it. "There's a lot of really weird things lining up here. And things like that have been happening all along during our reunion process. You get little sign posts pointing the right way."

One of those sign posts directed the band to William DuVall, former frontman of Atlanta rockers Comes with the Fall, who replaced Staley on vocals. "Part of the healing process is sharing with other people who care," Cantrell says of DuVall, referring to Staley's 2002 death from a heroin and cocaine overdose.

Below, read SPIN's conversation with Cantrell, from the band's decision to reunite will DuVall to their relationship with Dave Grohl, who played a role in recording their new album.

How did the collaboration with Elton come together? It's a little surprising.
It makes a lot of sense to us. But the fact that it happened in the first place is something we didn't expect. We were in the studio and were getting near the end. "Black Gives Way to Blue" was one of the last songs we cut. We were trying to figure out if we wanted a piano track on it. Our friend Todd who was in the room suggested calling Elton just out of the blue and we all looked at him like he was crazy. Of course we would love for that to happen, but we were like, 'Nah that's not going to happen, that dude's busy. He's got his own thing going on.' But Todd was like, 'Hey man, you never know unless you ask. I think he might do it!' So we put that idea to the test.

How did you get him into the studio?
I wrote him an email and explained that the song was for Layne, and we heard that he was interested in doing it. Later, as we continued working on the record, it turned out that Elton was doing a session in the same studio as us in Los Angeles. [Drummer] Sean [Kinney] and I went out to lunch and we got a call from the studio manager saying, 'Hey, Elton wants to talk to you.' We're like, 'We'll be back after lunch,' and he said, 'No, he's taking off here in a few minutes so you guys need to get back here right now.' So we canned the lunch and tore ass back to the studio and walked into the room that Elton was tracking in. He got up and gave us both a hug and said, 'I just wanted to tell you that it's a great tune and I want to play a track on it.' We were totally blown away.

Was Layne a fan of Elton?
Yep. And, coincidentally, about a week ago Layne's mom reminded me that Elton John was Layne's first concert and she said he was blown away. Layne told me that once, but I had totally forgotten about it. It brought back some really cool memories. There's a lot of really weird things lining up here. Number one: the significance of Elton to Alice in Chains. Number two: it was Layne's first concert. And to have Elton play on a song for Layne, whew, it means so much to us.

READ MORE OF THE INTERVIEW WITH JERRY CANTRELL ON PAGE 2.

http://www.spin.com/articles/qa-jerry-cantrell-alice-chains?page=0%2C0

Great interview, thank you... it must be really insane replacing a singer who died....

Didn't like the single or the album. They really shouldn't try to pass themselves off as Alice. As a new band all together it was OK I guess. Sorry I just have high standards

                                                                                        Coop

This is very much still AIC.  I miss Layne terribly. But the new stuff, and the live perfomance I saw a few years ago, is still very much AIC.  Far more than other bands that retain like one member and still go by the same name.

I just saw them and they were pretty awesome... missed layne but the new singer really has great chops and does them justice!  Great show... very surprised to hear them open with Rain when I Die!
I am looking forward to the new album and expect it will be AiC with a different vibe... their new video is freakin crazy!

ALICE IN CHAINS: Footage From California's EPICENTER Available - Aug. 25, 2009

Video footage of ALICE IN CHAINS' performance at the Epicenter festival on Saturday, August 22 at the Fairplex in Pomona, California can be viewed below (courtesy of "Bad2b2").

If you pre-order ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", via iTunes, you will receive two exclusive bonus tracks: "Your Decision" (live) and "Black Gives Way To Blue (Elton John Piano Mix)"

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=125883

Has the album leaked yet? I've seen several posts scattered about on various forums that make it sound like it has.

Song lengths...

1. ?All Secrets Known? 4:42
2. ?Check My Brain? 3:57
3. ?Last of My Kind? 5:52
4. ?Your Decision? 4:43
5. ?A Looking in View? 7:05
6. ?When the Sun Rose Again? 4:00
7. ?Acid Bubble? 6:55
8. ?Lessons Learned? 4:16
9. ?Take Her Out? 3:59
10. ?Private Hell? 5:38
11. ?Black Gives Way to Blue? 3:03

Alice In Chains video for ?Check My Brain? will be released on September 8th.  8)

ALICE IN CHAINS To Perform On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' - Aug. 28, 2009

Legendary rock band ALICE IN CHAINS will celebrate the release of its highly anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", with an outdoor mini-concert on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, September 29 (which will actually air the morning of Wednesday, September 30).

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126038

Thanks for the epicenter post Funky, it was cool to relive that show a little bit!

Back with ?Black?

September 1, 2009

When Layne Staley, lead singer of the acclaimed Seattle rock band Alice in Chains, passed away in 2002, his singing and songwriting partner, guitarist, and friend Jerry Cantrell wasn?t sure the band would continue. In 2005, Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney regrouped for a benefit concert. A brief tour with singer William DuVall, who had worked with Cantrell?s solo band, followed in 2006. On Sept. 29, the quartet will release ?Black Gives Way to Blue,?? its first album in 14 years. The disc, which finds Cantrell sharing vocal duties with DuVall, retains the group?s heavy sound - what Cantrell dubs its ?musical fingerprint?? - and pays tribute to Staley on the poignant title track, which features Elton John on piano. Alice in Chains plays the Paradise next Monday. We chatted with Cantrell by phone from his home in Los Angeles last week.

Q. Was the title track difficult to record?

A. That song in particular was actually a pretty easy song to write but it was a very difficult process to let that out and it really affected us to actually put that into words. But I think it was necessary.

Q. On that song and several others there?s a sense of optimism bubbling under the sort of hazy melancholy surface the band has been known for. It feels like you?re counseling listeners to embrace pain as a means of healing, not just reside in the darkness of loss. Good advice.

A. Thank you. Even though we delved into some darker subject matter, I think that element was always in there. It wasn?t always about doom, gloom, and drugs. But by talking about that stuff it?s kind of a freeing thing because it?s stuff everybody feels. Years have passed and we?ve gone through a change and maybe the balance of some of the elements has shifted a little bit.

Q. Now that it?s clear that you?re relaunching do you worry that some fans might object to your continuing as Alice in Chains without Layne?

A. We?ve never really done this to please everybody. As a matter of fact, we?ve never really done this to please anybody except for ourselves. It ended up being something that spoke to people as well and over the years we?ve collected a group of people that support the music and we?re very grateful for that. But I think it really has got to be something that you do for yourself and then hopefully that gets taken to the next step of being for somebody else.

Q. What do you think Layne would say?

A. He?s probably thinking, ?What the [expletive] took you guys so long???

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/09/01/alice_in_chains_back_with_black/

Ok so I would like to retract my previous statements about Alice In Chains from a few pages ago...from what i heard so far, this is going to be a kick ass record.

LiveDaily Interview: William DuVall of Alice in Chains

September 1, 2009

LiveDaily: You're playing clubs on your forthcoming tour. Why did you decide to play small clubs, when you could play larger venues?

William DuVall: I think there's several reasons for that. It's kind of a standard plan of attack when you have a new album coming out. You kind of want to work the kinks out in smaller venues, and also it gives the fans a little something exclusive and a little more intimate while you're working your kinks out. We're still figuring out how to play some of these new songs live. It provides both a little less of a pressurized environment for us and something more intimate for the fans. It's a little bit of an appetizer before the full meal deal comes rolling down.

You must be pretty excited about the album coming out. What can we expect from it?

Well, I think you can expect a really dense, really heavy, but really ethereal and cathartic, sonic experience. We took our time with this record. There was certainly no shortage of thoughts and feelings to address with everything that's gone down. It's a snapshot of our journey from early 2006 to this point right now. It's the story of our coming together. It's also the story of a band that is both celebrating its legacy but also opening the door to the future, and mourning the loss of a friend--one of the great singers of all time, Layne Staley.

But it really is a testament to [the fact that], for every door that closes, there's another one that opens, if you chose to open it. They lost somebody but they also gained somebody. We came together on the road as brothers. I've known Cantrell for 10 years now. There's a long, long backstory that got us to that point. None of us saw this stuff coming. This is where it naturally evolved to, from even when I met him back in 2000. In the beginning of 2006, the four of us--Mike, Sean, Cantrell and myself--we all came together and bonded on the road, in a way any real band should. This is the result. This is an honest look at our lives, unflinching look at a journey of personal growth and collective growth that it took for us to get here.

Like I said before, I think it provides a lesson for people who want to see that lesson: You might get knocked down and from there you have a choice--you can lay there and die or you can get up and start walking. If you get up and start walking, life has a way of rewarding you. Even if you're walking through the desert, you're blind and you don't know where the hell you're going, you'll eventually come to an oasis if you keep putting one foot in front of the other. This is all that record has to say and more. Hopefully, it resonates with people the way it resonates with us.

Just the fact that we're putting it out at all, seeing the light of day is the testament to how we feel about it. This was a totally self-funded, self-directed endeavor. At any point, we could have pulled the plug. We weren't contractually obligated to anyone. There was no agenda being pushed from anyone on the outside. This was all us doing this thing for all the right reasons. Just the fact that it's coming out at all was a big thing.

It sounds like there wasn't a lot of pressure in recording it because there certainly could have been. For example, it's the first Alice in Chains album in 14 years.

Well, there is [pressure] internally. We are our own worst critics. We are gonna be harder on ourselves than anyone can possibly be on us. In that respect, certainly there was a lot of pressure. We want to do the best work we can. We only wanted to put something out that was going to add to the incredible legacy this group already has. In that respect, there was pressure--but that's good pressure. That's the kind that makes you strive, and dig deeper and work harder. And we did. We put in the hours and we did the digging. It was painful sometimes. But I think the results are well worth it--and I just mean that in terms of outside pressure. Had there been some label commissioning or demanding something from us, that would have tipped it over into something else that we wouldn't really want to be a part of. Luckily, we are able to do this thing the way we wanted. It was that much more liberating and rewarding.

You've been in the band for about four years now. How have you seen it evolve?

I've seen a lot of personal growth on the part of all four of us rising to this occasion. We kind of came together on the road. We did a lot of our growing up in public. It demands a lot of all of us. Certainly, to a lot of people, I'm in the hot seat, as it were. Yeah, man, all of that to me is a challenge that just provides an opportunity for you to be better and grow as a human being. I tried to concentrate on that--seize that opportunity. I think we all did. I've seen a lot of evolution, a lot of personal evolution on the part of all four of us. It's pretty incredible. It's one of the best things about this whole trip.

What was it like to work with Elton John?

Elton's great. He's certainly an important musician to all of us. We all grew up with [his music]. Our parents were huge fans of his and all that. As Cantrell will tell anyone, Elton represents the beginning of his musical journey. It was a really heavy day walking into the studio to do that session with Sir Elton John. We're all geekin' out. There's no other way to say it.

He was great. He was so gracious with his time and just a consummate pro. He tried attacking the part a million different ways. He took suggestions from us like the absolute master musician that he is. After trying it a bunch of different ways, he hit on the approach you hear on the album. I think it's beautiful and perfect fitting to the song. Again, yet another indication from the universe that maybe we're on to something here, that what we're doing is for the right reasons. It's kind of a green light from the world. You have this guy who represents all of our childhoods. In Cantrell's case, it's the beginning of his musical journey before any hard rock or guitar-oriented bands came into his world, it was Elton John, and he's got him playing on this song that represents kind of a heartfelt goodbye to a dear departed friend and also the opening of some new doors, some new chapters yet to be written in the book, with me and all of us coming together. That's heavy in and of itself. Add to that the fact that Layne Staley's first concert was Elton John. It was an incredibly heavy day and an incredibly beautiful day. It's such a landmark thing for all of us. We're really glad it was able to come together.

http://www.livedaily.com/news/20007.html

And a long article on the making of Black Gives Way To Blue:

Alice in Chains

Sep 1, 2009

THE SONIC MASSIVENESS OF BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE

http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/alice-in-chains-0909/index3.html

Here is some video of AIC watching some fans perform an AIC cover at a recent meet & greet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPs0DHfdVNg

ALICE IN CHAINS Kicks Off U.S. Tour; Review, Video Footage Available - Sep. 6, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS kicked off its U.S. headlining tour this past Friday night (September 4) at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Rain When I Die
02. Angry Chair
03. Man in the Box
04. Them Bones
05. Dam That River
06. A Looking In View
07. We Die Young
08. Nutshell
09. Love, Hate, Love
10. Sludge Factory
11. Acid Bubble
12. Again
13. Junkhead
14. Would?

Encore:

15. Check My Brain
16. No Excuses
17. Rooster

Check out reviews of the show:

Live-Metal.net
Rock N Roll Experience

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be viewed below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126517

Jerry Cantrell Creeped Out By Facebook, Twitter

Posted 3 hours ago

Don't expect to find out when Jerry Cantrell is grocery shopping, unless you happen to be behind him at the checkout. The guitarist and co-vocalist for Alice in Chains will not be partaking in the social networking time depleters known as Facebook and Twitter.

"I don't Twitter. I don't Facebook," Cantrell tells Noisecreep emphatically. "I think it's ridiculous that people are that important that people really need to know they are going to the grocery store or what club they are at [laughs]. I think it's pretty ridiculous and self-indulgent."

Alice in Chains have been touring the past couple of years with new frontman William Duvall, and will drop their first studio album since 1995, 'Black Gives Way to Blue,' on Sept. 29. AiC has long had a MySpace page, presumably not managed by Cantrell, and has a dedicated Web site. But as more and more musicians interact closely with their fans on Facebook and Twitter, Cantrell says, "I'll interact with my fans when I see them."

He continues, elaborating on his distaste for today's internet trends, "We do our Web site, and that type of stuff, but I'm not interested in [social networking] at all. You shouldn't know that much about people, you know what I mean? Because when it really comes down to it, people aren't that f---in' interesting. They really aren't.

"It's more than a little creepy," Cantrell says. "You shouldn't know everything. Everything shouldn't be so transparent. There should be a little mystery and magic to life, and also people should have a little bit of privacy. Everybody deserves a little bit of that."

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/09/08/jerry-cantrell-creeped-out-by-twitter-facebook/

That's really cool.

A live performance of "Check My Brain".  8)

ALICE IN CHAINS: Performance Footage Of Two New Songs Available - Sep. 9, 2009

Fan-filmed video footage of ALICE IN CHAINS performing two new songs ? "Check My Brain" and "Acid Bubble" ? last Friday (September 4) at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. can be viewed below (courtesy of "RapeJesus").

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126692

These videos are very cool, here are acoustic versions of three songs from their upcoming album...

Black Gives Way To Blue (full song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKaX6eYJHzg

Check My Brain (partial)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEdSpf626Dg

Your Decision (partial)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpji51t7qZg

Here are some different/better versions:

black gives way to blue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL7LQj4r9Po

and

check my brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCPY1gXZ0g

Thanks, I wanted to hear the entire song. :)

...And here we have a 'Black Gives Way To Blue' LIVE preview CD:

1. Check My Brain (Live/Acoustic)
2. Your Decision (Live/Acoustic)
3. A Looking In View (Live)
4. Acid Bubble (Live)
5. Black Gives Way To Blue (Live/Acoustic)

DOWNLOAD - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QBA7X1WU

From an interview with William DuVall...

No shortage of feelings' for Alice in Chains

Thursday September 10, 2009, 3:10 PM

"I think you can expect a really dense, really heavy but really ethereal and cathartic sonic experience," DuVall said during a recent interview with The Flint Journal.

"We took our time with this record. There was certainly no shortage of thoughts and feelings to address with everything that's gone down. It's a snapshot of our journey from early 2006 to this point right now. It's the story of our coming together. It's also the story of a band that is both celebrating its legacy but also opening the door to the future, and mourning the loss of a friend, one of the great singers of all time, Layne Staley. But it really is a testament to for every door that closes, there's another one that opens, if you chose to open it. They lost somebody but they also gained somebody."

Continue reading here: http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2009/09/no_shortage_of_feelings_for_al.html

The song is Jerry Cantrell?s tribute to late singer Layne Staley.  Someone has taken a stab at the lyrics...what a great song.

I don?t want to feel no more
It?s easier to keep falling
Imitations are pale
The emptiness of tomorrows, haunted by your ghost
Lay down black gives way to blue
Lay down I remember you

Fading out by design
Consciously avoiding changes
Curtains drawn now it?s done
Silencing all tomorrows, forcing a good-bye
Lay down black gives way to blue
Lay down I?ll remember you

ALICE IN CHAINS: European Tour Dates Announced - Sep. 11, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS has scheduled the following dates:

Nov. 19 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
Nov. 20 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix Zaal
Nov. 21 - Weisbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
Nov. 24 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna
Nov. 25 - Warsaw, Poland - Stodola
Nov. 27 - Budapest, Hungary - Petofi Csarnok
Nov. 29 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
Nov. 30 - Munich, Germany - Thearterfabrick
Dec. 02 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
Dec. 03 - Fribourg, Switzerland - Fri-son
Dec. 04 - Paris, France - Bataclan

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126790

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Check My Brain' Video To Premiere On Monday - Sep. 11, 2009

The video for "Check My Brain", the first official single from ALICE IN CHAINS much-anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", will premiere this Monday, September 14 on MTV2 and MTVu. The clip, which was helmed by U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes, will be shown on MTV2 at 6 a.m., and air again at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5 a.m.

The premiere starts on MTVu at 6 a.m. and continues throughout the day.

The video will also have homepage placement on MTV2.com, MTVu.com and MTVmusic.com on September 14 as well.

Regarding "Black Gives Way To Blue", new ALICE IN CHAINS singer William DuVall told The Flint Journal, "I think you can expect a really dense, really heavy but really ethereal and cathartic sonic experience.

"We took our time with this record. There was certainly no shortage of thoughts and feelings to address with everything that's gone down. It's a snapshot of our journey from early 2006 to this point right now. It's the story of our coming together. It's also the story of a band that is both celebrating its legacy but also opening the door to the future, and mourning the loss of a friend, one of the great singers of all time, Layne Staley. But it really is a testament to for every door that closes, there's another one that opens, if you chose to open it. They lost somebody but they also gained somebody."

On the topic of how he came to join ALICE IN CHAINS as the replacement for Layne Staley, who died of a drug overdose in 2002, DuVall said, "I've known [AIC guitarist Jerry] Cantrell for 10 years now. There's a long, long backstory that got us to that point. None of us saw this stuff coming. This is where it naturally evolved to, from even when I met him back in 2000. In the beginning of 2006, the four of us, Mike [Inez, bass], Sean [Kinney, drums], Cantrell and myself, we all came together and bonded on the road, in a way any real band should.

"This is the result. This is an honest look at our lives, unflinching look at a journey of personal growth and collective growth that it took for us to get here. Like I said before, I think it provides a lesson for people who want to see that lesson: You might get knocked down and from there you have a choice ? you can lay there and die or you can get up and start walking. If you get up and start walking, life has a way of rewarding you. Even if you're walking through the desert, you're blind and you don't know where the hell you're going, you'll eventually come to an oasis if you keep putting one foot in front of the other. This is all that record has to say and more.

"Just the fact that we're putting it out at all, that it's seeing the light of day is the testament to how we feel about it," he added. "This was a totally self-funded, self-directed endeavor. At any point we could have pulled the plug. We weren't contractually obligated to anyone. There was no agenda being pushed from anyone on the outside. This was all us doing this thing for all the right reasons. Just the fact that it's coming out at all was a big thing."

Although there was no pressure from outside sources, ALICE IN CHAINS did put pressure on themselves to release a stellar record.

"We are our own worst critics," DuVall said. "We are gonna be harder on ourselves than anyone can possibly be on us. In that respect, certainly there was a lot of pressure. We want to do the best work we can. We only wanted to put something out that was going to add to the incredible legacy this group already has.

"In that respect there was pressure, but that's good pressure. That's the kind that makes you strive, and dig deeper and work harder. And we did. We put in the hours and we did the digging. It was painful sometimes. But I think the results are well worth it and I just mean that in terms of outside pressure. Had there been some label commissioning or demanding something from us, that would have tipped it over into something else that we wouldn't really want to be a part of. Luckily we are able to do this thing the way we wanted. It was that much more liberating and rewarding."

Read more from The Flint Journal.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126807

Oh yeah :smoking:

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Check My Brain' Video Released - Sep. 14, 2009

The video for "Check My Brain", the first official single from ALICE IN CHAINS much-anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", can be viewed below. (Note: The video stream may not be available to some non-U.S. residents.) The clip, which was helmed by U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes, will be shown today (MOnday, September 14) on MTV2 at 6 a.m., and air again at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5 a.m.

Video here: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126898

Thanks dude!  That is a pretty cool video...it didn't take that long to come out!  ;)

Loved the background imagery too.

ALICE IN CHAINS: U.K. Dates Added To European Tour - Sep. 14, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS has scheduled the following European tour dates:

Nov. 12 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands
Nov. 13 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy
Nov. 14 - Manchester, UK - Academy
Nov. 16 - London, UK - HMV Forum
Nov. 17 - London, UK - HMV Forum
Nov. 19 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
Nov. 20 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix Zaal
Nov. 21 - Weisbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
Nov. 24 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna
Nov. 25 - Warsaw, Poland - Stodola
Nov. 27 - Budapest, Hungary - Petofi Csarnok
Nov. 29 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
Nov. 30 - Munich, Germany - Thearterfabrick
Dec. 02 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
Dec. 03 - Fribourg, Switzerland - Fri-son
Dec. 04 - Paris, France - Bataclan

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=126908

I got Dirt last week.

Dirt kicks ass.. definitely in my top 10 of the 90s!

Alice in Chains catchy new single storms the charts

Wed, 16 Sep 2009

Alice in Chains? new single entitled ?Check My Brian? has rocketed to No.1 in both the Billboard Rock Songs Chart and the R&R Rock Chart ahead of their forthcoming album release.

Alice in Chains first album in 14 years is set to mark their return to form on Sep 29th. And judging by the reception their latest single ?Check My Brain? is receiving, Alice In Chains? new album ?Black Gives Way To Blue? is sure to be a success.

With much talk in the media of Elton John?s appearance on the title track of the album, the band?s reformation has been big news. Since the tragic death of vocalist Layne Staley in 2002 after the singer?s battles with Cocaine and Heroin addiction, Alice In Chains have rarely been on the music scene. However, the band reunited to perform a benefit concert in 2005, and are now working with Comes With The Fall front-man, William DuVall.

Although originally released over a month ago (Aug) ?Check My Brain? is only now receiving chart success. This could be due to the video for the song debuting yesterday on a host of MTV channels, and being played hourly throughout the day.

! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gkE7mdW8Q&feature=player_embedded#t=325 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gkE7mdW8Q&feature=player_embedded#t=325) !

WOW thanks for posting this. : ok:

Here is an interview with Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall with Toronto's 102.1 the Edge prior to the show at The Opera House on the 15th.  They talk in part about how they got Elton John to play on the album and recording with him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATJF-J7t-Og

Here is an interview with Jerry Cantrell:

Alice in Chains Reloaded

September 15, 2009

By Tim Mohr

The history of rock is littered with bands unable to overcome the death of a frontman. Just think of the Doors, Thin Lizzy or Nirvana. When Nirvana?s Kurt Cobain died in 1994, there was no question the band was finished. When Mother Love Bone?s Andrew Wood died, the core members were able to find a comfortable fit with a guy named Eddie Vedder. They changed their name to Pearl Jam and the rest is part of Seattle legend. Another Seattle band, Alice in Chains, sold 17 million records before frontman Layne Staley passed away in 2002. But since the band?s guitarist, Jerry Cantrell, was the main songwriter and harmonized on vocals with Staley (in some cases taking lead), the band?s future?or lack thereof?was never clear cut. This month, the otherwise intact band returns with Black Gives Way To Blue, featuring new vocalist William DuVall harmonizing in Staley?s stead with Jerry Cantrell.

?Here?s what I believe,? says Cantrell. ?Shit fucking happens. That?s rule one. Everybody walking the planet knows that. Rule two: things rarely turn out the way you planned. Three: everybody gets knocked down. Four, and most important of all: after you take those shots, it?s time to stand up and walk on?to continue to live. We have a lot to live for, a lot to celebrate and a lot of great music in us still.?

The proof of that is on the album. Churning, sea-sick guitar riffs alternate with more contemplative Jar of Flies-like sounds; lyrics explore death, self-doubt and isolation; Elton John turns up to play piano on the Staley tribute title song. In short, with Black Gives Way to Blue, Alice in Chains has made its Back in Black. We talked to Cantrell about the band?s recorded resurrection.

PLAYBOY: It?s a risk bringing back such an iconic band. What made you want to give it a try?

CANTRELL: This whole thing was a fucking gamble from the start. We had some great memories and killer music that not only satisfied us but a lot of fans. But we?ve also had the downside of having lost our best friend and the band coming to an end. We?ve been through all of that. Early on, I don?t think anybody was into the idea outside of us. We wanted to take the shot and see how it felt, see if something was there. And the answer was yes. Yes in a big way.

PLAYBOY: What about the specifics?was there a moment when you knew it felt right and you had to do this?

CANTRELL: It all started with a benefit concert we did?strictly to raise money for tsunami victims. We had a lot of fun doing that?and it was a really intense experience because it was the first time we had played without Layne. So while it was good, it was also pretty heavy. After we did that, it led to us playing some more together, exploring ideas and jamming. We did that with a lot of friends. William was a friend of mine and I?ve had a lot of time to jam with him. I invited him down and the guys ended up digging him. It was a step-by-step process. As far as when it felt right, I can?t tell you when that happened. We?ve been working together since 2006 and every step of the way has felt right enough to continue.

PLAYBOY: Are you worried about how people will react?

CANTRELL: Something that bugged me about Seattle was that they wanted you to do good, but not too good. That attitude was there in the music scene, too. Rockstar was a dirty fucking word. But what the fuck do you get into a band for if not to make some great fucking music and take it as far as you can? To reach as many people as possible all over the fucking world? That?s the goal?or at least it was for me. But in Seattle, being totally successful was like a bad thing.

PLAYBOY: Success didn?t work for everyone in the scene.

CANTRELL: I guess if you look at the reality, maybe for some people it was a bad thing, including Layne. And Kurt Cobain and Andrew Wood. You have to swallow that, too?a lot of shit happened. I?m proud of what went down, but I miss all those guys. But that?s part of life. People die. We have a finite existence.

PLAYBOY: It seems that Layne?s presence is still very much felt on the record. Is that fair to say?

CANTRELL: Layne?s always going to be in there. He was such a unique guy musically. We met each other when we were really young and we developed this sound together. That?s pretty much all I?ve ever known. Definitely in the vocal and writing style, although he?s no longer with us, he?s still there. Fuck yeah. I?m proud of that fact. It?s important to me. It?s important for us to honor the man. But it?s also important for us to realize that there?s a lot left to do and that we?re still here?to honor ourselves as well, to take a shot. If it doesn?t work out, we just go back to the way it was before. Fuck it.

PLAYBOY: How will you gauge the success of this comeback?

CANTRELL: Benchmarks are quite a bit lower, eh? Even if the record doesn?t do well, we?ve already proved something to ourselves. It?s a clich? to say it?s already a success to have gotten it to this point, but it?s fucking true.

PLAYBOY: Have you thought about your next steps?

CANTRELL: Here?s the bad news, kid: There is no fucking manual. Jesus, none of us thought we?d be sitting where we are today. We?ve just made it up as we?ve gone along. We?ll see where it goes. But we?re looking forward to making a few records.

thenkz, they had a pretty good "short film" on their myspace too

Thanks that is good.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=48972946&blogId=510597275

Apparently the album has leaked.

Ok that is really great... loved watching it. thanks!!!

always like the interview segments and how they're dealing with post Layne.

That video is great, they're talking so seriously throughout about the heavy stuff they were going through while recording the album, all the while having Kiss makeup applied. And when they're done, they all head out to a laundromat do their washing...  :rofl:

Great to see they haven't lost their sense of humour. : ok:

If anything, their sense of humor has gotten better.

Here are a few of the new songs performed live in Detroit on the 17th (partials)...

"Check My Brain"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhCk2hRSq_c

"A Looking In View"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2rLtksKwI

"Acid Bubble"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK4xoAzIIFc

Jerry Cantrell comments on the album leak...


So why was the bus ride to Chicago so somber?

Because as most of you already know, the album has leaked.

We all knew this was coming, but it was a big disappointment to the guys, especially when they saw how many sites and how many torrents were flying around out there.

The R rated wisdom of Jerry Cantrell summed it up best I think.

I?m paraphrasing here, but he basically compared having your album illegally downloaded to prison rape.

?You know it?s coming. You know it?s gonna suck, but until it actually happens, you have no idea how bad it?s gonna feel.?

No one in this band is na?ve, and I think they?ve all been holding their breath since March wondering when this day would come, but the reality sank in on that bus ride last night, and it wasn?t fun.

Tape trading and people making copies of records has been going on forever, and online downloading is obviously nothing new. And as I?ve read on the boards here, tons of people who have downloaded it will go out and buy it on the 29th, or have already pre-ordered it.

However, tons of people won?t, and despite how pervasive and accepted downloading might be, try walking into a Best Buy or Walmart and grabbing a CD off the shelf and walking out without paying for it. Or try walking into your local record store?Oh wait, you don?t have one anymore.

It?s a bit weird that stealing music has become an afterthought, and that enforcement is basically nonexistent.

The record labels pretty much have themselves to blame for this, and the attitude most people have about it is to shrug their shoulders and say this is how it is now.

And that?s true. And there?s no going back.

But for better or for worse, music is a commodity, and it costs money to produce, manufacture, promote, and distribute.

Those four things do not come cheap.

A massive amount of effort and hard work went into the making of this album. A massive amount of money has been spent to record it and get it out to the world. Not only by the label, but by the band themselves.

I have a strong feeling that this album will still sell a lot of copies when it?s actually released, and I know that a vast majority of you who come to this site and post on the boards here have supported this band for a long time, and will continue to support them.

So this shitty little chapter will pass, and we?ll move on to the next chapter, and better days ahead.

I?ll get off my soapbox now. My Pearl Jam download is almost done and I need to go listen to it.

Kidding?.

aliceinchains.com

 8)

ALICE IN CHAINS: Entire New Album Available For Streaming - Sep. 22, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS' much-anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", is available for streaming in its entirety at www.alice-in-chains.net. Due on September 29, the CD was recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS) at Studio 606 in Northridge, California and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

Thanks to Blabbermouth.net

Lazer 103.3 - Andy Hall Interviews Alice In Chains Part 1 & 2 (Minneapolis show)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr8ohzO_hmc&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB5PkbSnQHY&feature=channel_page

Meet and greet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnRb9kliNAM&feature=channel_page

The promotion for this album has been incredible.  Someone should take some notes.

totally agreed!!!! they are all over the place!!!  great promo job!  i get emails from the band pretty much every week, and they have art in them too...
the two videos are pretty cool as well.

Rock Band Celebrates the Release of New Albums by Breaking Benjamin and Alice in Chains

September 25, 2009 - Cambridge, Mass. - Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that Breaking Benjamin will make their Rock Band debut next week with a three pack of songs available for download in the Rock Band Music Store. A five pack of songs from Alice in Chains...

A five pack of songs from alternative rockers Alice in Chains joins "Man in the Box," available on-disc on Rock Band 2. The five pack features the band's new single, "A Looking in View" from the band's first album in 14 years, titled Black Gives Way to Blue, which will be released day-and-date with the DLC pack. Alice in Chains has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide and has received six Grammy nominations since their inception in Seattle in 1987. The five pack also includes "Would?", which was featured in the soundtrack to the film Singles and won the award for Best Video from a Film at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Sept. 29) and PlayStation 3 system (Oct. 1):

    * Alice in Chains ? "A Looking in View"

    * Alice in Chains ? "Check My Brain"

    * Alice in Chains ? "No Excuses"

    * Alice in Chains ? "Rooster"

    * Alice in Chains ? "Would?"

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as "Alice in Chains Pack 01" and as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system and as individual tracks on Wii.

Price:
$1.99 USD, .99 UK, ?1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track

$8.49 USD, 5.25 UK and ?6.59 (680 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for "Alice in Chains Pack 01"

$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points) per track

*Denotes $.99 (80 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) or $1.00 (100 Wii Points) per track

http://psp.ign.com/articles/102/1028507p1.html

Jerry Cantrell Pays Tribute To Layne Staley

Jerry played Black Gives Way To Blue by himself as the spotlight lit up the empty stool with a mic stand in front of it.
It was a cool way to honor Layne in his hometown and a symbolic gesture that was really pretty moving.

http://www.aliceinchains.com/content/

The video of  Jerry performing "Black Gives Way To Blue":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38K_7YWo6q8

And a couple more from the same show.

"Man In The Box"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYmsW7lmwl4

"Rain When I die"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8z3XezGd4o

Just ordered my copy, and should have it on the day it's released - I am so excited for this album, it's beyond words. Ever since A Looking In View convinced me that maybe getting DuVall wasn't going to be a total failure, and Check My Brain confirmed that AiC could actually pull off getting a new singer, I've been counting down the days.

2 Music Videos & Radio Singles
1 EPK Video
Updated Website (w/ direct contact from band members)
Updated Online Store with NEW merchandise
Street Team
Too many contests to count
TOUR
Meet & Greets
Radio & TV appearances
Magazine Covers / Interviews
Promotional e-mails
Limited Edition versions of the album (2 bonus tracks on iTunes, Autographed Edition, T-shirt bundle, more to come, I'm sure)

What am I missing?

Here is a long but good interview with William DuVall:

Alice In Chains: 'We All Have Very High Standards For Ourselves'

09/25/2009

Can you talk about what you bring to AIC that is different than what Layne brought?

One thing is Alice basically become sort of a two-guitar band whenever we want to be. I started out as a guitar player; I never started playing music with the idea of being a singer. That came much, much later in the game. And so that sensibility of me being a guitar player first in my mind and the interaction that that creates with Cantrell and (Mike) Inez and Sean (Kinney), I think lends itself to a different kind of jamming than they perhaps used to be able to do.

What does go through your head when you sing the old Alice songs that Layne sang on? Are you consciously trying to make them your own or attempting to stay faithful to the original? Is Layne looking over your shoulder?

Yeah, you know, he?s there, looking.

Did you know Layne personally?

No, I didn?t; I only know him through his work. When Cantrell and I met and actually started touring together, my group Comes With the Fall did double duty backing him up and opening for him when he was getting the Degradation Trip record off the ground. And so we were actually the touring band for that as well as the opening act. We did it for two years straight, man, all of 2001 and 2002. We went all over the place and that?s how he and I kind of bonded on the road beyond the initial bonding that took place in Hollywood, right?

So, we?d be on a ride somewhere and he?d have some story or somethin? from the past about Layne. There were a lot of times where he?d say, ?Man, you guys would get along so great.? Of course, Layne was still living for most of that time. When we were on the road during the 2002 run that we did, Layne passed while we were on tour. So I was with him (Cantrell) for all of that.

I didn?t know him but I feel like I do because of the work and because of being around these guys who carry him with them everywhere that we go. And all the stories and the funny stuff. And it just seemed like I would have liked him a whole lot. I certainly loved his work; I loved his singing.

When I?m singing those tunes, I?m just trying to sing ?em from my own place of truth. Again, that?s all you can do. I?m gonna get inside (the songs) in terms of melodic liberties. I do a little of that occasionally just if it hits me to do it just because I?m inside of it. I don?t do it consciously. In other words, I?m not trying to consciously stray away from it and just putting my stamp on it and getting all American Idol all over it. At the same though, even if I?m faithful completely note-for-note to a certain part of a tune or something like that, it?s still coming from me. I?m in it, you know what I mean?

The fact is, Layne was singing a lot of songs he didn?t write. He did it from his own place of honesty and truth and he was himself and he was amazing so why would I do anything other than that myself? Even songs that he did write that were very much from a personal experience, what?s cool about those songs is the feelings behind those personal experiences are universal feelings. It?s just different shades of the blues. I understand that; I get that, man! So, there?s no problem there, no disconnect there. Just get it done, you know what I mean?

Continue reading here:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/alice_in_chains_we_all_have_very_high_standards_for_ourselves.html

ALICE IN CHAINS Drummer Compares Having New Album Illegally Downloaded To Prison Rape - Sep. 27, 2009

Tim Virgin of Chicago's Q101 radio station conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINS when the band played an acoustic set at the city's Hard Rock Cafe on Saturday, September 19. During the chat, the ALICE IN CHAINS members were asked for their thoughts on their new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", being leaked on the Internet two weeks prior to the CD's official release date. "You know it's gonna happen 'cause it's part of [how the industry works nowadays], but you just hope it doesn't happen too far in advance," drummer Sean Kinney replied. "It's nothing unique [to this band]. [But] we hadn't been through it [before], 'cause we hadn't made a record in 14 years, so I think that's the initial shock. It's like, 'What?' We were talking about it earlier... It's like going to prison ? you're know you're gonna get raped, but you're not ready for it. You think you're all prepared for it, but you're not really prepared for how violent that rape is. It's like, 'Wow! He's really giving it to me.'"

Tim Virgin's interview with ALICE IN CHAINS can be viewed below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=127730

Like prison rape? Oooooooooooooooook that's pushing it quite a bit there.

thanks that was a really awesome read.. one of the best new interviews. 
really looking forward to the new album!

Here are a couple of things on AIC...

The BJ Shea Morning Experience - Alice In Chains Interview Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqTSx2FZekE&feature=channel_page

Alice In Chains Have Stringent Requirements

Posted 18 hours ago

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/09/28/alice-in-chains-have-stringent-requirements/

Went to Best Buy today.  Had flashbacks of the day Chinese Democracy was released.  They didn't have the BGWTB vinyl stocked though.

Here is video of Alice In Chains from last night's performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!...

"Check My Brain"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOgb260QNqQ&feature=channel_page

"Would?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP0Rk8U0Ass&feature=channel_page

ALICE IN CHAINS' New Album Projected To Sell 130K-140K First Week - Sep. 30, 2009

According to Hits Daily Double, the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS, ALICE IN CHAINS's first all-new album in 14 years, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", is on track to sell between 130,000 and 140,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD will likely land in the Top 5 of next week's The Billboard 200 chart, behind the latest albums from PARAMORE, MARIAH CAREY, BARBRA STREISAND and BREAKING BENJAMIN.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=127923

Thats a good number..i picked it up yesteday along with the new Paramore and Buckcherry's Live album.  Ill probably pick up the Breaking Benjamin album later in the week...

im surprised you like Paramore.....

Buckcherry did a live album!?!?!

yeah live and loud....its pretty amazing.

yeah I like a lot of different types of bands.  I enjoy Paramore and god forbid Creed as well..lol..Some people on this board think you are not allowed to like music if you like them.  I actually started a Paramore thread here about a year back and it got deleted...considering some of the inane bullshit topics that are allowed on this board I was surprised to see a thread about a band in the Bad Obsession thread get deleted...but oh well.

the album.. its not bad at all.  i picked it up today and i probably like 50% of the songs which is pretty good.

Bought it and AIC yesterday,  both are cool.

Has anyone heard the Elton John Piano Mix?  And how do you get it if you don't have iTunes (I have a Zune)?

If you pre-order ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", via iTunes, you will receive two exclusive bonus tracks: "Your Decision" (live) and "Black Gives Way To Blue (Elton John Piano Mix)".

ALICE IN CHAINS: Video Of Last Night's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Acoustic Performance Available - Oct. 1, 2009

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=127949

Glad they didn't chose that name...

Alice in Chains offer first CD since a tragedy

(AP) ? 1 day ago

Still, the band knows there will be critics unhappy that they're playing under their old name. Kinney and Cantrell considered pre-empting such talk by toying with an alternative, very heavy metal name: Leather Snake.

They nixed it, though.

"It doesn't matter what we called it. People would go, 'The guys from Alice are playing down the street and they're playing their songs,'" says Kinney.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jejjLt0WRoYti4gxYyKUnQHDkPRQD9B1K2P00

Leather Snake?  ???  That could have been a disaster.

On the other hand, I think the album is amazing. Maybe not the best rock album in the past 15 years that Duff had hyped but solid throughout. Good to hear that sound again.

Listening to the iTunes samples from the new album and it sounds not bad. Think I may try and pick it up at some point. :yes:

leather snake, holy shit, that would be the worst name ever

I have to say the opening track is an odd choice to open the album.   I tend to just skip straight to Check My Brain.

It's a slow epic build up of a song, I think it actually opens the album very well.

I think "A Looking in View" should have been the opener. Just blast everyone right from the get go.

Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell and Elton John on their 'Black Gives Way to Blue' collaboration

October 1 2009

The poignant ?Black Gives Way to Blue??which serves as the title track on the new Alice In Chains album?contains a guest appearance on the piano by none other than Elton John. We asked AIC guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell and Sir Elton to talk about how they joined forces on this tribute song for the band?s late singer, Layne Staley.

JERRY CANTRELL:  ?We were toward the end of recording the record, and I had demoed that particular song two different ways?with a piano track and without a piano track. It?s a really powerful and important song on the record, obviously. We decided to try it [with] a piano track, so we were trying to figure out who was going to play on it. And Baldy, a good friend of the band who had worked with Elton John before, was like, ?Why don?t you call Elton?? And we laughed about that for a minute. I was like, ?Yeah, right! I?m sure he?s plenty of other things to do than to come play on our song.? And he was like, ?You never know unless you ask.? And I thought about that and I was like, ?He?s absolutely right.? Elton is a very important musical influence to all of us in varying degrees, and especially to me. My first album was Elton John?s Greatest Hits. And actually, we were reminded by Layne?s stepfather that Elton was his first concert, so it was all really appropriate. So I wrote [Elton] an e-mail and explained what his music meant to us, and that this song was for Layne. We sent him a demo, and he said it was beautiful and he?d love to play on it. In the studio he was really relaxed and gracious, and he?s got a great sense of humor. We were just trying to be cool: ?Oh, yeah, no big deal.? But we were excited. [Drummer Sean Kinney] and I had to walk out a couple of times to smoke cigarettes, like, ?Holy s?, this is killer.? It?s one of those highlights you can?t expect in life, and you?re lucky to get them once in a while. And that is one.?

ELTON JOHN:  ?I was kind of surprised that Alice in Chains would ask me to do anything. I never thought I?d play on an Alice in Chains record. When I heard the song I really wanted to do it. I liked the fact that it was so beautiful and very simple. They had a great idea of what they wanted me to do on it and it turned out great.?

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/10/01/alice-in-chains-elton-john-jerry-cantrell/

yea.. I tend to like the opening track of the album to grab you by the balls.   I think Check My Brain or A Looking in View would have done that perfectly.  But different strokes.  :peace:

Here is part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ghW94y_fHY&feature=channel_page

And this:

ALICE IN CHAINS: Behind-The-Scenes Footage From 'Check My Brain' Video Shoot Available - Oct. 2, 2009

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=128061

Heard it, not my cup of tea

i agree, dont remember the first song of the album but i do think that the first song of an album should be a wake up call

And thats one thing AIC used to be really fucking good at.   We Die Young, Them Bones, Grind.. great opening tracks.

Overall the album is pretty good.  Granted AIC only works for me when I go thru depressed phases.

bin listening to the last 2 tracks non stop.

maybe im depressed ???

Those 3 songs are probably my favorite tracks by the guys.

We Die Young has one awesome riff.

So that minute long intro of basic nonsense on Chinese Democracy ruined the album for you two?

I wouldn't call it nonsense, but not at all, its probably my favorite first track out of all GnR albums.. I think the intro builds up nicely and is one of the best rocking songs on the album.

Nor did I say a weak opening track ruins the entire album..  it just means skipping ahead a song or two.

Like Civil War on UYI 2.  Actually, there isn't a "ball-grabber" until....Get In The Ring???I don't know, I'm just trying to understand where you're coming from.  The album everyone considers to be perfect (that would be Dark Side of the Moon) has tracks that I think you might "skip ahead."

We all have different tastes.   Civil War was a pretty good song to start the album.  I just find the first track on the new AIC kinda boring.   

Theres also albums that have strong first tracks and then the rest is disappointing, like Libertard.

Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez of Alice In Chains sat down with DunlopTV moments before their most recent performance at the legendary Fillmore Theater in San Francisco, and hours before their new record Black Gives Way to Blue was released. Jerry and Mike tell Kehoe about the recording process, their live gear vs the studio gear, and what plans the band has for the future. Then they went out on stage and PUT IT DOWN! Got some footage of that, too. Check out Alice In chains on DunlopTV!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dccc9HULtWY

I'm not in love with the opening track either.

Kind of sounds like TOOL without a classic climax.

i love the groove that Lesson Learned has :smoking:

I bought it first day, still gets spins from me. Solid, good album.

A Looking In View and the title track are great.

Haha, I've been listening to it non-stop since the day it came out.

Since my purchase of the album, my love for Alice has been rekindled. I've been digging out my old cds of them.

I've been the same. I've never been the biggest Alice fan, maybe I'd go on a kick every once in a while, but I've been listening to Dirt and the Self-Titled a lot.

You have to think about what this album is all about -- I don't know if opening with Check My Brain was what they had in mind.  Look at the lyrics for "All Secrets Known" and it gives you a clue...

Hope,
A new beginning
Time,
Time to start living
 
Like just before we died

There's no going back
To the place
We started from

yea i know lyrically it makes sense to start off the album, I just can't get into the track.

Here is a video interview with Alice In Chains on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2009/10/02/quan.alice.in.chains.cnn?iref=videosearch

An interview with Jerry Cantrell:

http://www.inkedmag.com/music/q-jerry-cantrell/

ALICE IN CHAINS' 'Black Gives Way To Blue' Cracks U.S. Top 5 - Oct. 7, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS's first all-new album in 14 years, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", sold 126,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart (behind latest albums from PARAMORE, MARIAH CAREY, BARBRA STREISAND and BREAKING BENJAMIN).

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=128307

Well Maynard was really good friends with Layne, and lets face it Maynard is an amazing singer and it's not too hard to replace someone when you knew them on such a personal level and you're fuckin talented like that...anyway.

maynard is not the singer of AIC
he only did some shows and appearances..

I figured it would have sold a few more the first week.  :-\   Guess its just the times.

I would have thought the same thing. The people at my local record store said it was flying off the shelves. But I don't know what their definition of "flying off the shelves" is anymore.

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY: The fourth quarter?s first Super Tuesday had its share of surprises, topped by Fueled by Ramen?s latest chart-topper in Paramore?s 185k-selling sophomore album?marking another #1 record for producer and new WMG Chief Creative Officer Rob Cavallo. Performing better than expected were #2 Barbra Streisand (Columbia), whose first album in six years bowed with 177k; #4 Breaking Benjamin (Hollywood, 136k); and the reformed Alice in Chains (Virgin), which debuted at #5 with 128k.

Hits Daily Double

Finally just listened to it and it is pretty sweet. Very heavy too!  I'm so happy Alice is back even without Layne.. i got chills listening to black gives way to blue.
I hope they are proud of themselves!

Alice in Chains Interview

Thursday, 8 October 2009

HG: There will always be fans who love the old records that you're not going to reach.

William DuVall: And that's ok. This is an invitation and you don't have to take it. But it's an invitation that's coming from a really, really truthful and very, very profound place. I think the people that take it and the people that show up to the party are going to really be rewarded. And they have been rewarded, and they're digging it.

Sean Kinney: Seeing Will just give his all every night and going at it and turning people around who have a closed mind [as to] why we're doing this is amazing. I understand [fans have] a little bit of fear and that people connected to the records we've done so strongly and I honour that completely. But it's a little rude for people who listen to those records and bond with them to try to pass judgement on us and say we don't have the right to do something.

The truth is that all of these things that they care about so much didn't happen to them: it actually happened to us. It was actually our real life. My friend's dead and I live with that every day. We've all lost people and everybody will in life. And just because you loved our record so much doesn't mean you can't move on. If we can find a way to move on and they can't then I just kind of feel sorry for people at that point. This happened to us and we can move on with our heads up and are doing it in the most honourable and genuine fashion. And you can't because you just listened to a record? That's a little sad.

HG: The first lines of 'Black Gives Way to Blue', "Hope, a new beginning. It's time to start living like just before we died" are the perfect way to open the album.

SK: And then we tell you the fact that we know, that you think you know, "there's no going back to the place we started from". We're not trying to. We've already been there. It's pointless. We're trying to move on.

It feels really good to be doing this. We mean what we're doing. We have given everything we have to doing this and I feel we've won - it's already a triumph. So as long as you believe in what you're doing, and we collectively do, that's all that matters.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/1008/aliceinchains.html

love this part.   so much truth there, not just for AIC fans, but for all fans of music.

BEHIND MARIAH CAREY AND BARBARA STREISAND?! Jesus Christ!

Alice In Chains announce new single

To coincide with Alice In Chains European tour, the band have announced that they will be releasing new single 'Your Decision' on 16 November 2009 in the UK.

i really like the mellower songs, esp black gives way to blue and my new favorite is acid bubbles!

Saw a video on MTV2 Rock Chart of one of their new songs. Cool video but didnt like the song unfortunately.

Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez are scheduled to be on nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show Friday 10/16 between 9am and 12pm PST..

"Check My Brain" is in heavy rotation (still) here....

Jerry and Mike going on Rome right now, 11am PST.

Alice In Chains Interview w/Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall

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

thanks! that was pretty nice!!

album of the year, love it.

Thanks for posting the info., the audio is available now.

Jerry Cantrell & Mike Inez

10-16-2009

INFO & STATS: Members of the band: ?Alice in Chains? | Top selling albums and singles | New album: ?Black Gives Way To Blue?.

TOPICS: New album and tour | Running the band like a family and best friends | Not releasing material that does not live up to the legacy | Welcoming a new member into the family | Single: ?Check My Brain? | Where you end up in life; effort and work | What?s next for the rock star? | On stage with Pearl Jam; bond between two bands | The Grunge movement in the 90?s; lifetime bond | In-studio with Sir Elton John | Piano contribution from Elton | Steelers and Seahawks football | The Raider Nation not happy with their organization | Raiders couldn?t beat the Cal Bears! | Mike?s love for the Jungle! | Steelers v. Seahawks matchup in the Super Bowl | Jerry growing up watching football; attending the Super Bowl | Fantasy Football teams | Talking junk! | Alice In Chains Charity League | Tour schedule and video shoot.

Audio: http://www.jimrome.com/home/audio_archive_list/hollywood/jerry1.html

thanks funkymonkey, you are ON it!!!

Just been listening to Check My Brain.....gotta say it's catchy as hell, i'm impressed so far....haven't had a chance to get the album yet though, anyone got it yet?

Yes, you should buy it. Won't be disappointed.

agreed!  I think it's pretty sweet and lately i've had some songs stuck in my head!

Alice In Chains Oct. 19th appearance on Rockline is now available for streaming.

http://www.rocklineradio.com/replay/replay.php

Alice In Chains "Black" and "Blue" Video Q&A

October 21, 2009

"We had our hearts broken by losing Layne and losing ourselves" Alice In Chains' guitarist Jerry Cantrell says of the band's long road back from the death of singer Layne Staley in 2002.  The heartbreak led the band to eventually recruit new singer William DuVall and record new album "Black Gives Way To Blue," which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 this month and which spawned a title track that went all the way to No. 1 on the Rock Songs chart. The heart-centric album cover, Cantrell explains in a video interview with Billboard.com, is no coincidence.

In the interview, Cantrell, DuVall, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney talk about band life after Layne, collaborating with Elton John on the new album, and fan reception to DuVall.

"It took a lot to get through this process and to even take the chance, and stand-up and risk," Cantrell says.

"I think initially people came [with] arms crossed, sort of hoping against hope. I hear  that a lot," DuVall says. "I'm not trying to do a Layne. One of the things I loved about him was how individual he was. He was just being himself, so that's what I do."

Video below: The Billboard.com interview with Alice In Chains, presented in HD.

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/alice-in-chains-black-and-blue-video-q-a-1004029296.story

Here is a guitar lesson with Jerry Cantrell.  Part 1 is more of an interview and in part 2 he shows how to play "Check My Brain" he also play "Man In A Box" and "Would?"

It can be viewed in 4 parts here: http://www.youtube.com/user/california771#p/u/3/u_qrEuZgNrQ

Very cool.

Been working the solos out on this, my favorite rock song in a while...

ALICE IN CHAINS To Film 'Your Decision' Video - Oct. 24, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS will team up with "A Looking In View" director Stephen Schuster once again to shoot a video for the band's next single, "Your Decision". More information will be made available soon.

To coincide with the band's European tour, ALICE IN CHAINS will release the "Your Decision" single on November 16 in the U.K.

"Your Decision" is the second single to be lifted from band's first all-new album in 14 years, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", which sold 126,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart (behind latest albums from PARAMORE, MARIAH CAREY, BARBRA STREISAND and BREAKING BENJAMIN).

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129202

looking forward to this video, thank you.  I listened to the album again today, good stuff!!

AIC will be on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien this Friday Oct 30 performing "Check My Brain".

From www.aliceinchains.com

^^ I'll definitely catch the show.


Jerry Cantrell: All Secrets Known

Mon 26 Oct 2009

Alice in Chains? lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell reclines in The Skinny?s interrogation chair to spill the facts you never knew you needed.

The last gig I went to as a punter?

?was Pearl Jam in Los Angeles last week. I watched the whole show ? took William [DuVall], he?d never seen them before. I was in the audience for the first half, but I got to go up and stand at the side of the stage and watch. So I?m watching the second encore and they do Hunger Strike, [Chris] Cornell was there - actually the whole of Soundgarden was there, Kim [Thayil], Ben [Shepherd] - and Matt [Cameron] of course was playing with Pearl Jam. So Chris got up and Temple of the Dog were together for a minute. They closed the show with Alive and I?m just sitting there having a good time when [Mike] McCready rolls over to me when it gets to the end solo, throws me his guitar and says ?Solo in E!? I?m like ?What?? ?Just solo in E, dude!? So I got to go out there and rock out with them too. We all did a bow together, fuckin? Pearl Jam, Cornell and me. It was a cool moment, a really nice thing. I went from punter to performer pretty quick.

If I could recruit one dream player to appear on the next Alice in Chains album it would be...

...Cornell. I?ve always wanted to do something with him again. We did Right Turn with Chris and Mark Arm and it was special, but maybe you can?t go home on that.

Continue reading: http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/97574-jerry-cantrell-all-secrets-known

Here is a recent interview with Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall with Maximum Metal.

Jerry says in the video regarding William DuVall "The band before wasn't about one guy, it never was -- it wasn't about one f*cking dude then, and it ain't about one dude now.  It's easy to go for the f*cking headline and get him in some sort of unfair competition with f*cking Layne and that's just not the f*cking case man." (@2:25 in part 2)

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSRBLZnti2s

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=203XCjyJ5u0&feature=related

^^Apparently this interview was part of a DVD for Metal Hammer magazine...

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Maximum Metal' Interview Posted Online - Oct. 29, 2009

Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall of ALICE IN CHAINS were interviewed for the "Maximum Metal" DVD Vol. 144 which was given away with Germany's Metal Hammer magazine. You can watch the chat in two parts below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129509

 :smoking:

This from Amanda Fields of Project Runway regarding the new AIC video for "Your Decision"...

A little bit of an update from me...
I just shot a music video today for the song "Your Decision" by Alice in Chains! It was so much fun and I felt like I was dreaming - the location was so surreal! It was this giant house between Santa Monica and Malibu off of the Pacific Coast Highway. You look out the window and see the beautiful blue Pacific! The band members, Jerry, Sean, Mike and William, were fun to work with and the director had such an incredible vision. The stylist, a friend of mine, Cory Savage, really knows how to make a rock video couture! The band members all wore crisp expertly tailored suits and the string quartet wore flowing white dresses with black lace blindfolds!! My wig was made out of feathers!

Amanda Fields with Sean Kinney: http://bloggingprojectrunway.blogspot.com/2009/10/amandas-take-episode-ten.html

ALICE IN CHAINS Performs On 'The Tonight Show'; Video Available - Oct. 31, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS performed the song "Check My Brain" on last night's (Friday, October 30) edition of NBC's "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien". Watch video of the appearance below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129607

thanks! gonna check it out!

It's insane how Check My Brain is STILL at #1 on the Rock Charts. I really didn't expect them to get this much airplay.

Amazing indeed.

It's great to see Cantrell and Co (along with William Duvall) come back this strong, I look for this record to have extremely long legs...

really?? wow that is freakin crazy.  not even my favorite song on the album but the videos that they are doing certainly aren't hurting!!

Sean Kinney interview Greg Beharrell Show on X92.9:

http://www.x929.ca/shows/beharrell/?p=5297

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqpfnxpJn-Q

ALICE IN CHAINS has issued the following update:

"UK fans, be sure to tune in tonight to see Alice In Chains perform 'Check My Brain' live on Jools Holland on BBC2 at 10 PM. Then on Friday at 11:35 PM on BBC2, they will perform 'Lesson Learned', 'Black Gives Way To Blue' along with Jools and 'Check My Brain'."

^^ He's the video from Jools Holland's BBC@ show...

"Check My Brain"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4lg0IdsNsY

A couple more videos of AIC performing on 'Later with Jools Holland'.

"Black Gives Way To Blue"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti8OkInAhW8

"Lesson Learned"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yFmHKTt8q4

AIC will be playing at this year's KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas:

December 12th & 13th at Gibson Amphitheatre.

DECEMBER 12th
AFI
Rise Against
Alice In Chains
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Three Days Grace
Anberlin
Dead By Sunrise

DECEMBER 13
Muse
311
Slightly Stoopid
Phoenix
The Bravery
Metric
Vampire Weekend
Cage the Elephant
White Rabbits

TICKETS

? Tickets for both nights on sale Saturday at noon.

? Tickets available at the following Ticketmaster locations: Ritmo Latino, La Curacao, Beverly Center, The Block at Orange, Select FYE, Select Macy?s, Charge-by-phone (800-745-3000), Online at Ticketmaster.com or the Gibson Amphitheatre Box Office with minimal fees!

http://kroq.radio.com/2009/11/16/kroq-almost-acoustic-christmas-2009/

Crashdiet had a Alice In Chains song playing over their latest blog video.

What song is it, i dont recall hearing it before?

Comes in around just after 50 seconds

http://www.crashdiet.org/index.php/component/jomtube/video/300

"It Ain't Like That" from Facelift

Ive got that album n probably enjoy it the most out of the AIC albums. Guess i need to go back n listen to it sometime.


Also. For years ive thought Jar of Flies was just an EP. But apparently its an album or combined with another EP its an album?

No, Jar of Flies is an EP. They released another EP called Sap which came out before Dirt. Jar was after Dirt.

It's been posted at YouTube in three parts here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/rbm62581

From Alice In Chains:

Big announcement coming this Thursday on aliceinchains.com.  Stay close!

US tour dates hopefully  : ok:

^^  :)

ALICE IN CHAINS Announces North American Headlining Tour - Nov. 19, 2009

ALICE IN CHAINS have announced dates for a North American tour set to kick off at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver on February 2. Tickets go on sale December 4 and 5 ? fans can get more info at www.aliceinchains.com.

ALICE IN CHAINS North American headlining tour dates:

Feb. 02 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre
Feb. 04 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
Feb. 06 - Salem, OR - Salem Armory
Feb. 11 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre
Feb. 17 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
Feb. 19 - Denver, CO - Fillmore
Feb. 21 - Kansas City, MO - Midland
Feb. 22 - St. Louis, MO - Pageant
Feb. 23 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace
Feb. 25 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
Feb. 27 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
Mar. 01 - Nashville, TN - Municipal Auditorium
Mar. 02 - Charlotte, NC - Fillmore
Mar. 03 - Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall
Mar. 05 - Richmond, VA - The National
Mar. 06 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods
Mar. 08 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
Mar. 12 - Atlantic, City, NJ - Borgata
Mar. 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
Mar. 14 - Boston, MA - Orpheum
Mar. 16 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
Mar. 17 - Toronto, ONT - Sound Academy
Mar. 19 - Detroit, MI - Fillmore State Theatre
Mar. 20 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
Mar. 21 - St. Paul, MN - Roy Wilkens Auditorium

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=130687

Nothing in Texas? What is with bands skipping Texas these days!

Anyone could miss it. All tucked away down there.....



Er, anyway, on topic, been listening to the new album recently and a few of the songs have grown on me since the first time. I'm glad they did eventually decide to make an album with DuVall because there's some really good stuff on there. :yes: By the looks of it, they've done a crapload of promotion for it too.

ALICE IN CHAINS: 'Your Decision' Video Teaser Available - Nov. 19, 2009

"Your Decision", the new video from ALICE IN CHAINS, will make its debut on December 1 via iTunes. The clip was directed by Stephen Schuster, who previously worked with ALICE IN CHAINS on the "A Looking In View" video, and it features an appearance by "Project Runway" season three model Amanda Fields.

Check out a teaser for the "Your Decision" video below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=130724

I just got tickets to see them in Fox club in Oakland  :beer:

Seen them before w/ Guns and VR, both awesome shows. One of the strongest bands in the 90s imo

Very cool. : ok:

Great venues throughout the tour, smart money says this will be an extremely tough ticket..

AOL's Noisecreep Top 10 Albums of 2009

Alice in Chains -- 'Black Gives Way to Blue'

They took a massive chance replacing Layne Staley and Alice in Chains knew it. The late singer's blend of hard rock grit and swampy soul vocals helped set the group into a class all by themselves. After years of silence, Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, and Mike Inez, resurrected Alice in Chains with new vocalist Willian DuVall and hit the road playing their beloved albeit short catalog along with new songs.

'Black Gives Way to Blue' is the reformed band's first album together and it's a big middle finger to all of the naysayers who questioned AIC's decision to continue without Staley. 'Check My Brain' and 'Private Hell' wouldn't have sounded out of place on their landmark 'Dirt' album while the restrained title track would have been a fine addition to the 'Sap' and 'Jar of Flies' EPs. DuVall's vocals also impress, revealing a tender yet weighty power to them that isn't too far off what Staley did so well. This is the comeback story of the year.

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/11/23/top-10-albums-of-2009/

I personally do not agree

The new album is ok, but there is no song on there that has the quality of past albums.

Couldn't agree more, easily the best story of the year in rock music for me. :yes:

Alice In Chains' performance and interview on Yahoo. 8)

Alice In Chains: Unplugged & Unchained

Nov 24, 2009

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/live/3588/alice-in-chains-unpluggedunchained/

THANKS!!!  very awesome!!!

Alice In Chains- Your Decision (Music Video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3SfbKY4d1I

For anyone who starts to watch this and doesn't think it's anything....just wait until the end

Holy shit, freaky..

"Eyes Wide Shut" meets "Hannibal"..

DOH! link has been taken down.  anyone know if it is somewhere else too?

Another link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPAyu3tX66Y

Alice In Chains Take Over Malibu Mansion For 'Your Decision' Video

'Even though we've gone through a lot of changes, I think we're a better band for it,' Jerry Cantrell says.

Dec 1 2009

Video: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627291/20091201/alice_in_chains.jhtml

Wow, that was freaky.

best video i've seen in a while..

favorite song of the record is easily a looking in view, so heavy, me love thaz

GRAMMY AWARDS Nominees - Dec. 2, 2009   :smoking:

The nominees in the "Hard Rock", "Metal", "Rock Instrumental" and "Rock" categories are as follows:

Best Hard Rock Performance:

* AC/DC - "War Machine" (from "Black Ice")
* ALICE IN CHAINS - "Check My Brain" (from "Black Gives Way to Blue")
* LINKIN PARK - "What I've Done" (from "Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keyes")
* METALLICA - "The Unforgiven III" (from "Death Magnetic")
* NICKELBACK - "Burn it to the Ground" (from "Dark Horse")

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live will be broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 Surround Sound on CBS from 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. EST.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/index.aspx

A little trivia...

ALICE IN CHAINS have earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Hard Performance" for "Check My Brain," the No. 1 hit single from the band's new album BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE. Fueled by the chart-topping track, which hit No. 1 on the Modern, Active and Rock formats and was hailed by Spin magazine as "one of the catchiest songs of Alice In Chains' history," the album entered Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart at No. 5, with first-week sales exceeding 126,000 copies.

The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, guitarist/vocalist William DuVall, drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez) is maintaining momentum with second single "Your Decision," which was this week's No. 1 Most Added track at Modern and Active Rock. Earlier this week, the video for "Your Decision" premiered on iTunes and shot to No. 1 on their Rock Video Chart.

Here is some good video footage of Alice In Chains from their show in Paris on Dec. 4th:

"Your Decision"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llhSpVB5H6I

"Lesson Learned"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul1Cnyt_OW4

"Check My Brain"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTqXvMCaST4

Setlist
Rain When I Die
Them Bones
Dam That River
Again
Lesson Learned
Check My Brain
Love, Hate, Love
A Looking In View
Your Decision
No Excuses
Black Gives Way To Blue
It Ain't Like That
Acid Bubble
We Die Young
Last of My Kind
Angry Chair
Man in the Box

Encore:
Nutshell
Would?

KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2009: Alice In Chains Interview

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

Thanks!!   

Killer setlist! Seeing them Feb. 27 HOB Myrtle Beach-  Can't Wait!!! :beer:

Alice In Chains have launched a new widget in anticipation of their upcoming North American tour featuring ticket links, tour information and video footage. Check it out below.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=48972946&blogId=524835679

thanks.
Gonna see them next month... can't wait!!!

Here is video of Mike Starr from the premiere episode of Celebrity Rehab.  He says "In the heyday of Alice In Chains I was the best bass player/entertainer there was.  When they asked me to leave the band -- it broke my heart." @ 2:20

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2010/01/08/celebrity-rehab-season-3/

Not even one Florida date?

Here is video of Jerry Cantrell performing "Wish You Were Here" with Scott Ian and Corey Taylor & The Junk Beer Kidnap Band on New Years Eve in Las Vegas.  There are some other good vids on "Holyblop's" page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Holyblop#p/u/2/WbqX6fjCJlo

JERRY CANTRELL, COREY TAYLOR, SCOTT IAN, VINNIE PAUL Ring In New Year In Vegas; Video Available - Jan. 12, 2010

Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS), Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Vinnie Paul Abbott (HELLYEAH, PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN), Keith Buckley (EVERY TIME I DIE) and Meat Loaf are among the guest musicians who performed with COREY TAYLOR & THE JUNK BEER KIDNAP BAND (featuring Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR fame) on New Year's Eve at Dead Man's Hand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

A review of the concert is available at ARTISTdirect.

Dead Man's Hand was Ian and Cantrell's brand new rock bar and performance space which opened in November and is now apparently "moving to a new location," according to Ian.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=133281

Here is a 7 part interview with Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney on FaceCulture at the link:

http://www.faceculture.nl/artist.php?id=770

Here is video of Mike Starr on Celebrity Rehab 3, his part starts at 8:50.  Hopefully he get through rehab.

http://www.vh1.com/video/play.jhtml?id=1629731

Want to chat with ALICE IN CHAINS' Jerry Cantrell about sports and music? You have your chance at 5 PM (EST) today (January 20th) as Jerry's chat will be featured on ESPN.com.

Here is a transcription of the interview with Jerry Cantrell on ESPN:

Mike (Madison, WI)

You had over 10 songs left out of BGWTB, can we expect an EP coming up soon?

Jerry Cantrell  (5:25 PM)

Probably not. The material we didn't put on the record didn't belong there. It wasn't Alice. Maybe it was two-thirds Alice but it wasn't all the way there.

Continue here: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/30451/chat-with-jerry-cantrell

If this is the same gent I was watching on CR a week or so ago, I really pray he gets better, because what I viewed that evening was very sad, and well yucky, intervenious drug use is just nastiness.  Very sad :no:

^^ Here is video of Mike Starr in the latest episode of CR:

http://www.vh1.com/video/play.jhtml?id=1630175

ALICE IN CHAINS: Behind-The-Scenes Footage From 'Your Decision' Video Shoot Available - Jan. 25, 2010

Behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot for "Your Decision", the latest single from ALICE IN CHAINS, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Stephen Schuster, who previously worked with ALICE IN CHAINS on the "A Looking In View" video, and it features an appearance by "Project Runway" season three model Amanda Fields.

Video: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=133999

ALICE IN CHAINS Bassist Interviewed At NAMM; Video Available - Jan. 31, 2010

David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Inez at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which was held January 14-17, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Watch the chat below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=134325

Here is a short TV Guide interview from the red carpet at the Grammys last night with AIC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bMlFXAaiUY

From Dr. Drew:

RT @Shelli1964: @drdrew Heard a rumor that Layne Staley's mom is going to be on CelebrityRehab this season. Is that true?---Absolutely true

10:32 AM Feb 2nd from TweetDeck

Jerry Cantrell - NAMM Artist Highlight (GuitarEdge.com)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgNo1Gb0d7Q

Here is an interview with Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney on 99.3 The Fox Rocks in Vancouver.  They talk a little about loosing the Grammy to ACDC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCqrKIK3Tjc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QFyvGfWfGc

And in this radio interview with Jerry Cantrell on WKLS in Atlanta he is asked about Mike Starr's appearance on Celebrity Rehab (@ 2:48).

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

picked up Black Gives Way To Blue a week ago, really liking it, listening to 'Acid Bubble' now actually. Better than i expected, the title track is amazing.

They've added part 3 of the interview, they're asked about the Soundgarden reunion rumors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k12ohve8pA

Co-Headlining the WMMR-BQ in Camden, NJ on May 23 with Stone Temple Pilots!

Ah, can't wait.

Thanks, he's a link to all of the info.

http://www.wmmr.com/music/concerts/rbq2010.aspx

98 Rockfest lineup includes Alice in Chains

February 9, 2010

Alice in Chains, Limp Bizkit, Sevendust ? '98 might be the year 98 Rock is saluting at its annual concert.

The station, WXTB, 97.9 FM, announced the lineup for 98 Rockfest Tuesday, with the recently resurrected Alice in Chains and Limp Bizkit headlining. The show will take place April 24 at the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

Joining Sevendust on the rest of the bill will be Puddle of Mudd, Hell Yeah, Paper Tongues and Evans Blue. More acts are to be announced.

Tickets, $44.30, $57.70, $68, $93.70 and $145.15, according to Ticketmaster's Web site, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Call Ticketmaster, (813) 287-8844, or the Forum, (813) 301-2500.

Here is a transcript of what was said...

ALICE IN CHAINS Guitarist Says Former Bassist MIKE STARR 'Deserves A Better Life' - Feb. 10, 2010

Shaffee and El Jefe of the Atlanta, Georgia radio station WKLS (branded Project 9-6-1) recently conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINSguitarist Jerry Cantrell.

When asked for his opinion of the VH1 reality series "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew", which features former ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Starr in its current season, Cantrell replied, "I haven't seen the show. We, of course, always wish the best for Mike. Addiction is no joke, and we know that first hand. We lost a good friend of ours to that as well. Mike deserves a better life. That particular show, I think it's a real travesty and a shame to put people in a really vulnerable situation like that and make it entertainment for people to see, because... It's just kind of disgusting to me, actually. It's nothing I back. I totally back Mike, and I back his efforts to get clean and remain somebody that I and the band really care about ? he's a friend of ours, you know, and we wish him the best. But that show's not really cool. [laughs]"

Shaffee and El Jefe's interview with Jerry Cantrell can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=134866

From next weeks CR3 with Mike Starr, Layne's mother will appear on the show:

From Mike Starr to Dr. Drew:

?Layne shot me up first a couple times, and then Kurt shot me up, and then Layne shot me up after that same night and I died -- dead for eleven minutes Layne said.?

Then they show a clip of Layne's mom talking to the group, she says:

?This is so serious because when you?re dead you?re dead, and you?re either in the ground deteriorating or your in a box of dust like I have my son now.?

http://www.vh1.com/video/celebrity-rehab-3/full-episodes/triggers/1631736/playlist.jhtml

Billboard 200: Rock Songs

Week of February 20, 2010

2* Your Decision

Alice In Chains
Black Gives Way to Blue

* Titles with the greatest airplay and sales gains this week.

http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/rock-songs?tag=chdrawer

I just saw Alice In Chains at a small club in Oakland (Fox).

Sold out, amazing show. I was on floor upfront, and the energy was intense. The setlist was amazing (Sickman, Again). When they left before an encore, the energy was more intense than any show in recent memory. Everyone, including those in seats, were stomping and screaming crazily. They came out and looked seriously pleased.

Amazing show, these guys have still got it.

These guys coming back as strong as they have after all they've been is about the best story (on)going in rock music.

Sold out shows, high charting singles and an album that has staying power, unreal.

"Check My Brain" from the aforementioned Oakland gig at the Fox.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24BwNPdFbSQ

How fucking cool is that venue by the way??

do they have any touring plans for the summer?

Nice videos! Are they yours?

And yes, the venue is incredible. I still prefer the Warfield (first GN'R show) but the newly done Fox gives it a run for its money.

As well as the singles are doing, I'd expect them at least do the radio station festival circuit this summer here in the US, keep the momentum going..

Just speculation of course...

Not mine. just searched youtube after your post above - great stuff nonetheless.

Mike Starr will be the guest tonight on Loveline with Dr. Drew:

http://www.lovelineshow.com/site

The LA show was KILLER! They played really well, really tight and William was great. Layne is impossible to replace but he does a great job of taking the mic. He even had a couple of guitar solos. Jerry's tone was spot on the entire night and the vocal harmonies were pretty much perfect. Nutshell was amazing and I was very happy to hear No Excuses, Sickman and Acid Bubbles and Angry Chair. Highlight of the show for me was Love Hate Love, which is one of my all time favorites of theirs.. what a sweet surprise!!



Setlist:

All Secrets Known
It Ain?t Like That
Again
Check My Brain
Them Bones
Dam That River
Rain When I Die
Your Decision
Got Me Wrong
We Die Young
Last of My Kind
Nutshell
Sickman
Lesson Learned
Acid Bubble
No Excuses
Angry Chair
Man In The Box

Encore:
Love, Hate, Love
Would?
Rooster

I fucking love this band

Here is an interview with Jerry Cantrell, plus audio:

Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell on Layne Staley, Elton John and new CD

Working with Elton was "mind-blowing"

Joe Bosso, Wed 17 Feb 2010

With new singer William DuVall onboard, Cantrell and Alice In Chains are forging a new path (? Kelly A. Swift/Retna Ltd./Corbis)

You would think that Jerry Cantrell might have no dreams left to realize. With his band, Alice In Chains, the guitarist played a huge role in defining the 'grunge' sound of the early '90s, selling over 17 million albums in the process.

But when the reunited band recorded their new album, Black Gives Way To Blue, Cantrell got to live out a boyhood fantasy when his idol, Elton John, agreed to play on the title track.

"Mind-blowing," is how Cantrell, 43, summarizes the experience. The group was recording in Las Vegas, and as it turned out, Sir Elton was working in the same studio. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Cantrell contacted John and sent him the track, asking if he might consider playing on it. A week went by with no response, and Cantrell all but gave hope.

And then John contacted Cantrell and said that he loved the song. A fan of the band, he was especially moved that the number was an elegy for Alice's late singer, Layne Staley, who succumbed to a heroin overdose in 2002. Sure, he said, he'd be honored to play on the cut.

Cantrell describes the feeling of hearing Elton John perform one of his songs as "one of those really cool things that you never expect to happen." Belying his reputation as a diva, John's gracious attitude and musical contribution made a huge impression on Cantrell: "Not only did he lend his voice and made the song jump up a level by his input, he didn't take it over either. He became part of the band."

Of course, in 2010, many are surprised - and no doubt delighted - that there even is an Alice In Chains. After Staley's death, it seemed almost unthinkable that they could go on, and for a time, they didn't. But a tsunami benefit concert in 2005 led with group (which also includes drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez), with Cantrell's new friend singer William DuVall, to slowly rebuild.

DuVall and Cantrell make a strange kind of magic together, echoing the vocal harmonies of the Alice In Chains of old. Cantrell admits that he doesn't hear the similarity ("the writing style and the players are the reasons it sounds the way it sounds"), but he's thrilled to be carving out a new chapter with the group he and Kinney founded 23 years ago.

Cantrell sat down with MusicRadar recently to discuss Alice In Chains' reformation, his thoughts on Layne Staley, his approach to practicing the guitar (he doesn't!) and the undiminished coolness of Elton John.

Audio and the rest here: http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/alice-in-chains-jerry-cantrell-on-layne-staley-elton-john-and-new-cd-237195

Apparently Mike Starr says that he was with Layne the day he died and that he wanted to call 911 but Layne said he would never talk to him again if he did.  He say if he had known he was going to die, he would have made the call.

I don't know if it's a good thing for him to bring this up now.

Somehow I have a hard time believing this. Mike Starr seems very eager to attach his name to anything AIC right now.

Here is the video preview from last nights Celebrity Rehab 3 where Mike Starr talks about Layne Staley, when he got kicked out of AIC and greeting Layne's Mom.  He says:

From Mike Starr to Dr. Drew:

?Layne shot me up first a couple times, and then Kurt shot me up, and then Layne shot me up after that same night and I died -- dead for eleven minutes Layne said.

"I let him die too, and he saved my life.  Isn't that terrible...on my birthday."

Then at the end they show Layne's mom talking to the group:

?When you loose your addict the hope is over, it is final, and you?re either in the ground deteriorating or your in a box of dust like I have my son now.?

http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/484240/this-thursday-on-celebrity-rehab-3.jhtml#id=1631933

Ex-ALICE IN CHAINS Bassist Talks About Death Of His 'Best Friend' LAYNE STALEY; Video Available - Feb. 18, 2010

Nancy McCallum, the mother of late ALICE IN CHAINS singer Layne Staley, makes an appearance in the seventh episode of the new season of the VH1 reality series "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew" ? featuring former ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Starr.

A preview clip of this week's episode can be viewed below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=135383