Biography
Alice In Chains group is known not only to Americans, the music of this team has long been out of one country. Because of the Seattle sound, their genre is credited rather to grunge than music based on heavy and drum reefs. The style has changed throughout the entire period of creativity from the lightweight hard-rock compositions to the traditional Khevi-Metal.The history of creation and composition
The history of the creation of the Alice In Chains team is counted since 1987, when Jerry Cantrell and Lane Stayley have rehearsed together and invented songs. Soon, the duet was replenished with two more participants, Jerry's friends - Drummer Seun Kinny and a bassist Mike Starr.
Jerry Crantella called the founder of the team, and part-time he is a vocalist of the group, the author of songs and guitarist, most of the texts wrote independently. Born and grew in America, the parents of the boy divorced, when it was 7 years old, his father Jerry-senior is a veteran of War in Vietnam, the Son even dedicated to him the song "Rooster". In honor of the mother, he also recorded the song "Sunshine", but after her death in 1987.
Lane Steiles made no less contribution to the base of the group, he is also a vocalist and the author of the songs. Born in Kirkland, USA, in the family of Phil Stayyli and Nancy McClum. His parents also divorced when the boy turned 7, because his father consumed drugs. Mother got married and raised him together with the new spouse.
He began playing drums at 12, as a repertoire chose the composition of the GLEM teams, while he dreamed of being a vocalist. So he gathered a Sleeze group and speaking some time there, and after her decay, he created a new team with a congrateral.
At the time of arrival at Alice in Chains, Mike Starr also had the experience of musical performances, his own group called Sato He founded back in 1983, Leather Warriors became its most popular composition. Then he briefly joined the Gypsy Rose group, and after worked in other projects. Sean Kinny is also a talented guy, playing the drums learned at 3 years, and in 5 parents presented the first drum installation. Since 9 years old played country, jazz standards and swing in the team of their grandfather The Cross Cats.
When Cantrell was looking for new guys in the team, his neighbor in the room gave the number of the girl Sean, afterwards they phoned and met. So in the group there was a drummer, and to invite Mike to them advised Kinny, since they needed a bassist. After a couple of days, they began to rehearse in a popular Music Bank rehearsal in America. The team name changed several times, first the guys recorded tracks like Alice'n'Chains, then renamed Diamond Lie and eventually became Alice in Chains.
The first rumors that Stayi is fond of heroin, arose in 1992, after the release of the album "DIRT", since in most part of his texts described the sensations from drug use. At the same time, the songs of Cantrell had focus on the more familiar to the metal.
Without sustaining a dense touring schedule, arranged in support of the album "Dirt", Starr leaves the team. At the same time, the composition is replenished with the new bassist Mike Ainez, whose biography had previously been associated with the Ozzy Ozzy team.
At the concert, after the release of the third full-length album, Steyi looked weakened, he almost did not move and even confused the words of the song, because of which the artists had to begin again. In 1996, his bride died, and the guy began to lead a secluded lifestyle. From suffering, he was saved by drug use, all this turned out for him into a huge problem. Since the beginning of the 1990s, he was treated for drug addiction, but in 2002 he died of overdose of prohibited substances.
Music
A few years after the creation of a group of guys performed in local bars as an independent team, having a small number of listeners. But in 1989, the COLUMBIA RECORDS sound recording studio was interested in their work, with which they subsequently concluded a contract. The first discography of the artists replenished the album "Facelift", which was released in 1990.A grunge-style plate received double platinum status from RIAA after 2 million of its instances were sold in America. True, it was not popular instantly, for the first six months, only 40 thousand of its copies were implemented in the United States. The group's promotion contributed to the song "BLEED THE FREAK" and clips shot on the "We Die Young", "Sea of Sorrow" and "Man in the Box". The latter even added to a regular daytime rotation on MTV.
An even more popularity of guys received after a joint tour with the Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth groups. And they got there for a pure chance and at the last moment. Instead of them, Metholders Death Angel gathered on tour, but they got into the car accident. Despite the indignation of the listeners, Alice In Chains was invited to replace. So the American team became known not only in Seattle, but also beyond.
Although the artists had a tight schedule due to permanent concerts, they found time to record the SAP mini album. He got good reviews, and one song even became a soundtrack to the clerk tape. In 1992, with other musicians, the guys starred in the film of Cameron's Call "Singles", on the idea of the director they performed the song "IT AINT LIKE THAT". Later, she became a single second full-length disk Alice in Chains. Work on it began in the spring of 1992, and ended in six months.
The album "Dirt" had a stunning success, the composition "Down in a hole", "Them Bones", "Rooster" and others were most popular. Almost everyone was regularly spinning on the radio and brought the 6th position to musicians in Billboard 200 and four times platinum status.
Around the world they managed to sell about 5 million copies. Then a tour of the album was then waited for them, speaking at the Lollapalooza festival and a record of several songs for the film "The Last Hero" Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In the next 3 years, the musicians record the Jar of Flies acoustic album, which occupies the first places in charts, and also participate in other projects. To create the 3rd album, guys are collected only in 1995. To record tracks for Alice In Chains, the guys decided to return to metal roots, with a small use of acoustics. He also broke all records on sales and twice became platinum. A truly hit track of this disk was the Nutshell composition.
A tour in support of the record did not take place, but the musicians performed as part of the MTV Unplugged project, and later the concert video was recorded, the photo was placed on the cover. The next 10 years about Alice in Chains is almost nothing heard. Only in 2005 they held a charitable concert, the funds collected from which they went to help people who were affected by the tsunami in the south-east of Asia.
After the death of Steyi, Alice In Chains officially announced that they no longer plan to give concerts, but Soon, William Duudala soon took on his place and began to speak again. And in 2008 they spoke in an interview about the work on a new album. The release "Black Gives Way to Blue" took place in the fall of 2009. There were 11 compositions, 2 of them the musicians had previously presented to listeners. And the British artist Elton John participated in the record of the title song.
Another album "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" team introduced in 2013. Unlike previous works, this record had a calmer sound, for which mixed critics reviews received. Crantelle himself spoke out about her as a unique record, which is completely different from what they did before, and shows a special period of their history. Fans Alice in Chains should see their growth and the fact that the musicians move forward, while not losing individuality.
Announcement of the release of the next disk "Rainier Fog" took place in 2018. Such a large temporary gap between two plates, the musicians explained the complexity of the work, and since they become older, then this work is becoming more difficult for them.
Alice in Chains now
After the death of Layn Steiles about Alice In Chains, they remember infrequently, but the musicians now continue to record songs. In 2019, after the release of the album Rainier Fog, the musicians decided to continue working on him, Adam Mason shot on him a fantastic 90-minute film "Black Antenna".
The main roles were invited not to the most famous actors, but as the team promises, it will be interesting. What exactly this story is not specified, the trailer only gives some hints. The film was divided into 10 parts, the 1st episode was released on March 7.
Also musicians do not stop concert activities. In the summer of 2019, the group visited Russia with speeches. On June 18, a concert in St. Petersburg took place, and on June 20 - in Moscow.
Discography
- 1990 - "Facelift"
- 1992 - "DIRT"
- 1995 - "Alice In Chains"
- 2009 - "Black Gives Way to Blue"
- 2013 - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"
- 2018 - Rainier Fog
Clips
- 1991 - "MAN IN THE BOX"
- 1992 - "Would?"
- 1993 - "Down in a hole"
- 1994 - "No Excuses"
- 2009 - "Grind"
- 2013 - "Hollow"
- 2013 - "Voices"
- 2019 - Rainier Fog