September 9, 2008
Alice in Chains Without Layne Staley Isn't Alice in Chains

Alice and Chains promotional photo from Columbia Records.
From across the pond, and courtesy of NME, comes news that Seattle's own Alice in Chains will be recording their first record in 13 years.
To this we say: NO NO NO! Do not fuck with a very, very good thing. The older and wiser we get, the more Alice in Chains seems like the quintessential Seattle grunge band. They screamed loud, lived hard, recorded some epic albums, and died. Tragically of course, Layne Staley—who, if he'd kept singing really could have been the rock voice of a generation—did die of an overdose in 2002. With that, Alice in Chains should have died, as well. But no, everyone's hopping on the reunion train—death be damned! So Alice in Chains is reconvening to record a new record with a new singer. But lets be honest, without Staley, it's Alice in Chains in name alone.



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Agreed.
I saw the new "AIC" two years ago and all I could think about was how much cooler it must have been with real singer.
I love Jerry Cantrell but he's dragging the bands good name through the mud by creating a new album without Layne, the most talented vocalist ever to come out of Seattle.
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A friend of mine was in the band in the very early days. He was the keyboard player. For about three weeks. At which point they suddenly realized they had absolutely no use for a keyboard player.
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Please Please don't let this turn into a reality show.
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agreed. without layne staley, what is the point, it is isn't alice in chains. people are seriously excited about this?
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No, no, no. Wrong, wrong, wrong.