Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is a hard rock band that was formed in 1987 in Seattle, Washington, United States. Drawing equally from the heavy riffing of metal and the gloomy strains of what would become grunge, the band developed a bleak, nihilistic sound that balanced grinding riffs with subtly textured acoustic moments. They were hard enough for metal fans, but their dark subject matter and punk-fueled attack placed them among the front ranks of the Seattle-based grunge bands. This dichotomy helped the group soar to critical acclaim and multi-platinum status with their first albums, 1990's 'Facelift' and 1992's 'Dirt', yet it also divided them. Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Jerry Cantrell always leaned toward the mainstream, while singer-songwriter Layne Staley felt fascinated with the seamy underground lyrically and musically. Such tension drove the band toward stardom in their early years. Following 'Dirt', however, Alice in Chains suffered from near-crippling internal tensions that kept the band off the road for the remainder of the 90s, and personal tragedy soon would strike.

The idea for the group arose from the band members' mutual interest in dark, powerful heavy metal and energetic rock music. Formed in 1987 by Staley, guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr, and drummer Sean Kinney, the outfit was first named “Alice N’ Chains” and featured a different image in terms of clothes and stage performances, although they still had a tough edge to their music. The guys later changed it to "Alice in Chains" as things came together. Combining the unique voice and intense delivery of Staley with the evocative songwriting and vocal harmonies of Cantrell, Alice in Chains created an immediately identifiable sound that also proved to be quite versatile as their repertoire grew to include both driving, angry rock songs and mellow acoustic compositions.