ALICE IN CHAINS formed in 1986 originally with an overtly Glam image but would find huge commercial success as the very epitome of Grunge. The band had previously gone under the name of DIAMOND LIE. Vocalist Layne Staley was just ridding himself of a Glam act he was fronting when he teamed up with guitarist Jerry Cantrell and erstwhile SATO and GYPSY ROSE bassist Mike Starr. Staley, known then as Candy Staley, had for three years fronted SLEZE, an outfit comprising guitarist Nicky, bassist Yianni 'Johnny' Bacolas and drummer Bam Bamm. Another one time SLEZE member, bassist Jimmy Sheppard would later go on to Metal band SANCTUARY.

Drummer Sean Kinney had previously played with his Grandfather's band THE CROSSCUTS. An early ALICE IN CHAINS / SLEZE member, bassist Johnny Bacolas, would later found SECOND COMING. Following a handful of gigs ALICE IN CHAINS soon signed with major label Columbia. Initial product was the June 1990 'We Die Young' EP, now a much sought after rarity.

The original title of the band's first album was 'Gash', but the record company objected. They chose 'Facelift' as an alternative due to the fact that many of the songs ALICE IN CHAINS had written prior to recording had been scrapped in the studio and succeeded by songs that differed drastically in to those originally planned for the album.

Their debut hit the American music scene at the height of Grunge and ALICE IN CHAINS morose yet engaging songs captivated the Rock audience. The band gained valuable further exposure with an appearance as a band bar performing 'Would?' in the Cameron Crowe movie 'Singles', which also featured PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder. Touring found the band as support to MEGADETH on their European dates and an appearance on the 'Clash Of The Titans' touring package with MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. The band then notably supported VAN HALEN from August of 1991 into January of 1992. However, Cantrell missed a support gig on December 1st, the guitarist was out on a hunting expedition and thought November had 31 days!

The band followed 'Facelift' quickly with the mini album 'Sap' after which bassist Mike Starr quit. He would go on to form MY SISTER'S MACHINE then SUN RED SUN.

1992's 'Dirt', with new four stringer ex-SURE FIRE and OZZY OSBOURNE man Mike Inez, gave the band a top ten album. Incidentally, SLAYER's Tom Araya features on the 'Dirt' album lending a blood curdling scream to the untitled track. The band went out on tour in America with Inez's previous employer with Staley, who had fractured his ankle, appearing onstage in a wheelchair! Tour T shirts depicted an x-ray of the singers damaged limb.

Staley put in a vocal duet on the BOB DYLAN tune 'Ring Them Bells' with Ann Wilson on fellow Seattle act HEART's 1993 album 'The Road Home'. ALICE IN CHAINS themselves went out on the road as part of the 'Lollapalooza' tour.

The band contributed two tracks ('What The Hell Have I' and 'A Little Bitter') to the soundtrack of the 'Last Action Hero' movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. As 1993 ended both 'Dirt' and 'Last Action Hero' albums went platinum.

Staley put together an act THE GACY BUNCH (after the mass murderer John Wayne Gacy) changing this band title later to MAD SEASON. This project was billed by the media as a Grunge 'supergroup', including as it did SCREAMING TREES Barrett Martin and PEARL JAM's Mike McCready. The MAD SEASON album 'Above' fared well and hit platinum status.

As to ALICE IN CHAINS, Staley's crew scored their second American number 1 with the eponymous 1995 album. An 'MTV Unplugged' session followed, with guitarist Scott Olsen sitting in on the proceedings, putting ALICE IN CHAINS back into the American top 5 once more.

ALICE IN CHAINS put in four gigs opening for the 1996 KISS reunion tour before the band retiring into the shadows.

JERRY CANTRELL had a solo cut included on the soundtrack album for the Jim Carey movie 'The Cable Guy', a portent of what was to follow.

the band out of the limelight for such a lengthy period wild rumours began to circulate about the fate of individual members. These speculations going as far to claim that Staley had contracted gangrene due to his drug problem and that the singer was having surgery to remove fingers or even an arm.

Inez briefly rejoined the OZZY OSBOURNE band.

Cantrell was to further pursue a solo route with the release of a full-blown album 'Boggy Depot' in April 1998. Although all the members of ALICE IN CHAINS contributed rumours still abounded as to the state of Staley's health.

Cantrell took drummer Kinney out on the road with him to support 'Boggy Depot' in a touring band that also, rather surprisingly, also included ex QUEENSRYCHE guitarist Chris De Garmo.

The 1999 box set 'Music Bank' included the first new ALICE IN CHAINS material plus demos and unreleased material.

Late 2000 found Inez and Kinney demoing material with Chris De Garmo in a new act titled SPYS 4 DARWIN. By 2001 demand for the still inactive ALICE IN CHAINS was still at such a high that the 'Live' album was issued to satisfy demand. March of 2002 found Mike Inez adding to his growing list of high profile band credits by joining Seattle AOR superstars HEART.

Sadly Layne Staley, known to have been battling heroin addiction for many years, was found dead at his home in Seattle on Friday April 19th. He was only 34. A subsequent coroner's report determined that Staley had died from a mix of heroin and cocaine. It would also be revealed that the singer had actually passed away around April the 5th, although his body was only found some two weeks later.

Hollywood rumours in early 2004 suggested erstwhile ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist JERRY CANTRELL was rehearsing up a new band unit fronted by ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE, RATT, BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION and THE SCREAM man John Corabi with THE CULT guitarist Billy Duffy, along with THE CULT bassist Chris Wyse and drummer Josh Howser. The conjecture proved true and this outfit, dubbed CARDBOARD VAMPYRES, debuted live on 12th April at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles, at a benefit for the Sweet Relief musicians charity organization.

December found Cantrell and Inez performing in rather sadder circumstances as, alongside DAMAGEPLAN frontman Pat Lachman, he gave a short acoustic set of ALICE IN CHAINS songs at the funeral of his friend, PANTERA / DAMAGEPLAN guitarist Darrell 'Dimebag' Abbott.

This event provided the catalyst for Cantrell, Inez and Sean Kinney putting on a Tsunami benefit Show in Seattle, once more fronted up by Pat Lachman, at The Premier on 18th February. Compere for the evening would be NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic. Other guests for the show included Scotty Olson and former QUEENSRYCHE guitarist Chris DeGarmo. The HEART sisters ANN WILSON and NANCY WILSON also joined the evening performing with the ALICE IN CHAINS trio as well as a short acoustic set by themselves followed by a run through of LED ZEPPELIN numbers. The show closed by Cantrell, Inez and Kinney performing with PUDDLE OF MUDD members and James Maynard Keen of A PERFECT CIRCLE and TOOL.

In mid 2005 false rumours of an ALICE IN CHAINS tribute album heightened expectation of a reunion of sorts and as it transpired it was subsequently revealed that the surviving band members were in discussion with each on finding a way to perform live together again. In January of 2006 it would be revealed that COMES WITH THE FALL vocalist, also a member of JERRY CANTRELL's touring band, William DuVall was to sing lead vocals with the reunited ALICE IN CHAINS at the taping of an episode of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!" show, a tribute to HEART taking place on 10th March at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

In February 2006 ALICE IN CHAINS confirmed a reformation, the group scheduled to play at the Nova Rock festival in Austria in June alongside METALLICA and GUNS N' ROSES. Meantime, a March 10th concert for VH1 Classic's 'Decades Rock Live!' tribute to HEART at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City saw Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney joined by PANTERA, DOWN and SUPERJOINT RITUAL frontman Phil Anselmo and GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER bassist DUFF McKAGAN, on second guitar. The band put on a four song set, opening with COMES WITH THE FALL singer William DuVall on 'Angry Chair' and 'Man In The Box' before Phil Anselmo took over for 'Them Bones' and "Would?'. Following HEART's set, ALICE IN CHAINS returned for 'Rooster', to which HEART singer Ann Wilson contributed vocals. Mike Inez put in double duty for the evening, playing for both ALICE IN CHAINS and HEART.

ALICE IN CHAINS, with William DuVall handling lead vocals, subsequently unveiled a five stop US run and a lengthy tour of Europe throughout May and into July. The group opened up rehearsals on May 16th at the Moore Theatre in Seattle to fans. This free concert again included many guest artists including Kim Thayil of SOUNDGARDEN on 'It Ain't Like That', ex-QUEENSRYCHE guitarist Chris De Garmo on 'Junkhead' and 'Down In A Hole', ANN WILSON on 'Rooster' and DUFF McKAGAN for the final three songs.

For the official kick off date, on May 18th at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles, the band was joined onstage by McKagan, SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan and former SCREAMING TREES vocalist Mark Lanegan. The following night at the House of Blues in San Diego former DAMAGEPLAN and current THE MERCY CLINIC singer Patrick Lachman joined the band once again on stage for renditions of 'Rooster' and 'Would?'

Headline shows would be backed by STONE SOUR and BLOODSIMPLE with festival stops including appearances at 'Super Rock' in Portugal, 'Festimad' in Spain, 'Rock am Ring' and 'Rock im Park' in Germany, 'Gods of Metal' in Italy, the METALLICA headlined 'Download' events in both the UK and Ireland, 'Novarock' in Austria, 'Provinssirock' in Finland, 'Hultsfred Fest' in Sweden, 'Graspop Metal Meeting' in Belgium and 'Waldrock' in Holland.

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield joined ALICE IN CHAINS on stage for 'Would?' at the June 2nd 'Rock am Ring' festival in Nürburgring, Germany. METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich joined ALICE IN CHAINS on stage at the Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 19th for a run through of 'Man In The Box'. The band was also joined during the show by STONE SOUR's Corey Taylor and Josh Rand, who jammed on 'Again'.

ALICE IN CHAINS invited ex-SKID ROW singer SEBASTIAN BACH onstage to sing 'Man In The Box' at the Osaka 'Udo Music' festival in August. A lengthy schedule of US dates, supported by HURT, was arranged September through into November. METALLICA's James Hetfield jammed with the band on 'Would?' on their November 26th Warfield, San Francisco date.

In 2008 noted Swedish Progressive Doomsters OPETH covered 'Would?' during their 'Watershed' album sessions. In late July ALICE IN CHAINS entered a North Hollywood studio to rehearse new material. Having signed to Virgin Records, a recording date for a fresh album would be set for October, with these sessions being mixed in April 2009.

Jerry Cantrell, along with Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Perry Farrell from JANE'S ADDICTION and Gilby Clarke, of GUNS N' ROSES, were among the musicians who performed at the Sing Sing maximum-security prison in Ossining, New York on 2nd May 2009 for a show organized by Punk rock pioneer and activist Wayne Kramer of MC5.

The group performed at the inaugural UK 'Sonisphere' festival at Knebworth Park in August headlined by METALLICA, LINKIN PARK, NINE INCH NAILS and HEAVEN AND HELL. 

The band featured at the METALLICA headlined inaugural 'Sonisphere' festival in August 2009 held at Knebworth Park in the United Kingdom. ALICE IN CHAINS' first collection of all new studio material in 14 years, 'Black Gives Way To Blue', was set for release on 29th September through EMI Music's Virgin Records label. The title track, written in tribute to Layne Staley, featured a guest piano contribution from Elton John. This set was preceded by the download single 'A Looking In View' on 30th June.

A further single, 'Check My Brain', was backed by a promotional video directed by Alex Courtes. 'Black Gives Way To Blue", duly sold 126,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at no. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart. To coincide with the band's European tour, ALICE IN CHAINS released the 'Your Decision' single on 16th November in the U.K.

Garry Sharpe-Young