Alice in Chains Biography
   

Seattle has become the vibrant hub and touchstone of 90's rock
music. And within the Seattle hierarchy no-one is more in tune
with the heartbeat of the generation than Alice In Chains. There
music has a dark force and momentum that is charismatically unique,
yet also symptomatic of truly classic music.

In the eight years since their formation, Alice In Chains have
established a remarkable rapport - with millions of fans world-wide,
with the media fascinated by their every move and through the huge
influence they have had on many younger acts. They have infused many of
the great traditions of legendary rock names such as Black Sabbath
and Led Zeppelin with a post-modern approach, providing a bridgehead
to make the music feel and smell like the most contemporary thing
in your life - as relevant to the 90's as it was to the 80's, 70's
and 60's.

So, to a brief history lesson.

The band was formed in 1987, signing to Columbia records two years
later. And in August 1990, Alice released their debut album, Facelift,
in the process earning rave reviews in the press on both sides of the
Atlantic for their melodic and rhythmic intensity. One Track, 'We
Die Young', became instantly popular, becoming a top five metal track
in the U.S..

Touring with the likes of Iggy Pop towards the endo fo '90 introduced
Alice to a wider audience. A sell out headlining date at the Moore
Theater in Seattle not only showed just how far they'd come, but also
allowed them to let loose director Josh Taft to film them for what was
to become the first home video release, 'Live Facelift'.

It was the track 'Man In The Box' that catapulted the band to
International fame, becoming a top 20 hit in the States subsequent to
its release in January 1991.  Their presence in the film 'Singles'
later helped their progress into mainstream consciousness. In addition,
the video for the song 'Would?' from the movie won an Mtv Music Video
Award in September 1993 as Best Video from a Film.

The band made their debut on the European live scene during the spring
of '91, touring with Megadeth and The Almight to great acclaim. In
the States, the Alice legend continued to grow. By September '91,
'Facelift', had been certified gold in America - having sold more than
500,000 copies.

By the beginning of 1993, bassist Mike Starr had enough of the bands
rigorous touring schedule. Into the breach stepped Ozzy bassist Mike
Inez, to join the remaining trio of vocalist Layne Staley, guitarist
Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney.

The new line up gelled immediately, as was seen not only when the band
toured Europe, supported by fellow Seattle stars Screaming Trees, but
also from the presence of new new numbers 'What the Hell Have I' and
'A Little Bitter' included in the hit Arnold Schwarzanegger movie
'Last Action Hero'. The band also proved a huge success on the 1993
Lollapalooza trek across america.

By early 1994, the band had become an unstoppable force. 'Dirt' had
sold more than two million copies in the states. A double package
record, featuring songes from two Ep's (the acoustic 'Jar of Flies'
and 1991's SAP) was put out in 1994. The full 'Jar of Flies' ep had
debuted at number one in the States. This release quickly gained
multi-platinum status in the U.S..

But the pressure of constant touring and recording eventually persuaded
the band to take some time off. Not that Stalye and Inez stopped working.
They teamed up with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Screaming Trees
drummer Barrent Martin to record and album under the name Mad Season (ed.
note: Inez was not in Mad Season, the bassist was John Baker Saunders), while
Inez worked with Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash on his Snakepit project.

Now, however, the band is back together, with arguably their finest album
to date (simply called 'Alice In Chains' and co-produced by Toby Write who
worked on the 'Jar of Flies' sessions with the band) and a future that now
stretches out before them with enormous possibilities.

Each succeeding alice release has taken them to fresh heights and seen them
explore new musical dimensions. 'Alice In Chains' isn't just a new album
from one of the world's most exciting bands, it's a statement of intent.

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