Alice in Chains: The Untold Story

As a huge Alice in Chains fan who grew up listening to them and bands from that era, this book was so good, I honestly couldn’t put it down. Reading this gave me an even deeper appreciation for their music and the people behind it. Alice in Chains: The Untold Story is a must-read for anyone who loves the band or is curious about the Seattle music scene. David de Sola does an incredible job digging into the band’s history, the personalities behind the music, and especially the complex and heartbreaking story of Layne Staley. It’s an emotional read, but also incredibly factual and well-balanced. What really stood out to me was how thoroughly researched the book is. It doesn’t shy away from the darker parts of their journey, but it also highlights their artistry, resilience, and influence. The interviews and behind-the-scenes details brought everything to life in a way that felt honest and respectful. There’s not a ton of information out there about Alice in Chains compared to other bands, so I was impressed by how much I learned. It gave me a much deeper understanding of who they were and the legacy they left behind. The book was also easy to read, well-paced and clear and it arrived in perfect condition. If you’re a fan, this book is a must read! Absolutely worth reading!

It's absolutely SHAMEFUL that there there are myriad books, reviews, shirts, stories, stickers, etc. written about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but only ONE book - THIS book - written about one of the greatest rock bands that ever came out of Seattle! Even more shameful, David de Sola was the one to figure out that there was that hole in the genre of 'books about rock bands' and strove to fill that hole himself. And God bless him for it. Yet, it's not enough, IMHO. The story could have/should have gone much more in-depth, but no one was talking. De Sola did yeoman's work in putting out the best book he could with the pathetically small amount of information he was provided. The story really is one of the most harrowing in all of rock & roll: the demise of a shy, young, extremely gifted, very charismatic young man--Layne Staley--who, after rising to the top of the rock world, made the fatal mistake of choosing heroin over life, 'chasing the dragon' to his ultimate death--a long, slow, ugly death nearly 8 years in the making. A death 'self chosen' by him, the culmination of depression, early life traumas, and drug-induced emotional distress, all exacerbated by life in rainy, depressing Seattle, Layne simply could see no way out. Family, friends, medical professionals, and acquaintances all tried desperately to help him, but he would not be helped (he was in rehab 13 times, and died 5 times, brought back to life by emergency crews). In the end, no one knew how he passed the final years of his life; but he died all alone, ravaged by heroin, less than 90 lbs on his 6-foot frame, with the music world consequently barely acknowledging his greatness or even his life (completely overlooked by the Grammys during their 'those we lost' segment). After heading up both the brilliant and unique Alice in Chains and the equally brilliant side project, Mad Season, Layne Staley hadn't even hit his peak by the time he died. He left a vast hole in music--and a world wondering 'what if?'--after being one of the first Seattle bands to get a major record label, and helping to spawn the 'Seattle sound' of grunge in the early 90s. As well, his loss devastated his AIC band mates, who, years later, reconstituted what was left of the band, now with William Duvall as secondary vocalist, along with the remarkable Jerry Cantrell (whose vocal harmonies and sludgy guitar riffs created the Alice in Chains 'sound,' and who wrote nearly all of their lyrics; he's also done several amazing solo albums). It's truly a tragedy on par with those of a Greek nature. If you are a fan of Alice in Chains, Mad Season, rock & roll, or just music in general, this book is one you should not miss.

I'm a huge music fan and I had the good fortune of seeing Alice in Chains on the Clash of the Titans Tour in Pittsburgh. In fact, the "Facelift" album cover was my first ever concert shirt purchased. I love this band! I never enjoyed their third 3 legged dog album and this book gets into the details on how it turned out the way it did. Not only did the author interview friends and family, he gets into cool details with Evan Sheeley from Bass Northwest, on how the bass sound was created. They get into the details of money and politics as well as the tragedy of addiction. I would say this is the best untold story band book that I've read as it's not an authorized biography but a factual story that was very well researched. Even though the band had two major tragedies, they continued not as a money grubbing thing but if the three core guys play together pepole are going to want to hear Alice in Chains as opposed to them changing their name to Leather Snake and playing Leather Snake songs. It's still Alice in Chains. Anyway, this writes like a Hollywood movie except this is real s***!

First of all, I am an AIC fan. That said: Although this wasn’t authorized by the band, the label or Nancy Layne McCullom or Liz Staley Coates, I got the sense that writer De Sola was very serious and thorough in his research, always clarifying his dates, footnoting his sources, explaining his process, etc. A lot of reviewers mentioned his dry writing style, which didn’t bother me. It reads like an investigative report (he used to work on 60 Minutes), but the story and people involved are interesting enough. In fact, I appreciated the objective point of view in this book. It was made abundantly clear how the press was relentless in its focus on LS's personal life, while ignoring the other band members, (who had problems of their own) and the music. I liked this book. It took me a few days to read it, and I enjoyed so many of the first-hand accounts of people who knew and worked with the band members. It was nice also to read about how AIC rose from the ashes, as their story is not over yet. I did think it was odd that De Sola never once mentioned Phil Staley, (who, I assume wouldn’t contribute), yet I feel his part had such a huge and damaging effect on Layne Staley. My only criticism was the chronology. The writer often jumped from one period to another and back again. I often had to back up and reread pages to make sure I still knew what was going on. All in all, I think this book gives a pretty clear and accurate account of the band's history (as well as LS and MS's struggles). The story of Alice in Chains pre-2002 is a wild, funny, exciting and tragic one (however, after reading the section about Layne’s demise, I had to put it down for a day. It really bummed me out that this actually happened to a real human being), but the book ended on a hopeful note. Highlights: -- I had no idea that Layne sang a song on a Heart album (ring them bells) and it’s way cool! -- Eddie Vedder was the one “famous” person who showed kindness to Layne's family right after his death. -- The parts that described the growth of their talents, and recording process was surprising and interesting. I didn’t know that Layne was a "one-take" singer, nor did I know that many of the grunge singers at that time took voice lessons before they really got going!

Wow, what an emotional read. Being born in 1984, I have essentially grown up with AiC and the Seattle (plus STP) music scene. With that being said, I was not prepared for the story of AiC. David De Sola did a phenomenal job with the little resources he had available to tell the story of AiC. It's crazy reading about how little info there truly is about this band, because you assume with how popular they were there would be ample information. Like most people who are going to get this book (I doubt it will bring in any new AiC fans), I had a general idea of what happened to the band and specifically Layne. But I was not prepared for all the information that I was going to read, in regards to Layne's personality, addiction and just outright downfall. I wish Jerry, Sean and Mike Inez contributed more to the book and it would have been great if there was more from Mike Starr before his ultimate demise. I have read a lot of musician biographies/autobiographies and this is easily one of the top in terms of research, my interest level and how much it has stuck with me since finishing. One of the gauges of a truly great book is how long it sticks with me after reading. There is a lot of reflection in this book, so much so, you get to know the band, specifically Layne, to where you want to travel back in time and slap sense into him. With that being said, I think David did a great job making Layne out to be a troubled soul, but a gentle soul. After reading this, your thoughts of AiC and Layne will not be tarnished. They should be re-affirmed and uplifted, especially those of Jerry. It was re-assuring to see that in Layne's last 5 years, he was surrounded by friends and family as much as possible. All in all, this is a fantastic read for anyone interested in AiC. Just be prepared for it to make you sad, even if you know the story. This is one of those books where it will make you happy to be alive, healthy and tell those around you you are thankful and love them.

As I've mention in previous reviews, I toured for over 30 years as a professional roadie and eventual stage lighting designer. So I've seen the "behind the scenes" world of touring rock bands. Not to mention road crew activities back in the day. But in my many years working for rock bands did I ever see or know anyone that shot heroin. Cocaine, Weed, booze, was always in the picture in the 70s, 80's, and 90's (and still around to a lesser degree in the 2000's. But I never knew or worked with junkies. So this book was a real eye opener. Its a well written story of not only Alice In Chains, but the story of Seattle's many musicians and sadly the drug of choice. I have to admit, I was shocked at how many died from overdoses then and now for that matter. But I'm also grateful that in all my years working for a pretty sizable list of major acts, I was never introduced or offered heroin! Regardless, great read. I always liked AIC, and at one point looked into working for them in the mid 90s. I'm actually glad in never worked out. I'd not have wanted to be around that kind of thing. The closest I ever came to working with an act that was using was Faster Pussycat, and it was only rumor that one of the band was using. I never witnessed anything. Sorry to get off subject. Again great read and a good book for any AIC fan.

David de Sola treats Alice in Chains with the utmost respect as he delves into their lives – from their inception as musicians, through their addictions, to the surviving members’ regrouping with William DuVall. He cites his many sources in the endnotes and gives credit to the sources who agreed to be named. I even looked up a number of the video interviews and such that he mentions in the notes – brings the band back to life, as though maybe they’re all still here. And what I appreciated most was his undogged dedication to documenting history from multiple sources – in order to portray the most accurate depiction possible of such a private band. He also does not gloss over the dark side of their lives – drug addiction. However, he writes sensitively about Layne, Mike, and others who succumbed to their addictions. They were human beings – flawed, as we all are – and the least they deserve is to be treated as such in spite of their fallibility, or perhaps because of it. I hate it when people refer to them as junkies. They were so much more than that, and their music is evidence of this. It was an emotional read – especially when reading of Layne’s “black” years. The reclusive years. The mysterious years. The years where you know he was hopeless, and you understand because you don’t have to be an addict to understand despair. Yet, that leaves one unanswered question: Was Layne’s despair borne from addiction, or was the addiction a result of despair? Even de Sola couldn't answer that. My only regret is that Jerry, Sean, and Nancy had not commented. This is their story, too, and the world needs to know it. I'm still grateful to David de Sola for shedding light on this very influential band. He did them – and us – a great service in telling this story.

Good book for the Alice in Chains lover in your family

As a metal head, AIC is the only grunge band I listen to, particularly due to their brooding,dark and melancholic songs and Layne Staley is without a doubt one of the most unique voices to have graced the grunge/rock scene. The book gives an unbiased look into the lives of the band, the fame they hit, the struggles they go through and of course.......... heroin. As dark as the book is, it doesn't paint false pictures of any of the band members and maintains a consistent neutral approach till the end (something I found gratifying). The chapters explaining Layne's relationship with Demri are especially revelatory. I only wish the author had been able to gather more interviews from Layne's musician friends (especially vocalists like Phil Anselmo,Sebastian Bach etc) but considering this is an 'unofficial' book, he deserves nothing but praise for all the effort. Verdict : Must Buy For Any AIC Fan.

È in lingua originale ma assolutamente leggibile per chi mastica un po’ di inglese. Libro completo e esaustivo sugli AIC. Triste nelle ultime 100 pagine da quando viene registrato il tripode in poi con Layne Staley che scende agli inferi e non ritornerà più. Per gli appassionati degli AIC e del grunge . Consiglio assolutamente

Great read for any A.I.C. fan.

De Sola writes a riveting, no-holds-barred account of an incredible band, with amazing talent and a chaotic and tragic history. His reporting style is unbiased and thoroughly researched, taking extreme caution not to bend the facts to sensationalize situations where it was not always clear, or agreed upon by those involved, what really happened. It is no doubt that Alice In Chains paved a lot of the way for the Seattle grunge movement and will always be remembered for their pioneering sound. Dave's book does the band justice in detailing their rise and ultimate achievement of stardom and all the roadblocks and heartbreak encountered along the way. It's truly an amazing story and, thankfully, is still developing now with a renewed vibrance that should only continue to enhance Alice In Chains great legacy! Great writing, David De Sola! I look forward to a future addition that brings us up to date on the bands future endeavours.

The author sets a very trustworthy and dignified tone as he covers all of the bases. A must-read!