11 and 3 years gone. I miss those guys. Here's a piece I found on the net, which I think was fitting on this day.



In the early 1990's grunge rock was king and bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots ruled the charts.

Some say the decisive blow to grunge was the suicide of its hesitant spokesman Kurt Cobain who died almost eleven years ago on April 5, 1994. With each passing anniversary Cobain's legacy grows stronger no matter how bizarre and outlandish Courtney Love's exploits have become.

April 5th can also be remembered for another tragedy that occurred eight years to the day after Cobain ended his life and almost three years ago from the present day.

On April 5th 2002, Layne Staley former member of grunge pioneers Alice in Chains and singer for super grunge group Mad Season, passed away of a drug overdose. His personage was not that of Cobain's but in the early and mid 90's, Alice in Chains rivaled any alternative rock band in sales and critical acclaim.

Some say Alice in chains was the perfect hybrid of metal and alternative landing on the scene almost two years before Nirvana's seminal album Nevermind broke through. The band found success early being nominated for a Grammy and having their videos on constant rotation on Much Music and MTV.

This success would be a double edge sword as Layne Staley began experimenting more with drugs. Song titles such as Junkhead, Godsmack, Hate to Feel, Angry Chair and Sludge Factory gave a glimpse of the singer's struggle amidst the tightening grip of addiction.

In a 1996 Rolling Stone interview, which would be one of his last before retreating from public life, Staley said that lyrics about drug use came from his own habits.

"They worked for me for years, and now they're turning against me - and now I'm walking through hell, and this sucks."

In and out of rehab, unable to tour, rumored to be covered in track marks, toothless, and subject to uncontrollable self-defecation, Staley passed away only to be found two weeks later on April 19th, 2002. His corpse was unrecognizable as it already began to decompose.

Staley's death almost went unnoticed since the musical and cultural landscape had changed so much since the mid 1990's. His legend never fully materialized since he was on deathwatch for over a decade. Say if he died ten or even five years prior, Staley's death would have probably had more impact.

Last summer I asked singer/poet/cultural critic, Henry Rollins about Layne Staley's death and the obliviousness of the media in recognizing him as an important figure in rock.

"It was interesting that there was barely anything written about Layne's passing." Rollins said. "I don't know the answer and I don't really find the topic as to why all that interesting. He's dead and it sucks. He was really talented. I have spent some time with his mother and sister and they are really cool. It's sad that he checked out".

When I asked Charles Cross author of the Kurt Cobain biography "Heavier than Heaven" about Staley and a possible book on him, Cross stated "I loved Layne; he was a sweetheart and an underrated talent. However, I'm not sure I'm personally ready for that much darkness. Cobain was bad enough. I may write about Layne in the future in some form, but probably couldn't spend four years of my life in that box".

Many younger bands today pay tribute to him by emulating his vocal style, appearance, and lyrical subject matter for mass audiences. Staley was less interested in pop success since he was grounded by a sense of underground idealism. He was always accused of glorifying substance abuse but his lyrics never really glorified it as much as vilified it. Every verse represented a struggle between him and his demons and the toll it took on him emotionally and physically. And at the end it became too much for him.

Unlike Cobain whose pain engulfed him to the point where life became unbearable, Staley wanted to live but knew the damage was done.

"I'm scared of death, especially death by my own hand," he said in the 1996 Rolling Stone article. "I believe that there's a wonderful place to go after this life. I'm not into religion, but I have a good grasp on my spirituality. I just believe that I'm not the greatest power on this earth. I didn't create myself, because I would have done a hell of a better job."

And as the anniversary of the deaths Layne Staley and Kurt Cobain approach, what should be examined is not how these two individuals left the earth but what they left behind. Because that should be their enduring legacies.

Trent McMartin

Nice article. thanks. i always hate this time of year

Sad day

Woah. I must be getting old now- this year was the first year I forgot all about that. >_<

good article, thanks

Bad times.

~sigh~

Good article. thanks.

Great article, thanks, GOS.

It's a really sad day, and I'm sorry we have to celebrate it yet another year... Rest in peace, Kurt and Layne.

i really respected and loved those guys.

RIP boys...

I can only use one picture at a time so i'll pay tribute to layne

I like the one you chose. I am going to watch that later.

I was going to put up a Layne one, but I haven't looked for a picture yet.

i'll have my "layne' day on April 20th. That way i can wrap up the whole 4:20 and layne rememberance all into one

layne was the man

so was kurt

Nice article
thanks

Hey, I ain't never coming
Home
Hey, I'll just wander my
Own road
Hey, I can't meet you here tomorrow
Say goodbye don't follow
Misery so hollow

Hey you, you're livin'
Life full throttle
Hey you, pass me down that
Bottle, yeah
Hey you, you can't shake
Me round now
I get so lost and don't
Know how
And it hurts to care, I'm
Going down

Forgot my woman, lost my
Friends
Thinks I'd done and where
I've been
Sleep in sweat the mirrors
Cold
See my face it's growin'
Old
Scared to death no reason
Why
Do whatever to get me by
Think about the things I
Said
Read the page it's cold
And dead

Take me home

Don't Follow

kurt
layne


Have been listening to Nirvana all day and will go on to AiC after thats done