#layne staley tribute

[nehistripesseattle]

The Official 2024 Layne Staley Tribute poster. This year it falls on August 24. Weekend events start on Layne’s birthday, August 22nd at the Seattle Center Fountain. Details can be found on our website.

Tribute poster made by Karmann Sloane - aka SketchyGoat on IG/FB

[jarofalicesgrunge]

Layne Staley

[strangekindaerin]

We lost 2 amazing Grunge musicians on this day. Kurt Cobain, 30 years and Layne Staley, 22 years.

[loverockawaitsyou]

Layne Staley's parents Nancy and Phil announced at the tribute show that the proceeds will benefit a mobile treatment center for those facing opioid addiction.

It was nice to see them both on stage!

[taylorhawkins]

Alright. I’m saying it just this once because the comments on my videos/comments I see elsewhere/anons etc never seem to end...

Did Dave Grohl work Taylor Hawkins to death?

Shall we dive in? Let’s dive in.

This whole theory/idea comes from the May 2022 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine which was supposed to be a tribute to Taylor, but instead, ended up being a hit piece on Dave Grohl. The article claimed that many sources, including Matt Cameron and Chad Smith, said that Dave "forced" Taylor into playing these 3 hour long shows and he couldn't do it, begged him to stop, that it fell on deaf ears, etc... and then he died. From exhaustion. This is what Rolling Stone ever so lovingly printed about the Foo Fighters not even 2 months after they lost their brother/best friend (and made Matt Cameron deal with on the anniversary of Chris Cornell’s passing)… But - let's gather the facts here.

IMMEDIATELY after this article came out, both Matt Cameron AND Chad Smith came out and said that their statements were completely and totally skewed.

Chad Smith: "Taylor was one of my best friends and I would do anything for his family," Smith says on social media. "I was asked by Rolling Stone to share some memories of our time together, which I thought was going to be the loving tribute he deserved. Instead, the story they wrote was sensationalized and misleading, and had I known I never would have agreed to participate. I apologize to his family and musical friends for any pain this may have caused. I miss Taylor every day."

Matt Cameron: “When I agreed to take part in the Rolling Stone article about Taylor, I assumed it would be a celebration of his life and work. My quotes were taken out of context and shaped into a narrative I never intended. Taylor was a dear friend, and a next level artist. I miss him. I have only the deepest love and respect for Taylor, Dave and the Foo Fighters families. I am truly sorry to have taken part in this interview and I apologize that my participation may have caused harm to those for whom I have only the deepest respect and admiration."

Now, why would such a thing happen?

Because that's what Rolling Stone magazine does. They can't print the truth, because the truth is too fucking boring. This is their history. In 1997, they wrote a piece titled "Eddie Vedder: Who Are You?", in which they not only interviewed his high school bullies who sat there and said "oh, he lived in a nice house, his step dad couldn't possibly have been abusive!" and Rolling Stone AGREED with this, but they took those little interviews and formed an entire narrative about how Eddie is a master manipulator that has faked his entire persona throughout his whole life, and that he used his image as a "tortured soul" to “propel himself to fame”, just so he could “become the face of the 90s”. That he had a great upbringing, and is faking it all for the grunge. As if he knew that would happen and did it on purpose. Yes. They wrote this. I am not joking. They were not joking either. This is the same magazine we are talking about. That is some next fucking level conspiracy bullshit.

This is the same magazine that harped on Layne Staley and Kurt Cobain's drug use, despite being asked not to (not because they didn’t want to tarnish their images, but "because kids will think heroin is cool and it's not"). Rolling Stone printed cover after cover about them with titles like "the needle and the damage done" beside a photo of a distraught-looking Layne... instead of focusing on their music. Their music doesn’t matter. The gossip is what matters.

They even say it in their own documentary. “What's the story? What's the gossip?” No what’s the truth. The truth is far too boring. The truth doesn’t get people to gasp and click or grab the magazine off the shelf and pay for it. That’s why they do this.

This is the same magazine that had to pay out $1.65 million dollars in a lawsuit because of their defamatory articles. And yet? NOBODY lost their jobs. There were no warnings. They paid the money, and that was that. They can keep doing what they do. And people keep believing it their BS.

Here's the thing that's so odd: this article oddly parallels the article about Eddie Vedder I mentioned earlier. There's a tyrant leader of the band that forces everyone to bend to his will, and everyone is afraid of him. Nobody can say no to him.

Let me tell you why that's bullshit.

This frankly is a grotesque infantilization of Taylor Hawkins. Believe it or not, Taylor was a big boy who could call the shots in his own life. He was not a child at risk of getting beat over the head if he stepped out of line. Taylor's net worth in March 2022 was $40 MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS + written into ongoing royalties. I'm sorry, but this grown man was not beholden to an abusive boss because he was stuck living paycheck to paycheck. If it was that bad, he had the means to split.

(by the way, here is where I address the “dAve’S nEt wOrTh iS sO mUcH HiGhEr bEcAuSe hE’s gReEdY” - is it because of greed? or is it because HE WAS IN FUCKING NIRVANA? and also QOTSA????)

But was he exhausted, and just put up with it because he didn't want to leave?

Was he exhausted? Only Taylor knows that. But, we do have some concrete facts here. How does an exhausted person behave?

Do they get off the road with Foo Fighters and then immediately jump back on the road, or immediately get into the studio, with Chevy Metal, or The Coattail Riders, or NHC, or Birds, or just under his own name (see the Kota EP), or Nighttime Boogie Association? That's SIX side projects. Do they start taking on a bunch of other major commitments like recording with Ozzy, finishing a Dennis Wilson track, recording with Elton John, with Miley Cyrus? Shit, does that person fucking mountain bike EVERYWHERE, every day?

Not only that, but when he did jump back on the road or into the studio, HE TOOK DAVE WITH HIM. Chevy Metal live shows? There’s Dave. Dave with CM in Sydney. Dave. Look! More Dave. I could keep going. Taylor’s solo album parties - guess who joined? Multiple tracks on Get the Money feature Dave either singing with him or playing drums. Dave's not even a frigging member of these bands. Have you ever been in a relationship with a person that abuses and takes advantage of you? I have. You don't drag that person along with you at every opportunity, I can promise you that lmao. It's more like, I got some not being around you to do today, but I digress.

But let's go even further. Let's say Dave weaseled his way into all of that because he's a sneaky bastard and had to keep tabs. lmao

Do we really believe that NOBODY would say ANYTHING? "Oh, Chad and Matt did!" Chad and Matt not only called Rolling Stone out but they BOTH continue to hang around Dave. (Chad even joined a skit they did to introduce Josh Freese). Alison Hawkins put out a statement about how much Taylor LOVED "every single moment of his 25 years with the band". Would you say that about your husband's band if they killed him? How many of Taylor's friends continue to stay close to Dave and the Foos? His children? THE REST OF THE BAND????? Everyone just blows over the fact that Nate Mendel knew and loved Taylor as long as Dave did. Chris Shiflett knew and loved him since 1999. Pat Smear too - and this is the 3rd bandmate Pat has lost. Rami Jaffee knew and loved Taylor for years. ALL OF THEM witnessed EVERYTHING because they were all together through ALL OF IT. Do we really believe NONE OF THEM would have come forward? None of them would have stepped away from the supposed selfish murderer?? They can afford to. So can Josh Freese who was also buddies with Taylor. It's almost a year and a half later and nobody said ANYTHING? Not a soul? Not even anonymously?

No. Because Rolling Stone lied to you. Dave didn't overwork him. Dave did not "kill" his best friend. Dave cannot even keep it together without crying, after all this time, just mentioning his name. You just look at recent photos of him and you can see he took it HARD. You cannot fake that. This is the same guy that sat at Taylor's hospital bedside for 2 weeks praying for him to wake up from a coma in 2001 and refused to leave and broke down talking about it 10 years later. The same guy that said the happiest days of his life were the day Taylor woke up and the days his kids were born. And y'all really want to say he would've just blown past Taylor's pleas to play shorter shows because it was killing him? Or ignored the warning signs of exhaustion? Or anything else?

I've also heard he "killed Taylor" by "human sacrifice" to that I say what kind of crack are you fucking smoking? Straight up. For what? They were already one of the biggest bands. Because they made a stupid horror movie (I won’t watch it, but still) and Taylor gets killed in it, so now we are going to run rampant with the conspiracy theories that it was "a warning"? News flash: The WHOLE BAND gets murdered in that movie. How come they’re not all dead now if that’s the case?

I've also heard that Dave "forced him to take the covid vaccine and that killed him". Chris Shiflett addressed this with a simple two words: "Fuck you". And again, Taylor is not a damn toddler. If he didn't want the shot, he didn't have to take it. Nobody "made him" do shit. That whole thing about them mandating vaccines at their shows was a lie, too - which has perpetuated this argument that Dave made the whole band take it. There’s that big angry boss man again. That’s not what they did. They came through my city a month before Taylor died. There was NO vaccine requirement - because the venue didn’t have it in place. THE VENUES are the ones that called for that. Not that it really matters, but it’s just another lie that spread like wildfire.

But Dave is greedy! He replaced Taylor and now they're trying to get back out there like nothing happened!

If this is your argument, you aren't paying attention to their shows. They honor Taylor at EVERY SINGLE SHOW they have played since his passing. Dave sings Cold Day in the Sun and can't get through it without crying. They put out an entire album about him (save for some songs about Virginia Grohl) with some of the most heart wrenching lyrics you will ever hear about how missed he is.

When you're a musician, that is in your blood. You CAN'T just stop. Imagine not being able to do the thing you love most anymore in the midst of the most painful time of your life. What is going to carry you through? Music is what does it when it's part of you like that. Josh Freese is not a "replacement". Those guys - Dave, Pat, Nate, Chris and Rami - have been together almost 30 years (Rami not as long but still). It's not about the frigging money. It's them attempting to heal together.

Should they abandon each other and everything they have created together and look back on it with sadness at how it was all wiped out in an instant? Or should they let Josh Freese be the glue they need to move forward and keep playing to heal together and keep Taylor's memory alive at every show?

Finally - you don't look at someone the way they looked at each other if you don't love them or trust them. Straight up. All it takes is a quick google search to see that.

I also find it funny how Rolling Stone attempted to create a new narrative last October as if their first one didn't work. "Oh, it was an overdose". Oh, actually, it's none of your damn business.

Call me an idol worshipper or an elite sympathizer of evil (I'm literally a Christian) or a blind sheeple/obsessive fangirl too stupid to see The Truth, idgaf. Been called it all before. Stop beating down someone that is grieving the loss of their best friend. Open YOUR eyes.

Dave Grohl did not overwork or kill his best friend. I'm not having this conversation anymore.

[bunniibatzz]

paying tribute to kurt cobain (left) and layne staley (right).

kurt cobain || 1967 – 1994 (30 years since passing)

layne staley || 1967 – 2002 (22 years since passing)

rest in peace to these musical geniuses.

🕊💕

[jeffament]

no one in this grocery store knows i don’t lace the top 2 holes on my converse as a tribute to layne staley

[nocturna7]

Jerry Cantrell - Solitude (live 2002) Layne Staley Tribute

[90s-2000s-barbie]

Cold - The Day Seattle Died (2003)

A song tribute to Kurt Cobain & Layne Staley. April 5 will forever one of the saddest days in Grunge history.

[socialhumanhealing]

                                    Would? By Alice in Chains

This masterpiece was released in June of 1992 and is as relevant now, if not more than it was back then. This song was written by Alice in Chains lead guitar player Jerry Cantrell about his friend Andrew Wood from the band Mother Love Bone. Andy died in March of 1990 from an unintended drug overdose. Andy is considered the unofficial grandfather of grunge. It was Andy’s band that became the legendary Pearl Jam after he passed away. Although this song is a tribute to Andy, the lyrics speak to anyone that struggles with addiction, including Alice in Chains band members at that time. The song begins with Mike Starr’s cob-webby bass stums to the lyrics, “Know me, broken by my master.” It’s so relatable for anyone who struggles, because that master “fill in the blank” can mean anything. Layne Staley’s vocal range blends so perfectly with Jerry Cantrell’s to make perfect harmonies. The chorus roars, “Into the flood again, same old trip it was back then” alludes to the falling back into the addiction trap once again, and nothings changed. It’s still the black hole it was before, yet there you are. Later in the song they ask, “Am I wrong? Have I run too far to get home?” and it begs the question, “Can I recover?” For Andy, he couldn’t make it back. He was gone and he had left them there alone without him. This piece is raw, passionate and powerful. “Would” was also on the soundtrack for Cameron Crowes movie Singles, released in 1992.

The most important detail about the song is that it makes you question your addiction(s) and consider if you can make it out. The last line asks, “If I would, could you?” They prompt awareness by sharing their loss of Andy. What appeals most to me is Layne Staley’s raspy voice and his powerful front-man persona. Layne’s confidence and vocals move me profoundly in each of his performances, especially “Would.” What speaks to me about the song is that addiction is so serious. Addiction is catastrophically destructive. Yet, they so beautifully make facing your problem important. It speaks to me, because when I was a teenager, I had an overdose. It was unintentional, but it still happened. I was terrified and in disbelief I made it through. I survived. I had not run too far to get home, which made me completely change my life’s choices. I want others to know that they have not run too far. They too, can try to get back home. The song raises themes of survival, man vs bondage and dependence, freedom from the grip of addiction, and self-identity. Layne ultimately did not survive his addictions either and passed away on April 5, 2002. In the video, Layne is wearing Andy’s shirt.

[nehistripesseattle]

Layne Staley - Innocence Captured in Black & White

I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful image of Layne at the beginning of his career – a Rock Star. In fact, he was one before he ever sang a note. When I look at this photo I think about the risk he took to follow his dream. Taking a huge risk to try singing, instead of drumming. What I can say for certain, Layne has left a monumental legacy behind. He’s finally getting acknowledged instead of…

[jarofalicesgrunge]

Layne Staley - Alice In Chains

Would? Was the band's tribute to Andrew Wood died in March 1990, with music and lyrics credited to Jerry, and the title presumably a pun on Andrew's surname. Part of the recorded material would appear in Sap and Dirt.

Source : Alice In Chains : The Untold Story Book

~ By David de Sola

[popmusicu]

Grunge relationships

The genesis of grunge, often referred to as the "Seattle Sound," is as much a story of deep personal connections and friendships as it is about the music itself. The close-knit community of musicians in Seattle during the 1980s and early 1990s fostered an environment of collaboration and mutual support, laying the foundation for a musical revolution. Central to this story are figures like Andrew Wood and Chris Cornell, whose friendships and shared band members played crucial roles in the formation and evolution of the genre.

Andrew Wood, the flamboyant and charismatic frontman of Malfunkshun and later Mother Love Bone, was a pivotal figure in the early Seattle music scene. His magnetic personality and unique vocal style made him a beloved character among his peers. Wood shared a close friendship with Chris Cornell, the powerful vocalist and frontman of Soundgarden. The two were not only friends but also roommates, creating a bond that would influence their musical journeys.

While Chris Cornell was on tour with Soundgarden, Andrew Wood was working on material with Mother Love Bone, a band that included Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, both future members of Pearl Jam. Tragically, Wood's promising career was cut short by a heroin overdose in March 1990, just days before the release of Mother Love Bone's debut album, "Apple." His death profoundly affected the Seattle music community, particularly his close friends and bandmates.

In the wake of Wood's passing, Chris Cornell was devastated. To cope with the loss and pay tribute to his fallen friend, he wrote several songs dedicated to Wood. This led to the formation of Temple of the Dog, a supergroup that included Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, and Mother Love Bone members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard. They were joined by a then-unknown Eddie Vedder, who was invited to contribute vocals on the track "Hunger Strike," marking one of his first major recordings before the formation of Pearl Jam.

Temple of the Dog's self-titled album, released in 1991, was both a heartfelt tribute to Andrew Wood and a bridge between the glam rock-influenced sound of Mother Love Bone and the burgeoning grunge movement. The album, with its emotionally charged lyrics and powerful performances, captured the essence of the Seattle scene's camaraderie and shared sense of loss.

This spirit of collaboration and interconnection was a hallmark of the Seattle music scene. Members of various bands often played together, creating a fluid and dynamic musical community. For instance, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, after their time with Mother Love Bone, went on to form Pearl Jam with Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, and Dave Krusen. Meanwhile, Matt Cameron continued to play drums for both Soundgarden and later Pearl Jam, illustrating the interconnected nature of these bands.

Another example of this cross-pollination was the band Green River, which included future members of both Pearl Jam (Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament) and Mudhoney (Mark Arm and Steve Turner). Green River is often credited as one of the first bands to define the grunge sound, blending punk rock's raw energy with heavy metal's powerful riffs.

Alice in Chains, another cornerstone of the grunge movement, shared connections with these bands as well. Layne Staley, the band's enigmatic frontman, was friends with many of his Seattle contemporaries, and the band's dark, brooding sound was part of the shared ethos of the scene.

The interweaving relationships and collaborations among these musicians created a unique and supportive environment that allowed grunge to flourish. The sense of community, combined with the raw, honest music being produced, resonated deeply with audiences worldwide, propelling the Seattle sound to international prominence.

To summarize, the beginnings of grunge were deeply rooted in the personal connections and shared experiences of the Seattle music community. The friendships and collaborations among musicians like Andrew Wood, Chris Cornell, and their peers were instrumental in shaping the sound and spirit of the genre. This tight-knit network not only fostered musical innovation but also created a lasting legacy of camaraderie and creativity that continues to influence rock music today.

Rocío Carrasco Coloma

[thekylemeredith]

"There are many others that are better than me"

We don't agree, but don't let that stop you from revisiting Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready's 2013 interview with Kyle Meredith With where they talk about PJ, his UFO tribute band, and Mad Season, his one-off supergroup with the late Layne Staley of Alice In Chains.

#pearljam #aliceinchains #mikemccready

[loverockawaitsyou]

Seattle 1 Month Update!

Hey everyone, if you've been following me for a bit, you may have noticed that I moved from LA to Seattle. I left a very toxic work/living situation and also effectively ended a relationship that was equally as toxic. As much as I love(d) the guy, now that I am away, I have had more time to reflect and think about all the red flags... but I won't get into all that on this post. It's a long story that I didn't share much on here.

Things here in Seattle are going pretty well. I was able to make my move so swiftly because I saved some money AND had a remote job already which made things easier for me.

However, I have been avidly searching for an in-person job with better pay, and benefits, and that will help advance my career. I have a final round interview tomorrow for a position that would be amazing for me. Since it's a final interview, the chances are extremely high of me getting an offer- but I'll still be cautiously optimistic. But fingers crossed!

Other than that, I have been enjoying more peace and downtime. I have been working on some writing projects, enjoying the outdoors, and going to a few live music events. At one of the events, I got to see the Rockfords, and I also went to the BRAD album signing at Easy Street Records (and yes, I got to briefly interact with the one and only Stone. He's lovely!). I'll also be going to the Layne Staley Tribute this weekend! Everyone has been lovely so far! I don't talk to my roommates much (and they don't talk to me), but it's fine. The place is quiet and drama-free.

I am still getting adjusted to my new life, but I have been constantly getting confirmation that I made the right choice to leave LA. I'm feeling better, getting healthier mentally and physically. I feel a lot more at ease and have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support I've received over the past few weeks.

More updates to come! And thanks everyone who has sent me kind words!

[ntmimodule]

NTMI (chapter 5)

‘Cracker Island’ is the eight studio album from Gorillaz, an energetic, upbeat, genre-expansive collection of 10 tracks featuring yet another stellar line-up of artist collaborators: Thundercat, Tame Impala, Bad Bunny, Stevie Nicks, Adeleye Omotayo, Bootie Brown and Beck. Recorded in London and LA earlier this year, it is produced by Gorillaz, Remi Kabaka jr. and eight-time Grammy Award-winning producer / multi-instrumentalist / songwriter extraordinaire Greg Kurstin. Title track ‘Cracker Island’kickstarted the new campaign this Summer hitting the charts across the globe with a top 10 video racking up 10M views in 10 days. The virtual band exploded onto TikTok gaining over 2.1 m followers in the space of a few months where they continue to innovate, taking virtual characters where no character has been before…

Track-listing

Cracker Island (feat. Thundercat)

Oil (feat. Stevie Nicks)

The Tired Influencer

Tarantula

Silent Running (feat. Adeleye Omotayo)

New Gold (feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown)

Baby Queen

Tormenta (feat. Bad Bunny)

Skinny Ape

Possession Island (feat. Beck

Today's long form discussion is all about BUSINESS. When does a band become a business? What affect does that have on the music, or they way you operate as an artist. What do you even do? Well, today's podcast is all about that. Alongside my producer Jenny May Finn,I talk about my experience as a band that also requires to be a business. Let me know what you think of it, or if you have any questions.

Here a 3 attempts at referencing for a bibliography

Daly, J. (2023) ‘we weren’t trying to replace Layne Staley’: How Dave Grohl and Elton John helped a reborn Alice in Chains pay tribute to their fallen frontman on black gives way to blue, louder. Available at: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-alice-in-chains-layne-staley-tribute-black-gives-way-to-blue (Accessed: 17 October 2023).

Pop, R. (2023) Damon Albarn teases new Gorillaz album: ‘it will be an entirely different approach to everything’, RETROPOP. Available at: https://retropopmagazine.com/damon-albarn-teases-new-gorillaz-album-it-will-be-an-entirely-different-approach-to-everything/ (Accessed: 22 October 2023).

He opened up on the song’s origins and its healing effect in the liner notes to the Music Bank box set. “It was the start of the healing process between my Dad and I from all that damage that Vietnam caused,” he said. “This was all my perception of his experiences out there.”

Leatham, T. (2023) The story behind the song: Alice in Chains’ bonding Vietnam War Examination ‘rooster’, Far Out Magazine. Available at: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/story-behind-alice-in-chains-rooster/ (Accessed: 22 October 2023).