Overwhelmed by his addiction, he lived in seclusion and his depression increased […] In 1987, he began playing with Jerry Cantrell, with whom he would form Alice in Chains. Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the Seattle rock band, was found dead at his University District home Friday. The legendary lead singer of Alice In Chains and Mad Season, Layne Staley, passed away 16 years ago on 05/04/2002. This is not the first death Alice in Chains has had to face in the past decade. Staley was victim of his heroin addiction and his body was found in his condo only on April 19. Peter Blecha, former director of Experience Music Project, has said Staley was one of the greatest rock voices of all time. In fact, as he grew, he took up the name Thomas as a teen. However, the band got back together in 2006 with a new singer named William DuVall. They have sold an estimated 15 million albums in the US alone. Layne Thomas Staley (August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002)[2] was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock band Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains. Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the Seattle rock band, was found dead at his University District home Friday. They are still active as of 2018. On April 5, 2002, Layne Staley, lead singer of the grunge band Alice in Chains, died in Seattle, USA at the age of 34. Staley’s body was discovered on April 19, after no one had heard from him for two weeks, that the police were called in to break down the door to his Seattle apartment. After a decade in the musical wilderness Alice in Chains began performing again in 2005 with guest singers, and in 2007 chose William DuVall as new lead vocalist. Alice in Chains were among the loudest voices out of Seattle. The autopsy and toxicology report placed the date of his death, which was ruled as accidental. Layne Staley, their original singer, died in April 2002 in Seattle because of a drug overdose. The band became famous for being part of the Grunge movement in Seattle in the early 90's. Here's the brief Seattle Police Department incident report describing Friday's (4/19) discovery of the body of Layne Staley, former lead singer of Alice in Chains. Staley was victim of his heroin addiction and his body was found in his condo only on April 19. Former Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley was found dead in his Seattle home Friday; he was thirty-four. The autopsy lists "acute intoxication of the combined effects of opiates (heroin) and cocaine" as the cause of death, which it labeled accidental. Thereof, how did the lead singer of Alice in Chains die? He was the lead singer of the rock band Alice in Chains. Former singer Layne Staley died in 2002 after overdosing on a "speedball," a mixture of heroin and cocaine. When i became a journalist i knew i wanted to write about my passions. And when it comes to final photos of Layne, the story is set up until 1998 with some photos available on the internet, but it is public knowledge and confirmed by his own mother that there is 01 unpublished picture taken from Layne in February 2002, only 02 months before his death… The mother of deceased Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley has sued her son’s former bandmates, claiming they cut her out of royalties owed on the band’s hits. DuVall joined Alice in Chains in 2006, replacing the band's original lead singer Layne Staley , who died in 2002, and shares vocal duties with guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell . Born as Layne Rutherford Staley on the 22nd of August 1967 to Phillip Blair “Phil” Staley and Nancy Elizabeth Staley, in Kirkland Washington, Layne was a child who despised his middle name and took hatred for anyone who called him Rutherford. Starr was replaced by Mike Inez in 1993. Unfortunately for the singer, his parents got divorced when he was 7 and he was raised by his mom and stepfather, Jim Elmer.Despit… Staley, who apparently had died in h But was disappointed to learn that he was also an addict. In fact, as he grew, he took up the name Thomas as a teen. Following Layne Staley's death in 2002, Alice in Chains broke up for good. Nancy’s son was Layne Staley, lead singer for the iconic northwest rock band Alice In Chains. The first comprehensive biography of Alice In Chains from its genre-forging years on the hard edge of grunge to the tragic death of lead singer Layne Staley and the band's comeback. He was 34. Layne Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the grunge band Alice In Chains, was found dead in his Seattle apartment, authorities said today (April 20). He lost that battle on April 5, 2002, when he died at the age of … A harrowing account of the legendary singer's last recordings with Alice in Chains (Image credit: Press) In this saddening except from Alice in Chains: The Untold Story , author David De Sola recounts the final gloomy days of frontman Layne Staley. Singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002. Exact time and cause of death are pending, as laboratory results could take several weeks, a spokesperson said. He died from a mixture of heroin and cocaine. American grunge band Alice In Chains was formed in Seattle in 1987. Appreciating the vocal style of Layne Staley on the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. William Bradley DuVall (born September 6, 1967) is an American musician, best known as the current co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Alice in Chains. The day before his death, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr was the last person to see Staley alive. Kurt Cobain short-circuited death by heroin with a shotgun blast to the head in 1994. He was 34. Tap to unmute. Club tells us, the people close to the singer appear to think that a very specific point in time marked the start of his darkness. 2.The one individual I have and will continue to be influenced,forever touched by,and will mourn and celebrate each day for the rest of my life despite the fact that my full discovery of him occurred after his death.3.The most amazing and … Layne’s body was discovered at his house two weeks later of his death. In a recent interview for Kerrang, Alice in Chains singer William DuVall revealed his thoughts about the band’s late vocalist Layne Staley and singing his songs live on stage after his death. The Alice in Chains singer-guitarist died in 2002 at age 34 after a history of drug problems. Staley was 34. Share. Throughout his career, Layne Staley of Alice in Chains struggled with drug addiction. They arrived at Staley's address with the family member in Seattle's University District at 5:41 p.m. PT on Friday, accordi… He was 44. Layne Staley, the Alice in Chains lead singer who rose to rock stardom a decade ago with a series of songs about battling personal demons, is dead at 34. He died April 5, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office. Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne Staley. 1 albums and six Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart.. Their latest album Rainier Fog was released on on August 24, 2018 via BMC. Before long, the band became known with the explosion of the grunge movement in Seattle. A body was found Friday at the University District home of Layne Staley, the lead singer of the seminal Seattle grunge band Alice in Chains. In came Alice In Chains, a band that also had problems with their enigmatic lead singer, Layne Staley. He was born in the city of Kirkland, Washington Alice in Chains. On April 5, 2002, Layne Staley, lead singer of the grunge band Alice in Chains, died in Seattle, USA at the age of 34. The Tragic Death Of Alice In Chains' Layne Staley. The band's first lead singer, Layne Staley, became addicted to drugs.He often wrote about drug addiction in his lyrics. The resignation and indifference that greeted Staley's death has since given way to a fuller appreciation of his remarkable if tragically squandered gifts. This only made things worse for Staley, who at the same time also repudiated the addiction he was trying to quit. Description: Layne Thomas Staley (August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002) was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which he and guitarist Jerry Cantrell formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. From 1996 until 2002, the band released two live albums, including “MTV Unplugged” which became quite popular, and also a few compilation albums, the sales of which also added to Staley’s net worth. Music has always been part of my life, helped me through tough moments and was with me to celebrate the good ones. However, Staley's body wasn't discovered immediately. Layne Staley Wiki Biography. Gil Kaufman 03/09/2011 The death on Tuesday of former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr continued the … The former Alice in Chains lead singer, who died in April 2002 of a drug overdose, is still revered by Chains fans, who paid tribute to the fallen Seattle rock star shortly after his death. Layne Staley, lead singer of the now-defunct, Grammy-nominated band Alice in Chains, was found dead at his Seattle apartment Friday, according to news reports. In the mid-1980s, he fronted the glam metal band Sleze, then formed Alice in Chains (then called Alice n' Chains, ala Guns 'N' Roses) with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr & drummer Sean Kinney. The original lead singer of Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, was known for his distinct vocal style and tenor voice. Layne Staley:1.Lead singer of grunge/heavy metal group Alice in Chains who tragically died of an overdose of heroin in a state of self-isolation at the age of 34. William DuVall joined the band in 2006 as co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, replacing Staley, who died in 2002. The band's principal members included guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, lead singer Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and bassist John Baker Saunders.Mad Season released only one album, Above, in March 1995. … Staley was known for his distinct vocal style and tenor voice, as well as his harmonizing with guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell. McCallum didn’t need the numbers to know that things had only gotten worse since Staley, her son and the gifted lead singer of Alice in Chains, died of a heroin overdose in April 2002 at age 34. PASSING NOTES The body of Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley was found in his Seattle home on Friday. Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Class of '99, Alice N' Chains, Sleze: Website: layne-staley.com: Layne Thomas Staley (August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002) was an American musician. The King County Medical Examiner positively identified Staley's body on Saturday (April 20), following an autopsy. Staley stopped performing in about 1996, but his attraction to heroin never slowed. Mad Season was an American rock supergroup formed in 1994 as a side project of members of other bands in the Seattle grunge scene. Sleze switched their name to Alice N Chains in 1986, roughly a year prior to Staley's introduction to Cantrell at a party at the rehearsal space called the Music Bank. It took Layne Staley, Alice in Chains' lead singer, a while longer to kill himself with a speedball. He was 34. When he became famous with his band, he reunited with his father. Kurt Cobain short-circuited death by heroin with a shotgun blast to the head in 1994. Link Copied. His long-time girlfriend (and former fiance) Demri Parrott died of a drug overdose in October 1996. Mike Starr, the original bassist in Alice In Chains who recently appeared on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab, died March 8th in Salt Lake City of unknown causes. However, the band got back together in 2006 with a new singer named William DuVall.They are still active as of 2018. Legendary Alice In Chains and Mad Season singer Layne Staley died 16 years ago today (though we’ll publishing this a few hours before the official April 5th date). The original lead singer of Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, was known for his distinct vocal style and tenor voice.The talented musician sadly passed away in 2002, at the age of 34. The death on Tuesday of former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr continued the tragic legacy of one of the most beloved bands to emerge out of the early 1990s grunge scene in Seattle. Born in Kirkland, USA, on August 22, 1967, he was known for his moving voice and stage presence. He was 34 years old. Singer, Songwriter. He was 34. Alice in Chains is sometimes thought of as a heavy metal band, but is mostly considered a grunge band.. Born as Layne Rutherford Staley on the 22nd of August 1967 to Phillip Blair “Phil” Staley and Nancy Elizabeth Staley, in Kirkland Washington, Layne was a child who despised his middle name and took hatred for anyone who called him Rutherford. Police responded to a call to check on Staley's well-being that was placed by a family member who claimed to have not spoken to Staley for two weeks. The author of the band’s biography, Alice in Chains: The Untold Story, David de Sola, shared some information about the marriage that never happened between Layne and Demri, and how they were planning the place where they intended to get married – which later would be a place where … Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley lived a life that was full of tragedy and doom, but as the A.V. Staley, 34, an admitted heroin user, was found dead April 19 in his condominium in Seattle's University District. Overwhelmed by his addiction, he lived in seclusion and his depression increased after the death of his girlfriend, Demri Parrott, who died of a drug-related illness. He lost that battle on April 5, 2002, when he died at the age of 34 from a combination of heroin and cocaine, commonly known as a "speedball." William DuVall joined the band in 2006 as co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, replacing Staley, who died in 2002. Watch later. He was the lead vocalist for alternative rock band Alice in Chains. Layne Staley, lead singer of the now-defunct, Grammy-nominated band Alice in Chains, was found dead at his Seattle apartment Friday, according to news reports. The 34-year-old had been dead for up … Seattle police went to Staley's condo after a relative called to say she hadn't heard from him for several weeks. It took Layne Staley, Alice in Chains' lead singer, a while longer to kill himself with a speedball. Following Layne Staley 's death in 2002, Alice in Chains broke up for good. Info. Authorities said an official identification and cause of death would come later. A harrowing account of the legendary singer's last recordings with Alice in Chains (Image credit: Press) In this saddening except from Alice in Chains: The Untold Story , author David De Sola recounts the final gloomy days of frontman Layne Staley. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. ALICE IN CHAINS drummer Sean Kinney has admitted that he continued dabbling in substance abuse even after the death of the band's lead singer, Layne … Layne Staley of Alice in Chains Dead at 34. Alice in Chains was one of the biggest names of the Seattle scene during the heyday of grunge, and with the tragic ends of both Soundgarden and Nirvana, they and Pearl Jam are the only giants of the genre still plying their trade. The band's hits included "Rooster" and "Man in the Box." Starr was replaced by Mike Inez in 1993. The Seattle grunge scene that transformed rock in … Here's the brief Seattle Police Department incident report describing Friday's (4/19) discovery of the body of Layne Staley, former lead singer of Alice in Chains. 1 albums and six Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart.. Their latest album Rainier Fog was released on on August 24, 2018 via BMC. Layne Staley, the lead singer and guitarist of Alice in Chains, died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine, an autopsy has determined. This has helped me to make the website better and bring the best of classic rock to the world! For his Apple Music Beat 1 show It's Electric!, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich recently interviewed his longtime friend Jerry Cantrell, singer and guitarist for Seattle grunge pioneers Alice in Chains. Layne Staley, the lead singer of the pioneering grunge band Alice in Chains, was found dead on Friday at his home in Seattle. Copy link. Staley suffered from his parents’ divorce as a child and spent a long time without seeing his father. On Alice in Chains' 1992 album "Dirt," five of the 13 songs were about the cycle of heroin addiction. According to reports, the band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 30 million records worldwide, and over 14 million records in the US alone, with two No. Click to see full answer. Throughout his career, Layne Staley of Alice in Chains struggled with drug addiction. The talented musician sadly passed away in 2002, at the age of 34. Became known with the explosion of the grunge movement of the grunge movement the... 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