Layne Staley

Layne Thomas Staley was born on August 22, 1967, in Kirkland, Washington. At a young age growing up in the Seattle area, Staley knew he wanted to be a singer in a band. At twelve years old he began playing the drums and joined several different bands in his teens. In 1987, Layne Staley co-founded Alice in Chains in Seattle, Washington, alongside guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Initially, the band started as a glam metal outfit, but as the Seattle grunge scene gained momentum, their musical direction evolved. They soon adopted a unique blend of grunge, alternative rock, and metal, which would define their sound. Alice in Chains released their debut album, "Facelift," in 1990, which marked their breakthrough in the music industry. Their sophomore album "Dirt" (1992) was the band's most critically acclaimed and successful album, debuting at #6 on the US Billboard 200 list. With featured hits like "Rooster" and "Would?," the album solidified their status as one of the leading bands of the grunge movement. Throughout his career, Staley battled drug addiction, primarily heroin. The band went on tour briefly to promote "Dirt" but Staley's battle with substance abuse became increasingly disruptive and the tour ended early. Despite the internal struggles, Alice in Chains released the first EP to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard charts, "Jar of Flies" (1994). Following its release the band went on hiatus as Staley's bandmates encouraged him to enter rehab. During this period, the lead guitarist of Pearl Jam, Mike McCready, convinced Staley to join him on a side project. This side project would become the supergroup Mad Season. They released one album "Above" in 1995. Alice in Chains got back together to record their next studio album "Alice in Chains" (1995) which also debuted at #1. By this time, however, the physical toll of long term drug abuse was becoming more apparent to Staley's fans and music insiders. With his health declining and his addiction raging, Staley retreated into isolation, performing for the last time in 1996. On April 19, 2002, he was found dead in his apartment. An autopsy confirmed that Layne Thomas Staley died of a drug overdose on April 5, 2002 in Seattle, Washington. In 2012, Complex magazine included him in the list of "The 50 Best Lead Singers of All Time". The city of Seattle officially declared his birthday, August 22nd, "Layne Staley Day".