But you wouldn’t know the band was in such dire straits by the performances delivered on the powerful 13-song set (10 of which made the final broadcast.) Featuring Staley on lead vocals, singer/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez, drummer Sean Kinney, and second guitarist Scott Olson, the AIC that shows up on Unplugged is a tight, well-practiced unit with no weak links, seemingly eager to shake off the heavy metal sludge of their studio recordings. Staley’s contributions on the self-titled LP sound literally telephoned in, or even excavated from some long-forgotten crypt.)Īfter Unplugged the original, Staley-fronted version of AIC was basically kaput. The group hadn’t performed live together in nearly three years, and their last studio record, 1995’s (underrated) Alice in Chains, had been largely recorded without Staley-perpetually battling addiction-actually present in the studio. But what I really want to talk about right now is Alice in Chains and their frontman Layne Staley-an arguably more tragic figure than even Cobain, whose turn on MTV’s signature acoustic concert program was no less haunted by the crescent-moon shadow of the Grim Reaper’s scythe poised irrevocably over his pink-hued head.īy the time the Seattle band made it to the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Majestic Theater to record their Unplugged set on April 11, 1996, they were pretty much spent. That 1994 unplugged set, of course, looms large in ‘90s alt-rock history, released just seven month’s after Cobain’s April 1994 shotgun suicide and standing-for all intents and purposes-as the epochal Seattle power trio’s final will and testament. That should be obvious from both the title of the article and lead image, but chances are you still started humming “About a Girl” and picturing Kurt Cobain’s bizarre pistachio-colored grannie sweater, regardless. Unplugged certainly reaffirms the emotional range and technical prowess of Alice in Chains.MTV Unplugged, Alice in Chains (1996, Columbia)įirst things first: this is not a blog about Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York. Bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney maintain the drama and intensity but at half the volume, leaving more space for Layne Staley's vocal nuances. The brooding 'Would?' is softened with long stretches of smoldering gloom. The turbulent 'Rooster' unwinds with a melancholy elegance. It's in the older material that the real changes go down. "'No Excuses,' from Jar of Flies, simmers at a perkier tempo, with more piquant percussion 'Heaven Beside You' is marginally more folky in tone. This is the real deal, with guaranteed quality of the recording, mastering & pressing. The tension and excitement in the audience is palpable throughout the entire show, and it makes this a fantastic record of the greatness for Alice In Chains. Jar Of Flies, creating new and exciting arrangements for their heavier songs while reinventing others. The band perform songs from both Facelift and Dirt albums as well as their critically acclaimed E.P. Visibly frail, he and band members Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney still out-performed many of the other acts that crept in front of MTV's camera, making this one of the most legendary performances of the series.
Unfortunately, it also turned out to be one of the last ones they would ever do, as lead singer Layne Staley's drug addiction was already getting the better of him. In 1996 Alice In Chains performed their first show in three years for MTV Unplugged. Typical order times are located within the product description.ġ80 Gram Double LP! Live Acoustic Performance! It is not guaranteed.Ī Special Order item is an item that we do not stock but can order from the manufacturer. When an item is Out Of Stock and we have an estimated date when our stock should arrive, we list that date on our website in the part's description. We do not have a specific date when it will be coming.Īwaiting repress titles are in the process of being repressed by the label. The Preorder can be released anywhere between weeks, months or years from its initial announcement.Īn Out Of Stock item is an item that we normally have available to ship but we are temporarily out of. Other Preorders are set to release 'TBA.' This means that release date is yet 'To Be Announced'. If a projected release date is known, we will include this in the description in red. Typically the label will set a projected release date (that is subject to change).
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