Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is an influential grunge/hard rock group formed by lead singer Layne Staley (1967-2002) in the mid-1980s, originally as Diamond Lie and shortly followed by several other names before taking the name of Alice in Chains, which derived from one of Layne Staley's former bands, Alice N' Chainz. The name derived from their early stages as a band when the group would dress in drag at concerts; Staley described it as a name he thought of that would fit a band that "dressed in drag and played speed metal." They quickly shed this image, however, for grunge fashion. Along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, Alice in Chains was one of the most commercially successful bands from the Seattle, Washington grunge music scene. Unlike many of their peers, Alice in Chains owed more to heavy metal than to punk or '70s rock, but the group became closely associated with grunge due to their Seattle roots, the image they often presented (e.g., denim jeans, Dr. Martens boots, etc.), and their introspective and sometimes morbid lyrics (often sung in unusual and distinctive vocal harmonies). In 2005, Cantrell, Inez, and Kinney reunited to perform a benefit concert in Seattle for victims of the Tsunami Disaster that struck south Asia. The band included former Damageplan lead singer Pat Lachman as its primary vocalist. Surprise guests Wes Scantlin of Puddle of Mudd and Maynard James Keenan of Tool appeared to chip in with vocal duties, and Ann Wilson of Heart guest-starred to reprise her co-vocals on "Brother". The surviving members of the group reportedly enjoyed the reunion, and Cantrell said it felt right playing with his old band again and having Lachman as lead singer. Recent picture of the surviving members of Alice in Chains alongside Duff McKagan and William DuVall