Alice In Chains consists of Jerry Cantrell (guitarist), Layne Staley (vocalist), Mike Inez (bassist), Sean Kinney (drummer, percussionist).
Alice in Chains were an influential grunge group formed by lead singer Layne Staley (1967-2002) in the mid- 1980s as Alice N' Chains before the spelling of the name was changed. The name derived from their early stages as a band when the group would dress in drag at concerts. 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.
Layne Staley - Lead Vocalist Jerry Cantrell - Backing Vocalist/Guitarist Mike Starr - Bassist Sean Kinney - Drummer
Layne Staley - Lead Vocalist Jerry Cantrell - Backing Vocalist/Guitarist Mike Inez - Bassist Sean Kinney - Drummer
Maynard James Keenan (from Tool) Wes Scantlin (from Puddle of Mudd) Ann Wilson (from Heart)
In 1987, Layne Staley met guitarist and song-writer Jerry Cantrell, who joined the newly renamed Alice in Chains, bringing along two friends, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney. The group began writing original material and playing clubs in Seattle.
The band signed with Columbia Records in 1989 and released a demo album, Sweet Alice, followed in July 1990 by the We Die Young EP. The title track became a moderate hit on metal-oriented radio, preparing the way for the release later that year of the group's first full LP, Facelift. The album produced an unexpected hit in the crunchy and infectious "Man in the Box," the video for which went into regular rotation on MTV. Supported by a tour opening for Van Halen and Iggy Pop, Facelift went Gold by the end of the year.