Layne Staley

[Botch]

Good concert by Pearl Jam on Palladia right now. I'm not a big fan of grunge, but it reminded me there was one band I really liked: Alice in Chains. And it was for one reason, the lead vocalist: Layne Staley. That guy could sing!!
I spent awhile trying to find the video that turned me on to them, couldn't. He was singing in sunglasses, and I'm pretty sure he had a braided goutee; his melismas (accurately changing pitch without a corresponding change in syllable (aaa-aa-aa-a-a-a-a-aaaaaa-aaa-aaaah!) as opposed to changing syllables (la-la-la-laaa-laaa-la!) which any of us can do) are freaking amazing! Here's a good one I could find:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAE6Il6OTcs[/youtube]

Stupid f*cker had a gift, and pissed it away on heroin. Still, a wonderful legacy he left behind.
Stupid f*cker.

WARNING: that's a pretty disturbing video.

 

[walls]

Can't see which video but you are correct, the man could sing. The guy they have now is pretty solid to.

 

[Randy]

Alice in Chains was and still is a phenomenal band. Dirt was one of my favorite albums of all time. supposedly the album Dirt was based mostly around heroin and heroin use.

Layne Staley was indeed a very talented singer. Truly a shame.

Jerry Cantrell is also a gifted singer songwriter and guitar player. If memory serves me the above video Rooster was about Jerry's father's time in Viet Nam.