I was not in a good space, and Layne wasn’t either. That record took a long time because we were all in a bad space. Jerry Cantrell said, “That was another number-one record. After its release, fans were ready for a tour, but Layne categorically refused to do a tour or promotion. They entered the recording studio in the winter of ’94, with their only album, “Above, ” released in March of ’95.Īlice In Chains finally reconvened in April 1995 to begin work on their third album, which would be released in November of that year. McCready approached Layne Staley, knowing he’d also just come out of treatment, and thinking he might find some strength playing music surrounded by fellow recovering addicts, he made the call. Eager to start a band on release from the facility, they added Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin to the fold. Having struggled with addiction, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready met bassist John Baker Saunders in a treatment centre in 1994 and hit it off. However, these songs mostly ended up on Alice In Chains’ third self-titled album, which would be released in November 1995. Mike Inez joined Slash’s Snakepit in 1994 and recorded the album “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” Jerry would remain busy composing songs for a solo album, which would have been his debut. Each band member busied themselves, just not with anything related to Alice In Chains. The music press had a field day speculation was rife about the fate of Alice In Chains. Lost some trust in each other for a while.” Realising the situation was not good, and Layne was in no fit state to begin touring, the band held a meeting in which they agreed to cancel the Metallica tour, the Woodstock date and any other scheduled appearances. He just showed up, and there were bad circumstances. Nobody had talked to him he’d been gone all that time. Layne was in a treatment place, and we’d been rehearsing ourselves. Sean Kinney said, “We were rehearsing at the Moore Theatre to get ready for Metallica. When Layne finally did make it to the rehearsals, he didn’t come the way the other members expected. Throughout the band’s gruelling 92/93 touring schedule in support of their second album, Dirt, Layne’s addictions had become all-consuming, and he checked into a rehab facility to overcome his illness. Initially, Layne Staley was absent from these rehearsals. In preparation for the Metallica tour and the Woodstock ’94 appearance, Alice In Chains began rehearsing at the Moore Theatre in Seattle. They were also booked as openers on Metallica’s summer tour of ’94 called “Shit Hits The Sheds” or simply “Summer Shit 94, ” including bands like Danzig, Suicidal Tendencies and Candlebox as opening acts. They were booked to play Woodstock in 1994. In the intervening two-plus years, the band made several attempts to start touring. Before the Norwood Fisher benefit, the band’s last performance was on November 4th, 1993, in Sydney, Australia. Also on the bill that night was Primus, Rage Against The Machine, Tool and Porno for Pyros, who played full electric sets. They played four acoustic songs at that show, all from the Sap and Jar Of Flies EP’s. The last show they played as a band before MTV Unplugged was at a benefit for Fishbone bass player Norwood Fisher in LA on January 7th, 1994, two years and three months earlier. It was Alice In Chains’ first public appearance as a band for over two years, having not toured behind the release of their self-titled third studio album. Recorded live on April 10th, 1996, at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music’s Majestic Theatre for MTV’s legendary acoustic television series. July 30th 1996, Alice In Chains released their MTV Unplugged album.
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