ALICE IN CHAINS
A Chronological History
originally edited by Khadejah Dein
revised by Mike Coleman
Put here by Yours Truly
(Ed. Note: Credit and thanks must be given to the wonderful folks at the
Alice in Chains camp for this info. compilation, and the folks at Susan
Silver Management for all their help as well.)
1987 Alice in Chains forms in Seattle.
April 1989 After being pursued by several record companies, Alice
signs with Columbia Records.
June 1990 Columbia Records releases bands first EP, "We Die
Young."
August 1990 Debut album, "Facelift," is released. "We Die Young"
becomes Top 5 metal track.
Sept. 1990 First U.S. tour date at Marquee Club in Westminster, CA.
An overflow crowd tries to elbow in.
Nov. 1990 AIC tours with Iggy Pop, introduces songs "Dirt" and
"Rooster" to audiences who didn't give a flying fuck.
Dec. 1990 Band sells out Moore Theater in Seattle. Concert is
filmed by acclaimed director, Josh Taft, later becomes
"Live Facelift," the band's debut home video release.
Jan. 1991 Band nominated for American Music Award for Favorite
Heavy Metal Artist. They lose.
"Man In The Box" is releases, and makes an interminable
26-week climb into the top 20. Video plays on MTV for
16 weeks. No viewers reportedly sewed their eyes shut.
Feb. 1991 Band tours Europe with Megadeth.
They're nominated for a Grammy for Best Heavy Metal
Performance. They lose again.
April 1991 Alice films movie debut, playing the part of a sleazy
bar band in Cameron Crowe's film, "Singles." They
perform the song "Would?" which goes on to win the
band's first MTV Music Video Award in Sept. of 1993 for
the best movie sound track single.
May 1991 "Clash of the Titans" Tour, with Slayer, Anthrax and
Megadeth, commences. Band debuts the song "Would?"
at the Starplex in Dallas - the crowd responds by
tearing up the Grassy Knoll.
The famed "Combo-Pack," pairing the "Facelift" album
with the "Live Facelift" video, is released. The album
charts for the first time, nine months after it's
release.
Aug 91 - Jan 92 Band tours with Van Halen. Eddie thinks the guys need
some wardrobe tips, and buys everyone Doc Martens and
plaid shirts - including himself.
Aug 1991 Alice makes national network television debut on
ABC-TV's "In Concert" show. They rock.
Sept. 1991 Facelift certified Gold.
Nov. 1991 Alice records "SAP," their second EP. Album title comes
from a dream Sean Kinney has in which, at a press
conference, he announces the band's new album is titled
"SAP." Band declines to mess with fate, names EP "SAP."
Dec. 1991 Alice in Chains voted "Best New Band" in readers' polls
in _RIP_ Magazine and _Guitar for the Practicing
Musician._
March 1992 Alice plays congenial hosts to the nation as they take
"Entertainment Tonight" on a visual tour of the Seattle
music scene - pool halls, rock clubs, and other revered
places of decadence. Mary Hart, John Tesh, Leeza
Gibbons will never be the same.
June 1992 "Would" video is recorded with Josh Taft in Los Angeles.
Sept. 1992 "Dirt" is released. Debuts at #6 on Billboard
Band begins a three month tour opening for Ozzy Osbourne.
A friendship with Mike Inez is formed (stay tuned)
"Them Bones" video shoot with Rocky Schenck in Los
Angeles.
Dec. 1992 "Angry Chair" Video shoot with Matt Mahurin.
Jan. 1993 Alice goes to Rio de Janeiro to play Brazil's wild and
rockin' Hollywood Festival. (This was to be last AIC
performance with bassist Mike Starr, who departed due
to the stress of constant touring.)
Alice kicks off their European tour in London.
Screaming Trees accompany as opening band. Mike Inez,
former bassist for Ozzy Osbourne with whom AIC toured
previously, replaces Mike Starr for Euro dates, later
to become permanent member of AIC.
June 1993 Arnold Schwartzenegger latest movie _Last Action Hero_
soundtrack is released and includes two new Alice in
Chains songs: "What The Hell Have I?" and "A Little
Bitter."
"What The Hell Have I?" video shoot with Sam Bayer.
Wooooaaahhh!! It's on the road with the Lollapalooza
summer extravaganza tour. Tour begins in Vancouver,
B.C., Canada, ends in Los Angeles, CA in August.
August 1993 "Down in A Hole" video shoot - dedicated to Mike Inez's
dog Chuck (RIP) - filmed in steamy Palm Springs with
Nigel Dick.
Sept. 1993 In the time off between Lollapalooza and their upcoming
tour, Alice enter London Bridge Studio to record soem songs
they have floating around in their heads. These sessions
will develop into the EP "Jar Of Flies".
Oct. 1993 Alice goes on a six continents in six weeks "Down In
Your Hole Tour." The band plays the US, UK, Europe,
Japan, Australia and New Zealand in just six weeks. A
speedy whirlwind of a tour - can you say jetlag?
Nov. 1993 "Last Action Hero" Soundtrack goes Platinum. (Ooops,
looks like the soundtrack to Arnie's latest did much
better than the summer blockbuster did...)
Dec. 1993 "Dirt" album goes double Platinum.
Jan. 1994 Alice plays an benefit acoustic show in Los Angeles for
Fishbone's Norwood Fisher.
Jan. 18, 1994 Double package EP released, featuring songs from "SAP"
and "Jar of Flies" EP's.
Jan 25, 1994 Release of highly praised acoustic EP, "Jar of Flies,"
seven songs recorded in seven sultry days in Sept. 93.
Goes on to make its Billboard debut in the Number One
spot of the popular music chart - the first EP to do this.
Feb. 1994 Video for "No Excuses" is filmed and released.
March 1994 Mike Inez makes the most of his free time by joining Slash
in the studio to work on what will become Slash's Snakepit
"It's 5 O'clock Somewhere"
May 1994 Sean Kinney's childhood dream of begin immortalized in clay
is realized as "I Stay Away" is made into a video. Mtv apparently
doesn't share Sean's dream, and doesn't play the video too much.
Oct. 14 1994 Layne Staley appears onstage at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe alongside
friends Mike McCready, Barret Martin, and Baker. They perform
under the name The Gacy Bunch, play a few more shows, and then
change their name to Mad Season.
Nov-Dec 1994 Mad Season play a few more shows around town, enter the studio
and record "Above"
March 1995 Alice nominated for a Grammy for I Stay Away, they lose.
Above is released.
April 1995 Alice begins recording their 3rd album, "Alice In Chains"
Mad Season gives a final performance at Seattle's Moore Theater.
The show is subsequently released on home video as Mad Season:Live
At The Moore.
July 1995 Sean Kinney, heavily influenced by Michael Jackson, buys a monkey
August 1995 Alice wraps up recording "Alice In Chains"
November 1995 "Alice In Chains" is released, and debuts at #1 on the billboard
charts
Jan-Feb 1996 Jerry and Sean travel to Australia to promote the new CD, and
Mike Inez replaces Geezer Butler on Ozzy's comeback tour.
February 1996 Alice loses at the Grammy's again.
April 1996 Alice performs "Again" on Saturday Night Special.
Alice records an Unplugged special for Mtv, which will air in May '96
May 1996 The band performs on David Letterman, they do Again, and break into
We Die Young causing one viewer, reportedly, to ejaculate on the
screen.
June/July 1996 AIC opens four shows for KISS (Detroit, Louisville, St. Louis,
and Kansas City). The shows receive rave reviews from AIC
fans, but KISS fans are left scratching their "hair club for
men" haridos wondering what sort of ass kicking they just
received.
Return Home
Return to main AIC page