Alice In Chains reborn?
While the bulk of their tour takes place in Europe, IE can confirm an Alice In Chains reunion tour will stop at the Metro on May 21st.
Maybe the Queen + Paul Rodgers thing inspired it, but the wonder is how this will happen without deceased frontman Layne Staley. Staley, who died after a drug overdose in 2002 (he is described as merely “late” in the reunion press release), was an iconic grunge-era figure, whose trials with heroin largely overshadowed the band’s latter stages after being the subject of their finest album, Dirt.
Even stranger is the “reunion” doesn’t even comprise the remainder of the original lineup. After Alice In Chains’ first two albums (incidentally their most popular), bassist Mike Starr was replaced by Ozzy Osbourne’s Mike Inez for songs on the *Last Action Hero* soundtrack. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney will appear on the tour with Inez, replacement singer William Duvall (Comes With The Fall), and “special guests.” The core trio played a tsunami benefit in 2005 with Ann Wilson (Heart), Maynard Keenan (Tool), Wes Scantlin (Puddle Of Mudd), and Pat Lachman (Damageplan), and again at a VH1 Heart tribute with Wilson, Duvall, and Pantera’s Phil Anselmo.
No recording plans have been announced.
— Steve Forstneger
