
Sadly, Staley and Starr (who left the band in 1993 and was replaced by Mike Inez) died from drug-related incidents. Dirt, the band’s multi-platinum second album, proved to be their most successful with “Would?” gaining traction on the soundtrack to the movie Singles.

Their debut album, Facelift, spawned “Man in a Box,” which was in heavy rotation on MTV.

AIC was much heavier, yet also featured rich vocal harmonies, and even folk and acoustic elements. Formed by guitarist Jerry Cantrell, vocalist Layne Staley, drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr, the group had a different sound from other alt-rock bands that emerged from the Emerald City.

One of the biggest bands to emerge out of this scene was Alice in Chains. Gone were the big-hair bands, their spandex and pointy- headstock guitars swept away by groups offering a more blue-collar approach to rock. During the late ’80s and early ’90s, the focus of the music industry shifted towards Seattle and the grunge movement.
