Alice In Chains

Off Topic
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[quote]jglickfield wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
I’ll be honest, I thought the whole Grunge thing was an absolute low point in music history, [/quote]

Of course it was. The nature of things is that something is born, grows to full maturity, and then ultimately dies. Why should rock n’ roll be any different? I am sure that you agree that despite all of its flaws grunge was better than everything that came after. Rock was on its way out, its message having played itself out. Deadhead stickers on a Cadillac and all that. By the early 1990’s what was considered rock? Guys with huge hair, tight pants and sequins playing purely for the decadent fun of it all (drugs, cool cars, chicks, whatever).

While I am a big fan of a lot of these bands, I see how this was also untenable as they had only a tiny bit of artistic merit which was no longer true to the original message of independence, rebellion, etc which brought this genre to the spotlight 30 years earlier and wouldn’t hold people’s attention. Imagine Nero (Caesar) fiddling while Rome burned for an apt metaphor. Grunge was sort of a last shot of adrenaline. The last strength of old age- a bit of a renaissance before the curtains close. Of course it came and went quickly. How long could we listen to teenage angst and take it seriously? But it was beautiful in its time and place.

After grunge what was there left but the death of rock and roll? If rock’s birth was Elvis shaking his hips and merely behaving unconventionally, and the rest of the power of the movement was in its ability to challenge existing authority, its decadence freewheeling with no regard for purpose and ignoring long term ramifications, then surely its death would be rebellion for the sake of rebellion. Shock for its own sake. Enter Marilyn Manson to bring rock n’ roll to its logical conclusion. Everyone after are either “survivors” (those who still live and play even after their sub-genre lost popularity) or pretenders to the throne claiming legitimacy through rock’s past success and legacy.

(Now everyone welcome me to the forum, this is my first post)[/quote]

Personally, I loved “grunge”, but I despise the name given to the genre. To me, it was honest, back to the basics, hard rock and roll that made me excited about music again.

Rock, while not as big as it has been in the past, is FAR from dead. It will ALWAYS be alive and kicking ass somewhere, or in another form. You just may have to look a little harder for the good stuff.

I was a HUGE fan of AIC since ‘Facelift’ and had every other release after that. When the news of Staley od’ing came out, it was just an anti-climatic moment for me. You knew it was coming, but you just didn’t know when.

I’m really liking the new stuff. It’s a pleasant surprise.

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This thread has inspired me to buy the new album, and I am glad I did. Sure its not the same with out Layne, but a very good album none the less.

Rock as a whole has gone to shit for over a decade now. I havnt bought an album in years. I think it has some thing to do with the lack of balls this generation seems to have. There seems to be an over all lack of artistic creativity and the balls to do some thing different. But thats a whole different conversation.

At least we have some of these older bands still putting out good music such as AIC Tool and a hand full of others.

Thanks to the thread starter for turning me on to this album. I never would have known it was out other wise. I wish Layne had not taken the path he did. But then his path is what inspired the beautiful music he created. I felt like I was kicked in the gut when I heard Layne died. A guy I never met but who obviously touched my soul through the baring of his in his music. There will never be another Layne.

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[quote]poophead wrote:
Anyone else pick up the new Alice In Chains album “Black Gives Way To Blue”?
Goddamn it’s good. Rock/ heavy metal is alive and well.
Can’t believe how much Jerry Cantrell sounds like Layne Staley.

[/quote]

Well…It’s good that they still have the same musical style and direction overall, I have alot of respect for that. The singer sounds really weak compared to the original, which is a moot point, but still needs mentioning, I think…

Unfortunately, the new vocalist makes it sound sort of ball-less…Compare this singing to the Man in the Box, Rain when I die, Rooster, Would, etc…

eh. I can’t say I’m very impressed.

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[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
This thread has inspired me to buy the new album, and I am glad I did. Sure its not the same with out Layne, but a very good album none the less.

Rock as a whole has gone to shit for over a decade now. I havnt bought an album in years. I think it has some thing to do with the lack of balls this generation seems to have. There seems to be an over all lack of artistic creativity and the balls to do some thing different. But thats a whole different conversation.

At least we have some of these older bands still putting out good music such as AIC Tool and a hand full of others.

Thanks to the thread starter for turning me on to this album. I never would have known it was out other wise. I wish Layne had not taken the path he did. But then his path is what inspired the beautiful music he created. I felt like I was kicked in the gut when I heard Layne died. A guy I never met but who obviously touched my soul through the baring of his in his music. There will never be another Layne.[/quote]

I was in the same boat as you. I haven’t really heard too many good albums in the last 15 yrs or so, in my opinion, that were worth buying. The only band that I kept tabs on was King’s X. Anyone want to hear a real good album, try to find “Out of the Silent Planet” by them. It’s an oldie but still very solid sounding with great harmonies. Two other good albums by them are “Gretchen Goes to Nebraska” and “Ear Candy”. Not quite as heavy but great nonetheless.

65

[quote]poophead wrote:

[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
This thread has inspired me to buy the new album, and I am glad I did. Sure its not the same with out Layne, but a very good album none the less.

Rock as a whole has gone to shit for over a decade now. I havnt bought an album in years. I think it has some thing to do with the lack of balls this generation seems to have. There seems to be an over all lack of artistic creativity and the balls to do some thing different. But thats a whole different conversation.

At least we have some of these older bands still putting out good music such as AIC Tool and a hand full of others.

Thanks to the thread starter for turning me on to this album. I never would have known it was out other wise. I wish Layne had not taken the path he did. But then his path is what inspired the beautiful music he created. I felt like I was kicked in the gut when I heard Layne died. A guy I never met but who obviously touched my soul through the baring of his in his music. There will never be another Layne.[/quote]

I was in the same boat as you. I haven’t really heard too many good albums in the last 15 yrs or so, in my opinion, that were worth buying. The only band that I kept tabs on was King’s X. Anyone want to hear a real good album, try to find “Out of the Silent Planet” by them. It’s an oldie but still very solid sounding with great harmonies. Two other good albums by them are “Gretchen Goes to Nebraska” and “Ear Candy”. Not quite as heavy but great nonetheless.[/quote]

I love KingsX…or used too. Those albums you mentioned are great. The tone of their guitar player was one of the best imho. Guitar players in magazines would mention his tone and wished they could copy it. Another excellent power trio from Texas.

66

[quote]bond james bond wrote:

[quote]poophead wrote:

[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
This thread has inspired me to buy the new album, and I am glad I did. Sure its not the same with out Layne, but a very good album none the less.

Rock as a whole has gone to shit for over a decade now. I havnt bought an album in years. I think it has some thing to do with the lack of balls this generation seems to have. There seems to be an over all lack of artistic creativity and the balls to do some thing different. But thats a whole different conversation.

At least we have some of these older bands still putting out good music such as AIC Tool and a hand full of others.

Thanks to the thread starter for turning me on to this album. I never would have known it was out other wise. I wish Layne had not taken the path he did. But then his path is what inspired the beautiful music he created. I felt like I was kicked in the gut when I heard Layne died. A guy I never met but who obviously touched my soul through the baring of his in his music. There will never be another Layne.[/quote]

I was in the same boat as you. I haven’t really heard too many good albums in the last 15 yrs or so, in my opinion, that were worth buying. The only band that I kept tabs on was King’s X. Anyone want to hear a real good album, try to find “Out of the Silent Planet” by them. It’s an oldie but still very solid sounding with great harmonies. Two other good albums by them are “Gretchen Goes to Nebraska” and “Ear Candy”. Not quite as heavy but great nonetheless.[/quote]

I love KingsX…or used too. Those albums you mentioned are great. The tone of their guitar player was one of the best imho. Guitar players in magazines would mention his tone and wished they could copy it. Another excellent power trio from Texas.
[/quote]

Yep, some of their stuff is a little…thin and erratic. If there ain’t some kind of discernable groove going on, i’ll listen to something else. It sometimes is hit or miss with those guys, but mostly good stuff.

67

Plus, where else are you gonna find a lead singer with a mohawk (in the early stages) that plays a 12 string bass ???