Does My Book Focus On Layne Staley Too Much?

Two weeks since its release, a recurring critique I’ve read online about my book is that it is too Layne-centric.  I think it’s a valid point, and thought it would be worth explaining my creative/editorial process for why I wrote it the way that I did. By the time I started working on the book…

Read More

The End of the Road

A lot happens in four years: a presidential term, an Olympic Games or World Cup, a high school or college education, and a leap year. Almost four years after I started working on it, as of today Alice in Chains: The Untold Story is a reality, available in hard cover and e-book editions. It’s a…

Read More

Journalism, Sources and Access

A frequent critique of myself or the book I’ve read online in recent days – usually by people who haven’t read it – is that the book wasn’t authorized by the band, or that I didn’t interview the band members.  My lack of access wasn’t for my lack of trying over the course of three…

Read More

Possible Alice in Chains book by Duff McKagan?

A few people have asked me in recent days about a story that was in the news a few months ago. I have no knowledge of or involvement with a possible Alice in Chains book by Duff McKagan.  Beyond that, I won’t comment on it until I’ve had an opportunity to read it, if it…

Read More

The First Time Jerry Cantrell Heard Layne Staley Sing

On May 1, 1987, Alice ‘N Chains was the first act of a three-band bill at the Tacoma Little Theatre, a local community theatre in the neighboring city of Tacoma approximately thirty-five miles south of Seattle.  Though they are sometimes confused with Alice in Chains, they were two entirely different bands who had the same…

Read More

The Metropolis Remembered

The “For Lease” signs in the windows don’t offer any hint of the historical significance of the property at 207 Second Avenue South, just a short walk from Seattle’s Pioneer Square and CenturyLink Field. In May of 1983, it opened its doors as the Metropolis, the short-lived but highly influential all ages club. Among the…

Read More

The $30 Million Marijuana Operation Next Door

Today is the twenty-seventh anniversary of the Seattle Police Department raiding the Music Bank as part of its investigation into the massive marijuana growing operation taking place next door. (NOTE: The $30 million figure in the title of this post is from an estimate Seattle PD gave to at least one reporter after the raid.)…

Read More

Alice in Chains Book Excerpts

My book isn’t scheduled for release until August 4, but for those of you that want a sneak peek, there are now two excerpts of the book out there for your reading pleasure: My publisher, Thomas Dunne Books, has posted Chapter 1 online in its entirety. Guitar World magazine optioned a chapter of the book,…

Read More

Billboard

Alice in Chains: The Untold Story was included in the “Summer’s Music Must-Reads” list in the new issue of Billboard magazine which came out last week. The article is behind a paywall, but here’s a scan:  

Read More