Posts Tagged ‘Seattle’
AI, Journalism, and the Dead
Cross-posted at Substack Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash I recently became aware of an Instagram account (which shall remain nameless) that is posting AI audio recordings of late Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley’s voice, based in part on information I reported in my book. Like so many people, I have mixed emotions…
Read MoreStacked
I recently started a Substack account, where I will be doing some occasional writing here and there. Head over there and subscribe!
Read MoreCharles R. Cross Remembered
I’m absolutely devastated by the news that Charles R. Cross passed away. From Variety: Charles R. Cross, a Seattle-based music journalist who edited the city’s preeminent alt-weekly, the Rocket, and penned bestselling biographies of Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix and other major rock figures, died Friday at age 67. “We are sorry to share that Charles…
Read MoreMia Zapata’s Killer Has Died
Rolling Stone published my story breaking the news on Sunday. It marks an end to one of the darkest and most tragic episodes in the history of rock music. To put Mia Zapata’s life and legacy into perspective, I interviewed Gits drummer Steve Moriarty, Gits friend and Evil Stig collaborator Joan Jett, and NPR music…
Read MoreA Piece of Alice in Chains History
Seattle musician and producer Dave Hillis (who was an engineer on Sap and who I interviewed extensively for my book) posted a picture of his 1/4-inch reel copy of the early Alice in Chains demos (circa 1988, before they recorded their first album Facelift) If you aren’t doing it already, follow Dave on Instagram.
Read MoreSusan Silver: “I’m in Exploration Mode Right Now”
Seattle attorney Joleen Hughes recorded an interview with Alice in Chains manager Susan Silver for her podcast. She and Susan talk about the early days of the Seattle music scene, her way of doing business, and Susan’s possible plans for the future. The most newsworthy part of the interview in my opinion begins at around…
Read MoreSome Thoughts About Chris Cornell's Death and the Seattle Grunge Scene
I was interviewed several weeks ago by Paste Magazine for a story about the death of Chris Cornell in the context of the Seattle grunge scene. You can read it here.
Read MoreThe Origin of Layne Staley's Middle Name
Nancy McCallum – Layne Staley’s mother – did an interview with Northwest Music Scene recently. This particular exchange caught my attention: Early bands: “In 5th grade, he borrowed his Uncle Bob’s trumpet, so that was his first instrument. Then, our family friend Fred loaned him a drum set, and he loved the drums. He wasn’t…
Read MoreJim Elmer Remembered
Jim Elmer, Layne Staley’s stepfather, passed away in his home in Long Beach, Washington last week from heart failure, according to his son Ken. He was 72 years old. He was born in Spokane, Washington on March 28th, 1945 at home, but spent most of his life in the Seattle area. Jim had Bachelor’s and…
Read MoreThe Story Behind the Story: Was Layne Staley Going to Audition for Audioslave?
I recently read this article by Michael Christopher regarding the 15th anniversary of Layne Staley’s death and it got me thinking about something I reported in my book two years ago: that Layne told a friend of his about a year before his death that he wanted to try out for the band that would…
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