Alice in Chains.

One of the most crucial things while you're devoted to study music, and any other thing in life, is being curious, and excited 'bout not having a single clue for what's coming up next.

When I was 20, I was really into progressive/complex rock. A lot of layered contrapunctual things, and all of that. But one day I started wondering if Rock was always like that, wondering why simple forms of music like blues and three-chord rock were so catchy among people. So I started to hear more simple-straight rock music.

My first new thing was Hendrix. I knew him because my uncle, who also played guitar in his youth, was a big fan of his music, and strongly recommended me, together with Hendrix, two bands more: Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. So I listened to my uncle, and listened to those guys, speciall Deep Purple and Hendrix. Zeppelin, not much.

Then, I started my new musical learning-journey with Soundgarden. Encouraged by my old school-driven friend, I listened to them, I liked them, and eventually become a really big fan of this band. So I was curious, and together with them, there were another bands that were sort of, like 'em. Like Nirvana, which I already heard while on my teens (Who doesn't), Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam.

The first tune I heard from Alice in Chains was "Whale and Wasp". It was one of the first times I heard something so simple, and amazing at the same time. No layered counterpoints, no 10000 notes being shred, nothing. Just, pure and simple music...



- You could actually hear a whale-kind of sound. It's really amazing.-

This incredible band was formed in 1987, by two guys, who were in their early twenties: Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley. Soon afterwards, in 1989 they got their first record deal. And in 1990, they publish their first album called "Facelift".

That was my first Alice in Chains album, but I purchased it on year 2005. The song that caught me was the first one, called "We Die Young". The whole album was a mix between anger, sorrow, loneliness, and despair, being manifested through Layne Staley's voice, and through Jerry Cantrell's heavy and loud guitar sounds. At the time, I used to carry a CD player everywhere, and this album, together with Radiohead's O.K. computer, were a must in my CD Pack.

I was really like "Fuck, this is amazing. You're depressed, and angry, and this is how it sounds like!". And it was, most of Alice in Chain's song deal with depression and loneliness. Watch their MTV Unplugged, and you'll know what I mean.



- This is a take from their song "Brother" from that performance -

I know this music have done a lot for thousands of young angry/depressed people around the world, like me.

- In memory of Layne, who passed away in 2002 -