Layne Staley

Layne Staley

Grunge band Alice in Chains could have been another Nirvana, and maybe would have been if singer Layne Staley had taken his fatal shot of narcotics in the 90s instead of in 2002. As the frontman and co-lyricist of the band, Staley was noted for his distinctive vocal style, which bore some similarities to the half-screaming style of other contemporaries such as Eddie Vedder. Alice in Chains were the epitome of the 90s grunge scene, but Staley was constantly battling with depression. By the end of the 90s he had become a virtual recluse, isolating himself from his peers and habitually abusing drugs until he eventually overdosed. After remaining undiscovered for two weeks, Staley’s body was found in his home by police, a needle still in his arm. He had injected a fatal speedball of heroin and cocaine. We might wonder what else Alice in Chains could have produced if Staley had lived on…