Layne Staley

Alice in Chains

(Born: Kirkland, WA, on August 22, 1967; Died: 05 April, 2002)

Layne Staley, the lead singer of the pioneering grunge band Alice in Chains, was found dead on Friday at his home in Seattle. He was 34 years old. Alice in Chains was one of the first grunge bands to gain national attention. Beginning with its 1990 EP, “We Die Young,” the group sang bleak visions of death, addiction and despair, set to grinding minor-key guitar riffs. Most of the band’s material was written by its guitarist, Jerry Cantrell, though Mr. Staley wrote lyrics for many of its songs, including the band’s first hit, “Man in the Box,” with the chorus: “Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?/Jesus Christ, deny your maker.”