Alice in Chains

Communist China

I created this topic for a few reasons. First, because I really like AIC and I know a lot of other posters do too. Also, to have a place to debate and argue over the new (sometimes called 'fake') AIC touring and recording a new album.

And thirdly, I've been looking at the AIC Music Bank Box Set. It has quite a few rarities on there, although I already have just about every album song that would be 1/2 to 2/3 of it. I'm just wondering if anyone here has it or knows if it's worth the 30 dollars.

As far as general AIC goes, my order of favorites is pretty stereotypical: Jar of Flies, Dirt, Sap, and then the self-titled and Facelift tie since I haven't given Facelift enough spins.

I wish the new line-up would just call it AIC version 2 or something like that. I wish the same for BM as well, but I've accepted their justifications. I don't know how much faith I have in a new AIC album. Can Cantrell really write AIC songs anymore? Or will it be like his solo stuff with more vocal harmonies?

Gunslinger

Music Bank is great, I own it. Besides the previously unreleased stuff you also have some different recordings of classic AIC songs. The main ones that come to mind are Bleed the Freak/Killing Yourself/Sea of Sorrow/Rooster and Junkhead. The demo of Rooster is actually better than the version that made Dirt in my opinion. There's also a couple of remixes. It comes with a nicely done color booklet that tells a little background about each track on the three discs and also a fourth disc that includes a cd rom game called "The Journey" the video for Get Born Again and Jar of Flies (cd-extra multimedia). Strange thing is I've never got around to checking out the bonus disc so I can't say if it's good or not.

For thirty bucks I'd buy it again but I'm huge Chains fan. For others who are more of an occassional listener then you're basically paying 30 bucks for a disc worth of unreleased tracks, demos and a couple of remixes. The bonuses being the booklet and the fourth disc. Still not bad.

My order of favorites would be: Dirt/Facelift/Sap/Jar of Flies/Tripod (nickname for the self titled album with the pic of the three legged dog) and Unplugged.

I hate the idea they are going with Alice in Chains personally. Layne added something very special to that group that can't be replicated. I would prefer the "Jerry Cantrell Project" or "The Chains"...something like that.

I have many unreleased demos and live stuff by AIC, some that are amazing and even better than the stuff that made it to the live album release and Music Bank. I've been wrapped up in some things going on at the homefront the past couple of weeks but I'll try my best to upload some good Chains for anyone who would like it in the near future.

polluxlm

Was a huge fan a couple of years ago. Probably need to get this.

Early 90s spawned some interesting stuff.

metallex78

I love Alice in Chains. Haven't listened to them in a while, but they were up there with GN'R and Metallica as my all time favourite bands.

Jerry wrote most of the songs in AIC anyway, and his last solo album Degradation Trip had stuff on there easily on par with the best AIC stuff in my opinion. So I have no doubt they'll come up with the goods again. But without Layne in there, it definitely won't be the same.

Gunslinger

I'm putting some stuff up under my boots thread right now and will try and have a good collection for you guys uploaded a little at a time.

metallex78

Oh, and I'd recommend getting Music Bank, it's a very cool collection.

James

Awesome band. Got to see them live right when Man in the Box was released. They were an opening band, and I really wish I had went to see them again later on when their discography got bigger. I think this plays a role in Facelift being my favorite album from them. I got to see them perform the whole record before they hit big.

While not a hit, We Die Young could have been their Jungle because it was anthem worthy for the confused and jaded youth of that early 90's era. Instead, MTV decided for the masses that Smells Like Teen Spirit would be the anthem.

Neemo

I was just listening to Jerry's second album Degredation Trip

its really awesome, and the album is dedicated to Staley so i think he went back to a bit of an AIC vibe on it

The album features Mike Bordin (FNM, Ozzy) drums and Rob Trujillo (Metallica, Suicidal Tendancies) on Bass

Communist China

Thanks for the input guys, I went ahead and ordered a copy of Music Bank. Should show up in a week or so.

James makes a good point about Nirvana being picked by MTV to represent grunge, and not AIC. But right now, yea there's some bands with Nirvana influences, but there are tons with a heavy AIC kind of sound. Although sadly they are usually not very good.

Gunslinger

For you guys that like Sap, I put up a couple of rare demos of Brother and Got Me Wrong in my boots thread.

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