A Grueling Road to MTV Unplugged
In the autumn of 1995, Alice in Chains found themselves at a crossroads in their illustrious career. They had just released their final studio album featuring frontman Layne Staley, and yet, nearly half a year had passed without a single live performance to support the record. The band’s last outing had been an acoustic set for a benefit show back in early 1994. Ironically, their comeback would take the form of another acoustic performance, this time for MTV’s Unplugged program in the heart of New York City in April of 1996. Despite being asked repeatedly by MTV to record an Unplugged set, guitarist Jerry Cantrell initially hesitated, feeling that the format had been exhausted by other bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots. Nevertheless, the allure of Unplugged proved irresistible, presenting both a daunting challenge and an opportunity to showcase the band’s raw talent.
Alice in Chains had a prior history of acoustic performances, having released the SAP and Jar of Flies EPs. For the band, the prospect of playing live in an acoustic setting was a double-edged sword – simultaneously intimidating and a chance to lay bare the essence of their music. Cantrell reflected on the challenge in an interview with Kerrang, saying, “There’s no safety net, so your songs better be pretty good. Boiling it down reveals the heart of the song, without all the bells and whistles, and if it still hits in that environment, then you did good.”
Layne Staley’s appearance had undergone a dramatic transformation since the band’s last tour. Years of drug abuse had taken a visible toll on the frontman. He appeared alarmingly thin, with the color drained from his face. Staley took the stage wearing sunglasses to hide his sunken eyes, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and gloves to conceal the effects of his drug use. By this point, Staley had already lost several teeth due to his addiction, leading to a noticeable lisp during the performance. Despite agreeing to MTV’s offer, the question remained whether the performance would actually come to fruition. Drummer Sean Kinney recalled the tension, stating, “Up to the moment, it was just a nail-biter. Barely any rehearsing at all, guys not showing up – the same shit. Rolled out there and everything worked.”
Behind the Scenes of the Unplugged Triumph
Alex Coletti, a producer at MTV who had worked on the Unplugged series since its inception in 1989, believed that the band’s hiatus from touring actually worked in their favor. He explained that performing acoustically after playing in arenas and large venues night after night was challenging, but coming from a resting period allowed them to approach it like a focused rehearsal. The band rehearsed in Seattle before flying to New York, where they worked with producer Toby Wright, known for his work on the band’s last two releases, including the 1994 EP “Jar of Flies” and the self-titled album in 1995.
Coletti, reflecting on the experience, revealed a quirky detail: a last-minute request for lava lamps. However, these lava lamps were not at their full potential during the show, as they needed time to heat up and flow properly. This unintentional imperfection added a touch of grunge authenticity to the performance.
Randy Biro, the band’s stage manager and guitar and bass tech, also recalled a unique aspect of the event. Layne Staley brought his own drug supply, discreetly concealed in a glass pill bottle. Biro remarked, “He hadn’t done enough where he was nodding off and drooling.” The MTV Unplugged performance also marked the debut of a new song titled ‘The Killer Is Me.’ Despite Jerry Cantrell’s illness, the show went on. While it has been widely reported that Cantrell got food poisoning from a hotdog, he powered through the performance. He later explained, “As soon as it was over, I went back to feeling crappy again.”
The Legacy of an Iconic Performance
The MTV Unplugged performance by Alice in Chains is etched in rock history for several reasons. Not only did the band rise to the occasion, but they also navigated it with humor and camaraderie. The band playfully teased friends Metallica, who were in attendance, and even jammed on Metallica’s tracks, adding a layer of fun to the evening.
A memorable moment during the performance was the repeated restart of the song ‘Sludge Factory.’ Some speculated that Layne Staley, who had written the song as a critique of the band’s record label, might have been nervous about their label executives sitting in the front row. Coletti credited drummer Sean Kinney as the unsung hero of the performance, emphasizing the critical role of the drummer in an acoustic setting.
The MTV Unplugged album, released in July 1996, reached number three on the Billboard 200 charts and achieved platinum status. The VHS video release also went gold. Although initial reviews were mixed, Layne Staley’s tragic passing in 2002 seemed to garner greater appreciation for the performance. Jerry Cantrell reflected on the enduring legacy of the Unplugged album, saying, “People say it’s their favorite Alice In Chains record all the time – and that’s cool! While there are groups of folks who dig our heavier shit, there are those who prefer our more acoustic side.”
The MTV Unplugged performance remains a poignant testament to the strength of Alice in Chains’ music, showcasing that even when stripped down to its simplest form, their songs could still evoke powerful emotions. This historic event captured the essence of the band and has left an indelible mark on the world of rock music.
