Props for being the only reviewer to give the studio version of this a "first" listen to. Many miss out on that powerful fret work at the end of the song that is missing in the live version.

@marilynk30

3 жыл бұрын

But now he must do the MTV Unplugged version!

@sethjones6102

3 жыл бұрын

I thought Frogs off MTV Unplugged was the best song on that show but yes Nutshell was great too. AIC is such a diverse band.

@crucialfyah

3 жыл бұрын

I’ve said the same thing so many times. The studio version is so much better

This whole album was huge..... I lived in a house with several other people and AIC, Nirvana and Pearl Jam were playing constantly on someone's boombox...... takes me back. I couldn't listen to this music for a long time because it was so painful to have those memories come at me..... I always wish I could have helped Layne, Kurt, Shannon Hoon.. maybe narcisistic to wish I could have helped them, but they filled the air constantly and felt like family. They were always there with me and my friends.

@meghanmonroe

3 жыл бұрын

I get it.

What made it so impactful for me then, and now, still, is the pain in Layne’s voice. You absolutely can tell it comes from a very real place.

@joehynes5452

3 жыл бұрын

25yrs later, still gives me goosebumps with every listen

Layne's heart pouring out from the deepest darkest corners of his struggle with addiction. Very emotional testimony. One of the all time great voices in rock RIP LS

I don't know how other's perceived it,...but I absolutely love it!! The whole album was spectacular...short but sweet.

@joehynes5452

3 жыл бұрын

Jar of Flies is a masterpiece, even if it's just an EP

Alice in Chains is a mood. ❤❤

Some bands, a song isn't enough. You need to put in the album and sit back with your "buddies". Let it ride

I Stay Away by Alice in Chains is great. The whole Jar of Flies album is mellow yello smooth. The Dirt album will rock your socks off. But my favorite song by them is off the 1st album, and it's called Bleed the Freak, and it's beautiful imo

@rachel.en3101

3 жыл бұрын

You just named 2 of my absolute favorite songs by AIC. Got Me Wrong is my other favorite. 🤘🖤

This song is deep and you need to do the performance of this song at their Unolugged show. It’ll truly show how talented Layne Staley truly is. RIP Layne.

@danabomb100

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed! And if it doesnt bring tears to your eyes-you’re not human.

You will love this album, “Jar of Flies”, the whole album has this vibe, only 6 songs. Also check out their MTV Unplugged appearance, it’s an amazing concert.

@chrislair6832

3 жыл бұрын

Monster of an album!

@chrislair6832

3 жыл бұрын

Dude you're so lucky you got to see them. If I could go back to see one band that I didn't get to during my lifetime this would be the show 100%

@brettg274

3 жыл бұрын

@@chrislair6832 Only have seen them after Layne died, unfortunately, twice. Still a great show, but not the same.

@chrislair6832

3 жыл бұрын

@@brettg274 See I almost asked that question exactly but I'm not gonna lie that album they came out with posthumously I really enjoyed what little bit I had heard of it

One of my all time favorite songs.

The whole ep "jar of flies" Is the night chill driving all night ear candy. A masterpiece. The clear chill vibe is best listened to from the EP,, NOT the live unplugged concert

@Humblemumble7

3 жыл бұрын

Bro... Nutshell Unplugged *IS* a fucking masterpiece!!

@tomgnyc

3 жыл бұрын

What DogSi said.

@Humblemumble7

3 жыл бұрын

I will have to double down and disagree with your edit bro. The Unplugged is best, just in general. Layne, in the state he was in, should not have been able to get out of bed much less perform. And I cant use the correct words but in spite of all of that tragedy, he delivered one of the most soulful vocals that has ever been made! And it just happened to be LIVE?! So yeah bro, respectfully I must disagree

I was lucky enough to find AiC real early, at their first release, so I followed their career in real-time. Their first two discs were big, loud, often ugly and angry, always powerful. These guys had a raw edge to their sound and vibe that energized the experience. They got big fast and that was hard on them. when they came home from a few long years on the road they were literally homeless - they had been away too long and lost their apartments and whatnot, so they kind of moved in to the studio. They made most of Jar of Flies in a very emotional state, kind of not planning to release it, but it was so good, so beautiful, so open and honest, that I think it would have been a crime to keep it under wraps. Nutshell is (to me, anyway) a suicide letter, or maybe a first draft of one. No Excuses is a love letter to the band - "...and if we change then I love you anyway." Rotten Apple is all heartbreak and raw pain. I Stay Away is about suspicion and loss of trust. Don't follow is about being lost and alone. All of these are my interpretations, maybe not what AiC intended. Jar of Flies is gorgeous an raw and painful and haunting and it helps to know where they were in their lives when you listen to it. All time top-10/desert-Island record. Keep up the good work sir!

You need to watch the Alice In Chains MTV unplugged concert …Down In A Hole is the greatest song and the acoustic guitar playing is unreal. It sounds spectacular.

I get chills every single time I hear Layne sing. I got even more chills watching you hear him for the first time. He was truly a GOAT. The saddest I’ve ever been to lose a musician. Rest in Paradise Layne Thomas Staley. 🖤💔

I was going through dark times when this song came out, and it helped get me through a lot. It's still one of my all-time favorites, and I definitely prefer the studio version over the live performance. The live performance rings true for people because it was so close to the lead singer's suicide, but you can't beat that haunting sound that's reminiscent of a beautifully electrified whale song. You don't hear that everyday -- this one is special. RIP Layne

@ericbeech2652

3 жыл бұрын

Me too brother

I stay away. It's another masterpiece from this record.

Alice in Chains 'Rooster' is a song about a dude coming home from Vietnam. Shit'll have you in tears.

Should do the live MTV unplugged version. The whole performance was amazing.

Oh I wished you had The MTV Unplugged performance up here. The studio version is def better imho esp with Cantrells guitar tone but that Unplugged performance was one of the last times they were onstage together before Layne died yrs later. It's so haunting to watch but Layne's presence onstage during this song gives you goosebumps every time. Check it out sometime. RIP Layne

Now that you have listened to the studio version, Please do the MTV unplugged version. That's the only way you can feel the impact of this song. Listen to clarity of his voice in this version, then watch the live version and it will crush you! Layne Staley had reached his end. Everything about him had changed. His appearance, his voice, everything. We were watching him die. The sadness was overwhelming. One of the best voices ever. Please James, check the live out and you will feel all of the sadness. Alice in Chains was amazing. When I first heard this song, I loved it. And now I love it even more. And to know that he died alone, is crushing. Thank you for diving into the Alice in Chains rabbit hole.

I know this is the studio version and this is how it's supposed to sound, but the unplugged version imo is way better at showing laynes vocals, and watching him sing it is more personal. So my point is if I had the option to listen to the studio version or the MTV unplugged version I'd pick the MTV one. Either way good reaction James!!

I lost my son last November. This song hits home

@rachel.en3101

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry for your loss. 🖤

@belindadavies8683

3 жыл бұрын

I totally understand your loss, my son died last year of a drugs overdose.

@christina9841

3 жыл бұрын

I'm so sorry for your loss..

Dude Layne's voice was so iconic....still gives me chills to this day.

Southern Cross with lyrics - Crosby, Stills, and Nash

You're question of how this was perceived back when it was released is a great and interesting question. I was in high school when this came out, so i didn't know or understand the message of the song, all i knew was it sounded great. It wasn't until much later in my life that meaning and music merged together, and it's changed me ever since.

Dude I haven't heard the song in a while damn that takes me back. I'm glad you covered this song popped up on the feed and I hadn't seen you in a while maybe our music and went a little separate for a bit

My first time really digging on this song was many years later, and it's the MTV Unplugged recording done just before the singer Layne Staley died of a heroin overdose. I relate it very heavily to my failed marriage, as well as our failed reconciliation, and it makes me cry nearly every time I listen to it. Probably TMI, but you asked.

@MaudeWhite-yc6ji

2 ай бұрын

StAnd strong 💪 better days comin... miracles R everywhere ✨️

The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was doing other drugs on top of Heroin). His liver was damaged and he knew it. He was just high enough to do the show to deal with the withdrawal symptoms and so he didn't get dope sick. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to the path Layne had chosen for his life. That show was filmed in April 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a 6-year-long slow suicide. On Unplugged, Scott Olson was the second guitarist. He was there to boost the guitar sound on the stage. Layne was better Live than the studio version. LOVE HATE LOVE live at the Moore in December 1990 is UNTOUCHABLE PERFECTION performed live by a rock band. Other rock bands should strive to have a live performance that perfect. Layne Staley's vocal range can run rings around any other grunge singer in my opinion. Layne could sing the phone book and never hit a wrong note. Even at the end of his life, with no teeth and a lisp, his voice, wit and humor were all still there. Layne's voice and vocal range were so powerful he did NOT need auto tune or pro-tools until he lost his teeth and had a lisp around 1998, and even then he still killed the vocals. (He started losing his teeth in 1995 due to grinding) Barrett Martin (who played with Layne in Mad Season) said that when he stood to the side of the stage, he could hear the sound of Layne's vocal resonance come out of Layne's body LOUDER than it did coming out of the speakers, Layne's voice was that powerful. I'm in the camp of No Layne/No Chains, because no matter which singer you put up there to sing those songs, it'll only be a cover. Layne had a unique voice you cannot replicate or replace. A lot of those songs were great because Layne pretty much wrung his entire soul out singing them, others were personal to Layne and to have someone else sing those, the songs lose their meaning because the new guy didn't go through the ordeals those songs are inspired by. William DuVall singing THEM BONES on the 2006 reunion tsunami gig.... William DOES NOT have the power in his voice that Layne had especially for that song. Maynard James Keenan could get remotely close to Layne's vocal range for that song (and many others). And Maynard would have the reverence for Layne's memory, he was friends with Layne, he KNEW Layne, had a history with Layne, and saw what Layne went through from Lollapalooza 93 until Layne became a recluse. Besides, Maynard already had 3 bands going on, why not join a fourth band? He had tried rehab 13 times, but he could never completely give it up. He tried quitting cold turkey on two of the last attempts at rehab, but neither one worked either. Mad Season is made up of Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, and John Baker Saunders and they all went through rehab. They all got together and dragged Layne out of his condo, got him excited about doing ABOVE album, thinking if he was creative he wouldn't want the drugs, and for the length of time it took to do that, Layne was excited about the project, but it didn't curb his drug habit. Layne wrote the lyrics to the songs he sang on the ABOVE album (minus the John Lennon cover song I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier) and he drew the cover art for the album. NUTSHELL was about how magazines like FOR EXAMPLE Rolling Stone only reported on Layne's addiction as if that were the only thing that defined the band as well as Layne's depression. Rolling Stone magazine has some unknown thing to do with the Hall of Fame, and after what Rolling Stone did to Layne and the band in the 1996 The Needle and the Damage Done article ("Oh no, it will be about the music" "Oh yeah, the band's picture will be on the cover" turns out it was only Layne on the cover and the article focused on Layne's addiction -- which Layne DID NOT want to happen -- and everything going wrong internally with the band.) that pissed off AIC management and the entire band to the point they threatened to kick the writer, Jon Weiderhorn's ass over it. I don't see Rolling Stone chomping at the bit to vote AIC into the Hall of Fame. Although if they do finally get in with William as the singer and NOT Layne. I'm going to be pissed. As far back as late 1992, Rolling Stone has personally had a bone to pick with Layne Staley, even though I can name a dozen bands who wrote about drugs in their lyrics that Rolling Stone never cared to target before or after Layne came along. Layne’s mentioned Rolling Stone hounding him in passing to Riki Rachtman during the New Orleans episode of Headbanger’s Ball in late 1992 when Layne and Mike Starr tour New Orleans and a Voodoo museum with Riki back then. There were other magazines and "reporters" BEFORE 1996 that hounded Layne over his drug addiction. Rolling Stone wasn't the only rag mag to do it. Spin Magazine and many other tabloid music mags only wanted to focus on Layne's addiction. It's why they stopped doing interviews for the longest time, and after the 1996 Rolling Stone interview, they closed ranks and as far as I know, while Layne was alive they never granted another interview. They DID do Rockline in 1998 (Layne called in while Jerry was promoting his Boggy Depot solo album) and 1999 (when the band was promoting Nothing Safe and the Music Bank box set). But for the most part, they closed ranks around each other. MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike, and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike, and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Even though the music industry would like to have written him out of history, Layne DID exist. He was on this earth for 34 years. In that time he wrote songs that gave a normal person insight into the mind and journey of an addict. The pain and depression he endured to write the most brutally honest lyrics a musician could write concerning his feelings on his own addiction, his depression, and the tumultuous relationship with his former fiancee Demri. The emotional and physical strength he had to perform those songs live when all he wanted to do was curl away and lose himself in the drug haze I can’t imagine what it was like for him. He was hounded by the press about his addiction. He was ridiculed for his addiction. The music industry blackballed him for his addiction. The Grammys forgot about him when he died. As far as MTV and music rag mags like Rolling Stone were concerned he’s just another addicted singer. They don’t want to acknowledge his contributions to music. Layne Staley WASN'T just some rock star junkie. HE DESERVED BETTER than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote about drugs, his addiction, what he was feeling and what he was going through with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press. I remember a show in London on February 26, 1993 where a reporter who was based in London wrote about a concert they did in another part of Europe and got Mike Inez confused with Mike Starr. Layne got on the microphone between them finishing HATE TO FEEL and beginning ANGRY CHAIR and said, "I want to say um, I want to say hello to the guy who wrote the review on the show a few weeks back. You’re in London - an enemy. I want to introduce our bass player, MIKE INEZ, not Mike Starr, you fucking idiot! Fuck that prick! Fuck the press! We’re not playing for the fucking press, all right?” "Layne was just an incomparable talent. He was like a fucking myna bird. Any accent or sound or voice, he could just immediately repeat it. He just had a gift. And I’d like to think that I have a bit of a gift myself. One of the funniest descriptions I’ve ever heard, and I don’t know that it’s true, but it just sounds fucking great, was we sound like “the satanic Everly Brothers.” Together we were kind of a two-headed monster. It added a lot of depth to the material the way we worked together." -- Jerry Cantrell (Noisey, June 7, 2018) My Top 20 AIC songs... Love Hate Love (Live at the Moore, December 1990...Layne Staley in his prime and is UNTOUCHABLE PERFECTION performed live by a rock band. All other rock bands should strive to have a live performance this perfect), Man in the Box (Live at Weedsport, NY 1991 - the Layne’s Pissed Version...though the original version may be better to react to, because Weedsport was during Clash of the Titans tour where Slayer fans were giving the band crap and Layne got pissed and changed the lyrics), Bleed the Freak (Live at the Moore, December 1990), It Ain’t Like That (if you need a video use Singles Pro Shot video), Queen of the Rodeo (Live in Dallas, TX 1990), Real Thing (Live ANYWHERE), Them Bones, God Smack (Live at Hollywood Rock, 1993), Grind, Again, No Excuses, Brush Away, Frogs, Sludge Factory (During MTV Unplugged 1996, Layne screwed up the 2nd verse like 8 times, though the show only included one of those times), What the Hell Have I, God Am, Got Me Wrong, Swing On This, Social Parasite, We Die Young

I Love me some AIC, this was a huge hit. You should watch the unplugged version on MTV, combination of fire and sadness to us Layne Staley fans. RIP Layne you are missed by so many.

Once, I sang a song that turned me inside out I got thru by faith, I had no doubt Someday, I'll say the words that turn it all over The heat will be turned up 'til I froze 'er

*This album will rewrite your molecular code structure and transform your mind essence into static-purple universe juice* Nutshell is from the album called *"Jar of Flies"* .... if you listen to Jar of Flies IT WILL CHANGE YOU

This EP is Gold. Should check this out from there MTV UNPLUGGED session. The whole session is bone chilling. ✌❤🤘

Don't follow is a major tear jerker and a must listen..great reaction!!

Rain when I die is one of thier best.

You picked such a good song. I dont know who told you to listen to this but you should just keep listening to them!

The MTV Unplugged performance is unreal. 👌🏼

This song was never released as a hit but anyone who listened to the EP, it was an instant favorite. For me, this song was my mantra & companion on my journey towards my bottom and carried me to my mental break and spiritual awakening. At the time of this album's release I was 26 years old and deeply depressed, agoraphobic and living a miserable life. I NEVER listening to song lyrics, it was all about how the song felt. I had no idea what this song was about or what it was saying but it spoke to me so deeply and I couldn't stop listening to it. I started going to an Ecstatic Dance every Friday night where I experienced joy and freedom in a way I had never experienced and was in HUGE contrast to the rest of my life which was awful. EVERY TIME I left Ecstatic Dance and drove home to my miserable life I would listen to this song over and over the entire ride. This went on for 6 months. I didn't know it at the time but this song was my heart screaming out saying that I cannot continue living the way I was living. "If I can't be my own, I'd feel better dead." Over and over and over. And then I broke and the healing began. And this song carried me there. This song was the tears I had not yet learned how to cry. Nutshell will always be held in a special place in my heart. Thank you for reacting to this song and recognizing its greatness. Layne never escaped his darkness, fortunately I did.

RIP Layne Staley🔥🤘💜 So much talent in that beautiful voice🔥🤘💜

This is what it looked like to me as a teenager but now through a few decades of experience. Radio and TV was different then. The MTV Unplugged album became a hit very quickly and they broke through on rock radio, alternative stations weren't really a thing yet until the year this hit, so rock was striated between oldies/classic rock/hard rock/Alternative/and college radio, and that allowed smaller artists to come through and gain fame, so there were a lot of rock one hitters in the 90s as well as bands like this.

Cant pack more emotion into a song than this. Absolutely unreal.

I want this song played at my funeral 👍

You need to watch the MTV unplugged version of this. It's haunting but Lanes emotion and that bass comes through on another level and hits your soul. He left us to way to soon.

This was sudo underground when it came out. It was/is deep. Was the difference between the surface rockers and us who wanted that good deep poetry and instrumental skill. AIC delivered on so many songs. When the album dropped it was amazing and to this day metaphorically still bring meaning to my every day life. This rock is the most timeless to me. Beautiful and dark stuff. And that’s life….

You have to watch the MTV unplugged version of this! He is amazing! RIP

You should DEFINITELY do more Alice In Chains.

Man, if your hat is legit regarding your child it’s beyond dope af. As a father myself you have my full respect, beautiful

Jar of Flies is pure gold... a masterpiece among masterpieces. SO much insight and depth, feelings and exposure....

@Unclesmokey314

3 жыл бұрын

also when this came out, there was a shit ton of shrooms and nitrous oxide about. So if ya know how they feel, you know how I convey this album.

Rooster

Great questions, but first let me also compliment you on your choice of the studio original fro Jar of Flies. A lot of bad advice is given out in any AIC comments section where people want new listeners to start with unplugged versions of everything. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Anyways, I lived in Seattle so I'd guess they were more popular where I was than in most other places. They were pretty big by the time they released Jar of Flies though. This song, I Stay Away, and No Excuses were heavily played on the radio. For some reason I don't remember Rotten Apple, my favorite song on the disk and probably a top five AIC song, being played much on the radio.

Alice in chains, down in a hole, dirt, frogs, junkhead

The story behind this record was that in late 1993, Alice In Chains came off the road & discovered that they were homeless cos their rents apparently weren't paid while they were away... So while their management worked to set them up w/ places to live, they got a studio space to live and jam in. They had a new bass player Mike Inez, so they opted to jam acoustically and write songs... that's how the 'Jar of Flies' EP came about recorded in 7 days. It became Alice In Chains' first #1 record in early 1994 and sold 3 million copies. However, lead singer Layne Staley was in bad shape from his addictions, and a summer tour that year opening for Metallica was cancelled. When AIC played their 'MTV Unplugged' set in late 1995, they opened the show w/ 'Nutshell'...

my fav band ❤️

My favorite band and song of theirs of all time 💕

Alice.in Chains part of my.early.20s RIP layne and Mike Starr🧡💛 edit you.get music..its a wonderful.feeling😍😎I'm the early 90s I chilled with mates smoking dope to this it was great

you should hear their unplugged album. them and nirvana both unplugged albums change lives.

RIP Layne.....

Just to put that out there, that wasn’t a backup singer. It was him

The first time I heard this album I was on a road trip with my friends and we just sat there and listened to the whole album quietly. It's been in my regular rotation ever since. And the unplugged version adds another dimension, it's like a different experience.

Should of reacted to the actual MTV unplugged video

Love me some alice in chains loved them since discoverering them in early nineties when they made an appearance on some film track or other I forget I think the song could have been 'would'

Loved it the first time that I heard it but it always made me sad. Amazing band. Saw them at the Aragon in Chicago many years ago. I recommend you watch the live version of Love Hate Love to get a better idea of Layne's incredible range.

Jar Of Flies was the first ever EP to hit number 1 in the USA. The next would be Jayz & Linkin Park with Collision Course.

This man has done 9 videos in 4 hours

Beautiful, introspective song from Layne Thomas Staley. His pain..... You MUST listen to "RIVER OF DECEIT". His side project with Mad Season. Almost hurts to listen considering what happened to him. RIP, you're still missed Maybe.🕊

@sassymessmess9110

3 жыл бұрын

Layne is still missed. Can't find the edit button!

Everything they did was a hit, next Rooster .

Headphones with a candle lit.

Everytime I listen to this song it like brings back memories that I don't like remember if that makes any sense

He had a severe drug habit, which killed him. Rolling Stone supposed to do cover story on the band. Lied. Out him on cover with the heading, The Needle and the Damage done. He was in a store when he saw it. Hurt him. Think about it? "Misprinted Lies"

My favorite song by them

HAHAHA love the song! But if I’m at a beach and I hear “if I can’t be my own I’d feel better dead” I’m leaving the beach 😂

Check out Down In A Hole and I Stay Away...also as many have mentioned...check out the MTV Unplugged version of Nutshell...it's haunting

I feel you.on the beach by a fire at sunset.

Check out the MTV unplugged version of this song

✌🎸🤘🙏. This is my #2 band!😁

I've got a challenge for you. Listen to clowncore. It's nothing like anything else you've heard. But you'll love it. I don't want to give away too much, because it should be a surprise. But I'll say this. You'll enjoy how good it is musically, and be floored about over how bizarre it is.

Its a journey

If this one hit you, try River Of Deceit by Mad Season. Same singer & vibe.

@roxannemoser

3 жыл бұрын

One of my absolute favorites!

@bradcampbell7377

3 жыл бұрын

Yup it's still the lead singer of AIC Layne Staley pouring his heart out in another band Mad season.

It hit me like it hit you.

Check out Across the Universe by The Beatles!

Is it time for Otis at the Monterey

Rain when I Die as Loud as yourRadio is in your 4x4 at night in the woods of the WA by the river , you found Us Welcome

I clicked soooooo fast!

AiC is the grunge GOAT! Better than Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc....even when Layne passed, with their new singer, they still didn't miss a beat. Jerry Cantrell is a genius. Check out Again from their self titled released.

Please please please pleeeeeeease react to Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) live version of Big Love!!!!

You know, it's weird. I normally avoid channels when I see a thumbnail like that, it doesn't reflect how thoughtful you are. It's like you're advertising junk but selling gold.

Greeting Sir! Today, I'd like to request a brand new song entitled "Here Comes The Storm", from the French Canadian Black Metal project named "Obscurcis Romancia". Thx and have a good one!!

i see rome react to aic and i thumbs it up

Str8 dOpe... takes U 2 places that no longer exist ...

Mtv unplugged version is far better.