Once upon a time, the letter M in MTV used to stand for Music. They even had this series of unplugged concerts, some performances of which turned out to be so stellar that people still talk about them 30 years later – and most of us only saw those concerts on TV! One of the most iconic performances was recorded in April 1996 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Majestic Theatre for the MTV Unplugged television series to be released a few months later, on July 30th, 1996, as a live album as well – and the band in question was ALICE IN CHAINS. Ironically, Rolling Stone magazine did not really appreciate these acoustic renditions at the time, claiming that the cathartic nature of such iconic grunge songs would have been better conveyed with the amps cranked up to 11. Fans strongly disagreed – and the test of time has proved them right. While the band’s performance was not exactly flawless due to various reasons, it was emotionally so powerful that ALICE IN CHAINS’ contribution to this whole thing has quite unequivocally been dubbed the absolute peak of the series, with NIRVANA ranking close second. Some fans even went as far as to claim that some of the acoustic renditions of those early ALICE IN CHAINS songs sounded slightly better than the studio versions – “No Excuses,” “Sludge Factory,” and “Down in a Hole,” in particular. Well, it’s true that even in their stripped-down form, the songs hold up quite brilliantly, largely thanks to Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell dropping those haunting vocal harmonies front and center. What makes this performance even more haunting now is knowing what the band went through at the time.
This live recording was the first ALICE IN CHAINS concert since late 1993 (or early 1994, depending on your source). In the interim, Staley‘s heroin addiction had taken a turn for the worse: the band had to turn down a slot at the Woodstock 94 festival, and the chance to open for METALLICA on their Shit Hits the Sheds US Tour because of his predicament, which eventually led this Seattle bunch to temporarily disband. With Staley having gone into hermit mode, the tabloid press had a field day, proclaiming he was either dead, had developed gangrene, or even had contracted HIV. Even though these rumors were drastically exaggerated, one thing seemed pretty clear: ALICE IN CHAINS was done for. What made things even more messed up was the fact that their eponymous 1995 studio album entered the US Billboard Chart at number 1: the band had a number one album up their sleeve, but no way of promoting it by touring. Then, MTV came to the rescue…
ALICE IN CHAINS had been offered a slot at the MTV Unplugged series more than once during the mid-1990s. Legend has it that Cantrell had not been exactly convinced that acoustic renditions of their metal-tinged grunge songs would work. In retrospect, it sounds a bit strange, given that the band had released quite a few acoustic songs already. Anyway, the band had categorically turned down these offers – until now: with no other way to promote their latest album, performing unplugged for MTV seemed like the best option. So, all things considered, it was a small miracle that this concert actually happened. Lucky for us, it did.
The tracklist on this live record is pure fire all the way through. “Nutshell” from the band’s acoustic “Jar of Flies” EP (1993) sets things in motion on a somewhat melancholic footing. Compared to the studio version, this live rendition is a bit slower, but somehow charged with more poignant emotions that it certainly chills the spine. Even without the video footage, there is something utterly mesmerizing in this opener. In fact, I would rather listen to this live album than watch the original MTV Unplugged footage; as one YouTube comment nailed it, it’s like watching a man sing at his own funeral. It is a bit too heartbreaking, to be honest. That said, whichever format you prefer, the opener grabs you by the throat right from the get-go, and what follows does not loosen its grip.
“Brother” from the band’s 1992 EP “Sap” is yet another song on this album that works slightly better than the original studio version, in my books at least. Once again, the tempo is a tad slower, but the performance is so charged with emotion that I choose this version over the original anytime. Then again, I’m a sucker for music that treads neck-deep in dark waters – and these first two songs on this album resonate with an extremely poignant, dark aura. Next up, “No Excuses” is a bit lighter piece – I mean, if you can say that about any AIC song, really. At least it picks up the tempo a bit, and judging by the way the band fools around for a bit with the iconic riff from METALLICA‘s “Enter Sandman” in the end, the members of ALICE IN CHAINS seem to have been in a rather jovial mood. Given the circumstances, it was another small miracle.
The thing is, Staley was high as a kite on heroin during this performance, and Cantrell had food poisoning from a bad hot dog (he actually played with a bucket placed right beside him). If you listen really hard, you can spot some minor fuck-ups in the chorus of “Heaven Beside You” as Staley and Cantrell mess up the lyrics a bit. On the other hand, I believe this song, along with “Over Now” and “Killer Is Me,” was performed live for the first time here. Overall, this haunting 13-song concert has achieved a legendary status, even with such small blemishes. The band’s discography is basically comprised of pretty gloomy stuff – and these acoustic renditions crank the darkness up a good notch. So, even though some of these acoustic versions may lack the power of distortion, just as Cantrell feared, they certainly make up for it in emotion – the darker sort, especially. Even the song “Rooster,” from 1992’s “Dirt,” sounds remarkably darker in this slowed-down, acoustic form. When Staley howls, “Oh, God! Please, won’t you help me make it through!” it chills the blood.
Quite frankly, it’s pointless to single out any highlights of this album. ALICE IN CHAINS’ “Unplugged” is a live recording that everyone should listen to at least once in their life. If you feel brave enough, you might even go for the MTV Unplugged video footage. I think it’s available on DVD or something, but a disclaimer may be in order: it’s a heartbreaking watch, really. This live album will take you on an unmatched emotional journey just as well.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Nutshell
- Brother
- No Excuses
- Sludge Factory
- Down In A Hole
- Angry Chair
- Rooster
- Got Me Wrong
- Heaven Beside You
- Would?
- Frogs
- Over Now
- Killer Is Me
Lineup
Layne Staley – vocals, additional acoustic guitar on “Angry Chair”
Jerry Cantrell – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Mike Inez – acoustic bass
Sean Kinney – drums
Label
Columbia Records
