I'm open minded enough to listen to the new music. Just wish they'd have done it under a new name. And Jerry didn't become the driving force until Layne's drug use began to take him over. Their first two albums were mostly written by Staley.

Staley may have been a co-lyricist but Jerry Cantrell has always been the primary songwriter for Alice in Chains.

Ya, I was talking about lyrics. Hey, my opinion doesn't mean squat. FTR, I think that Townsend and Daltrey touring as The Who is totally bogus too.

Well it is what it is, opinions are all always subjective concerning music. I personally think you are 98 percent accurate with your opinions most of the time. I sure as hell don't claim to know everything there is to know about music. I'm always willing to learn something new from other members.

Man, Just Pete Townshend alone is like seeing God in person. He also is the main songwriter for the Who. And a long with Keith Richards, one of the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time in my opinion.
But I can understand where you're coming from, without Keith Moon on drums and Entwistle on bass its not quite the same band it was back in the day.

I probably have a different view because I'm young/not an "original" AiC fan.

AIC are one of my favourite bands, if not my favourite.

This is my favourite song from them:




Obviously they'll never be the same after Lane got worse from drug addiction and died, but both albums produced in the 2000's are solid, specially Black Gives Way To Blue

Was just listening to Alice in Chains earlier today ....love the first 3 full length releases but Alice w/o Layne Staley is a man with one leg. It just ain't cutting it.

Well maybe the sleeping Layne could lend them one.

Really wish that was possible. Really miss the hallowing depths of despair that Staley voice brought to AIC sound. Tried getting Into the newer stuff but It just isn't the same for me.

Same here. Jerry wrote most of the songs, but it was Staley's haunting vocals that made AIC for me. With the newer stuff, it feels too much like Jerry's solo albums (slow and draggy) and I haven't been able to get into it. At other times it feels like the material is mostly Jerry's efforts, and that comes through in the tension of the work. It's almost as if Jerry is not comfortable enough to let DuVall have more influence, and you can feel it in the music.