Joe Studdard Layne breaks out some secret ninja vocals during the WDY part..."Watch where you Spit!!" and "Down, down..!!" parts of his delivery just about make me cry everytime.
I remember watching this air live. I always watched Letterman back then. When they said special guests Alice in Chains I was like Fuck Yeah! I know nobody gives a shit. Just a good memory.
Watched it as well. Everyone in Seattle made a point to. They were doing the same 2 tracks for all their guest appearances that year. Layne was really struggling on the road.....but did a pretty good job considering.
forget it about! used to stay up late to watch this mini live rock sets even thought had to wake up so early next day for work but with a big smile in my face-!! peace out bro!
We recorded this among many good rock/ alternative performances on a VHS tape. When I was young. It has a very special place in my memories and I hope this clip is never removed from the Internet
Ege Coskunsoy I got to talk with Layne one on one at a soundcheck in about 1989...maybe 1990 right before the Clash of the Titans tour...was very cool we sat at a booth in San Diego at around 3 PM and I just asked him how it was going...and what was coming up..(just as a person not an interview) he was very nice and I remember it was right before Valentines day because he was writing a card to someone...I talked to him with just myself and a good friend for about 10 minutes just as dudes...he was very excited to be about to go on tour with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax...just a neat little moment for me as a big fan of the band already and they'd not really gotten huge just yet.....he'd left his sun glasses when we were done talking...and I saw them sitting there...I had this weird moment of...should I keep them...but I am not that type of person...I went and gave them back to him...I didn't make a big deal about it...or anything...but during their show he handed me an ice cold beer which was kind of neat and greatly appreciated because it was hot and towards the end of their set...they opened for a little band called Mookie Blaylock...haha...who obviously ended up being Pearl Jam.
Ege Coskunsoy hey thanks...it's nice to be able to tell a story about Layne a lot of people might never here...the one thing that made an impact on me...was how he wanted to make sure to get the Valentine card filled out so he could send it off (my guess is through the club) but the second he was done...he came right over and just hung out with my friend and I...and it was just neat to speak with him like that/
Ege Coskunsoy i live in kansas city, and layne staley played his last show with alice in chains here. When he was on the airplane, on his way here he had an overdose on the plane and my dad was a paramedic at the time, my dad responded to the call, saved his life before that show. My dad said he was really nice and apologetic
Everyone says that he was amazingly nice and never said anything bad about anybody. Also heard he let poor fans backstage for free that couldn't afford his shows. It crushes me when people call him names like "junkie" or say he was useless for his addiction. Those same people buy his albums. They need to have a heart and some compassion. Very talented man who is no longer with us and should be
Lol no surprise there, I've seen just about every video with them in it on youtube. Never loved a band so much, and never really appreciated music as much before I started listening to them.
MIKE_ HAWK. The change started to occur un the 90s. Dearh Row brought the edge , Puff Daddy made hip hop records that girls could dance to while rock stars like Pearl Jam were playing benefits abd telling folks how to vote. Rock stars are supposed to be anti-establishment and not pro- anything. Rock lost its edge PERIOD
Yes...and I still wonder if theres ever gonna be a voice like his...He had a Diamond of a voice... no one even comes close of what He had.....Now that Duvall is out experimenting it's time to search for a cloned voice that "matches" Layne's
he's auto-tuned to shit. He didn't need it, obviously, but so many of the late shows had their vocal mics set up for that. The guy from Disturbed pitched a fit when he started singing and the auto-tune kicked in. He made them shut it down and they restarted the song haha
@@tylurmackinnon6217 Layne was far from sober during mad season. Everyone else in mad season was sober at the time .it started as a sober project for the fellas They where trying to get Layne sober but him and mark lanegan where way deep in heroin during that time.
Is Mike Inez wearing Layne’s coat from the Facelift era? RAD!!!! Staley with all the force & strength in his voice, even while being ill. Total legend & the best ever!
Always loved Letterman's show back in the day. He was the only host that had the hottest "alternative" acts perform. AIC, Rage Against The Machine, STP, White Zombie, Primus, Beastie Boys....There was no internet then so it was such a huge deal to stay up and catch them. Every other show like Jay Leno only had mainstream pop acts like Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Amy Grant, and that type of adult contemporary. Letterman made it a mission to showcase acts that catered to the youth of the 90s.
I knew the soundman, Larry Zin. His board was up in the front of the balcony. A real professional. Imagine having that job and working with those musicians during the afternoon set-ups for over 20 f*cking years. He's the man.
The way Layne waited for the host to look him in the eye before he release is hand shows a lot of what kind of man Layne was. Great people exists just a few.
I do believe it was the other way around. The near 50 year old Letterman wanted the respect for offering his platform, but oddly enough only one of them gave us anything that special; Layne.
Watched live with my pops.... he was 72 and was like, “is this another song”? It was a pretty cool memory. Amazing to hear the ‘we die young’ transition!
+Amir Omar I was just a baby (born 1993) and used to feel bumped for not being a teen or adult in that era, until last week, at pearl jam's gig, when my mom said I shouldn't, cause I dug AIC since back in her womb and as a baby she and my father would put headphones on me and I'd stay for hours listening to them. then as a child and so one to this very day. Of course now that she told me this I feel just a little bit better, but still wanted to be around late 20's, early 30's back in the 90's, but have to be glad that my parents played such influence on me instead of some shitty music we have around here (Rio)
Geesh. That was intense. So amazing. You know, there are front men of rock like Mick Jagger and David Lee Roth who run up and down the stage with a ton of pizzaz, but Layne stays there still with the same intensity and stage presence. He truly was special. So magnetic.
Agree. I can't take me eyes off him I know why, but I'm not sure why if that makes any sense. And I wonder if everyone else feels the same way....mainly the ppl that do NOT know Layne and AIC. It's that magnetic factor but can't put my finger on it exactly.
There has never been a rockstar that can hold a candle to Layne, his voice, and wit and charm and beauty was to heavenly to remain in this universe. I feel like the world let him down.
3:45 I don't know if it's just me but seeing his Layne's smile and how friendly and gentle he was as a person hurts my heart knowing what happened a few years later :(
It just shocks me how he can be so high and perform so well. Some people cant even stand and Layne just holds onto the mic(that's usually how you can tell hes high, that and the glasses) I love Layne. Hes a reminder to love and be kind as he was. You never know the demons we fight internally. I feel as if Layne gave his life to save so many others from addiction and suicide
@@tylurmackinnon6217 are you fucking serious right now? Waste of talent? Not even close. Layne could be strung out on heroin, sufféring the loss of Demri, thin as a rail and still belt out songs that no other person can even come close to. There was no waste of talent. He even said, had you paid any kind of attention, that he didnt do heroin (at this time in his life) to get high like people thought. He said he did it so he wouldnt throw up or shit himself, to keep from being sick. He also stated that he wanted it to be about the music and not his addiction, yet that is all most people just have to keep bringing it up at the mere mention of his name.
@@stacismith3577 uh, no, after 1993 he could no longer belt songs like he could. On their last self-titled album he sounded like shlt and broke up over it because layne was too difficult to work with and no longer delivered vocally without epic amounts of pro tools editing
.......I just sit in my dimly lit room and compulsively listen to this over and over and over and over on repeat with no end in sight..........every single time the transition between songs happens my eyes roll back into my skull..................I have no regrets....
That’s heavy. I was 32 when they did this and had my demons. I’ve tamed them but they’re still there. That said this performance and the whole 90s scene gets better the more I listen and see it
This is my favorite live AIC performance behind "Love, Hate, Love" at the Moore Theater. Layne's body may have looked weak, but his body didn't tell his voice. Powerful.
its probably due to the fact the video looks like it was converted from live broadcast to shitty vhs tape to shitty camcord recording of a shitty vhs tape reuploaded to youtube back when youtube was shitty itself. can barely hear shit in this lol
would some company please do the man a favor and honor his legacy as one of the greatest rockers of all time, and please redo all the live performances that exist for AIC...I would love to have a collection of these shows...Rest Easy Layne....
could not fucking agree more. He should be more recognized. I just don't understand and it makes so angry. His band was probably the best of the 90's and he probably was the best frontman back then too.
Very underrated and overlooked performance on letterman, absolutely love how letterman’s band is playing very much with the band aswell. That shift to “we die young” is outstanding! This is a great performance by staley in his last year of playing.
That was a stipulation for any artist or band who played on Letterman’s CBS show for those early years, Paul Shaffer & the band had to augment whoever played that night. I think the reason for that stip was tied to Letterman’s original NBC show in which Dave couldn’t do a monologue (at least in the very early years) and couldn’t have other accruements that Carson did at 11:30. Carson wanted Dave’s show to be different than Carson’s. Obviously, most of those stipulations were lifted after Dave’s show got off the ground. It’s pretty apparent to anybody that Paul Shaffer was well-respected by all musicians no matter the genre as Paul & the band could do practically anything musically-speaking. Also, nice solo by guitarist Sid McGinnis….McGinnis was an old session pro who famously played in Peter Gabriel’s live band in the late 70’s before David Rhodes joined the band.
The clean guitar power chord sound was a little too loud in the mix though, especially during "We Die Young" it sounds like they left it turned up after that guy played the fill.
They absolutely crushed it but man…layne was so out of it when it ended Letterman had to kind of yank him around so he didn’t just literally walk off. Poor thing. He was done.
At first Letterman gave a disrespectful no-look handshake, that’s why Layne started walking off. Letterman, after saying his outro, pulled Layne back to show respect.
I remember being saddened by Cobain's death but news of Staley's death still has me troubled. He was a major talent and a good guy. I miss him. Btw, we were from the same neighborhood but I moved downtown when I was 6. Never saw him again
I was in the audience that night. It was in San Francisco, so I didn't have to drive far from Mountain View to get there. I didn't know who Alice in Chains was before the show. The bass was so intense in the audience - I was in the middle, about halfway towards the back. You could just feel it in your chest.
God damn, 2:38 is so badass. "Again" is a great song and they certainly performed it well, but hearing Layne fucking kill it with that performance gives me chills every time
It is well documented that by this point he was only doing a few things to help promote the album and to do what he could to meet his obligations. He can barely move here and was just doing the best he could. Far different from years previous before he was eaten up. In just two short years he would have no teeth and looked like an old man. And still, he held on for four more years after that.
The addition of chorus fx on Layne's voice for this was brilliant. This is likely the heaviest (at the time) live musical guest Letterman had next to Foo Fighters. Some tidbits: The last recorded song of AIC : "Died" This is the last TV Performance (Shortly before their 2 show Kiss - opener slot that they had to leave early) and the Songs chosen are: "Again We Die Young" with the last song Live ever performed with Layne (2nd show opener for Kiss in July 96) was "Man In A Box" talk about your hints of the not too distant future :( . But they are eternal! Layne Lives Within.
In 2021 it's hard to believe this was ever on television. 2021 is not even the same planet anymore. I was 7 when this aired but I dont even feel like I was alive....
What makes this set so legendary is it looks like Letterman just found them in diner or something to do a quick show opener no gimmicks no pyro just timeless tracks
Man itz crazy to me how Layne isnt more highly praised for his talent after his death. This man had the most talent of anyone in any band or a solo talent or group in any genre of music and we have to search youtube relentlessly to see his work. There was a lot of famous musicians that died one way or another that was either famous in the 90s or died in the 90s and Layne is at the very top of that list for me. But if I wanna watch a documentary or a well made film about those people, I can find everyone but Layne. I know it was tragic bc he predicted it, but Id still like to have access to a documentary or book, and not that BS angry chair book. This man was great.
Give it time. Slowly working his way up. Jerry said he’s like Obi-Wan. More power in death than while living. Plus, the opioid crisis/depression has turned a lot of people onto them because here’s a prodigy that dealt with it. Depression and more. It gives them hope through the lyrics because many can relate. He helps at the same time because people see the path this amazing person ultimately took and where it lead him. He’s become a legend and only growing.
Alice in chains were never the same after Layne Staley or Mike Starr for that matter. They were the original hard grunge rockers, everybody else is a poor substitute. Jerry Cantrell is a badass for keeping the band going. Layne and Mike would have wanted it that way.
Před 4 lety+2
It's incredible how Mr. Stanley set himself on fire when he starts to sing ”We Die Young”! He was amazing! Rip Mr. Stanley!
Layne's got his top teeth here, you can see them in We Die Young. That means he had them at Unplugged. I wonder if he ever actually lost them... could be a rumor
Yeah a lot of people say he didn’t have teeth on one side during unplugged(their reasoning is the camera angles). I think he starting losing them around 97 or 98.
I can't believe I got into AIC so late in life. They were so fucking cool! The whole band is great but my favourite thing is the unique blende between Layne and Jerry's voices. They sound like the headline band at a musical in hell.
Not sure what you mean, but Layne had his ear folded down a bit so he could hear himself. Not only 'no' auto tune but 'no' ear plugs as well. Layne was so damn awesome.
The transition into "We Die Young" is so badd ass. Gives me the chills.
exactly
Joe Studdard I'm in a band that mostly does copy tunes and this combo is first on the list. That transition is the badest ever !!!
The 109 yes it is WOW
Rick Weltz must b really cool to do AIC tunes
Joe Studdard Layne breaks out some secret ninja vocals during the WDY part..."Watch where you Spit!!" and "Down, down..!!" parts of his delivery just about make me cry everytime.
I remember watching this air live. I always watched Letterman back then. When they said special guests Alice in Chains I was like Fuck Yeah! I know nobody gives a shit. Just a good memory.
Watched it as well. Everyone in Seattle made a point to. They were doing the same 2 tracks for all their guest appearances that year. Layne was really struggling on the road.....but did a pretty good job considering.
stinkywizzleteets I do give a shit, man, even in the damn fucking meaningless 2019...
I give a shit , thats fucking awesome and so many shared sentiments of moments like those. Rock and roll can never die
forget it about! used to stay up late to watch this mini live rock sets even thought had to wake up so early next day for work but with a big smile in my face-!! peace out bro!
We recorded this among many good rock/ alternative performances on a VHS tape. When I was young. It has a very special place in my memories and I hope this clip is never removed from the Internet
Shaking hands with Layne Staley ... What an honor ..
Ege Coskunsoy I got to talk with Layne one on one at a soundcheck in about 1989...maybe 1990 right before the Clash of the Titans tour...was very cool we sat at a booth in San Diego at around 3 PM and I just asked him how it was going...and what was coming up..(just as a person not an interview) he was very nice and I remember it was right before Valentines day because he was writing a card to someone...I talked to him with just myself and a good friend for about 10 minutes just as dudes...he was very excited to be about to go on tour with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax...just a neat little moment for me as a big fan of the band already and they'd not really gotten huge just yet.....he'd left his sun glasses when we were done talking...and I saw them sitting there...I had this weird moment of...should I keep them...but I am not that type of person...I went and gave them back to him...I didn't make a big deal about it...or anything...but during their show he handed me an ice cold beer which was kind of neat and greatly appreciated because it was hot and towards the end of their set...they opened for a little band called Mookie Blaylock...haha...who obviously ended up being Pearl Jam.
Ege Coskunsoy hey thanks...it's nice to be able to tell a story about Layne a lot of people might never here...the one thing that made an impact on me...was how he wanted to make sure to get the Valentine card filled out so he could send it off (my guess is through the club) but the second he was done...he came right over and just hung out with my friend and I...and it was just neat to speak with him like that/
blasterkid 2014 He was a one big man with a huge heart and genius mind .
Ege Coskunsoy i live in kansas city, and layne staley played his last show with alice in chains here. When he was on the airplane, on his way here he had an overdose on the plane and my dad was a paramedic at the time, my dad responded to the call, saved his life before that show. My dad said he was really nice and apologetic
Tour Guide Can you thank your dad for me for saving a legend bro ?
Despite of his depressive look and addictions, i bet layne was such a nice guy
Everyone says that he was amazingly nice and never said anything bad about anybody. Also heard he let poor fans backstage for free that couldn't afford his shows. It crushes me when people call him names like "junkie" or say he was useless for his addiction. Those same people buy his albums. They need to have a heart and some compassion. Very talented man who is no longer with us and should be
@@swanleb8892 preach Caleb 👏🤘 omg what an angel he was..
I didn't know this ♡♡♡♡
Swanleb 889 well said.
@@Stephhhuhknee Miss you Layne
Not depressive. More painful.
I love this performance so much wow how the fuck can I be so addicted to one band?! I fucking love alice in chains !!!
Tell me about it i see your comments on everyone of their videos
Lol no surprise there, I've seen just about every video with them in it on youtube. Never loved a band so much, and never really appreciated music as much before I started listening to them.
Same here it was only about 3 months go i discovered them! Addicted! Whats your favourite song from each album?
+joe Costello They def. have that effect on me too Joe. Only 2 bands ever really done that for me Pink Floyd and Alice in Chains.
+MustObeyTheRules /2017 still..me too
Remember when rock dominated the media? Now look at what we've become. It makes me sad.
RollersPostulate 👍👍👍👍
Hip Hop took over because it was edgier.
blackturkdog its not hip hop
MIKE_ HAWK. The change started to occur un the 90s. Dearh Row brought the edge , Puff Daddy made hip hop records that girls could dance to while rock stars like Pearl Jam were playing benefits abd telling folks how to vote. Rock stars are supposed to be anti-establishment and not pro- anything. Rock lost its edge PERIOD
blackturkdog wat r u talking about?😂people listen to rap not hip hop nowadays, im just correcting him
Staley looking like a 100 pound skeleton and still performing like the God of Heavy Metal.
Dead on
Alternative Metal.
Sean Lange right on
use your head, open your mind...... or maybe be a dumb ass, after all it is a semi free country ...
Sean Lange cruel but true
I could listen to this guy sing names and numbers out of a phone book. Great voice and great band. Wish things were different. R.I.P.
:(
Yes...and I still wonder if theres ever gonna be a voice like his...He had a Diamond of a voice... no one even comes close of what He had.....Now that Duvall is out experimenting it's time to search for a cloned voice that "matches" Layne's
😂
Absolutely
Layne's pitch throughout this performance is unbelievable...his vocals on We Die Young sound better than album version
I agree
he's auto-tuned to shit. He didn't need it, obviously, but so many of the late shows had their vocal mics set up for that. The guy from Disturbed pitched a fit when he started singing and the auto-tune kicked in. He made them shut it down and they restarted the song haha
@@donkeydarko77 WTF? He never used autotune 🤷♀️
@@TheStepmonkey You can clearly hear it modulating his vocals.
@@donkeydarko77 it’s not auto tune
3:08 Layne kills it I get chills
That Layne sounded as amazing as he did here when he was on the brink of death is a testament to just how much god given vocal talent he had. RIP...
He's no doubt fantastic but this is six years before he died.
God didn't give Layne that voice it was forged through his life
@@BrixSnBs yeah but he was half the voice he was 2 years earlier.
He isn’t half the singer he was just a year earlier when he was sober for the last time during Mad Season
@@tylurmackinnon6217 Layne was far from sober during mad season. Everyone else in mad season was sober at the time .it started as a sober project for the fellas They where trying to get Layne sober but him and mark lanegan where way deep in heroin during that time.
the fucking goosebumps when we die young kicks in.. wild.
xactly...it's uckin awesome man!
Take another hit!
The old Layne came back in We die young....R.I.P
Palpatine Darth Sidious his pitch is ungodly in We Die Young...this is my favorite performance of WDY
Palpatine Darth Sidious He came out like a secret ninja warrior for WDY part of performance...wow
R I p layne
What do you mean??? He just stood there.
Is Mike Inez wearing Layne’s coat from the Facelift era? RAD!!!! Staley with all the force & strength in his voice, even while being ill. Total legend & the best ever!
Great catch
Letterman genuinely enjoyed this. I love how he immediately shouts, “YO!!!!”
Always loved Letterman's show back in the day. He was the only host that had the hottest "alternative" acts perform. AIC, Rage Against The Machine, STP, White Zombie, Primus, Beastie Boys....There was no internet then so it was such a huge deal to stay up and catch them. Every other show like Jay Leno only had mainstream pop acts like Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Amy Grant, and that type of adult contemporary. Letterman made it a mission to showcase acts that catered to the youth of the 90s.
Letterman and Conan are probably the best Late night shows.
The music was the main reason I stayed up late to watch it!
I knew the soundman, Larry Zin. His board was up in the front of the balcony. A real professional. Imagine having that job and working with those musicians during the afternoon set-ups for over 20 f*cking years. He's the man.
Conan did the same. Conan was the first to have SOAD and Slipknot on. That crowd had no idea was about to hit them when Slipknot took the stage lol
Leno had Faith No More
Layne sounds like a badass here perfect transition to we die young
"WATCH WHERE U SPIT!!"
Josh VonBurg "I'd advise you wait till it's over...!!"
Gives me shivers
@@rickyg8462 THAN YOU GOT HIT
Chills
I like how he jerks his head to the side when he says SPIT
his voice is so haunting
The way Layne waited for the host to look him in the eye before he release is hand shows a lot of what kind of man Layne was. Great people exists just a few.
The hostage? 😳
@@kat3871 host? I am not British,sorry.
That rather looked like 'are we cool now, can i leave?'
@@olimorcagreed. He was itching to get off that stage
I do believe it was the other way around. The near 50 year old Letterman wanted the respect for offering his platform, but oddly enough only one of them gave us anything that special; Layne.
Watched live with my pops.... he was 72 and was like, “is this another song”? It was a pretty cool memory. Amazing to hear the ‘we die young’ transition!
That a great memory 👍
A band to grew up with. I feel lucky to be a teenage in that era.
+Amir Omar I was just a baby (born 1993) and used to feel bumped for not being a teen or adult in that era, until last week, at pearl jam's gig, when my mom said I shouldn't, cause I dug AIC since back in her womb and as a baby she and my father would put headphones on me and I'd stay for hours listening to them. then as a child and so one to this very day. Of course now that she told me this I feel just a little bit better, but still wanted to be around late 20's, early 30's back in the 90's, but have to be glad that my parents played such influence on me instead of some shitty music we have around here (Rio)
Him belting out " DOWN DOWN DOWN" makes the hair on my neck go haywire. Unfuckinbelievable!!!
The down, down vocal line in We Die Young.... just amazing. Amazing.
the transition from again to we die young is amazing
layne is still doing the head wobble in we die young. dang.
Geesh. That was intense. So amazing. You know, there are front men of rock like Mick Jagger and David Lee Roth who run up and down the stage with a ton of pizzaz, but Layne stays there still with the same intensity and stage presence. He truly was special. So magnetic.
Agree. I can't take me eyes off him I know why, but I'm not sure why if that makes any sense. And I wonder if everyone else feels the same way....mainly the ppl that do NOT know Layne and AIC. It's that magnetic factor but can't put my finger on it exactly.
@@casey10bb it was that that drew me to him in the first place (before I really knew who the band was) x
Laynes voice was on point for We Die Young. Damn.
Layne's voice was fucking on point !!
Greatest vocalist to ever live. Fight me!!
Truth.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
There has never been a rockstar that can hold a candle to Layne, his voice, and wit and charm and beauty was to heavenly to remain in this universe. I feel like the world let him down.
3:45 I don't know if it's just me but seeing his Layne's smile and how friendly and gentle he was as a person hurts my heart knowing what happened a few years later :(
Yea, watch his earlier headbangs and facial expressions, they faded towards his end
It just shocks me how he can be so high and perform so well. Some people cant even stand and Layne just holds onto the mic(that's usually how you can tell hes high, that and the glasses)
I love Layne. Hes a reminder to love and be kind as he was. You never know the demons we fight internally. I feel as if Layne gave his life to save so many others from addiction and suicide
Does he perform well? He lost his power and range. Wasted talent, sad. He sang so much better sober.
@@tylurmackinnon6217 Well, in a.way the addiction was his motivation. He sang with a lot of emotion and darkness because of it.
@@tylurmackinnon6217 are you fucking serious right now? Waste of talent? Not even close. Layne could be strung out on heroin, sufféring the loss of Demri, thin as a rail and still belt out songs that no other person can even come close to. There was no waste of talent. He even said, had you paid any kind of attention, that he didnt do heroin (at this time in his life) to get high like people thought. He said he did it so he wouldnt throw up or shit himself, to keep from being sick. He also stated that he wanted it to be about the music and not his addiction, yet that is all most people just have to keep bringing it up at the mere mention of his name.
@@stacismith3577 the wasted talent was his death
@@stacismith3577 uh, no, after 1993 he could no longer belt songs like he could. On their last self-titled album he sounded like shlt and broke up over it because layne was too difficult to work with and no longer delivered vocally without epic amounts of pro tools editing
Absolutely awesome
That voice is other worldly.
It really is! Especially considering the state of his health. His voice is one of a kind ❤️
This is the best live performance ever. No kidding. This was a perfect circle.
Crazy how he sounded kind of sickly during Again then sounded crazy strong with We Die Young
he Layne staley is still in my mind the best voice of the grunge era bar none ...
easily with chris cornell, eddie vedder and kurt cobain, 4 goats.
.......I just sit in my dimly lit room and compulsively listen to this over and over and over and over on repeat with no end in sight..........every single time the transition between songs happens my eyes roll back into my skull..................I have no regrets....
Céline Cendrars I thought i was the only one that feels chills on transition between songs
That’s heavy. I was 32 when they did this and had my demons. I’ve tamed them but they’re still there. That said this performance and the whole 90s scene gets better the more I listen and see it
Badass transition. Two of my Fav AIC Songs.
This is my favorite live AIC performance behind "Love, Hate, Love" at the Moore Theater. Layne's body may have looked weak, but his body didn't tell his voice. Powerful.
AIC blew the roof off the Sullivan Theater that night. Even Dave was blown away.
Jerry's guitar is turned WAY down but Letterman's guitarists are clearly heard and fucking up the entire sound. How was that allowed to happen?
That guitar in the back completely fucked the song.
its probably due to the fact the video looks like it was converted from live broadcast to shitty vhs tape to shitty camcord recording of a shitty vhs tape reuploaded to youtube back when youtube was shitty itself. can barely hear shit in this lol
dave shook the hand of a god
Charlie Luciano Dave was very "lucky"
We not gone act like Layne ain't got that drip on. Rich junkie swag on a million . He really killing it on all angles
His whithering depressing voice makes his songs even more badass, poor dude
would some company please do the man a favor and honor his legacy as one of the greatest rockers of all time, and please redo all the live performances that exist for AIC...I would love to have a collection of these shows...Rest Easy Layne....
could not fucking agree more. He should be more recognized. I just don't understand and it makes so angry. His band was probably the best of the 90's and he probably was the best frontman back then too.
***** What a fucking shocker!!
They need to make a biopic about Layne Staley already
I watch this 25 years later and still give the chills as if it was the first time. One of the best AIC live performances ever.
Very underrated and overlooked performance on letterman, absolutely love how letterman’s band is playing very much with the band aswell. That shift to “we die young” is outstanding! This is a great performance by staley in his last year of playing.
That was a stipulation for any artist or band who played on Letterman’s CBS show for those early years, Paul Shaffer & the band had to augment whoever played that night.
I think the reason for that stip was tied to Letterman’s original NBC show in which Dave couldn’t do a monologue (at least in the very early years) and couldn’t have other accruements that Carson did at 11:30. Carson wanted Dave’s show to be different than Carson’s. Obviously, most of those stipulations were lifted after Dave’s show got off the ground.
It’s pretty apparent to anybody that Paul Shaffer was well-respected by all musicians no matter the genre as Paul & the band could do practically anything musically-speaking. Also, nice solo by guitarist Sid McGinnis….McGinnis was an old session pro who famously played in Peter Gabriel’s live band in the late 70’s before David Rhodes joined the band.
The clean guitar power chord sound was a little too loud in the mix though, especially during "We Die Young" it sounds like they left it turned up after that guy played the fill.
Now THIS is music.*Rest peacefully Layne.*
KIDZ Bop this IS Music NOW volume 34
Layne just spanked that ass for someone with diminishing health he killed it especially when he went into we die young holy shit that was great
Sad that those days are gone.
Layne makes this look so easy when literally no one else can do it this good. Forever missed
They absolutely crushed it but man…layne was so out of it when it ended Letterman had to kind of yank him around so he didn’t just literally walk off. Poor thing. He was done.
At first Letterman gave a disrespectful no-look handshake, that’s why Layne started walking off. Letterman, after saying his outro, pulled Layne back to show respect.
I remember being saddened by Cobain's death but news of Staley's death still has me troubled. He was a major talent and a good guy. I miss him. Btw, we were from the same neighborhood but I moved downtown when I was 6. Never saw him again
I was in the audience that night. It was in San Francisco, so I didn't have to drive far from Mountain View to get there. I didn't know who Alice in Chains was before the show. The bass was so intense in the audience - I was in the middle, about halfway towards the back. You could just feel it in your chest.
That was such a seamless transition.
"That's firm, thank you very much!"
"Thank you!"
God bless Layne Staley, and God bless David Letterman. R.I.P. to the actual Voice Of Grunge.
God damn, 2:38 is so badass. "Again" is a great song and they certainly performed it well, but hearing Layne fucking kill it with that performance gives me chills every time
Moment 2:37 now that's some Gates Of Hell shit right there. Bass player's is all like "hold my bong while I melt your fucking face off."
love when jerry kicks his shades over to the side of the stage
Sean Kinney’s snare sounds awesome!
God this dude’s voice is so raw!!
this era is the best! that voice wow, does autotune singers heard about layne? they should be ashamed
Mindswirl21 DAMN right!!!
soo soo soooooooooooooooo good
I honestly think it sounds amazing. One of my favorite live performances they did. TBH.
so sad layne cant wait to get off stage, letterman kind of tugs him back when he shakes his hand, layne was just gonna go
Look at his body language he was so unconfortable :(
Yeah. I was thinking Layne wasn’t feeling too well, but he still dis a good job.
Well Dave Letterman is a corny bucktoothed New Yorker in a suit. Pretty much the polar opposite of Grunge.
@@crane11music Mostly true, but Dave is from Indiana and brought that up often over the years.
@@jeanluc1313 nyc, indy, both places you don't want to live. Hayseeds vs assholes
...and he died young :(
Fuck I never even thought of that.
All the greatest do.
It is well documented that by this point he was only doing a few things to help promote the album and to do what he could to meet his obligations. He can barely move here and was just doing the best he could. Far different from years previous before he was eaten up. In just two short years he would have no teeth and looked like an old man. And still, he held on for four more years after that.
🥺😔
Single coils stained this amazing *Metal* performance.
Marcar aq q te achei dnv
@@vinii_ Musica boa tem que ir atrás né kkkk salve
Wow that was good to watch again all these years later! So sad there will never be a band so powerful as this. Music blows now.
THE most powerful 4 minutes of 1996.
The addition of chorus fx on Layne's voice for this was brilliant. This is likely the heaviest (at the time) live musical guest Letterman had next to Foo Fighters. Some tidbits: The last recorded song of AIC : "Died" This is the last TV Performance (Shortly before their 2 show Kiss - opener slot that they had to leave early) and the Songs chosen are: "Again We Die Young" with the last song Live ever performed with Layne (2nd show opener for Kiss in July 96) was "Man In A Box" talk about your hints of the not too distant future :( . But they are eternal! Layne Lives Within.
His voice sounds great still IMHO!!!
Didn't think there was a darker version. But here it is.
In 2021 it's hard to believe this was ever on television. 2021 is not even the same planet anymore. I was 7 when this aired but I dont even feel like I was alive....
God damn Laynes fucking voice man. Other worldly.
What makes this set so legendary is it looks like Letterman just found them in diner or something to do a quick show opener no gimmicks no pyro just timeless tracks
Man itz crazy to me how Layne isnt more highly praised for his talent after his death. This man had the most talent of anyone in any band or a solo talent or group in any genre of music and we have to search youtube relentlessly to see his work. There was a lot of famous musicians that died one way or another that was either famous in the 90s or died in the 90s and Layne is at the very top of that list for me. But if I wanna watch a documentary or a well made film about those people, I can find everyone but Layne. I know it was tragic bc he predicted it, but Id still like to have access to a documentary or book, and not that BS angry chair book. This man was great.
agreed! Layne is my hero
Give it time. Slowly working his way up. Jerry said he’s like Obi-Wan. More power in death than while living. Plus, the opioid crisis/depression has turned a lot of people onto them because here’s a prodigy that dealt with it. Depression and more. It gives them hope through the lyrics because many can relate. He helps at the same time because people see the path this amazing person ultimately took and where it lead him. He’s become a legend and only growing.
It’s 2024 love this song! What a talented band this song Again will always be my favorite Alice and chain songs!
Alice in chains were never the same after Layne Staley or Mike Starr for that matter. They were the original hard grunge rockers, everybody else is a poor substitute. Jerry Cantrell is a badass for keeping the band going. Layne and Mike would have wanted it that way.
It's incredible how Mr. Stanley set himself on fire when he starts to sing ”We Die Young”! He was amazing! Rip Mr. Stanley!
*Staley
God damn you automatic correction!
Jesus Crist ! this is amazing
Layne and Jerry harmonising = EARGASM
My god... half the people there probably never realized what they were witnessing
Man......... Those vocals on We Die Young. Absolutely raw amazing
Layne's got his top teeth here, you can see them in We Die Young. That means he had them at Unplugged. I wonder if he ever actually lost them... could be a rumor
I'm sure he lost them sometime during or after '96
Yeah a lot of people say he didn’t have teeth on one side during unplugged(their reasoning is the camera angles). I think he starting losing them around 97 or 98.
this is why late night shows promote rock albums it put a little spice to their show when the band perform live
Has there ever been anyone else on the show that shook lettermans hand and didn't let go for as long as Layne....I highly doubt it. One of a kind
MrErock7 if you watch again, its letterman that holds on and tugs layne back, so sad he really didn't know his own worth
seco ndo You are correct. It was to keep Layne and himself in the shot as they panned out to commercial. tv101
that is what I was just thinking
That was an awkward moment for Layne.. Just look at him he was not comfortable at all man :(.
Letterman, I'm pretty sure, was the one who kept his grip a lil longer.
Dude, that subtle fucking synth goes FUCKING HARD
LONG LIVE ALICE IN CHAINS
I can't believe I got into AIC so late in life. They were so fucking cool! The whole band is great but my favourite thing is the unique blende between Layne and Jerry's voices. They sound like the headline band at a musical in hell.
Fuck, these late night shows were so used to having to autotune their stage singers, that they never turned it off for a singer who didn't need it.
That was amazing performance,kickin ass n taking names 'Chains!
Whoever was on the desk that night, nailed it as much as the band. Incredible sound!
Best ver. of Again I've ever heard.. Despite Paul's synth organ LMAO
That right ear tho.
Not sure what you mean, but Layne had his ear folded down a bit so he could hear himself. Not only 'no' auto tune but 'no' ear plugs as well. Layne was so damn awesome.
Nah, whoever put on his glasses didn't notice they were on slightly wrong. And Layne was too high to notice or simply didn't care.
@@el_seso976 Nobody is too high to not put on their own shades
@@casey10bbhow could he sing without hearing himself ? I'm curious about this becquse he never had in ear monitors ?
Seamless transition.
Love that DL's house band backing AIC up.
I love the “Yo” by Dave at the end
I remember seeing that at the time. Now It's especially sad because it looked like he really needed help and had just a few more years to live.
Speechless. This is simply mind-blowing. Long gone days
I love that chorus effect on his mic
Too bad artists like him disappear too soon. "Music Artist" right here!
That transition! Chills! Every. Time!
My God Layne, how can you be such a musical genious and so unassuming at the same time? You are sorely missed, angry angel 😭