Sean Kinney, Layne Staley, Mike Starr and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains during an In-Store record promotion in Los Angeles in September 1990. " Kinney recalls. .build(); However, they decided to break up after a few years while people were waiting for an announcement about their wedding. "@type": "WebPage", The couple got engaged in 1992 and their friends and family thought that they would tie the knot and live happily ever after. ", He then goes says his heroin habit was to blame, and he was well past the point of shooting up for fun. .build(); Krist Novoselic brought him food, hoping he could save him after losing Kurt Cobain. Demris friend Amber Ferrano denied the claims saying: It started after she died. The album-opening Them Bones welcomes you with the screams of a man being burned alive, and it just gets more brutal from there. He ended up in the hospital. (1969-1996) model, artist, grunge icon, beautiful soul To anyone with a passing knowledge of Staleys life and music, his downfall played out like the worst kind of endingdistasteful, depressing, and all too predictable. "I got [a] call saying that my dad had died, [but] my family always knew he was around doing all kind of drug,"he's quoted as saying in the book. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. His friend and Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan opened up about his death saying that Staley never recovered from Demris death so it was the main reason behind his death. "name": "Home" Staley then delved into his family life and how his father passed away after falling into a drug-filled route, with the two growing estranged. Staley erupted, then yelled at him whenever he tried to take more pills. Demri's biological paternal grandfather was Beryl Gibson Dougherty (the son of Duncan M. "Dunk" Dougherty and . You dont get the same singular experience listening to Godsmack (which took its name from a Dirt track), Staind, or Creed, who adopted the superficialities of Alice In Chains sonic and thematic signposts and reconfigured them into interchangeably angsty and thuddingly poppy plop-metal. He showed up in the recording studio toothless, emaciated and looking like an 80-year-old man. One of the purely amusing anecdotes de Sola shares concerns the night the Music Bank, the rehearsal warehouse where the band rented space, was raided in 1988. "item": { Then Kurt shot me, and then Layne shot me after that and I died, for like 11 minutes.". His will to live went with her. Neither Demri's mother nor Layne's stepfather have been able to confirm that. Ill look at the coke-fueled disaster of Oasis misbegotten epic Be Here Now, and the unlikely triumph of Radioheads dystopian prog-rock masterpiece OK Computer. "He would get so angry at me, he would be ready to get out of the goddamn moving car. While late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley was largely reclusive during his later years, the legendary singer considered fronting the band that later became known as Audioslave in January 2001, according to Staleys friend Morgen Gallagher, who talked to Alternative Nation in August 2015. Dont try to contact any AIC (Alice in Chains) members. There would be occasional sightings of Staley after that with open sores on his arms. This actually isnt much of a departure from the sound of Alice In Chains 1.0, which was steeped in the undead Southern-rock harmonies of Staley and Cantrell. Dirt plugs you into the day-to-day slog of one addicts life; even if you don't connect with the record, you still cant help but feel a dull ache in your bones and the sting of rancid sickness in your nostrils. He was already pretty reclusive in 1996, but after her death, there were only three recordings that I know of (Despiseley Brothers, 2 AIC songs, and a Pink Floyd cover for a movie soundtrack). Demri Lara Parrott Murphy (February 22nd 1969 - October 29th 1996) was an American model, artist, and muse, and an amateur actress, girlfriend and later fiancee of Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley. Following his death in 2002, Screaming Trees frontman told Rolling Stone, He never recovered from Demris death. So it shouldn't surprise anyone least of fall fans of his timeless music, the millions of people who cite him as an inspiration, or anyone familiar with rock star biographies that despite his success, he lived a hard life and died too young. Sublime proved to be an ideal band for a generation that approached rock music with an irreverent, hip-hop-inspired sensibility. A year after his death, a rare interview emerged with Staley that he'd given with Argentinean writer and music fan Adriana Rubio, titled Layne Staley: Angry Chair A Look Inside the Heart and Soul of an Incredible Musician. var mapping1 = googletag.sizeMapping() I know I did my best or what I thought would be right. ] Whats going on. Some of Staleys fans and friends blamed Demri for causing all these tragedies. "I told him I was sorry this was how it turned out.". Sean Kinney, Layne Staley, Mike Starr and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains during an In-Store record promotion in Los Angeles in September 1990. sid: '1366', Kinney, though, continued to have fun the old-fashioned way on the Shi--y Cities tour in 1992. But Staley, of course, never did. googletag.pubads().refresh(); That was the last time Staley would do a major tour. I felt so sad for him, and I missed him. He thought it was very rock n roll, you know, Nowells widow Troy Dendekker said. In 1996, Staleys life was turned upside down when his former fiance, Demri Lara Parrott, died of a drug overdose and when she passed, so did a bit of Staley. eyewitness account from Thorntons bassist Curtis Tillman. I wrote the following tweetstorm to remember her (and him) for the occasion: Most, if not all of that material was in my book, where Layne and Demri's relationship and her . "name": "Rock Features" Layne Thomas Staley wasn't born Layne Thomas Staley. Eventually, his father managed to stop using. "It's heartbreaking and overwhelming and unnecessary." Hed been dead for two weeks; the tip-off that something was amiss came not from concerned family members or friends but from Staleys accountants, who noticed that he hadnt spent any money in several days. "@type": "ListItem", He wanted a teddy bear that Demri had had with her in hospital. Seattle Weekly describes the tragic scene when police kicked in the door to Layne Staley's condo in Seattle's University District on April 19. Survivors include her mother . This portable projector plays your movies in crisp, high-contrast, 1080p detailno matter where you are. This past Saturday was the 20th anniversary of the death of Demri Parrott, Layne Staley's ex-fiance. However, she goes on to say that her late son was "shocked to find that God isn't going to dig you out of every tunnel that you put yourself in to. Genealogy for Demri Lara Parrott (1969 - 1996) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. The group didnt release another album with Staley following their eponymous third studio album in 1995, which gave Alice In Chains their first number one record in the United States. He seriously, seriously hated "Rutherford." Alice In Chains: The Untold Story author David de Sola shared some information with Alternative Nation about the wedding that never came to be between Staley and Parrott, and how the planned site of the wedding eventually was where a much sadder event took place. "@id": "https://www.alternativenation.net/category/rock/deep-cuts/", How close do you think that was to us, Ann? "item": { "I was about 20," he said, "and music became my only obsession to stay alive. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Though never verified, there have been rumors that Layne worked on a home demo called Everyday that he planned on sending to Jerry Cantrell, possibly as late as 2002. Layne told Wright, Wow, I get to perform again. Wright was preparing to fly up to Seattle to prepare the studio for Laynes return to recording when he got the called that he had died. To quote a Staind album title, the legacy of Dirt is colored by 14 shades of gray. "@type": "ListItem", "Since that call I always was wondering, 'Where is my dad?' timeout: 2000 }, If you are interested in promoting your band/music email altnationadvertising @gmail.com, Layne Staleys Haunting Wedding That Never Was Will Break Your Heart, Why Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers & Smashing Pumpkins Are Haunted By Ghosts, 10 Candidates To Fill In For Eddie Vedder On Temple of the Dog Tour, Adele Melts Down At Las Vegas Show In Photo, Jessica Simpson Is Exploding Out Of Top In Photo, Pearl Jam Member Reveals Truth About Tom Sizemore, Travis Scott Alleged Victim Leaks Hospital Video. Layne Was Going To Record With Taproot In 2002. Demri Parrott was former ex-girlfriend of singer Layne Staley from Alice in Chains. She said she believes her daughter was there that night to be there with Layne as hes doing his transition., 10. In Greg Pratos Grunge is Dead, Laynes mother Nancy revealed that Layne was a video game freak. He had a big screen TV, 5 games 5 different gamers. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_top_2', [[336,280],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-2') I never wanted to end my life this way. Yes, Staley had been experiencing heroin addiction for years by the time this 1995 article which was titled "Alice In Chains' Layne Staley: Needle and Damage Done" came out. Staley sightings became increasingly rare, and rumors circulated that the singer was wasting away in his Seattle apartment, doing nothing but drugs, painting, and playing video games to pass the time. Where some of the records might have been more Scarface, this one is more Shawshank Redemption.. When [Dirt] came out, the thing did not leave my CD player, Godsmack singer Sully Erna told Cross in Rolling Stone. "I know I have no chance. Formed in 1988, Sublime made its name by playing surf towns up and down the California coast, honing a feel-good blend of punk, hip-hop, and ska informed by Nowells multicultural upbringing in Long Beach. You're not wrong if you're picking up on a bit of resentment at the end there. ver: '1.0', "@id": "https://www.alternativenation.net/layne-staleys-haunting-wedding-never-will-break-heart/", In a very real way, both men remain the most important members of their respective bands. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_anchor', [[728,90],[320,50]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-6') The pain is more than you can handle. "I believe that there's a wonderful place to go to after this life, and I don't believe in eternal damnation for anyone," he said to Rolling Stone in 1996. Layne: Nothing. Demri had a look that seemed to define the musical era, beautiful in a small-town way with her bright eyes, round cheeks, and curly hair. Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley and model Demri Parrotts relationship started as a fairytale but turned out a tragic love story that people can still remember. Staley had actually died on April 5, 2002 eight years to the day after fellow Grunge rock frontman Kurt Cobain had taken his own life but his body wasn't found until April 19,according to Ultimate Classic Rock. Nancy responded, Laynes got an odd sense of humor. } Zack de la Rocha had quit Rage Against The Machine just a few months prior, and his bandmates were looking for a new singer. Then, two things changed. She was around five feet tall-maybe even shorter-and was stunningly beautiful. } Layne Thomas Staley, singer-guitarist, born August 22 1967; died before April 19 2002. Although they were no longer together, Staley was clearly devastated by the news. Those that knew Staley personally seem to agree that he more or less died in spirit when his long-time girlfriend, Demri Parrott, succumbed to bacterial endocarditis stemming from her own drug use in October 1996. } .addService(googletag.pubads()); and "Them Bones" unless you've got deep wells of pain to draw from for inspiration. "@type": "ListItem", Bob: Your Moms worried, man. ROCK IS DEAD? timeout: 2000 }, In addition to Mark, Demris friend Ferrano agreed with him and stated that Staley died because he felt guilty about ending their relationship and not being kind to Demri who was the only person that loved him although he wasnt famous and rich back then. Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley and model Demri Parrott's relationship started as a fairytale but turned out a tragic love story that people can still remember. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_sidebar_1', [[300,600],[300,1050],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-7') Alice in Chains was opening for Van Halen on tour in 1991 when Staley, prompted by Parrott, started using. His biological father, Philip Staley, vanished shortly after his birth in 1967, according to "Layne Staley: Angry Chair" by Adriana Rubio (and explained in Metal Sucks). Rooster is a spooky character study about Cantrells father fighting off demons from the Vietnam War, but it also applied to Staleys own drawn-out, unwinnable conflict. Topics "This f****** drug use is like the insulin a diabetic needs to survive. Tillman claimed that Ace had been drinking heavily and goofing around when he picked up the pistol. And I thought, oh, for heaven sake, listen to his music. googletag.cmd.push(function(){ I'm not using drugs to get high like many people think. I know why youre here. The show goes on, but Layne Staley and Bradley Nowell are still in the spotlight. If you have a better quality version of this photo please send it! I didn't want my fans to think that heroin was cool.". Its the worst pain in the world. "@id": "https://www.alternativenation.net/category/rock/", She also created a path for herself as a model, artist, muse, and actress who died of a drug overdose on October 29, 1996, at the age of 27. Does taking Russian roulette out of the equation make Aces death any less spectacular? I hadnt seen him in a couple of years and wasnt prepared for it. As an act of first-person journalism from the depths of hell, Dirt has few equals in rock history. Alice In Chains 2.0 became a band with two lead singers, with Cantrell frequently dueting with DuVall or taking lead vocals on his own. It seems strange, since Staley would, of course, go on to become one of the most noteworthy figures in a genre that would present itself as the antithesis of everything bands like Mtley Cre stood for. She was adopted by her stepfather Stephen John Parrott. FULL FILM: https://youtu.be/qMlLfrU5fjsAlice in Chains lineup throughout the Layne Staley era consisted of Layne Staley (87 - 98), Jerry Cantre. That night, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr, who had just been tossed from the band, claimed he actually died and came back as he bounced from shooting up with one famed musician to the other. Its known that both Parrott and Staley were struggling with their drug addiction problems for a very long time until the young couples early and unexpected deaths. }); He was traveling with a bodyguard hired specifically to keep his drug use in check, but after the show he overdosed. He never recovered from Demris death. .defineSizeMapping(mapping1) .addService(googletag.pubads()); Addiction was a constant throughout Staleys short life, which he tried his hardest to break out from but sadly didnt make it, and his music serves as a memory of his distinct talent. Im just a singer. From the start of Dirt, youre trapped in Staleys skin, and for the next 50 minutes there will be no escape. Gaugh and Wilson said they had no plans to revive Sublime until they met Ramirez in 2008 and, as they later told Billboard, had instantaneous chemistry with the 20-year-old Fremont, Calif. native. Then he relapsed again. Although they were no longer together, Staley was clearly devastated by the news. pubID: '434bb5e4-3704-4b75-b36c-785a444462bd', Don't try to contact any AIC members. .addService(googletag.pubads()); ], .addSize([990, 200], [[728, 90], [970, 90], [970, 250]]) The autopsy later revealed that the next day Staley plunged a speedball into his vein. The end everyone saw coming had finally arrived. var mapping2 = googletag.sizeMapping() .addService(googletag.pubads()); apstag.fetchBids({ At the time of his death in 2002, neither Kinney nor AIC guitarist Jerry Cantrell had spoken to Staley for more than two years. Alternative Nation published a similar article in September 2014, but we are now publishing a new version with a couple of new stories. According to Ferrano, even though everyone around them knew that they decided to accuse Parrott of causing Staleys addiction and depression. .addService(googletag.pubads()); My liver is not functioning and Im throwing up all the time and shitting my pants. Layne Staley died on April 5, 2002. Kurt Cobain short-circuited death by heroin with a shotgun blast to the head in 1994. function(bids) { (Terry McGinnis/WireImage). Whether you believe it or not, it's a hauntingly beautiful story. Cobain agreed to pay for the product if Staley shouldered the cost of having it flown in. ROCK IS DEAD? .addService(googletag.pubads()); Staley's first-ever concert, according to the article, was seeing Elton John in October 1975, who he checked out with Jim. "I don't give a f*** if you f****** believe me or not, dude. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Parrott was born in Bremerton, Washington to Kathleen Austin and Dennis Dougherty on February 22, 1969. This portable projector plays your movies in crisp, high-contrast, 1080p detailno matter where you are. Staley remembered, I was trying to kick this habit out of my life and here comes this man asking for money to buy some smack., He finally kicked heroin use, and Im still fighting, Staley said resentfully. Demri Parrott - Biography. (Handout). "When Sean got lit he was pretty unstoppable," a friend says. Forrest called back Staleys mother Nancy and told her that theyd try to help him, though he told her he didnt know if itd work. I was about 20, and music became my only obsession to stay alive, he said. She then ignored directions from the officer on the scene to stay outside, entered the house, and sat next to her son's body. Can you try to talk sense to him?, Forrest agreed to, and he and Frusciante visited Staley at his Seattle condo. Tom Morello later claimed that he had no recollection of ever speaking to Staley about auditioning for Audioslave, so this could be a case of Gallagher misremembering the conversation, and it having more been about Staley considering the idea of calling up the former Rage Against The Machine members. During those years, Staley became a recluse and barely left his apartment. "It would make him madder than f***," said Nick Pollock, one of Staley's former bandmates, who claimed he used to call his buddy variations of "Rutherford" just to mess with him. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. }); ,{ "@context": "http://schema.org", Mainly, he holed up in his apartment, gaming, playing with his cat and doing drugs. { schain: { He was also a serious heroin addict, a habit inspired in part by wanting to mimic his heroes. Austin got that bear back after it was found in Laynes things after his death. A year after his death, a rare interview emerged with Staley that hed given with Argentinean writer and music fan Adriana Rubio, titledLayne Staley: Angry Chair A Look Inside the Heart and Soul of an Incredible Musician. Demri Parrott was in relationships with Rosheen Raugi (1993 - 1996), Kent Lake (1988), Paul Uhlir (1987 - 1989) and John Baker (person) (1984). As for fans that object to another man heading up Sublime, Ramirez seems content to play the haters gonna hate card. In 1988, Layne Staley met Demri Lara Parrot, a model who would eventually become a grunge icon. - CANADA \u0026 USA:- YouTube http://bit.ly/2Kbji5C - iTunes https://apple.co/2KNOCD2 - Vimeo http://bit.ly/2Iv1ywd - XBOX http://bit.ly/2K8AF6Z- Google Play https://bit.ly/3cwDybUWHAT IS CLASSIC ROCK? Staley and Parrott were no longer together when she died; because she lacked Staley's rock-star bank account, Parrott was reduced to living out a conventional junkie death, finally prostituting. It was later reported that the shooter believed that Pantera was reading his mind, which suggests that the famously affable Abbott was perhaps too good at connecting with fans. However, Parrotts friend Amber Ferrano denied these rumors saying that all of them were wrong and her friend never used the drugs before she met the Alice In Chains singer. "@context": "http://schema.org", Really.. That charity fights heroin dependency in the Seattle area. She says she hopes that her son's music will shed light on the disease of addiction that ultimately took his life. Less sympathetic listeners might dismiss Junkhead as the empty lamentation of a rock-star addict, but Staley wasnt looking for pity. .addSize([990, 200], [[728, 90], [970, 90], [970, 250]]) Layne Staley, Demri Parrott and Debbie Murphy at the Pantera show in the Mercer Arena, Seattle. Me? Cover for 'Alice and Chains: The Untold Story,' by David de Sola. Hide the drugs!' I don't live his lifestyle, so his house isn't the healthiest place to be around. It's the worst pain in the world. Throughout, Cantrells off-kilter, shotgun-blast-to-the-intestines guitar work acts as a queasy counterpoint to Staleys dead-man-walking howling. Staley created a personal shrine in the recording studio featuring a dead puppy in a jar that he used for inspiration as he crooned lyrics like "Stick your arm for some real fun.". Yes, Staley, born Layne Rutherford Staley on August 22, 1967, picked the middle name "Thomas" because he was a fan of Mtley Cre drummer Tommy Lee. Actually, the best of times was when everyone was just strung out on booze, coke and sex the basic musts on any rocker's CV. Forever. "item": { {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. "@type": "WebPage", Demri Parrott had an encounter with Katina Bonita Evangeline (1991). Dope sick hurts the entire body, he horrifyingly shared. Do you think that almost hit us, Ann? Frusciante was hesitant to visit Staley because he didnt think you could really preach to somebody about getting clean, but Forrest was adamant about trying to help him. .addService(googletag.pubads()); We were running around like two little kids! { Wright contacted Staley shortly before his death and Staley agreed to record the song, privately in a studio in Seattle. simplerGPT: true, I dont go broke, and I do it a lot. Even as his habit kept Alice In Chains off the road and out of the studio, Staley still had more than enough money to ensure that hed always have a steady supply of the substances he craved. hp: 1, I didnt own the album because I didnt have to; if you spent time in a dorm in 1996 and 97, all you heard was Sublime, Odelay, and Dave Matthews Band. Demri was born in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington, in the United States of America's Pacific Northwest. Layne didnt get in, but sat in a chair sipping a beer. }); By David de Sola | November 1, 2016 | 0. Taproot were recording a new album with Alice In Chains producer Toby Wright in 2002, and wanted Layne Staley to sing on a song, according to Mark Yarms book Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge. Im not going to quit doing drugs. complete: 1, Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley had one of the mightiest voices in rock history and alongside Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, among others was one of the greatest figures to come out of the grunge movement that originated in his native Seattle, Washington. "I pay you," she screamed back. But soon he was caught in an inescapable trap that led to his premature death in 2002. function(bids) { 3. She said he looked like a kid again, and at that moment there was no darkness in his life. Even sadder, Seattle Weekly says Staley's death contributed to the reversal of an encouraging decline in drug overdoses in the Seattle area. Layne: Im okay, though. Hes the reason I started singing.. Demri was passionate about many things and excelled in art and theater.