Print List Price:	$19.99
Kindle Price:	$12.99 Save $7.00 (35%)
Sold by:	Macmillan Price set by seller.

Promotions apply when you purchase

Add an

audiobook with Audible narration for $7.49

Audiobook Price: $21.83

Save: $14.34 (66%)

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Follow the authors

Alice in Chains: The Untold Story Kindle Edition

by David de Sola (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.7 1,490 ratings

See all formats and editions

Alice in Chains was the first of grunge's big four - ahead of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden - to get a gold record and achieve national recognition. With the charismatic Layne Staley behind the microphone, they became one of the most influential and successful bands to come out of the Seattle music scene. But as the band got bigger, so did its problems.

Acclaimed journalist David de Sola follows the members from their inauspicious beginnings at a warehouse under the Ballard Bridge through the history of the band, charting:

- The local hair metal scene in Seattle during the 1980s.

- How drugs nearly destroyed the band and claimed the lives of Staley and founding bassist Mike Starr.

- Jerry Cantrell's solo career and Mike Starr's life after being fired from the band.

- The band's resurrection with William DuVall, the Atlanta singer/guitarist who stepped into Layne Staley's shoes.

Based on a wealth of interviews with people with direct knowledge of the band and its history, many of whom are speaking on the record for the first time, Alice in Chains will stand as the definitive Alice in Chains biography for years to come.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The early-'90s Seattle grunge band, long overshadowed by its hometown peers (Nirvana, Pearl Jam), gets its due in this debut book from a Georgetown graduate student. Taking center stage is original frontman Layne Staley who, like Kurt Cobain, found celebrity and success difficult and drugs an easy out. But there's also a deep dive into the band's musical influences and its impact on the broader rock scene, explaining both its roots and its reach” ―Billboard, Summer Book Preview

“De Sola explains in riveting detail how AIC became one of the most important bands to emerge from the Seattle rock scene, and throws new light on the dark impulses that drove it to both greatness and tragedy. Compulsively readable.” ―John Jobling, author of U2: The Definitive Biography

“A stellar grasp of document sources interwoven with an incredible depth of all-new interviews are the making of the first truly comprehensive biography of Alice in Chains. The story blends musical world, personal lives and the demands of the business Alice in Chains entered – whether the cut-price early days or the bombastic cash-overload of their peak success – to show how each element coexisted, impacted, clashed or simply destroyed the other.” ―Nick Soulsby, author of I Found My Friends: The Oral History of Nirvana

“A well-reported history of one of the most important and influential bands to emerge from the Seattle scene. Alice in Chains will appeal to grunge fans and metal-heads alike.” ―Mark Yarm, author of Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge

“De Sola brings a refined sensibility to the tale of Alice in Chains... exhaustively researched” ―Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

David de Sola is a journalist with experience working at CNN, 60 Minutes, and Reuters. His work has also been published in The Atlantic, The Huffington Post and other print and online publications.

As a journalist, he has covered a range of stories including WikiLeaks, the War on Terrorism, the 2004 presidential elections, and the CIA leak investigation. He has filed stories from five foreign countries on two continents.

He has a B.A. in history from Tufts University, a M.A. in print journalism from the University of Southern California, and a M.A. in security studies from Georgetown University. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

David is the author of Alice in Chains: The Untold Story.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00S52AQ40
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books (August 4, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 4, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6050 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1250199387

Best Sellers Rank: #198,304 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #17 in Heavy Metal Music (Kindle Store)
- #68 in Music History & Criticism (Kindle Store)
- #84 in Heavy Metal Music (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 1,490 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

D. A. Sola
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
See more on the author's page
David de Sola
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
David de Sola is a journalist with experience working at CNN, 60 Minutes, and Reuters whose work has also been published in The Atlantic, The Huffington Post and other print and online publications. He has degrees from Tufts University, the University of Southern California, and Georgetown University. He lives in Los Angeles.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

1,490 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

guyfromkcmo

Loved it.

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2024

Verified Purchase

I loved the very detailed, old journalism way this was done. Very factual. I felt like I was almost "there" at times. And there was certainly a lot of emotion and drama. But only by way of the story itself playing out. I never felt like anything was forcefully "heightened" or judged in any way shape or form. Instead, it was very much, "here is what happened, when." And I *greatly* appreciate this. I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who also loves Alice In Chains. Or grunge. Or is into this kind of metal history. There is so much missing detail I didn't know before. And it's just really well done.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mac

Facelifted

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024

Verified Purchase

Great book and great read. Well written and obviously well researched. Amazing new insights on an otherwise oft written about band. A++

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024

Verified Purchase

I’m a HUGE Alice in Chains fan and have been since I was in college, when they first blew up. I saw them in concert the first time in 1992 and many times since. This book is written like a story and is a well researched and well documented biography. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend…most especially to those who are fans of the post-hair metal metamorphosis of hard rock.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

JL

Informative and Interesting

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2023

Verified Purchase

I learned a lot about Alice in Chains reading this book. I wish the author had gone into more detail about Mike Starr, Sean Kinney, and Jerry Cantrell. Definitely the focus is on Layne Staley, and while he was arguably the face of the band, the other original members have stories to tell as well.

It is a bit hard to read at times, as the author jumps around in time a LOT. It is not entirely written in chronological order, so there were many times I had to stop reading and go back to make some sense. Further, the author introduces so many names in wave after wave, and so that becomes a challenge to keep them straight. I'm a quick and strong reader, but I did find the writing style to require more focus.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Brian K. Hasson

A window into an influential band

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

Ever since I heard Man in the Box and wore out my Facelift and Dirt CDs in the early 90s, AIC has held a significant space in the musical pleasure section of my brain. From this book, which is researched with discipline and integrity, I learned so much about the history of the band. As someone who does research and reads research and research methodology papers, I appreciate and value the trustworthiness of the writing. Bravo to the author.

Helpful

Thomas Chastain

Bittersweet read, even with you know most the story.

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2020

Verified Purchase

Wow, what an emotional read. Being born in 1984, I have essentially grown up with AiC and the Seattle (plus STP) music scene. With that being said, I was not prepared for the story of AiC. David De Sola did a phenomenal job with the little resources he had available to tell the story of AiC. It's crazy reading about how little info there truly is about this band, because you assume with how popular they were there would be ample information.

Like most people who are going to get this book (I doubt it will bring in any new AiC fans), I had a general idea of what happened to the band and specifically Layne. But I was not prepared for all the information that I was going to read, in regards to Layne's personality, addiction and just outright downfall. I wish Jerry, Sean and Mike Inez contributed more to the book and it would have been great if there was more from Mike Starr before his ultimate demise. I have read a lot of musician biographies/autobiographies and this is easily one of the top in terms of research, my interest level and how much it has stuck with me since finishing. One of the gauges of a truly great book is how long it sticks with me after reading. There is a lot of reflection in this book, so much so, you get to know the band, specifically Layne, to where you want to travel back in time and slap sense into him.

With that being said, I think David did a great job making Layne out to be a troubled soul, but a gentle soul. After reading this, your thoughts of AiC and Layne will not be tarnished. They should be re-affirmed and uplifted, especially those of Jerry. It was re-assuring to see that in Layne's last 5 years, he was surrounded by friends and family as much as possible. All in all, this is a fantastic read for anyone interested in AiC. Just be prepared for it to make you sad, even if you know the story. This is one of those books where it will make you happy to be alive, healthy and tell those around you you are thankful and love them.

39 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Iggy

Libro completo da leggere assolutamente

Reviewed in Italy on January 3, 2024

Verified Purchase

Un libro veramente ben fatto che ripercorre la storia della band. Imprescindibile per ogni fan degli Alice in Chains.

One person found this helpful

Translate review to English

Oscar Manzano Antona

Imprescindible para fans

Reviewed in Spain on July 14, 2023

Verified Purchase

Uno de los mejores libros sobre bandas que he leído. Muy bien escrito y documentado. La historia detrás de la banda hace aún más interesante lo que estas personas consiguieron hacer durante el tiempo que compartieron.

Translate review to English

S. A. Webb

Great read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2023

Verified Purchase

As an AIC fan from the beginning this is a great and nostalgic read. Really enjoyed it and learnt some things I didn't know.

One person found this helpful

Cliente Kindle

Excelent

Reviewed in Brazil on December 15, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excelent! I totally recommend for all Alice in Chains' fans. It's unique. It's certainly the best book on the band.

V.Balaji

Must Buy For Any AIC Fan.

Reviewed in India on December 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

As a metal head, AIC is the only grunge band I listen to, particularly due to their brooding,dark and melancholic songs and Layne Staley is without a doubt one of the most unique voices to have graced the grunge/rock scene. The book gives an unbiased look into the lives of the band, the fame they hit, the struggles they go through and of course.......... heroin. As dark as the book is, it doesn't paint false pictures of any of the band members and maintains a consistent neutral approach till the end (something I found gratifying). The chapters explaining Layne's relationship with Demri are especially revelatory. I only wish the author had been able to gather more interviews from Layne's musician friends (especially vocalists like Phil Anselmo,Sebastian Bach etc) but considering this is an 'unofficial' book, he deserves nothing but praise for all the effort.

Verdict : Must Buy For Any AIC Fan.

Buy for others

Buying and sending eBooks to others

Follow the authors

Image Unavailable

Alice in Chains: The Untold Story Kindle Edition

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the authors

D. A. Sola

David de Sola

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries