Alice In Chains + Breaking Benjamin + Bush at Ak-Chin Pavilion

Alice in Chains both epitomized the solemn, heavy Seattle sound of the 1990s and stood apart from the grunge hordes. What separated Alice in Chains from their alt-rock brethren was how their roots lay in heavy metal, not punk. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley both played in metal bands prior to the formation of Alice in Chains in 1987 and they released the band’s debut, Facelift, in 1990, well before Nirvana‘s Nevermind pushed the underground into the mainstream. Despite their connections to metal, Alice in Chains thrived in the glory days of grunge, and it wasn’t merely a question of timing, either. The band’s sensibility fit into the alternative rock zeitgeist of the early ’90s. Cantrell‘s gloomy, minor-key riffs were an ideal match for Staley‘s tortured lyrics, creating a sound that felt as heavy as their Seattle cohorts but also was slightly slicker and ready for radio. It was versatile, too. After the group scored rock radio and MTV hits with “Man in the Box” and “Would?” in the early days of grunge, Alice in Chains became one of the first alt-rock bands of the ’90s to delve into acoustic-based music, scoring hits with the comparatively softer “No Excuses” and “I Stay Away.” Despite its success, the band was plagued with internal tensions during its commercial peak, much of it stemming from Staley‘s drug addictions. His abuse slowed the band’s upward trajectory in the back half of the ’90s, a descent culminating in the singer’s accidental death in 2002. Four years later, Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Inez revived Alice in Chains with singer William DuVall, sparking an extended second life of recording and touring that has lasted longer than their original incarnation.

The roots of Alice in Chains lay in Sleze, a Seattle-based hair metal band that featured Layne Staley as lead singer. Sleze switched their name to Alice N Chains in 1986, roughly a year prior to Staley‘s introduction to Cantrell at a party at the rehearsal space called the Music Bank. The pair became friends and Staley invited Cantrell to crash with him at his rented unit at the Music Bank. Shortly afterward, Alice N Chains broke up, as did Cantrell‘s band, Diamond Lie. Cantrell began auditioning players for a new band, recruiting drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr, but he still needed a vocalist and held out hope for Staley to join. At the time, Staley was singing in a funk band that also happened to need a guitarist, so Cantrell agreed to play on the condition his friend would join the fledgling group. Staley agreed. Not long afterward, the funk band folded and this quartet gelled under the name Alice in Chains.

Alice in Chains started to gig regularly in the Seattle area, often sharing bills with Mother Love Bone, earning the attention of promoter Randy Hauser, who bankrolled a demo. Dubbed The Treehouse Tapes, the demo earned the attention of Soundgarden managers Kelly Curtis and Susan Silver, who passed it along to Columbia. The label signed Alice in Chains in 1989 and made them a priority, ushering the band into the studio with producer David Jerden, who had recently worked with Jane’s Addiction. Early in 1990, the label released the promo-only We Die Young EP with their eye on heavy metal audiences and its title track became a hit on rock radio, setting the stage for the August release of the group’s debut, Facelift, which was quickly followed by a tour opening for Iggy Pop. “Man in the Box” became the album’s second single in January 1991, and once its video entered heavy MTV rotation, Facelift took off. The album entered the Billboard charts in April 1991, Van Halen requested Alice in Chains as a tour opener in August, and in September the album earned its first gold certification; it would later earn two platinum certifications.

As Facelift’s momentum grew, Alice in Chains kept busy behind the scenes, working on material for a second album and recording an acoustic EP called Sap. One of the first all-acoustic records from an alternative rock band, Sap was released in February 1992. Alice in Chains also filmed a cameo in Singles, Cameron Crowe‘s romantic comedy celebrating Seattle’s vibrant underground scene of the early ’90s. By the time the film’s soundtrack appeared in June 1992, the Seattle scene had exploded nationally thanks to the unexpected success of Nirvana‘s second album, Nevermind, and Alice in Chains were in the thick of it.

“Would?,” a menacing grind that doubled as the first single from both the Singles soundtrack and Alice in Chains’ second album, Dirt, started its climb up Billboard’s mainstream rock chart in June 1992, the same month the Singles soundtrack was released. By the point Dirt appeared in stores in September, Alice in Chains had firmly laid stakes in the grunge camp: “Them Bones,” the second single pulled from Dirt, became their first song to chart on Billboard’s alternative rock chart. Arriving at the peak of 1992’s grunge explosion, the dark and gloomy Dirt made Alice in Chains’ career. By December, the album earned a platinum certification — it would go platinum once again in 1993 and 1995, with a fourth and final certification arriving in 2000 — and it stayed on the charts thanks to “Angry Chair” and the Top Ten mainstream rock hits “Rooster” and “Down in a Hole.”

Despite their success, Alice in Chains were in turmoil behind the scenes. Mike Starr left the band in January 1993, to be replaced by Mike Inez. The band’s initial story was that Starr wasn’t ready to gear up for an intense work schedule, but Starr later said he was fired due to drug addiction. The specter of heavy drugs hung over the band, thanks to lyrical allusions on Dirt and rumors alleging that Staley was addicted to heroin. Alice in Chains soldiered forth, releasing two new songs on the soundtrack for the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Last Action Hero (including the radio hit “What the Hell Have I”) and playing a plum spot on the third Lollapalooza tour in 1993. Jar of Flies found the band retreating to softer, moody music, and the shift paid off commercially. Upon its January 1994 release, it became the first EP to debut at number one on the Billboard charts and, thanks in part to “No Excuses” — which went to number one on the mainstream rock chart and three on Billboard’s alternative chart, the highest placing they’d have with Layne Staley in the lineup — it was certified platinum by March; it would eventually earn two additional certifications.

Alice in Chains remained on the top of the charts, but they also remained off the road during 1994, fueling speculation that Staley was mired in heroin addiction. The rumors were true. Behind the scenes, Staley went through a bout of rehab that didn’t stick, leading the band to cancel its summer tour on a day’s notice and enter an unofficial hiatus. During this time, “Got Me Wrong” — a song initially released on Sap — was pulled as a single from the Clerks soundtrack and wound up as a radio hit. The bigger news during the hiatus was Staley‘s busman’s holiday, Mad Season. Originally the Gacy Bunch at their initial concerts, Mad Season was a Seattle supergroup also featuring Pearl Jam‘s Mike McCready, the Screaming Trees‘ Barrett Martin, and John Saunders. The band’s lone album, Above, arrived in March 1995.

As Above was in the middle of its run on the charts — it peaked at 24 on Billboard’s album chart, with “River of Deceit” reaching the Top Ten on Billboard’s mainstream and modern rock charts — Alice in Chains reconvened to record their third album with producer Toby Wright. Upon its November 1995 release, the eponymous record debuted at number one on Billboard, with the singles “Grind” and “Heaven Beside You” reaching the mainstream rock Top Ten; the latter peaked at six on the alternative rock chart. Once again, Alice in Chains were loath to tour. Instead, they recorded a concert — their first in nearly three years — for MTV Unplugged on April 10, 1996. By the time the show was released as an album on July 30, Alice in Chains’ return to the stage was already thwarted: after four supporting dates for Kiss, Staley was found unresponsive after a heroin overdose on July 3, 1996 following a show in Kansas City, Missouri.

Staley recovered from his OD but the band struggled as he battled his addiction. Following the death of his former fiancée, Demri Parrott, in October 1996, Staley secluded himself from the public, leading Jerry Cantrell to write and record a solo album called Boggy Depot; Mike Inez and Sean Kinney both appeared on Cantrell‘s solo effort. Alice in Chains completed two new songs, including the Top Ten mainstream rock hit “Get Born Again,” for the 1998 box set Music Bank. The box was the first of a series of archival releases in the next three years: Nothing Safe: The Best of the Box showed up in 1999, followed by the concert compilation Live in 2000 and Greatest Hits in 2001. All the members of Alice in Chains busied themselves during this extended hiatus. Sean Kinney and Mike Inez appeared in Spys4Darwin, Inez gigged with Zakk Wylde‘s Black Label Society during his downtime, and Cantrell worked on a second solo album. Degradation Trip, the guitarist’s sophomore record, appeared in June 2002, two months after Staley was found dead from a drug overdose at his Seattle condo.

Alice in Chains parted ways after Staley‘s death, with Inez becoming a member of Heart and Cantrell collaborating with a number of hard rock and metal acts, including Heart and Ozzy Osbourne. Sony released Alice in Chains from their record contract in 2004, and the next year the group reunited to play a benefit concert for the South Asia tsunami disaster of 2004. Pat Lachman, the singer for Damageplan, acted as Staley‘s replacement but other stars appeared with the band, too, including Ann Wilson and Maynard James Keenan. The one-off concert went well enough that Alice in Chains decided to make their reunion permanent. Hiring William DuVall, formerly of Comes with the Fall, as Staley‘s replacement, Alice in Chains toured in 2006, which led to a tour supporting Velvet Revolver in 2007.

The revived Alice in Chains recorded a comeback album in 2008 with co-producer Nick Raskulinecz, which appeared in September 2009 as Black Gives Way to Blue. Debuting at five on the Billboard charts, Black Gives Way to Blue wound up going gold while racking up two Grammy nominations, reestablishing Alice in Chains as a force in mainstream and modern rock. The group toured into 2010 and then in 2011 set to work on another album with Raskulinecz. Entitled The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, the album debuted at two upon its release in May 2013. Alice in Chains toured The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here into 2014, then spent the next two years on the road. In 2017, the group started work on another new album with Raskulinecz. Recorded primarily in Seattle, the resulting Rainier Fog appeared in August 2018. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Pennsylvania hard rock outfit Breaking Benjamin debuted with a brand of metal-tinged alternative that came to define the sound of mainstream rock in the early 2000s. Over the years, multiple lineup changes would impact the sound of the band, which developed into a more arena-friendly act by the late 2000s. Originally indebted to the minor-chord dirges of grunge rockers like Alice in Chains and the menacing darkness of nu-metal acts like Godsmack and Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin became one of the most popular rock groups in the United States, scoring a number one with the single “Breath” in 2007 and topping the Billboard 200 in 2015 with Dark Before Dawn. In addition, three of their albums — 2004’s We Are Not Alone, 2006’s Phobia, and 2009’s Dear Agony — have been certified platinum in the U.S.

In late 2000, after parting ways with the band Lifer, founding guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark Klepaski joined forces with singer Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel to form Breaking Benjamin. When the quartet started playing around their hometown of Wilkes-Barre, they favored a radio-friendly post-grunge approach that was informed by influences like Live, Bush, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Nirvana. Later, they would adopt the downtuned guitar sound of groups such as Korn and Tool.

In 2001, Breaking Benjamin’s Wilkes-Barre gigs caught the attention of a local radio DJ named Freddie Fabbri, who was an on-air personality at alt-rock station WBSX-FM. Fabbri put their song “Polyamorous” in rotation, later financing the recording of their self-titled debut EP. That year, they signed with Hollywood Records, which connected the band with Ulrich Wild (Static-X, Pantera, Slipknot), who served as both producer and engineer on their debut full-length, 2002’s Saturate. The David Bendeth-produced We Are Not Alone followed two years later, complete with a few collaborations with Billy Corgan. The group landed a spot on tour with Evanescence in support of the effort, as three of the album’s singles made their way onto the Billboard charts (“So Cold” and “Sooner or Later” both peaked at number two on the Mainstream Rock Songs list).

Breaking Benjamin issued their third album, Phobia, in August 2006 before heading out on a nationwide headlining trek. The album featured new drummer Chad Szeliga and was spearheaded by the single “The Diary of Jane,” which gained radio airplay and helped the album debut at number two on the Billboard charts. Phobia was reissued that fall with additional bonus tracks, while the band continued touring alongside Godsmack. After the tour, Breaking Benjamin dove back into the studio to begin work on their fourth full-length. The resulting Dear Agony, fueled by first single “I Will Not Bow,” arrived in the summer of 2009. More touring followed, including legs with Three Days Grace and Nickelback, before Burnley announced a hiatus due to persistent health issues. Ensuing legal disputes within the group led to Fink and Klepaski being fired just before a collection, Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin, was released in 2011. Szeliga exited the band in 2013.

The following year, Burnley confirmed that Breaking Benjamin would continue as a quintet, and in June of 2015 they returned with their first album of new material in six years, Dark Before Dawn. The comeback effort featured the lineup of Burnley (who also produced), guitarists Jasen Rauch and Keith Wallen, bassist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist. The lead single, “Failure,” cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and hit number one on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart, and the album became their first American chart-topper. While still touring behind Dark Before Dawn, Breaking Benjamin recorded their sixth effort, Ember, which arrived in 2018. Debuting on the charts at number three, the LP included the hit singles “Red Cold River,” “Feed the Wolf,” and “Blood.” Two years later, Breaking Benjamin returned with Aurora, a collection of reimagined versions of some of their best-known songs featuring a guest list that included Cold frontman Scooter Ward, Saint Asonia vocalist Adam Gontier, and Underøath‘s Spencer Chamberlain. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Alex Henderson, Rovi

English rock band Bush emerged during the grunge boom of the early ’90s, becoming the first British band post-Nirvana to hit it big in America. Following the release of their breakthrough debut, 1994’s Sixteen Stone, they carried that international, multi-platinum success to greater heights with their chart-topping follow-up, Razorblade Suitcase. A hit on radio and MTV, the band — fronted by guitarist/vocalist Gavin Rossdale — rounded out their peak period of popularity with 1999’s experimental The Science of Things. By 2001, shake-ups to their founding lineup and the poor performance of Golden State led the group to disband; they would not return for almost a decade. In the meantime, Rossdale went on to form a new band and work on solo material, eventually kick-starting the group again in 2010. They made their big comeback the following year with The Sea of Memories, the beginning of a new phase for Bush. Rossdale and his bandmates remained busy in the 2010s, issuing an additional pair of efforts (2014’s Man on the Run and 2017’s Black and White Rainbows), while maintaining a rigorous touring schedule.

Formed in late 1992 by Rossdale, Bush landed an American record deal before they even had a British label. Their debut album, Sixteen Stone, produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (producers of early-’80s hits by Madness and Elvis Costello, among others), was released in late 1994 by Interscope Records. By the end of December, Bush’s “Everything Zen” video had landed in MTV’s Buzz Bin and the album began to take off; by spring of 1995, the record had achieved gold certification. By that time, the band was successful enough in the U.S. to land a British record deal, although they weren’t able to match their American success in the U.K.

Over the course of 1995, Sixteen Stone became a major hit in the U.S., with “Little Things” reaching number four on the modern rock charts in the spring; later that year, “Comedown” and “Glycerine” both reached number one on the modern rock charts, as well as crossing over into the pop Top 40. Despite their mainstream success, Bush received negative reviews from the press and attracted scorn from alternative rock insiders. To counter the criticism, the band asked Steve Albini — notorious for his abrasive productions for not only Pixies, Nirvana, and PJ Harvey, but also countless indie bands — to helm their second album. The resulting Razorblade Suitcase was released in time for the Christmas season of 1996. The record was greeted with mixed reviews that were nevertheless more positive than those surrounding Sixteen Stone, entering the U.S. charts at number one and showing at number four in the U.K. By the spring of 1997, the album produced the hit singles “Swallowed,” “Greedy Fly,” and “Cold Contagious.” Later that year, the band recruited the likes of Goldie, Philip Steir, Dub Pistols, and Tricky for the electronic remix set Deconstructed.

In the fall of 1999, Bush returned with The Science of Things. Peaking at number 11, the effort was certified platinum on the backs of singles like “The Chemicals Between Us,” which topped the Billboard Modern Rock chart. In late 2001, they went back to basics with the guitar-driven album Golden State. Although it didn’t storm the charts like previous albums, fans still supported Bush, as was evidenced by their sold-out tour across North America. During this time, Helmet guitarist Chris Traynor was added as a touring member. Shifts within the band, however, took a sharp turn several months later when founding member Nigel Pulsford announced his departure in May. Pulsford, who had started a solo career as well as a new family, left without much drama and disapproval. Traynor stepped in to fill his shoes, but the tour would still be the last for the original Bush lineup. They ultimately disbanded in 2002, with Rossdale returning to music in 2004 with a new project, Institute, as well as a solo album, Wanderlust, in 2008. While a Best Of set (which included a recording of their Woodstock ’99 performance) and Zen X Four (a double-disc live album/music video collection) were issued in 2005, Bush would not be heard from for a decade.

In 2011, after years of planning, Rossdale re-formed Bush with Traynor, bassist Corey Britz, and founding drummer Robin Goodridge; Pulsford and Parsons declined to rejoin the band. That year, they released the Bob Rock-produced The Sea of Memories, their fifth studio album and first since 2001’s Golden State. The album performed modestly well — lead single “The Sound of Winter” topped Billboard’s Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts, with the record peaking at 18 on the Billboard 200 — and the group toured behind the album into 2012.

Reinvigorated by being back on the scene, Rossdale returned to the studio almost immediately after coming off tour and began writing another record. The sixth Bush album, Man on the Run, was recorded in 2014 with Nick Raskulinecz and Jay Baumgardner, and released in October of the same year. They promoted the effort into 2016, returning to the studio for a follow-up. The next year, Bush issued their seventh album, Black and White Rainbows. Led by the ballad “Mad Love,” the set was promoted with a 2018 summer trek alongside Stone Temple Pilots and the Cult. In 2019, Goodridge parted ways with the band and was replaced by Nik Hughes.

Bush ushered in the 2020s with their eighth studio full-length, The Kingdom. In addition to lead single “Flowers on a Grave,” the LP also included “Bullet Holes” from John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi