Alice In Chains Bassists?

philzbass · #1 01-20-2006, 07:48 AM

Anyone know why Mike Starr left AIC?

I'm a big AIC fan but never really heard why Starr left the line up.

In alot of ways I thought he was a better bassist than Mike Inez (no disrespect, I liked him too), but why change what seemed to be a perfect line up?

Any answers would be great

MaskedJackal · #2 01-20-2006, 01:57 PM

I think I might've once known this, but I forgot.

But come on! Inez plays beautiful counterpoint stuff on the acoustic EPs. Look no further than the repetitious-but-very-sweet lick he plays on "Rotten Apple." I think he (and Starr, for that matter) was a pick player, but I really dug the tone.

Love this band.

nad · #3 01-20-2006, 02:05 PM

I never liked Mike Inez' tone, too trebly. Dude was good, but Mike Starr was AMAZING, and a huge influence on me. Had an absolutely amazing tone, and complemented Cantrell's wall of sound just perfectly.

One of my favorite bands, still makes me sad that Layne died before they could make more magic. Get Born Again and Died were absolutely brilliant, as was Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip vols. 1 & 2. I implore any and all AiC to check out that double album, even if you heard the single album version and didn't really dig it. Some of the best stuff since Dirt can be found there, like Pig Charmer.

Human Bass · #4 01-23-2006, 11:33 PM

I looove Mike Inez. He does a really awesome job in the unplugged.

philzbass · #5 01-24-2006, 04:24 PM

I think both guys are awsome and Alice in Chains rules

But I guess nobody knows why Mike Starr left exactly

Oh well, thanx for the replies

DGbass70 · #6 01-24-2006, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philzbass

I think both guys are awsome and Alice in Chains rules

But I guess nobody knows why Mike Starr left exactly

Oh well, thanx for the replies

maybe they let him go?

DGbass70 · #7 01-24-2006, 04:43 PM

i read he's been in trouble with the law a few times

**MAJOR METAL** · #8 01-25-2006, 06:21 PM

Mike Inez was really holding some great groove on their Unplugged Record.

Bass81 · #9 01-25-2006, 06:42 PM

Starr left the band with intentions of coming back. Seems like he wanted to get away from the drugs, and other crap.

I think thats what he wrote in his book "Unchained"

Contrary too popular belief they are both pick players, I am pretty sure they both switched up between finger style and picking.

If I am not mistaken Starr preferred the Spector NS-2, and I believe Inez used Warwick Streamer basses.

Inez I believe (I heard somewhere) played a Fender Fretless on some of the songs on Jar of Flies. I also believe he used an Alvarez acoustic bass in the Unplugged show.

Both used Ampeg amps also.

Now about Mike Starr. From what I understand he was a bit ill tempered at times. I had a friend who had a bad run in with him years ago and said Starr stomped his hand when he tried catching himself in a mosh pit. He said he grabbed the floor monitor and Starr ran up and stomped his hand.

Also I have heard from some other folks that Starr was a mean guitar player too.

Intresting enough Inez plays with Heart now. I also hear Alice In Chains may be going back to the studio too do something in the future but that might just be a rumour.

Kronos · #10 01-25-2006, 07:03 PM

I understand your friend was upset, but do you realize how many people probably tried to get up on stage, or to steal equipment during a show?

I saw a fan catch a beat down from Oderus Urungus during a Gwar show...at first I thought it was part of the act until the bouncers got up on stage...

philzbass · #11 01-25-2006, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass81

Starr left the band with intentions of coming back. Seems like he wanted to get away from the drugs, and other crap.

I think thats what he wrote in his book "Unchained"

Contrary too popular belief they are both pick players, I am pretty sure they both switched up between finger style and picking.

If I am not mistaken Starr preferred the Spector NS-2, and I believe Inez used Warwick Streamer basses.

Inez I believe (I heard somewhere) played a Fender Fretless on some of the songs on Jar of Flies. I also believe he used an Alvarez acoustic bass in the Unplugged show.

Both used Ampeg amps also.

Now about Mike Starr. From what I understand he was a bit ill tempered at times. I had a friend who had a bad run in with him years ago and said Starr stomped his hand when he tried catching himself in a mosh pit. He said he grabbed the floor monitor and Starr ran up and stomped his hand.

Also I have heard from some other folks that Starr was a mean guitar player too.

Intresting enough Inez plays with Heart now. I also hear Alice In Chains may be going back to the studio too do something in the future but that might just be a rumour.

Cool info

didn't know Starr wrote a book, I'll have to keep an eye out for that.

I have the dvd of their unpluged show and I have to say I LOVE the sound Inez gets out of that Alverez, it's KILLER!

Anyone ever play one?? Do they really sound that good??

Bass81 · #12 01-25-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kronos

I understand your friend was upset, but do you realize how many people probably tried to get up on stage, or to steal equipment during a show?

I saw a fan catch a beat down from Oderus Urungus during a Gwar show...at first I thought it was part of the act until the bouncers got up on stage...

Yeah, I understand that.

philzbass,
I never played one, I have played some of thier acoustic guitars and I like them.

Alverez is owned by SML (I believe), thats the St. Louis Music Company. They also own Ampeg, and Crate.

I will see if I can't find something out for you.

The Golden Boy · #13 01-28-2006, 09:09 AM

I saw Cardboard Vampyres last year. Jerry Cantrell looked very happy.

Ian Perge · #14 01-29-2006, 01:48 AM

The remaining members of AIC will be regrouping for a set of 3-4 songs during a Heart concert that will be taped for VH1's "Decades Rock Live" on March 10th (but not a full "opening set" - this comes from the moderator of Jerry Cantrell's board.) It's currently unknown if the band will have a guest fill-in singer for Layne, Jerry doing vocals alone, Nancy Wilson joining them (she sang on "Brother" and "Am I Inside?" off of the Sap EP, and AIC often recorded at Heart's "Bad Animals" studios) or some combination of the above.

DGbass70 · #15 01-30-2006, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Perge

The remaining members of AIC will be regrouping for a set of 3-4 songs during a Heart concert that will be taped for VH1's "Decades Rock Live" on March 10th (but not a full "opening set" - this comes from the moderator of Jerry Cantrell's board.) It's currently unknown if the band will have a guest fill-in singer for Layne, Jerry doing vocals alone, Nancy Wilson joining them (she sang on "Brother" and "Am I Inside?" off of the Sap EP, and AIC often recorded at Heart's "Bad Animals" studios) or some combination of the above.

they should have the guy from GODSMACK sing with them he was a big fan of AIC singer..
i would love to see who is going to sing

DGbass70 · #16 01-30-2006, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

I saw Cardboard Vampyres last year. Jerry Cantrell looked very happy.

do they have cd out?
who is in the band?

Thunderbird91 · #17 01-30-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGbass70

they should have the guy from GODSMACK sing with them he was a big fan of AIC singer..

Yeah they kinda named themselves after "godsmack" (a song by Alice In Chains off of dirt)

I love Alice in Chains because they are heavy but arn't affraid to harmonize. Great Band.

philzbass · #18 02-04-2006, 06:51 PM

I heard they got together with the singer from DamagePlan for a couple shows. I think his name's Pat Lachman or something like that.

Anyway I thought that sounded interesting and I was hoping that they would do more than just a couple shows, but I haven't heard anything else.