Alice In Chains
Just days after suffering a “non-life-threatening medical emergency” that necessitated the cancellation of their spring tour, Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney has provided fans with an update to his health.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The legendary grunge outfit had initially been scheduled to perform at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena on May 8, though announced the show’s cancellation after Kinney suffered a medical emergency following their soundcheck.
An additional five shows over the next week, including appearances at the Sonic Temple Art & Music and Welcome to Rockville festival, had been scheduled but were cancelled one day later on May 9.
Trending on Billboard
“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean’s health is our top priority at this moment,” the band wrote in a statement. “Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.”
Now Kinney – one of two remaining founding members of the band, alongside guitarist Jerry Cantrell – has issued his own statement, apologizing to fans for the short-notice cancellation and outlining his experiences dealing with the unspecified medal issue.
“I was very much looking forward to getting back out there and playing with the band again, and it’s been a difficult but necessary decision to make,” Kinney wrote on social media. “I don’t personally utilize social media and I’m not particularly fond of my health issues being made public, but I understand that people are concerned.”
Kinney explained that doctors advised against him performing in the short-term, coming to terms with his situation after a quick trip through the five stages of grief.
“I finally concluded that medical doctors with many hard-earned degrees on their walls might know a bit more about health than a musician with some shiny spray-painted records on his wall,” he explained. “The outpouring of love, concern and well wishes has been both extremely humbling and very much appreciated.
“The good news is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live,” he concluded. “The bad news (for some of you?) is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live.”
Alice in Chains’ cancelled run of dates were to be their first live appearances since performing at Las Vegas’ Sick New World festival in April 2024.
Currently, their website lists only one upcoming date, which is the Back to the Beginning concert in England on July 5, and boasts a lineup featuring Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and myriad others.
The journals of late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley will be collected in an upcoming book, with This Angry Pen to be released in November.
The 176-page volume will be officially released on Nov. 11 via publisher Weldon Owen, with its full title reading This Angry Pen: The Lost Journals of Layne Staley. According to a description of the book on the website of distributors Simon & Schuster, the book collects “handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes” and more.
“For the first time, this stunning collection unveils the deeply personal and creative side of the legendary Alice in Chains frontman,” it continues. “Through never-before-seen poetry, raw handwritten lyrics, intimate scribblings, and heartfelt notes, Layne’s inner thoughts and emotions come to life, offering a glimpse into the mind of a musical genius who defined a generation.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Staley began his musical journey in the ‘80s, performing in glam bands in the Seattle area such as Sleze, which changed its name in 1986 to Alice N’ Chains.
Trending on Billboard
In 1987, Staley – along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney – formed a new band and renamed it Alice in Chains. The group would soon become one of the most influential grunge rock outfits of the ‘90s, with their 1995 self-titled album peaking atop the Billboard 200.
In addition to performing and recording with supergroups Mad Season and Class of ‘99 through the decade, Staley became largely reclusive in the latter half of the ‘90s, battling depression and drug addiction during those years. In April 17, 2002, Staley’s body was found in his Seattle apartment, with an autopsy ruling his death as an accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin from two weeks prior.
Alice in Chains would later reform in 2005, with vocalist William DuVall joining the following year. The band have since released three studio albums, with 2018’s Rainier Fog serving as their last record to date.
“Through Layne’s scribblings and heartfelt musings are a window into the emotional depths of a man who gave so much of himself to his art and his fans, even as he struggled with his own battles,” the description for This Angry Pen continued. “For fans new and old, this is an opportunity to connect with Layne’s artistry and humanity in a way that’s never been possible before. His story, told through his own words, creations, and the lives he forever changed, is a testament to the enduring power of music, art, and the human spirit.”
The publication of This Angry Pen also draws some comparisons to the 2002 book Journals, which collected the drawings and writings of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Nirvana and Alice in Chains – along with fellow Seattle contemporaries Pearl Jam and Soundgarden – were often considered to make up the ‘Big Four’ of grunge music. Reaction to Cobain’s Journals was mixed upon its release, with Cobain’s daughter Frances Bean expressing her regret over its publication in 2018.
-
Pages