AboutBrett Collins Expertise I can answer most questions, when it comes to general info about the band. I`m a big fan of the music and have read quite a bit of info on them and the late Layne Staley.
Experience My experience in this area comes from a love for the band, and everything about them. I also have worked in radio as an announcer for almost ten years. So I bring with me just a more than average knowledge of music especially my favorite "Alice in Chains".
Publications I do music research for the radio station I work at in Canada. So nothing I have done has appeared in any publications but on the station it does all the time.
Question I know that Laynes last few years were pretty rough. I know that he did lock himself away from other people and everything, but tell me this:
Did Jerry Cantrell ever try to get him help?
I mean they all must have known that he was really in trouble, because he was completely drug-dependent, but where was some kind of intervention plan????
So when Layne was sick, Was Jerry there for him?
Answer I'm exactly sure Jerry himself tried to get him help. But I do know that Layne went thru rehab about ten times in ten years. Jerry had his own dependencies that he went thru as well. The whole band did for a while. I'm almost absolutely sure they did ask Layne to get clean before the 95 album. Which he did go to rehab in Minnesota. But it didn't last long and from what I heard it was the same story of him not showing up, or being late during recording for the album.
However they stuck thru it, and it was looking like things were going to be better. As you know that didn't last too long, then Layne's girlfriend died. The band was there for him alot around then. But they realized after a while that all he wanted to do was you know. The bottom line was they were there for Layne especially before he went really into isolation. I had heard that up to 98 when they got together for the two new songs on the boxset, Layne and the band were hangin' out at his place playing video games and drinking beer. They hoped he would get over his addiction, but yeah they moved on with Jerry's first solo record. I know by around 2000 they all called him and left messages, Sean would even go up to his place and throw rocks at his windows to let him in so he could visit. Plus he would phone Layne every week at a certain time, to see how he was doing. None of the messages were ever returned. No one got in to see Layne. Except for a few. I do remember Jerry saying after Layne overdosed that he wished he could of taken him out for a coffee that week. Although he just began his solo tour for degradation trip.
