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:

Based on a wealth of interviews with people...