Michael Christopher "Mike" Starr(April 4, 1966 March 8, 2011) was an American musician, best known as the originalbassistinAlice In Chains, with whom he played from the band's formation in 1987 until 1993. It came from a real place. A statement from Primary Waves David Weitzman reads: Primary Wave is pleased to partner with the estates of Layne Staley and Mike Starr to honor their musical legacies as part of the classic era lineup of Alice in Chains, who created the amazing songs and records that comprise the albumsDirtandFacelift, and the acoustic EPs,Jar of FliesandSap. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. [4][5] Inez has earned seven Grammy Award nominations as a member of Alice in Chains.[6]. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Mike appears on the Tokyo, Japan section, On "Crazy Or High" and on "No More Tears" (from Bonus Disc), This page was last edited on 16 September 2022, at 05:10. Layne would recall that meeting telling an interviewer when i met mike starr he was on a honda motorcycle in his bathrobe and sunglasses. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. The 100 Best Albums of 2022, In fact, hard work has been a key factor behind the rise of Alice in Chains. VI. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Mike was ready to go home. Starr later claimed that he was fired due to his drug addiction.In 1993 he left the group. [citation needed]. Photos: Alice in Chains Throughout the Nineties. In 1993 he left the group. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time It was just a difference in priorities, lead singer Layne Staley told Rolling Stone in 1994. Weve updated the security on the site. 7:37 PM. Authorities searched him and found he was carrying marijuana. At the age of 9 his father would relocate to seattle and take his son Around the age of 11 or 12 Starr got a job at ihop as a dishwasher and used the money he saved to buy his first bass guitar and started his first band called Cyprus whose name he took from the bible. Mike talks about Celebrity Rehab, his former band Alice in Chains, his new bands and being the last person to see Layne Staley alive. Starr and Cantrell left Gypsy Rose and the two of them began working together to form a new band. Be respectful even if you disagree. The DVD features lessons of some of Mike's favorite Alice in Chains songs, and a sit down in depth interview. Resend Activation Email. Mike Starr, the original bassist in Alice In Chains who recently appeared on VH1s Celebrity Rehab, died March 8th in Salt Lake City of unknown causes. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The band suffered for years because of this, before recruiting new lead singerWilliam Bradley DuVall for 2009'sBlue Gives Way to Black. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. Since I quit doing it, I tried it a couple of times to see if I could recapture the feeling I once got off it, but I dont. I wanna let you guys know ive done a whole video on Alice in Chains glam metal days. It generally doesn't end good." To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. Starr, who played bass for the seminal Seattle grunge band from its formation in 1987 to 1993, died nearly three weeks These are just words Im pulling off the top of my head. He was the original bassist of the Seattle grunge band Alice in Chains (1987 to 1993). Sincerity in music can be difficult to portray. Eventually, Staley quit the other bands he was performing with at that time and joined their band as well. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA. Michael Allen Inez (born May 14, 1966)[2] is an American rock musician best known for his role as the bassist of Alice in Chains since 1993. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. Mike Starr was fired from Alice In Chains because of his drug problem. Why? He is also recognized for his work with Ozzy Osbourne from 19891993. Former ALICE IN CHAINS bassist Mike Starr is featured as a cast member for the new season of the VH1 reality series "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew". Please enter your email and password to sign in. So Mike Starr was supposedly kicked out of the band for being an unreliable junkie but Layne was arguably worse. On March 8, 2011, at 1:42pm, police were called to a home in. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Back in April 1994, Starr was sentenced to 30 days in the Houston jail formisdemeanor drug possession. By the end of the album, its pretty obvious it didnt work out as well as I thought it would., Staley also expresses his current sentiments onstage, introducing one grim number as a song about a hopeless fucking junkie.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In 1995, Inez played with Slash on the Guns N' Roses guitarist's side group, Slash's Snakepit. Because Mike wasn't kicked out for being a junkie. Starr, 43, a founding member of ALICE IN CHAINS, had been in legal trouble before in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Mike Inez began his career in music by playing guitar and saxophone. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Alice in Chains were among the loudest voices out of Seattle. Alice in Chain's music was deeply personal and vulnerable, and a lot of that comes down to its confessional nature. And Staley? A private memorial was held for Starr at Experience Music Project in Seattle on March 20, 2011. Try again. , with whom he played from the band's formation in 1987 until 1993. There was an error deleting this problem. During 1990 and 1991, Alice opened for everyone from Iggy Pop and Van Halen to Extreme and Poison, as well as slogging through a bottom-billed slot on the infamous Clash of the Titans package with Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth. A system error has occurred. In 1989, more than 50 musicians auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne's group, and Inez, then a member of the local L.A. band Skin on Skin, won the spot of bassist. In the liner notes Inez was credited as "bass and music inspiration," as he had written the riff to the title track in a jam session. "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" Season 3 chronicles the patients' intensive 21-day program with both group and one-on-one therapy and non-traditional therapies like art and music. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. The article, he says, caused his family and friends much grief. Inez recorded with the band for their eponymous 1995 release Alice in Chains, which also debuted at #1. The roots of family trauma were planted early, as Cantrell's father, a military officer, divorced from his mother when Cantrell was seven, a mere four years after meeting Cantrell for the first time. Inez also appeared on the 1993 Osbourne live album, Live & Loud. Bassist Mike Starr interview on the syndicated radio show 'Loveline' with Dr. Drew Pinsky on February 16, 2010. The group also participated in the 1993 Lollapalooza Tour . It was just a difference in priorities, lead singer Layne Staley told Rolling Stone in 1994. However, AIC was not the first name the band had given themselves throughout their careers. I dont know, it somehow makes Layne look more evil. The bands stringy-haired beanpole of a drummer, Sean Kinney, 26, feels Staleys determination to perform right after his accident is a sign of Alices fortitude. Jar of Flies debuted at #1 on album sales charts, the first EP ever to do so.[7]. The biggest problem by far was Mike StSources:Alice in Chains The Untold Story, Book David De SolaGrunge Is Dead, Book, Greg PratoEverybody Loves Our Town, Book, Mark Yarm Inez was a guest player on "Under the Gun" from Motrhead's 2006 album Kiss of Death. The band reunited in 2005 for a live benefit show, Well, the Alice in Chains singer decided to make a return trip to the Basement. Inez toured throughout 1993 with Alice in Chains on the strength of the Dirt album. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Alice in Chains formed during the late eighties when Staley, then singing in a different band, offered aimless Tacoma guitarist Jerry Cantrell his rehearsal studio as a place to crash. Text. In his own plain and direct words, "I felt emotions when I listened to music. Alice in Chains officially disbanded on April 20, 2002, after the news of the death of Staley. The group also participated in the 1993 Lollapalooza Tour. Although its the night after Sadistic Sunday, Staley is having a grand time. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. For a young rock singer enjoying the first moments of celebrity, things cant get much better. Oops, we were unable to send the email. For Cantrell, though, this wasn't his first experience with pain not by far. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. At around this time, Inez formed the band Spys4Darwin with Sean Kinney, Chris DeGarmo from Queensrche, and Vinnie Dombroski from Sponge. I took a fucking long, hard walk through hell. Former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr was found dead Tuesday afternoon (March 8). Around the same time, we went out for dinner with some Columbia Records people who were vegetarians. The tattoo parlor is cluttered with designs of skulls, gargoyles, dragons and other Goth images. Founder, co-singer, guitarist, and lead songwriter Jerry Cantrelleschewed the show-offy, over-the-top guitar work of the glam era (as many of his contemporaries did), and in its place opted for pointedly constructed lines suffused with the slow, grinding loops and pedal tones of sludge metal and desert rock, such as on 1992'sDirt. An MTV-hyped clip for Man in the Box, with its macabre image of a monk with his eyelids sewn shut, helped push the single into the Top Twenty. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? England and Wales company registration number 2008885. This browser does not support getting your location. The band was later signed to a record deal withColumbia Recordsand enjoyed extensive success via record sales and radio play in thegrunge rockmovement of the early 1990s. Jerry would mention to Sean that he knew a bass player named Mike Starr to which Kinney replied thats weird because this is his sister and pointed at Melinda and told Cantrell he had played with Mike in a handful of bands since his early teen years. Learn more about merges. Starr's work is prominently featured in their albums "Facelift" (1990) and "Dirt" (1992), and the EP "Sap" (1992). WebAlthough never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity from 1996 onwards due to Staley's substance abuse, which resulted in his death in 2002. I wanted to create stuff that I could send out into the world that would hit people and give them an experience. In 2005, Jerry Cantrell, Inez, and Sean Kinney reunited to perform a benefit concert in Seattle for victims of the tsunami disaster that struck South Asia in 2004. A lurid T-shirt hangs on the wall, picturing an EC Comics-type cannibal and the motto Jeffrey Dahmer says, Remember KidsTattoos Taste Great! Some twisted shit indeed. This was around the same time that Cantrell met Staley and recruited him into Alice in Chains. A more personal downer for the band was Staleys drug abuse, which led the singer to a failed rehab visit and, finally, a cold-turkey kick of his own while reading The Bad Place, by horror novelist Dean R. Koontz. In the following year, Inez played on the bonus track to Black Label Society's debut album Sonic Brew, a reworked heavy metal cover version of the Osbourne track "No More Tears". The name came from a side project of my old group, says Staley, stroking the remnants of his blond beatnik goatee. Why did Mike leave Alice in Chains? Well, the Alice in Chains singer decided to make a return trip to the Basement. Please try again later. Naturally, there were many rumours of the "real" reason he left. Rock Musician. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Back in April 2005, Seattle's KIROTV.com reported that Mike Starr was arrested in Seattle for vandalizing a car. Sorry! As you can see, Cantrell says, Im into some twisted shit. Indeed, he endures a four-hour-plus session, getting a strange array of gruesome faces inked onto his arm, reaching from the wrist all the way up to the crook of his elbow. They were snatched up within weeks. Year should not be greater than current year. Mike was ready to go home. Starr later claimed that he was fired due to his drug addiction.In 1993 he left the group. We have set your language to DuVall would go on to be made the permanent singer of the group, which has since released three studio albums with Duvall and toured extensively since 2006. Layne Staley with Alice in Chains during filming of one of their videos in Los Angeles, August 1990. Try again later. Starr was with the group for theFaceliftandDirtalbums and theSapEP. The result was something truly dire, dark, and even warped. Flanking himself with guitarist-singer Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney, Staley kept the moniker but changed it to Alice In Chains and the group began to play around the Seattle area. Before recording Dirt, the foursome kept busy by quietly releasing a mellow, guest-laden EP titled Sap and making an appearance in Cameron Crowes recent Seattle-based film, Singles. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The resulting Facelift featured violent, tortured Cantrell numbers like We Die Young and Bleed the Freak, as well as several Staley-Cantrell collaborations, including Man in the Box, a song inspired by thoughts of food and fascism. Mat Hayward/Getty Images. Mike had been an original Gypsy Rose member, but coincidentally he had left the band shortly after Jerry exited, due to an argument over a woman. Well talk about that tour later on in this video.Starr would admit that by the age of 12 or 13 he already was growing facial hair and had a mustache and would spend a fair bit of time in Atlantic City with his father. WebAlice in Chains bassist Mike Starr had left the group after the release of their album Dirt and Inez replaced him. Alice in Chains: Through the Looking Glass, Neil Young, Pearl Jam Rock Victoria Williams Benefit, Jason Derulo Pens First Book 'Sing Your Name Out Loud', Wizkid More Love, Less Ego Tour Postponed to Fall 2023, A Year After Brain Injury, Amy Grant Sets First Solo Musical Return in a Decade, Blink-182 Postpone First-Ever Latin America Tour Dates Following Travis Barker Finger Injury, Raye Relives Her Sexual Assault in Harrowing 'Ice Cream Man' Video, How to Watch 'The Mandalorian' Online: Stream Season 3 Now, Alex MurdaughCalled 'Family Annihilator' by Prosecution in Murder Trial. In 1993 he left the group. The place was open twenty-four hours, and there were always bands playing, chicks going in and out, beer and drugs everywhere, some really wild times., Related Stories Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. All Rights reserved. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Bath Answerbag wants to provide a service to people looking for answers and a good conversation. Oops, something didn't work. When Alice hits the stage in Dallas, the audience eagerly embraces the group, with the entire front section standing on its feet, waving outstretched fists, flicking cigarette lighters during every song. Considered a commercial long shot compared with other local heroes, Alice in Chains signed with Columbia in 1989 after Nick Terzo, a rep involved with the bands music publishing, joined the labels A&R team. It takes a few deep bites to get what its all about. This is a carousel with slides. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. So why was Mike given the boot but Jerry didn't kick out Layne for the same reason? Its really messed up, held together by pins, Staley says later, cracking a small smile as he talks about visiting a specialist who works with the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team. Starr, however, mentioned on an episode ofCelebrity Rehabthat he was kicked out of the band due to his budding drug addiction. We wanted to continue intense touring and press. March 9, 2011 7:35 am ET. In fact his high school yearbook would have starr saying he was going to tour with van halen when he got older and it was a dream that would come true. At the 2007 VH1 Rock Honors, Alice in Chains performed the tribute to Heart. The drug didnt work for me anymore. The dark, brooding side of the Seattle scene. The facts are that I was shooting a lot of dope, and thats nobodys business but mine, he says, resting on the tour bus before opening for Osbourne in Dallas. Verify and try again. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The way that I wrote and the way that he wrote blended together so well, we felt like a natural fit. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. (Note: The Starr portion of hte clip begins around the 2:20 mark.). The project was cut short by Gillen's death in 1993. In 2019, Inez was a guest bass player on Mark Morton's debut solo album Anesthetic. Mike caused trouble on tour I remember hearing somewhere. We werent getting work anyway, so we thought it wouldnt hurt us, says Staley, recalling how the band members would pass around fuck the band condoms as a publicity gimmick. Inez toured throughout 1993 with Alice in Chains on the strength of the Dirt album. And Staley? The crowd response was amazing as crowd-surfing and high-decibel applause was present.". There is a problem with your email/password. Dr. Drew is also bringing in some additional prominent physicians to help him give the patients supplementary one-on-one care. This story is from the November 26th, 1992 issue of Rolling Stone. Stay up to date with in depth music reviews, exclusive interviews and widespread coverage of whats happening from your favourite music genre. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Hes gained some weight, the color has returned to his skin, and a muscleman on tour keeps an eye on him in case the old urges return. Starr departed the group while it was touring behind the albumDirt. During the Dirt tour bassist Mike Starr was kicked out of Alice in Chains due to his budding drug addiction. Web"Bleed the Freak" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains and the third single from their first album Facelift (1990). [His] performance was flawless and this just about squashes all rumors of his prior poor health condition. Following Layne Staley's death in April 2002, Inez joined Heart and toured with the band from 2002 through 2006. There was a problem getting your location. Drag images here or select from your computer for Mike Starr memorial. ", (also now deceased) as having "such severe addictions. Perhaps the labels most valuable contribution was providing the group with a touring bus. Prior to the classic lineup of Alice in Chains forming 1987 guitarist Jerry cantrell played some demos he was working on for drummer Sean Kinney. In 2003, Black Label Society's Robert Trujillo joined Metallica; Inez replaced him in Black Label Society, joining for a short two-week west coast tour of the United States and a short tour of Japan for their The Blessed Hellride album. He has considered Alice In Chains to be "One of the greatest bands he's ever heard" since 1991. Of that time, Cantrell speaks of darkness and light, saying, "I don't know everything, and I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea of an all-knowing God sitting up on a cloud. So I went home and wrote about government censorship and eating meat as seen through the eyes of a doomed calf.. Cantrell's relationship with his brother was also damaged, as the song "Brother" states:"You were always so far away / I know that pain / So don't run away like you used to do. Also in the room at the same time was Kinneys girlfriend a women named Melinda. It came from a real place. Pearl Jam is a soul thats full of life and invigorating, and Nirvana is kind of beautifully dysfunctional. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. They fooled around with several incarnations, going glam for a while and even gigging under the name Fuck. No hidden symbolism for this bunch. We dont stuff our personal demons inside us, we get them out, Staley says. According to former singer Layne Staley, in a Rolling Stone article from February 1994, Starr's departure from Alice in Chains stemmed from "just a difference in priorities. I really like the wheelchair effect, says bassist Mike Starr, 26.