--- product_id: 99646154 title: "Alice in Chains: The Untold Story" price: "£15.24" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/99646154-alice-in-chains-the-untold-story store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Alice in Chains: The Untold Story **Price:** £15.24 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Alice in Chains: The Untold Story - **How much does it cost?** £15.24 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/99646154-alice-in-chains-the-untold-story) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The first comprehensive biography of Alice In Chains from its genre-forging years on the hard edge of grunge to the tragic death of lead singer Layne Staley and the band's comeback. Alice in Chains were among the loudest voices out of Seattle. They were iconic pioneers who mixed grunge and metal in ways that continue to influence today's artists, and theirs is a story of hard work, self-destruction, rising from the ashes, and carrying on a lasting legacy. Four years after their first meeting at a warehouse under Seattle's Ballard Bridge, Alice in Chains became 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 their problems. Acclaimed journalist David de Sola delves beneath the secrecy, gossip, and rumor surrounding the band to tell their full story for the first time. Based on a wealth of interviews with people who have direct knowledge of the band, many speaking on the record for the very first time, de Sola explores how drugs nearly destroyed them and claimed the lives of Staley and founding bassist Mike Starr, follows Jerry Cantrell's solo career and Mike Starr's life after being fired from the band, and chronicles the band's resurrection with new lead singer William DuVall. From their anonymous struggles to topping the charts with hits like "Would?," "Man in the Box," and "Rooster," Alice in Chains reveals the members of the band not as caricatures of rock stars but as brilliant, nuanced, and flawed human beings whose years of hard work led to the seemingly overnight success that changed the music scene forever. Review: A Deep, Honest Look at Alice in Chains-A Must for Fans - As a huge Alice in Chains fan who grew up listening to them and bands from that era, this book was so good, I honestly couldn’t put it down. Reading this gave me an even deeper appreciation for their music and the people behind it. Alice in Chains: The Untold Story is a must-read for anyone who loves the band or is curious about the Seattle music scene. David de Sola does an incredible job digging into the band’s history, the personalities behind the music, and especially the complex and heartbreaking story of Layne Staley. It’s an emotional read, but also incredibly factual and well-balanced. What really stood out to me was how thoroughly researched the book is. It doesn’t shy away from the darker parts of their journey, but it also highlights their artistry, resilience, and influence. The interviews and behind-the-scenes details brought everything to life in a way that felt honest and respectful. There’s not a ton of information out there about Alice in Chains compared to other bands, so I was impressed by how much I learned. It gave me a much deeper understanding of who they were and the legacy they left behind. The book was also easy to read, well-paced and clear and it arrived in perfect condition. If you’re a fan, this book is a must read! Absolutely worth reading! Review: STILL NOT ENOUGH - It's absolutely SHAMEFUL that there there are myriad books, reviews, shirts, stories, stickers, etc. written about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but only ONE book - THIS book - written about one of the greatest rock bands that ever came out of Seattle! Even more shameful, David de Sola was the one to figure out that there was that hole in the genre of 'books about rock bands' and strove to fill that hole himself. And God bless him for it. Yet, it's not enough, IMHO. The story could have/should have gone much more in-depth, but no one was talking. De Sola did yeoman's work in putting out the best book he could with the pathetically small amount of information he was provided. The story really is one of the most harrowing in all of rock & roll: the demise of a shy, young, extremely gifted, very charismatic young man--Layne Staley--who, after rising to the top of the rock world, made the fatal mistake of choosing heroin over life, 'chasing the dragon' to his ultimate death--a long, slow, ugly death nearly 8 years in the making. A death 'self chosen' by him, the culmination of depression, early life traumas, and drug-induced emotional distress, all exacerbated by life in rainy, depressing Seattle, Layne simply could see no way out. Family, friends, medical professionals, and acquaintances all tried desperately to help him, but he would not be helped (he was in rehab 13 times, and died 5 times, brought back to life by emergency crews). In the end, no one knew how he passed the final years of his life; but he died all alone, ravaged by heroin, less than 90 lbs on his 6-foot frame, with the music world consequently barely acknowledging his greatness or even his life (completely overlooked by the Grammys during their 'those we lost' segment). After heading up both the brilliant and unique Alice in Chains and the equally brilliant side project, Mad Season, Layne Staley hadn't even hit his peak by the time he died. He left a vast hole in music--and a world wondering 'what if?'--after being one of the first Seattle bands to get a major record label, and helping to spawn the 'Seattle sound' of grunge in the early 90s. As well, his loss devastated his AIC band mates, who, years later, reconstituted what was left of the band, now with William Duvall as secondary vocalist, along with the remarkable Jerry Cantrell (whose vocal harmonies and sludgy guitar riffs created the Alice in Chains 'sound,' and who wrote nearly all of their lyrics; he's also done several amazing solo albums). It's truly a tragedy on par with those of a Greek nature. If you are a fan of Alice in Chains, Mad Season, rock & roll, or just music in general, this book is one you should not miss. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #45,647 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3 in Heavy Metal Music (Books) #13 in Rock Music (Books) #25 in Rock Band Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,664 Reviews | ## Images ![Alice in Chains: The Untold Story - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/812LfrJapWL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Deep, Honest Look at Alice in Chains-A Must for Fans *by M***R on October 22, 2025* As a huge Alice in Chains fan who grew up listening to them and bands from that era, this book was so good, I honestly couldn’t put it down. Reading this gave me an even deeper appreciation for their music and the people behind it. Alice in Chains: The Untold Story is a must-read for anyone who loves the band or is curious about the Seattle music scene. David de Sola does an incredible job digging into the band’s history, the personalities behind the music, and especially the complex and heartbreaking story of Layne Staley. It’s an emotional read, but also incredibly factual and well-balanced. What really stood out to me was how thoroughly researched the book is. It doesn’t shy away from the darker parts of their journey, but it also highlights their artistry, resilience, and influence. The interviews and behind-the-scenes details brought everything to life in a way that felt honest and respectful. There’s not a ton of information out there about Alice in Chains compared to other bands, so I was impressed by how much I learned. It gave me a much deeper understanding of who they were and the legacy they left behind. The book was also easy to read, well-paced and clear and it arrived in perfect condition. If you’re a fan, this book is a must read! Absolutely worth reading! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ STILL NOT ENOUGH *by G***L on May 18, 2022* It's absolutely SHAMEFUL that there there are myriad books, reviews, shirts, stories, stickers, etc. written about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but only ONE book - THIS book - written about one of the greatest rock bands that ever came out of Seattle! Even more shameful, David de Sola was the one to figure out that there was that hole in the genre of 'books about rock bands' and strove to fill that hole himself. And God bless him for it. Yet, it's not enough, IMHO. The story could have/should have gone much more in-depth, but no one was talking. De Sola did yeoman's work in putting out the best book he could with the pathetically small amount of information he was provided. The story really is one of the most harrowing in all of rock & roll: the demise of a shy, young, extremely gifted, very charismatic young man--Layne Staley--who, after rising to the top of the rock world, made the fatal mistake of choosing heroin over life, 'chasing the dragon' to his ultimate death--a long, slow, ugly death nearly 8 years in the making. A death 'self chosen' by him, the culmination of depression, early life traumas, and drug-induced emotional distress, all exacerbated by life in rainy, depressing Seattle, Layne simply could see no way out. Family, friends, medical professionals, and acquaintances all tried desperately to help him, but he would not be helped (he was in rehab 13 times, and died 5 times, brought back to life by emergency crews). In the end, no one knew how he passed the final years of his life; but he died all alone, ravaged by heroin, less than 90 lbs on his 6-foot frame, with the music world consequently barely acknowledging his greatness or even his life (completely overlooked by the Grammys during their 'those we lost' segment). After heading up both the brilliant and unique Alice in Chains and the equally brilliant side project, Mad Season, Layne Staley hadn't even hit his peak by the time he died. He left a vast hole in music--and a world wondering 'what if?'--after being one of the first Seattle bands to get a major record label, and helping to spawn the 'Seattle sound' of grunge in the early 90s. As well, his loss devastated his AIC band mates, who, years later, reconstituted what was left of the band, now with William Duvall as secondary vocalist, along with the remarkable Jerry Cantrell (whose vocal harmonies and sludgy guitar riffs created the Alice in Chains 'sound,' and who wrote nearly all of their lyrics; he's also done several amazing solo albums). It's truly a tragedy on par with those of a Greek nature. If you are a fan of Alice in Chains, Mad Season, rock & roll, or just music in general, this book is one you should not miss. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ That's a proper band story! Well written, thoroughly researched, tragic, coming back strong! *by S***R on August 11, 2015* I'm a huge music fan and I had the good fortune of seeing Alice in Chains on the Clash of the Titans Tour in Pittsburgh. In fact, the "Facelift" album cover was my first ever concert shirt purchased. I love this band! I never enjoyed their third 3 legged dog album and this book gets into the details on how it turned out the way it did. Not only did the author interview friends and family, he gets into cool details with Evan Sheeley from Bass Northwest, on how the bass sound was created. They get into the details of money and politics as well as the tragedy of addiction. I would say this is the best untold story band book that I've read as it's not an authorized biography but a factual story that was very well researched. Even though the band had two major tragedies, they continued not as a money grubbing thing but if the three core guys play together pepole are going to want to hear Alice in Chains as opposed to them changing their name to Leather Snake and playing Leather Snake songs. It's still Alice in Chains. Anyway, this writes like a Hollywood movie except this is real s***! ## Frequently Bought Together - Alice in Chains: The Untold Story - Total F*cking Godhead: The Biography of Chris Cornell --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/99646154-alice-in-chains-the-untold-story](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/99646154-alice-in-chains-the-untold-story) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-15*