Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Alice in Chains: The Untold Story

Mistress Jessica. B.

This is a book i am still to read.

Reviewed in Australia on 23 July 2019

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Delivery was fine.
Have yet to start reading this...
But thats me.. and not others that have. See there reviews.

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Michael Newman

Highly recommend

Reviewed in Australia on 3 December 2020

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Great book and delivered fast!!

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gommine

The best we've got until the other band members talk

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 August 2015

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If you’re a fan of Alice in Chains, you have probably scoured Amazon at regular intervals to find a biography of the band or of the late Layne Staley. The only biography of Staley that had been published so far was notoriously unreliable and poorly written, and the best account of the band’s history was to be found in Mark Arm’s oral history of grunge, ‘Everybody Loves Our Town’. Therefore, David de Sola’s book was a much needed, long overdue account of the rise and fall - and rise again - of this incredible band.

Like most biographies, ‘Alice in Chains: The Untold Story’ is a little chaotic, with jumps in the timeline which fans of the band will occasionally question. I find that a common trait in biographies when so many ‘characters’ are involved. And that’s the other problem: there are a lot of ‘characters’ in this book, and I would have liked to be able to refer to an Appendix at the end to remind myself of who was who. Unfortunately, no such ‘cast list’ is included.

The remaining members of the original Alice in Chains line up are notoriously private, and as a result, they declined to be involved with De Sola’s research. Similarly, Layne Staley’s mother did not respond to the author’s interview requests. Therefore, the book relies on the account of ‘secondary’ sources - friends, staff members and assorted hangers-on. But all considering, De Sola does a very good job of stitching together a coherent account of the events from the sources available, and the ‘story’ flows as well as it can do, albeit with a heavy Layne bias. Modern day Alice in Chains are barely touched on, but I have to admit that I have little interest in their current incarnation. As Susan Silver is quoted to say at one point in the book, ‘Layne *is* Alice in Chains’.

Maybe one day Cantrell, Kinney and Inez will ‘talk’ and allow their version of the events to surface in a new biography; but for the time being, David De Sola’s book is all we have. It’s certainly a great read which all fans of the bands will no doubt devour.

14 people found this helpful

Mikkel Fregerslev Larsen

A good account of the history of Alice In Chains

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 November 2020

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This a pretty thoroughly researched book about Alice in Chains, no doubt. As a fan through 27 years it did reveal a lot of interesting details.

That said there is some things to point out. The book does not include first hand interviews with the bandmembers Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney and Mike Inez. Though several other people and family members have been interviewed and that these accounts altogether makes for a decent historical overview, you are left feeling a little alianated from the direct sources.

Secondly, the book puts a lot of attention on the late Layne Staley, which kind of scews the picture of the band, which were four even parts in a band of brothers.

I also need to warn fragile souls: The accounts of Layne Staleys later life are by all means not pleasant reading. It is truly horrifying to read how Layne Staley got caught in a long downwords spiral caused by drug abuse and it is as sad at it is scary.

That said, it is a good book that also highlights the beauty of the people involved and the extreme power of their music, which is what stands back and what should be remembered.

JDM

Disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2015

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Although the foreword makes it clear that its impossible to tell the Alice in Chains story without addressing Layne Staley's drug issues, in reality this dominates the book. Its essentially the Lane Staley story, which although vital, it is disappointing that more isn't dedicated to the band as a whole. William DuVall subsequently joining the band and his contribution is confined to a handful of pages, and there's hardly a mention of the remaining band members solo works. It could have been a lot better.

6 people found this helpful

FridayIsCute 🙂

Perfect gift

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2018

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A gift for the girlfriend, she loves this band. She says it's a good book so far!

John n jeanie

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2017

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Love layne and aic couldnt put it down

james mcmahon

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 January 2016

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Enjoyable

flipflop

As expected

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 December 2018

Verified Purchase

As expected

janet tidridge

Good book, couldn't put it down 😊

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2015

Verified Purchase

Good book,couldn't put it down 😊

One person found this helpful

5 star		80%
4 star		13%
3 star		4%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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