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AIC's crowning achievement was Dirt. Not one bad song on it. Layne killed it on this one.

I can't imagine his dad's reaction to hearing this song and what the boys put into it. He must have been so proud.

Obviously, this was a deeply personal song for Jerry Cantrell. Jerry is immensely talented as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, yet it took Layne Staley's incredible voice to really infuse this song with the emotion it needed to hit this hard. I have always loved this song as a child of the Vietnam era who knew way too many veterans who were forever changed by that war.

Guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote ROOSTER about his father's experiences in Vietnam and when Jerry saw his dad in the audience at one of their shows when AIC opened for Iggy Pop, and Jerry asked Layne (and the guys) to play ROOSTER and they did. It was the first time Jerry's dad heard Jerry's music and knew that his son understood him through that song. It brought Jerry and his dad closer together. And Layne had a vital part in that reunion. (Meanwhile Layne's own biological father was an opportunist). Jerry's dad was nicknamed Rooster when he was a kid and his hairstyle resembled that of a rooster comb. Although, maybe he used rooster as a call sign during his military career. But he didn't earn the nickname in the military, he had the nickname back when he was a kid. Jerry Cantrell, Sr had multiple tours in Vietnam and like most Vietnam vets, he didn't talk about it. The most he ever said about it was at the beginning of the official video for ROOSTER which he agreed to be a part of after hearing the song. Like all kids who hate their parents, Jerry Cantrell was no different. He was staying in a small guest room in Chris Cornell's house (Cornell was married to AIC manager Susan Silver) and the guest room had a tiny window. He was staying there and thought about what his dad may have experienced and wrote the lyrics. They demoed ROOSTER and WOULD? when they spent two days working on the acoustic songs for the SAP EP. The songs on SAP and those two songs were demoed using the money Cameron Crowe gave them for recording WOULD? for the SINGLES movie. Layne sang the hell out of WOULD? and ROOSTER. The harmony in the beginning and end on the album is Ann Wilson of Heart, but Layne does the harmonies on the official video and live versions perfectly. The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was doing other drugs on top of Heroin). His liver was damaged from the years of drug use. He was just high enough to do the show so he didn't get dope sick and chase away withdrawal symptoms. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon due to the path Layne had taken with his life. That show was filmed in April, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. After that, it was a six-year-long slow suicide. With Unplugged... Sean Kinney (drummer) and Mike Inez (bass player) argued with Jerry about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs in his condition, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when Layne hit a high note in ROOSTER. Layne was one of the few singers who was always better live than studio version. The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking. The entire show was a success because Layne DID have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys (Metallica) who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours back in 1994 sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby Wright didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was. That line "they spit on me in my homeland." TV News anchor Walter Kronkite basically told the American public that we lost the war and between that and the college kids (who went to college to escape being drafted into the military) would protest the soldiers coming home. They would do protest rallies at the airports and protest the returning soldiers by spitting at them, throwing urine and other stuff on them. An uncle of mine drove a supply truck in Vietnam (to this day he won't talk about his experience). A family friend of ours said that he and his buddies came home, saw the protesters at the airport, and re-enlisted because it was safer in Vietnam than in the US with the protesters. At least in Vietnam, they knew who the enemy was. I'm NOT saying Vietnam was anything the US should have ever been in. I'm just relating stories of people I know who served there. Layne's story is more tragic and haunting because you can actually watch and hear him deteriorate over the 12-year span: from the mild use of drugs in 1990 all the way through 1996 when he was deep into a heroin addiction to dropping to 90 pounds by 1998 to 86 pounds when he died in 2002. Layne kept his humor and wit even to the end of his life. Layne was so much more than his drug addiction. He stacked his own vocals with melodies and harmonies underneath. He was able to come up with lyrics and harmonies off the top of his head. He knew that Jerry Cantrell was playing with the wrong people and gave him contact info for Sean Kinney and found out Sean Kinney was dating original bass player Mike Starr's sister. He wrote the lyrics for the original songs he sang on Mad Season's Above album and drew the cover art for that album. Layne was a genius in his own right. He was able to figure things out in a snap off the top of his head. Layne just had his demons. At the age of 34, he looked more like an 80 year old man. He knew he screwed up, between the drugs and his own depression and then his former fiancee dying, Layne just couldn't find a way to dig himself out of his own mess and at the end with his teeth problems and organs failing on him, he gave up trying. He lost sight of who his true friends were and who was using him. He was never going to give up the drugs. Instead, he tried to attain the same high he felt the first time he did drugs and could never achieve it. Layne encouraged Jerry to sing more, after all, they were Jerry's lyrics he should sing them. Vice-versa, Jerry encouraged Layne to play the guitar which is how you get Layne playing guitar on HATE TO FEEL and ANGRY CHAIR as well as I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING on the Mad Season above album. Jerry encouraged him on the guitar and was proud that Layne grew as a guitarist. Though, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine taught Layne more chords than ANGRY CHAIR and HATE TO FEEL. The friendship between Jerry and Layne was unbreakable. Jerry NEVER once thought of replacing Layne as the singer while Layne was still alive. He always wanted Layne to sing whenever he had AIC do something. If there were ever cosmic soulmates ... Layne and Jerry would be it. (And by that I mean, they were Sympatico with each other. The way they sang together was a perfect pitch where two voices make one. What you hear and see between Jerry and Layne was a genuine friendship. They looked after each other. When one had problems with a song, the other picked up the slack. They were a team. Jerry was doing a solo concert in Charlotte, NC when he heard that Layne was found two weeks after he died and Jerry was trying to get through the concert and crying. He did shows between the time he found out about Layne until Layne's funeral because if he had taken a break then, he didn't think he'd want to continue anything later after the mourning period. Layne had done so much for Jerry, giving him a place to live, money, clothes, food, guitars and gear, a band. But getting a front-row seat to watch what had happened to Layne over the years, Jerry had to watch his best friend deteriorate in a span of 12 years (1990-2002), and Jerry couldn't do anything about it. Jerry had talked himself blue in the face but Layne didn't want help. Alice In Chains was a band, but they were also a family. They had internal issues just like any family. When Layne died, it was like losing a loved one, a family member, you don't think of the fights you had with the person who died. You defend their memory. There is a reason Jerry wrote NO EXCUSES about Layne and the line "You, my friend, I will defend / And if we change, well, I'll love you anyway." "My grandmother and mother were such huge losses, but I got Layne, the guys, and I got this.” - Jerry Cantrell, Kerrang! (December 1, 2018) “Jerry really loved Layne [Staley]. They had a bond I haven't seen before,” Jerry’s former manager Bill Siddons, April 19, 2002 (the day Layne was found two weeks after he died).

This song captures the anguish of the young men who were fighting in Vietnam. The torment of losing friends and trying to just stay alive in what was basically a meat grinder war in a land so unfamiliar, distant and unforgiving.

RiP Layne, Chris and Chester!! 💔💔💔😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

This song hits home to me cause of my father he served in Vietnam. And the part that makes me cry is when he sings they spit on me in my homeland, my dad told me about when they came back from Vietnam how terribly they were treated

It took me a long time before I was able to listen to this song. My roommate from the U.S. Army who died overseas in Somalia introduced me to this song. It isa very deep, personal, and emotional song.

Jerry Cantrell has a very good voice. I have always thought he was an underrated singer and guitar player.

purple rain chord progression is "I, VIIm , V , IV" // the rooster chord progression is "I7 , IIIb . IV " /// what is similar is the effect on the guitar (probably a combination of chorus + flanger) and the rythm pattern.

Everyone loves the UNPLUGGED performance, I DO TOO, I think because it was one of his last performances before he became very reclusive for about 6 years before he passed. I prefer this version. 😊

Layne Staley is the best vocalist of my generation!! His voice was so powerful that people standing on the side of the stage, could hear it above the instruments.

I can't even imagine how I'm going to be affected when my father passes, he's 91. I can't imagine "NOT BEING ABLE TO CALL HIM/ SEE HIM"

Wow. What a strong and affecting performnce & song. I've never heard it before this. Incredible. Great job Maggie.

Yes it was graphic but that is what war is. The physical damage can be seen but the mental and memories are the hidden killers and why so many vets turn to drugs/booze and /or kill them selves. Anyone who does any kind of emergency services, while not combat also have the hidden nightmares. I still have memories of many accidents I responded to as First Responder with my late brother(EMT). Car accidents, Flight 800 still haunts me as does 9/11. You put those memories in a compartment in your brain so you know they there but you control them rather they control you. Powerful voice, lyrics and video.

It was almost exactly 6 years before he died, not shortly before!

My Dad is a Vietnam Vet and I have heard him tell stories of kids as young as 8 years old grinding up glass and putting it in Coca-Cola and selling it to U.S. Soldiers. Kids throwing grenades in trucks full of soldiers, so what I am saying is when in war there is no such thing as innocence.

This song is about Jerry Cantrel's uncle who went to Vietnam it is his experience one of them

all the grunge guys are gone except Eddie Vedder

My dad was a Vietnam Vet and Army Green was indeed no safe bet! RIP DAD ❤

M60 machine gunners were nick named "the rooster " because of the rooster tail that was created when the gun was fired. Because they could do the most damage , the vietcong would try to take them out first.. "They've come to snuff the rooster" I think his dad was a m60 machine gunner and if so he was one of the few that made it back... Thank all of you in the military for your service!!!!!!

Every time any react has Layne on it, it has my full attention. If you haven't tried it yet, go for "Love, Hate, Love" live at The Moore. That shows Layne real and raw power live. Ask anyone in your audience if they'd like to see that. The answer will be yes in 9 out of 10.

Of the four singers from the Big Four of Grunge (Nirvana, AIC, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam; Big Five if we include California's Stone Temple Pilots) only Eddie is still with us. SO much talent in those five guys.

"Love, Hate, Love" live at the Moore is another great song and performance by Layne, amazing vocals.

When someone is shooting at you, you stop caring how old they are.

Alice in Chains unplugged was not shortly before his passing. It was nearly 6 years later.

My Dad was in Viet Nam. Well, mostly Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and other places we weren't supposed to be. I can remember standing at the screen door at our little house on base in Okinawa waiting for him to come home. Little did I know what price he was paying. It was many years later that I found out. It was in every lesson he ever taught me. It was in every whipping. It was in every look. It was in every word he said. Everything was hard, cold, measured, controlled, planned. I never saw him with his guard down my whole life. He's a very old man now and I live with him and care for him. He is a great Dad. He paid a high price for participating in that pointless war. Well, I guess it wasn't pointless for the people that got rich. Especially from all the drugs the CIA was running back then. I bet those politicians would make our modern one's blush. Now it's just human trafficking. I guess it might be worse now.

"Nutshell" (live unplugged) is a must, only difference between that and the studio version is the guitar solo is electric on the album,both are great but the live version just hits harder

From what I have heard, Rooster was a point man for his company in Vietnam. Meaning he was the first in defense or aggression in whatever battle or skirmish they were in. He was so good at his craft, the North Vietnamese placed a bounty on him. Fortunately, that bounty was never collected. It was a damn shame that the veterans of this war were treated so poorly by this country - and still are! They went over there, because their government asked them to.. They are ALL heroes!! I am thanking them for their sacrifice and service. Thank you for the reaction and your platform!

M60 machine gunners were named rooster after the muzzle flash of the weapon they operated. They were usually the quickest ones to go as they were targeted because of that m60. This song is haunting!

His yodel was so powerful

When you hear a vet say "war is hell", it means absolutely every connotation and denotation of that phrase. Children die, and many of them are the kids holding the guns. Vietnam was the first war to be televised, bringing with it the harsh reality of the brutality and carnage a war brings. "Rooster" was one of many music offerings to bring this into the light for those of us whom never saw it's reality.

The unplugged version is amazing too and you get to see him do it live. It would be interesting to see how you compare the two versions.

The similarity to purple rain is the speed and the chorus effect on the guitar. Every thing else is different enough.

Jerry did most of the musical 🎼 arrangements, but I do know that Layne, like me, was a huge Prince fan, at least I read that about him somewhere

Think Ann Wilson is part of the harmonies at the beginning and end of this song.

Some Veterans are some of the toughest men to have ever walked the earth and got no respect.

This is their best song, by far! And they have some good songs!

Similar is not “the same”! This has some deep, deep meaning to it.

Layne's vocal style and vowel sounds add to the dark sound.

Different chord progression than Purple Rain but they're similar in that it's a strum guitar intro and the chorus effect pedal on the guitar.

This song here 'Rooster' is the 1st song that got me into listening and finding out more about them. They have a lot of great songs. This is one of the best.

Most of the American and Vietnamese soldiers were just kids. When I joined up, most of my drill sergeants/cadre were Vietnam veterans and they certainly passed down their experiences and knowledge to us.

Longest jaw drop ever

Vocal fry unlocked. Congrats.

greetings young lady.....looking stunningly lovely as always lol!!.....thank you for reacting to this ...at times difficult to watch and process....song!! Keep up the good work Ms Renee!!

Great reaction to one of the all time great tune/videos! Much appreciated Maggie!

not everyone has that grunge sound but when they do its magic, great song.

"Would?" is my favorite Alice In Chains songs. You should check that one out.

Maggie... I sang opera as a child. It was fun, for a while. I'm in my 50's now, and have hosted some karaoke "sound-alike" contests. I've had so much fun learning to un-learn things I was taught way back when. My biggest "thing", I guess, is to sing with your jaw closed, or teeth kinda clenched, and come from your throat/jaw. It doesn't come from your vocal chords, it's more a mouth/nasal sound. I know it sounds weird, but It allows me to grab onto the growls, gutturals, etc. It's SO much fun! I can pull off so many artists just with that technique. Go let loose with karaoke... hell, I'd sing with you any day!

I don't remember if you have reacted to LOVE HATE LOVE, but I definitely recommend it, there's alot of great LIVE PERFORMANCES with Layne in better health and on top of his game

This will never ever ever get even remotely ahh I've heard it a million times. Just stunning

It’s so funny hearing you talk about the upper throat growl/scream. I’ve been in bar bands for 40 years, and that was one of the first things I figured out. Had to teach a few lead vocalists how to do it without killing their voices. Though not a front vocalist myself, I have added some growls and screams in situations that required it.

Thank God you getting your voice down. To make it sound like Laynes. Captures Jerry's horror of his dads experience in Vietnam.

aside from nutshell, confusion and dont follow hold a special place in my heart

Intros you were checking out are similar, but each unique in it's own context.

Jerry Cantrell had one of if not the most great incredible spectacular voice in the group like for real he was excellent

Excellent reaction Maggie, Vietnam era stuff is very powerful. Layne's voice was powerful, and dynamic, and Jerry's writing has the same, good match.

I heard that you sang in De Moines, and I didn't find out till too late!🥲Sad in Iowa!😒 Great reviews by the way😁JB

my favorite song of theirs...................

It’s a chorus pedal.. I’m not sure which model they each used but it’s the effect with the progression that sound familiar.. but the Alice versions so minor, it’s so distinctive

Layne died 5 years after this performance. This was his penultimate show with Alice In Chains though.

2nd Favorite band W.A.S.P. Being my favorite Sad loss when we lost Layne

What else can be said about this song that already hasn’t been expressed here? A masterpiece in its own right…I love watching your metal/hard rock reactions, and I’m a metal guy who’s heard quite a few great “underground” metal vocalists that do not get their just due because they weren’t pushed very well…the one that tops my list is Russ Anderson of the thrash band FORBIDDEN, their albums “Twisted Into Form” and “Distortion” are fantastic! His vocals on songs like “Infinite” and “Rest In Peace” give me goosebumps when he hits those high notes!

This song was on my game playlist for a long time.

Definitely have the lyrics ready for all of their songs, but I’ll be sticking around this channel for a while if you’re going down this rabbit hole

This whole album is really good and haunting too!!!❤❤

Love, Hate, Love. Alice in Chains. 'Nuff said.

Maggie was shook. Only Layne Staley's vocals can do that.

Hey Maggie,you crack me up,every day,thank-you for that! Love you,love Alice in Chains,peace.

I bought this album when it came out. First time Ive seen the video....Wow

No, the intro chords do not sound like purple rain. Different progression. Just the tempo and effects are somewhat similar.

Prince,was quoted as saying he was heavily influenced by a guy called Bill Nelson who's band Be Bop Deluxe had a song called " Crying to the Sky...Prince said its where Purple Rain was born!!! Check it out its off their amazing "Sunburst Finish " album.🤟👍

I love the twang he does he ain’t gonna die

Love, hate, love will blow your mind as a singer.

That song is heavy AF!!!

Harsh vocals in a healthy, non damaging, way come from what is called the "false vocal cords The false vocal cords (vestibular folds, ventricular folds, ventricular bands) are paired shelf-like structures located within the supraglottic larynx that divide the laryngeal vestibule above from the laryngeal ventricle below. They function to protect the airway and play very little if any part in phonation." So you are doing this correctly and can do it without destroying your lovely mezzo soprano opera voice.

My uncle made it through two and a half tours before he was wounded. He lived but Vietnam came back and got him. He just died about a week ago from agent orange poisoning. When I hear this song I think of him.

If there’s one thing we need to take away from the experience of Vietnam, it’s that we need to hate the war, not the soldiers sent to fight.

The Rooster is Jerrys Dad i think thats him when they show that guy in black and white

My uncle (my dads brother) served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam as a door gunner. He would never talk about it either. He hated to. He and my dad on Memorial Day would always get together and my dad would be watching History channel and when he came over my uncle would shut off the TV. He also served 25 years in the police force afterwards and had no issue talking about the job working in drug enforcement and homicide but you ask him one question about Vietnam and he would just not answer but instead stare at you as if he was flashing back to that time in thought. He died few years ago from complications MS, speculated from his doctor as a result of Agent Orange ( just a theory from the doc though )

Very good progression on your Layne voice! Kudos. Have you considered covering some of your more favorite tunes? Because you certainly enjoy exercising your voice to try to match the artists you review.

He did it even better live

I like the military drum cadence in the background

Hello Maggie!...this is one of my favorite singers and band of course RIP Layne keep playing some AIC❤

OMG Maggie... I have to say I WON"T blame your for your age as I was born in 1969 and grew up as a teenager with this music (mostly rock) that has such an impact in my life. Girl.... you missed out but CREAM always rises to the top as your finding out. I just LOVE the fact that an OPRA sanger can discover new vocal abilities.... Maggie you can achieve new directions with your vocal background! Yeah.. war is hell and ugly but added to the meaning of this song! (FYI: LOVE YOUR HAIR) peace

Congratulations you hit the scream or sound of it 😀😃🙂🙃😊😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

the rasp in the voice is called fry

late to the party but the similarity with purple rain is the chorus/flanger effects on the guitar. structurally these two songs are quite different.

I'd imagine that Jerry's dad, surviving VIETNAM has some serious P.T.S.D. my dad doesn't like to talk about his time there either. He survived Korea and VIETNAM 🇻🇳

Maggie Renee This song, Rooster is personal for founder and guitarist, Jerry Cantrell. HIs father, Jerry Sr. served in the Army during Vietnam War. His father's nickname is "Rooster" because his hair stood up as a rooster plus his attitude from Jerry, Jr's Great-Great Grandfather.

Maggie, Elizabeth and Lolli!

Very, VERY powerful song and video...

Haha you need to talk to Tati from Jinjer. She'll show you how. She talks about how she feels like she has two different throats for singing clean or harsh.

Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain, and Serj Tankian are my top three favorite singers/musicians of all-time! RIP- Kurt Donald Cobain 02/20/67-04/05/94 💔😭🤘🏼❤️♾️ Layne Thomas Staley 08/22/67-04/05/02

Prince never had his dad involved in Viet Nam. I was lucky to miss the draft in 73...

The video enhanced, magnified the song. It made it a masterpiece, a painting. I only started crying to this song when I read the back story and saw the official video. In Chinese astrology, I am Year of the Cock. So listening to this tune for almost 20 years was more of a chest-thumping, self-aggrandizing, kick-ass rocker. Now I, and hopefully we, will stop sending off our young sons and daughters to experience hell on earth, and at times, commit the unspeakable, the horrific. We need a reset button for humanity.

I laugh everytime I see Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite in this video.

The guitar tuning is similar but the chords are very different than prince