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:

The local hair metal scene in Seattle during the 1980s.

How drugs nearly destroyed the band and claimed the lives of Staley and founding bassist Mike Starr.

Jerry Cantrell's solo career and Mike Starr's life after being fired from the band.

The band's resurrection with William DuVall, the Atlanta singer/guitarist who stepped into Layne Staley's shoes.

Based on a wealth of interviews with people with direct knowledge of the band and its history, many of whom are speaking on the record for the first time, Alice in Chains will stand as the definitive Alice in Chains biography for years to come.