April 5th is a day that most rock fans would like to forget. Not only is it the day that Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain passed away on back in 1994, but it’s also the day that Alice In Chains’ Layne Staley passed away on in 2002.

Much like Cobain, Staley and Alice In Chains experienced their most successful years in the early 1990s with the release of albums like Facelift and Dirt.

Unfortunately, much like many others of his generation, Staley began abusing drugs and by the end of the 1990s, he had become a recluse. His body was discovered in his apartment in 2002.

While it would be difficult for any band to match my love for Nirvana in the 90s, Alice In Chains weren’t far behind. I remember getting my hands on Dirt and Jar Of Flies at an early age. I remember rushing out to get their self-titled album with the purple jewel case in 1995. And, when AIC reunited with a new lead singer and released Black Gives Way to Blue in 2009, I had the opportunity to hear the album on stage at The Fillmore in Detroit, which is something I’ll never forget.

So, just like I did with Kurt Cobain, I wanted to put together a list of sorts with some of my favorite Layne Staley songs from Alice In Chains and Mad Season, because ‘River Of Deceit’ is a classic.