Studio Sessions Chronology

© 2006; John Bacus, all rights reserved. Reprint requires permission of the author.

Version 3 of the Alice in Chains Studio Sessions Chronology. Check back for updates. I welcome any additional information you can provide by email.

Alice 'N Chains (Demo #1)
Date: 1986
Tracks: Lip Lock Rock / Fat Girls / Over The Edge
Info: Recorded at London Bridge Studios
Mixed at Triad Studios
Produced by Timothy Branom and Alice 'n Chains
Engineered by Peter Barnes
Notes: This was the first incarnation of Alice (notice different spelling). The lineup featured:
  • Layne on vox
  • Nick Pollock (My Sister's Machine) on guitar
  • Johnny Bacolas on bass (Second Coming)
  • James Bergstrom on drums (Second Coming)

    Click here to see the cover of the tape.


  • Demo #2
    Date: 1987
    Tracks: Sealed With A Kiss / Ya Yeah Ya / Glamorous Girls / Don't Be Satisfied / Hush Hush / Football
    Info: Recorded at PC Ring's Treehouse studio
    Mixed at PC Ring's Treehouse studio
    Produced by Alice 'N Chain and PC Ring
    Engineered by Jeff Meyers and PC Ring
    Notes: The lineup featured:
  • Layne on vox
  • Nick Pollock (My Sister's Machine) on guitar
  • Johnny Bacolas on bass (Second Coming)
  • James Bergstrom on drums (Second Coming)

  • Demo #3: Treehouse Demos
    Date: Early 1987
    Tracks: Bite The Bullet / Chemical Addiction / Can't Have You Blues / Killing Yourself / Fairytale Love Story / Suffragette City / Queen Of The Rodeo / Watchya Gonna Do
    Info: Recorded at Treehouse Studio; Issaquah, WA
    Mixed at ??
    Produced by Alice In Chains

    1988 Demo
    Date: 1988
    Tracks: I Can't Have You Blues / Chemical Addiction / Killing Yourself / Fairytale Love Story / Social Parasite / Watcha Gonna Do / Bleed The Freak / Killing Yourself / Sea of Sorrow / Social Parasite / King Of The Kats / Suffragette City / Queen Of The Rodeo
    Info: Recorded at London Bridge Studios (probably)
    Recorded & Mixed by Rick Parashar
    Produced by Alice In Chains & Rick Parashar
    Notes: This session moved to 1988 based on Music Bank liner notes.

    Thread (self titled demo) This is not Alice In Chains
    Date: September 1993
    Tracks: Distance Aside / The Fool / Aviary Garlands / What We Are / Look At Me
    Info: Recorded on Scott's 4-track
    Produced by Scott Stoltz and Rocky Polan
    Notes: This is not Alice In Chains. It is another Seattle band called Thread. The band sold the tape for $5 at their shows. Bootlegs of it eventually ended up being sold at a record convention as the "Alice In Chains January 1989" Demo. It later appeared on the "Tasty White Powder" bootleg. For more info go to http://www.itsnotalice.com. In my opinion, if you bought a boot because of these cool songs you should buy them from the band who really made them.

    The lineup featured:

  • Scott Stoltz - Guitar/Vocals
  • Rocky Polan - Bass/Vocals
  • Brian Jackson - Drums/Vocals

  • 1989 Demo #2
    Date: June 1989 (estimate)
    Tracks: We Die Young / Sunshine / The Real Thing / others?
    Info: Recorded at ??
    Mixed at ??
    Produced by ??
    Notes: It is now believed that most of the tracks associated with the June 1989 session were actually recorded in 1988.

    Facelift Sessions
    Date: January 1990
    Tracks: We Die Young / Man In The Box / Sea Of Sorrow / Bleed The Freak / I Can't Remember / Love, Hate, Love / It Ain't Like That / Sunshine / Put You Down / Confusion / I Know Somethin (Bout You) / The Real Thing / Killing Yourself
    Info: Recorded at London Bridge (Seattle) and Capitol Recording Studios (LA)
    Mixed at Sound Castle (LA)
    Produced, Recorded, and Mixed by Dave Jerden
    Notes:

    Singles Demo
    Date: Late 1990 or early 1991
    Tracks: Dirt / Junkhead / Lying Season / Them Bones / Would? / Fear The Voices / Right Turn / others (?)
    Info:
    Notes:

    SAP Sessions
    Date: November 1991
    Tracks: Brother / Got Me Wrong / Right Turn / Am I Inside / Love Song / Rooster
    Info: Recorded at London Bridge Studios (probably)
    Recorded & Mixed by Rick Parashar
    Produced by Alice In Chains & Rick Parashar
    Notes: Rooster appears on Music Bank, all other tracks from Sap EP.

    1992 Session
    Date: 1992
    Tracks: Junkhead (1992 Demo) / Would?(?) / Lying Season(?) / others(?)
    Info: Recorded at London Bridge Studios (probably)
    Recorded & Mixed by Rick Parashar
    Produced by Alice In Chains & Rick Parashar
    Notes: Junkhead appears on Music Bank and Lying Season appear on Music Bank, Would? appears on Dirt

    Dirt Sessions
    Date: 1992
    Tracks: Them Bones / Dam That River / Rain When I Die / Down In A Hole / Sickman / Rooster/ Junkhead / Dirt / God Smack / Iron Gland / Hate To Feel / Angry Chair / Fear The Voices
    Info: Produced by Dave Jerden & Alice In Chains, recorded by Bryan Carlstrom, Mixed by Dave Jerden
    Notes: Fear The Voices appears on Music Bank, All other tracks from Dirt

    Last Action Hero Sessions
    Tracks: What the Hell Have I / A Little Bitter
    Info: Produced by Alice in Chains

    Jar Of Flies Sessions
    Date: September 1993
    Tracks: Rotten Apple / Nutshell / I Stay Away / No Excuses / Whale & Wasp / Don't Follow / Swing On This
    Info:
    Notes:

    "Tripod" Sessions

    Date: April 1995
    Tracks: Grind / Brush Away / Sludge Factory / Heaven Beside You / Head Creeps / Again / Shame In You / God Am / So Close / Nothin' Song / Frogs / Over Now
    Info: Recorded at Bad Animals
    Mixed at Electric Lady by Toby Wright Produced by Toby Wright and Alice In Chains
    Notes:

    Unplugged Session

    Date: April 10, 1996
    Tracks: Nutshell / Brother / No Excuses / Sludge Factory / Down In A Hole / Angry Chair / Rooster / Got Me Wrong / Heaven Beside You / Would? / Frogs / Over Now / Killer Is Me
    Info: Recorded at Brooklyn Academy of Music's Magestic Theatre
    Recorded by Toby Wright and John Harris
    Produced by Toby Wright and Alice in Chains
    Notes: Scott Olson played guitar throughout the show with the band. Layne played guitar on "Angry Chair." For "Killer Is Me" Scott played bass and Mike played guitar.

    Music Bank Sessions

    Date: September - October 1988
    Tracks: Get Born Again / Died
    Info: Produced by Toby Wright & Dave Jerden
    Recorded by Toby Wright, Dave Jerden, Scott Olson, and Bryan Carlstrom
    Mixed by Toby Wright
    Notes:

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