Angry Chair
Encyclopedia
"Angry Chair" is a song by the American rock
band Alice in Chains
. It was the third single from their album Dirt (1992). It is the twelfth or eleventh song on the album, depending on the edition. The song was included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
(1999), Music Bank
(1999), Greatest Hits
(2001), and The Essential Alice in Chains
(2006).
for the band. In the liner notes
of 1999's Music Bank
box set collection, guitarist Jerry Cantrell
said of the song:
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and at number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The UK single was released in May 1993. "Angry Chair" reached the top 40 in the UK and the top 30 in Ireland
.
Ned Raggett of Allmusic said that "Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell unsurprisingly are the ones who transform the song into something really spectacular" and added that the song features "entrancing verses, ominous, echo-swathed and charged with a looming destruction."
for "Angry Chair" was released in 1992 and was directed by Matt Mahurin
, who later directed the "No Excuses
" music video for the band. The video is available on the home video release Music Bank: The Videos
.
" in concert. The current members of Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" with Stone Temple Pilots
/ex-Velvet Revolver
lead singer Scott Weiland
in concert on September 30, 2007 in Austin, Texas.
Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" for its appearance on MTV Unplugged
in 1996 (although the song was omitted from the aired performance) and the song was included on the Unplugged
live album and home video release. Live performances of the song can also be found on the "Heaven Beside You
" and "Get Born Again
" singles and the live album Live
.
Limited Edition 4 Track Picture CD
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
. It was the third single from their album Dirt (1992). It is the twelfth or eleventh song on the album, depending on the edition. The song was included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
-Personnel:*Jerry Cantrell - Guitar, backing vocals and lead vocals on "Grind"*Layne Staley - Lead vocals and guitar on "Angry Chair" and "Grind"*Mike Starr - Bass *Mike Inez - Bass *Sean Kinney - Drums*Alice in Chains - Producer...
(1999), Music Bank
Music Bank
- Disc two :-Disc three :-Personnel:*Mark Arm - Assistant vocals on "Right Turn"*Jeff Beck - Graphic Design*Jerry Cantrell - guitar, vocals*Chris Cornell - Assistant guitar, lyrics, vocals on "Right Turn"*Peter Cronin - Photography...
(1999), Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Alice in Chains album)
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits collection by the grunge band Alice in Chains. It was released on July 24, 2001 on Columbia Records.-Overview:...
(2001), and The Essential Alice in Chains
The Essential Alice in Chains
The Essential Alice in Chains is a two-disc compilation album by the grunge band Alice in Chains, and part of Sony BMG's The Essential series...
(2006).
Origin and recording
The song was one of the few written entirely by vocalist Layne StaleyLayne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the...
for the band. In the liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
of 1999's Music Bank
Music Bank
- Disc two :-Disc three :-Personnel:*Mark Arm - Assistant vocals on "Right Turn"*Jeff Beck - Graphic Design*Jerry Cantrell - guitar, vocals*Chris Cornell - Assistant guitar, lyrics, vocals on "Right Turn"*Peter Cronin - Photography...
box set collection, guitarist Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
said of the song:
Such a brilliant song. I'm very proud of Layne for writing it. When I've stepped up vocally in the past he's been so supportive, and here was a fine example of him stepping up with the guitar and writing a masterpiece.
Release and reception
"Angry Chair" was released as a single in 1992. "Angry Chair" peaked at number 34 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and at number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The UK single was released in May 1993. "Angry Chair" reached the top 40 in the UK and the top 30 in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Ned Raggett of Allmusic said that "Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell unsurprisingly are the ones who transform the song into something really spectacular" and added that the song features "entrancing verses, ominous, echo-swathed and charged with a looming destruction."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Angry Chair" was released in 1992 and was directed by Matt Mahurin
Matt Mahurin
Matt Mahurin is an American illustrator, photographer and film director. Mahurin's illustrations appear in Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Forbes, and The New York Times.Mahurin's work as a photo essayist has dealt with subjects such as homelessness, people with AIDS, the...
, who later directed the "No Excuses
No Excuses
"No Excuses" is the lead single off American grunge band Alice in Chains's third EP, Jar of Flies . The song was included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box , Music Bank , Greatest Hits , and The Essential Alice in Chains .-Composition:The song's sound is a departure from some...
" music video for the band. The video is available on the home video release Music Bank: The Videos
Music Bank: The Videos
Music Bank: The Videos is a video release by grunge band Alice in Chains containing all of the band's music videos. It was originally released on VHS in 1999 and was re-released in 2001 on DVD...
.
Live performances
Dirt marked the introduction of Staley's guitar playing contributions to the group, and "Angry Chair" was one of the few songs he regularly played guitar on during live performances. The song is also a fan favorite. The ending to the song was often used as a lead in to another famous Alice in Chains song "Man in the BoxMan in the Box
"Man in the Box" is a single by the rock group Alice in Chains. It was released as a single in 1991 after being featured on the group's debut full-length album Facelift...
" in concert. The current members of Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" with Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
/ex-Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
lead singer Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
in concert on September 30, 2007 in Austin, Texas.
Alice in Chains performed an acoustic version of "Angry Chair" for its appearance on MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
in 1996 (although the song was omitted from the aired performance) and the song was included on the Unplugged
Unplugged (Alice in Chains album)
*The DVD release shows another take of "Sludge Factory", in which Layne Staley mixes up the lyrics at the beginning of the song which is ended shortly after...
live album and home video release. Live performances of the song can also be found on the "Heaven Beside You
Heaven Beside You
"Heaven Beside You" is a song by Alice in Chains, from their album Alice in Chains . The song was included on the compilation albums Music Bank , Greatest Hits , and The Essential Alice in Chains .-Composition:...
" and "Get Born Again
Get Born Again
"Get Born Again" is a song by Alice in Chains and one of the last two songs recorded with vocalist Layne Staley before his death in 2002, the other song being "Died"...
" singles and the live album Live
Live (Alice in Chains album)
-Personnel:Alice in Chains*Layne Staley – lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Sean Kinney – drums*Jerry Cantrell – lead guitar, vocals*Mike Inez – bass *Mike Starr – bass Production*Compilation producer – Peter Fletcher...
.
Track listing
- "Angry Chair" – 4:47
- "Brother" – 4:27 (from SapSap (album)I "Right Turn" is credited to Alice Mudgarden in the liner notes.II "Love Song" is unlisted on the CD.-Personnel:Alice in Chains*Layne Staley – vocals, drums on "Love Song"*Jerry Cantrell – guitar, vocals, bass on "Love Song"...
)
Limited Edition 4 Track Picture CD
- "Angry Chair" – 4:51 (from Dirt)
- "I Know Somethin' (bout You)" – 4:24 (from FaceliftFacelift (album)Facelift is the debut studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains. The album was released on August 21, 1990. The album is the band's second highest selling album and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA for shipments of two million copies in the United States.-Background and...
) - "It Ain't Like That" (live) – 4:40
- "Hate to FeelHate to Feel"Hate to Feel" is a track from Alice in Chains' album Dirt . The song was included on the compilation albums Music Bank and The Essential Alice in Chains .-Origin and recording:...
" (live) – 5:35- Both live tracks recorded March 2, 1993
Personnel
- Layne StaleyLayne StaleyLayne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Jerry CantrellJerry CantrellJerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
– vocals, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Mike StarrMike Starr (musician)Michael Christopher "Mike" Starr was an American musician, best known as the original bassist in Alice in Chains, with whom he played from the band's formation in 1987 until 1993.- Career :...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Sean KinneySean KinneySean Howard Kinney is an American musician best known for being the drummer of the influential grunge band Alice in Chains....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Modern Rock Tracks | 27 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
28 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
33 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 34 |
External links
- [ Review of "Angry Chair"] at Allmusic