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Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley’s posthumous biography, This Angry Pen: The Lost Journals of Layne Staley, is finally here.
The 176-page volume was officially released on Nov. 11 via publisher Weldon Owen and contains Staley’s never-before-seen journals, handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, and artwork, giving fans an up-close and personal look at Staley’s life off stage. You can shop the hardcover version of the posthumous work on Amazon for $37.20 or a Kindle version for $16.99. The book is also available at Barnes & Noble for $37. “I hope this book gives you a glimpse of the son I knew, the one beyond the headlines, the one with a beautiful, creative, happy soul,” Nancy McCallum, Layne’s mother, writes in the foreword to the book.
In one excerpt, we see a poem written by Staley, painting a picture of his complicated relationship with fame. It reads, “Wear the crown of fame, and I still feel like I’m pretending. Wonder when I’ll stop myself from rules I’m still bending.” The scribblings are deeply personal, offering a more intimate perspective, coloring Staley’s life with more depth, giving fans a better understanding of his day to day. Alongside the poems and journals, candid photos capture both the highs and lows of his journey.
This Angry Pen of Mine: Recovering the Journals of Layne Staley
A Layne Staley biography.
The book also includes contributions from fellow musicians, including drummer Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Mad Season), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Robert Trujillo (Metallica) and Sully Erna (Godsmack), among others. If you or a loved one is interested in getting a fuller picture of Staley — who at just 34-years-old — this book is for you. It would make a great gift to snag ahead of the holiday season for that special someone in your life.
Staley began his musical journey in the ‘80s, performing in glam bands in the Seattle area such as Sleze, which changed its name in 1986 to Alice N’ Chains. In 1987, Staley – along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney – formed a new band and renamed it Alice in Chains. The group would soon become one of the most influential grunge rock outfits of the ‘90s, with their 1995 self-titled album peaking atop the Billboard 200.
Staley became largely reclusive in the latter half of the ‘90s, battling depression and drug addiction during those years. On April 17, 2002, Staley’s body was found in his Seattle apartment, with an autopsy ruling his death as an accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin from two weeks prior.
