About Me
First of all… Let’s get this out of the way. We don’t think we are Alice in Chains, and we’re not trying to be Alice in Chains. These songs have already been done, and no one will ever do them better than the original. That being said… The four members of DIRT have an absolute love and respect for the music that Alice in Chains made. DIRT is a tribute to that music.As a teenager, I used to hang around a little independent record store in Atlanta. The owner was really cool, and would always turn me on to new music. In early August of 1990, I walked in to the store, and he gave me an advance copy cassette (yes, I said cassette) of this “new band from Seattle†called Alice in Chains. The album was called Facelift. Holy shit! I was hooked. The harmonies alone were the sickest things I had ever heard.Just a few days after Dirt was released in 1992, the band did a headlining show at the Masquerade. That venue held about a thousand people. I stood against the stage for the entire show, and was blown away. These guys were every bit as amazing live as they were recorded. Layne Staley’s voice – Jesus Christ. That was the most haunting sound I had ever heard, and I was completely addicted. Not to mention, the musicianship of Jerry, Mike, and Sean was as good as it gets.I didn’t follow the band quite as faithfully after the release of Dirt, but remained a fan, nonetheless. In 2007, I decided to go see the re-formed version of the band, with new singer, William Duvall. Although it wasn’t quite the same, Duvall was awesome in his own right. The biggest thing though; for me, was re-discovering those songs, and that band. Addicted again.I’ve played in many bands over the years, mostly focusing on original material. However, in early 2008, I found myself looking for something musically that would just be fun. I talked with the guys that I had been working with in an original project, and asked if they would have any interest in doing a little project called DIRT. I knew that they were all fans as well, but wasn’t sure if they would be into doing cover tunes. They agreed to learn a few songs, just to see. We walked into our rehearsal space, and played through five songs. Jay and I really clicked on the harmonies. Ed nailed the guitar, and T-Bag put it down rock-solid on the drums. We didn’t even have to say anything to each other. DIRT was born.Again, we are not doing this to ride coattails, or as an attempt to cash in on the legacy that is Alice in Chains. We’re just four guys who love that band, and are having a fucking blast playing their songs. Hope you enjoy!Jeff Arnold
