Missing Layne…

Today would have been Layne Staley's 47th Birthday .. He was born in 1967 and died in 2002 at the age of 34.  It's always been my contention that both the coverage of his death, and the celebration of his life and accomplishments were severely under-emphasized because of the "excess" over Kurt Cobain.  Even 8 years after Kurt Cobain's suicide, there was still so much attention devoted to him, and so many accolades, that it "scorched the earth" for Layne.  He was a tremendous vocalist, but never got worthy recognition because it was all "used up".   That's my opinion...

Layne Staley killed himself slowly with his drug use.  The fatal combination of addiction and depression was evident to most everybody who knew him, even himself.  Toward the end when he ever did appear in public he looked horrible, and the rumor was that he weighed about 80 pounds when they found him.  He was so far gone that his was probably one life that just couldn't have been saved.

I'm definitely going to play something of his on the 5:00 punch out today.  I hope you can hear it and appreciate it.  And my usual "salute" on birthdays of significance comes at 'ya with a little extra feeling today, AIC fans.  Here's to Layne...