Dirt

***Dirt*** is the second studio album by American alternative metal band Alice in Chains. It is their breakthrough album that was released on September 29, 1992, the same date as the release of the grunge album *Core* by Stone Temple Pilots. The album is their most notable album, bringing the band into the mainstream media. The notable singles are "Them Bones," "Rooster," "Angry Chair," and "Would?"

## Music and Lyrics

The lyrics often speak of depressing topics, such as drug use, anger, war, and other emotional topics. Cantrell said, "We deal with our daily demons through music." The leading topic of the album was drug use. "Sickman," "Junkhead," "God Smack," and "Hate to Feel" all speak of the effects of drug use, mostly heroin. "Them Bones" was a depressing statement on what happens after death, and "Would?" was a tribute to the late Andrew Wood. "Dam That River" was inspired by a fight Cantrell and Kinney were involved in. During the fight, Kinney broke a coffee table on Cantrell's head. "Rooster was written for Cantrell's father, who served in the Vietnam War under the nickname ":Rooster." Cantrell said about "Dirt" that "the words Layne put to it were so heavy, I've never given him something and not thought it was gonna be the most bad-assed thing I was going to hear." "Iron Gland" came from a guitar riff Cantrell played that annoyed the other members. "Angry Chair" was about how Staley's father would sit him in front of a mirror when he was in trouble. "Down in a Hole" was a song for Cantrell's "life-long love."

Staley explained that he regretted the songs he wrote. His ideals were against heroin addictions, but his fans would think heroin was cool.

## Personnel

### Alice in Chains

* Layne Staley – vocals, guitar on 'Angry Chair' and 'Hate to Feel'.
* Jerry Cantrell – lead and rhythm guitar, vocals, acoustic guitar on 'Down In a Hole', co-lead vocals on 'Would?'
* Mike Starr – bass
* Sean Kinney – drums

### Technical Personnel

* Produced by Dave Jerden and Alice in Chains, except "Would?", produced by Rick Parashar and Alice in Chains
* Engineered by Bryan Carlstrom, assisted by Annette Cisneros and Ulrich Wild
* Mixed by Dave Jerden, assisted by Annette Cisneros
* Mastered by Steve Hall and Eddy Schreyer
* Art direction/FX – Mary Maurer
* Design – Doug Erb
* Logo – David Coleman
* Sun logo/icons – Layne Staley
* Photography – Rocky Schenck

### Artwork

* Nick Terzo - A&R
* Mary Maurer - Art Direction, FX Artwork
* David Coleman - Logo
* Doug Erb
* Photography - Rocky Schenck

## Sources

* Discogs: [1]
* Songfacts: [2][3]
* Wikipedia: [4]

## References

1. ↑ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alice-in-chains/dirt-19/
2. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/dirt-mw0000086457
3. ↑ https://www.last.fm/music/Alice+in+Chains/Dirt
4. ↑ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alice-in-chains/dirt-19/
5. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Alice-In-Chains-Dirt/master/21666
6. ↑ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alice-in-chains/dirt-19/
7. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/dirt-mw0000086457
8. ↑ https://www.last.fm/music/Alice+in+Chains/Dirt
9. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Alice-In-Chains-Dirt/master/21666
10. ↑ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alice-in-chains/dirt-19/
11. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/dirt-mw0000086457
12. ↑ https://www.last.fm/music/Alice+in+Chains/Dirt
13. ↑ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alice-in-chains/dirt-19/
14. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/dirt-mw0000086457
15. ↑ https://www.last.fm/music/Alice+in+Chains/Dirt