Alice in Chains (occasionally informally referred to as The Dog Album, The Dog Record, and Tripod) is the third studio album by Alice in Chains. It was released on November 7, 1995. This is the band’s first full-length studio album to feature bassist Mike Inez; their last album to feature original lead vocalist Layne Staley, who died in 2002.
The album is also informally known as the (Tripod) or (The Dog Album) due to a three-legged dog on the cover and Frank Lentini on the back. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 46 weeks. The tracks Grind, Heaven Beside You and Again were released as singles. Grind and Again were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.
The album received double platinum certification from the RIAA and has sold over three million copies worldwide. The mockumentary The Nona Tapes was released to promote the album and became a cult hit. In January 1995, Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney began jamming on Cantrell‘s material. In the spring of 1995, Layne Staley was invited back to join the band.
In April 1995, Alice in Chains entered Bad Animals Studio in Seattle. Few of the songs on the album had been written before the sessions began, so Cantrell‘s material was used as a starting point. The band would then give the demo tapes to Layne Staley so he could write lyrics. The album was finished in August 1995.
A different three legged dog named Sunshine was used for the Grind music video. Schenck‘s photo of the dog in the playground was eventually used years later in the 1999 Music Bank music box. Contrary to rumors, none of the dogs used for the photo shoot, album cover, or music video It belonged to Jerry Cantrell. Cantrell has said in interviews that he did not know the dog’s owner.
The CD was initially available in three versions: one with a transparent purple slipcase with a translucent yellow-green spine, another with the color scheme reversed, and a predominantly monochrome version. On the monochrome cover, the dog has yellow eyes.
Tracklist:
- Grind
- Brush Away
- Sludge Factory
- Heaven Beside You
- Head Creeps
- Again
- Shame in You
- God Am
- So Close
- Nothin’ Song
- Frogs
- Over Now
With the exception of Grind, Heaven Beside You, and Over Now, the lyrics are written entirely by Layne Staley.
The image of the dog on the cover was inspired by a three-legged dog named Tripod that terrorized drummer Sean Kinney and chased him during paperwork when he was a child. Kinney also designed the artwork for the album.
Rocky Schenck photographed a three-legged dog for the album cover at a playground near downtown Los Angeles on August 23, 1995. Schenck auditioned for three-legged dogs for the session, but the band ended up choosing a fax with a photo of a three-legged dog as the cover.
Alice in Chains
Layne Staley: lead vocals, rhythm guitar on Head Creeps, guitar parts on Brush Away
Jerry Cantrell: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on Grind, Heaven Beside You and Over Now
Mike Inez: bass
Sean Kinney: drums
Production
Produced by Toby Wright and Alice in Chains
Recorded by Toby Wright and Tom Nellen, assisted by Sam Hofstedt
Mixed by Toby Wright, assisted by John Seymour
Mastered by Stephen Marcussen
Studio coordinator: Kevan Wilkins
Audio technicians: Darrell Peters, Walter Gemienhardt
Artwork guide: Sean Kinney
Art direction: Mary Maurer
Design: Doug Erb
Photography: Rocky Schenck, Rob Bloch
Management: Susan Silver
Layne Staley (August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002).
