Ok ....I'll admit it, I'm a little miffed here....

[She Is Raging]

I know this will be taken the wrong way by some...

But why are so many news/media outlets seem to be ignoring the life of Layne Staley?

Not that her death wasnt tragic, but everywhere I've looked yesterday and today is coverage about Left Eye's death - clips on MTV, my AOL pop up window, etc...

I know his death is controversial to some because of the likely drug involvement. A station in Boston is doing a tribute all day today to Lane/AIC/Mad Season...but it's the first real thing I've heard to remember him. Or a positive one I should say. Everything I have heard is , Herion, Addiction, OD, etc...
It makes me irrate becuase no one seems to remember all the great music left behind. Not that he should be glorified for being a celebrity etc... but his death was a big loss (to me at least) and I would have liked to have seen him remembered a little more nicely... someone may chose to do drugs, but no one choses to be an addict.

That's just my two cents...

------------------

What in God's name have you done?
Stick your arm for some real fun...
Rest in peace Layne.

 

[Lilly]

In the Twin Cities, there was a lot of talk about it. It was on the radio, but not on the news. AIC is not, nor never was, really mainstream, that puts MTV out of covering it. I don't know why it's not reported on on MTV anyway, as a "see what drugs can do?" thing like they did with the guy from Sublime, or Shannon Hoon. It is sad though.

 

[She Is Raging]

Well that's the point I was trying to get at... I'm tired of the whole "look what drugs can do" kind of attitude that I"ve heard so far... All I"ve heard about mostly is the drugs - understandably - I just wish that more people would remember him for the music.

Ok... I'm done

 

[doctorwho]

Fair or not, society usually empathizes more with those struck down by tragedy rather than those who were responsible for their own deaths.

For example, the tragedy of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper dying in that plane crash so many years ago is still with us. Songs were written ("American Pie") and numerous films were made.

When Janis Joplin, Jim Morrisson and Jimi Hendrix all died withing a very close span, while all were remembered, the response was not quite as powerful. The only reason they were immortalized to any degree is the era in which they died.

Still, it was not the same way as people like Marilyn Monroe or James Dean are immortalized as compared to River Pheonix, for example. In other words, people feel more sympathy for someone who had no control over their situation, like Princess Die and "Left Eye" as compared to someone who did.

That said, it's not as if Lane's death received no news coverage. I read about him on Yahoo and other news sources. As you mentioned, a Boston radio station did a tribute to him. If this were 1995, most likely MTV would be running non-stop discussions about him, analogous to Kurt Cobain. But at this moment in time, AIC was not a popular act, the music no longer tops the charts and he simply wasn't well known. Combine that with the fact that he was most likely responsible for his own death due his horrible addiction (and, fair or not, there is a stigma there - people believe you can overcome addictions) and he simply won't get the coverage of "Left Eye."

Also, I hinted at this above, the level of popularity plays a role here. Princess Di, for example, received ENORMOUS coverage when she died. Mother Theresa died not long after that, yet her coverage was but a fraction of Princess Di - despite the fact that Mother Theresa was rather famous. But her fame paled in comparison's to Pricess Di's. Same here - "Left Eye" and TLC were far more famous than Alice in Chains. So they will get more coverage. Sad as it is, things like ratings do play a factor here.

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

I live in Seattle and I'm really shocked at the entire reaction to his death(well lack of reaction)...The sunday after they found him was the last time I heard anything on the radio...It was in the paper until the next day-monday(I believe)I haven't heard anything since.
I suppose since the last years of his life were quiet, it's nice that coverage has been quiet, but dammit it's like Seattle has forgotten he died...

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

Look what I found...they're big...

They also had directions to the complex...if it wasn't midnight, I'd go out there.
I think I'll head out there later this week...

 

[z edge]

i know what you mean, but after Cobain's "suicide" the media went nuts and almost glorified suicide.

Maybe they are trying to quell that this time around.

After Cobain's death, there were some other "related" deaths/suicides, as I am sure would be the case.

Fuck it, it is sad. One more in the long list of musicians who just HAD TO use drugs to do whatever, and then I guess it became them, or they became the drug.

Thats what gets me, is the availability of drugs here, and there, and everywhere. Oh well, we can't stop it rteally.