The bassist who is mainly famous as "Alice In Chains" player Mike Inez was born on May 14, 1966, so let's get to know the curly who had a very "stared" career...
(Photo: Christie Goodwin)
Mike's experience as a rock star is not like the typical Cinderella story where one starts from the bottom and works their way up. Unlike his peers who struggled to make a name for themselves by touring in vans and performing in small venues, Mike's career took off quickly. He had the privilege of flying in private jets, enjoying gourmet meals from chefs, and playing in arenas.
1. In the 90s, he was selected from a pool of 50 candidates to be the new bassist for metal legend Ozzy Osbourne. Despite having little experience playing in small clubs, he embarked on a "No More Tours" tour with Ozzy and played his first show at Wembley Stadium.
(Photo: Pinterest.com)
2. During the early 1990s, Alice in Chains was on the verge of becoming successful when their bassist, Mike Starr, left the band. Mike Inez joined the band right after the release of their album "Dirt" and at the start of their promotional tour.
3. The band's first EP with Mike Inez as their bassist, "Jar of Flies," quickly rose to the number one spot on the Billboard charts. This success cemented Inez's role as a valuable member of the band, and it became clear that he had a talent for producing hit records.
(Photo: Chris Carroll)
4. The band released their self-titled third album in 1995, which also reached the number-one spot on the charts.
5. In 1996, during an amazing performance on "MTV Unplugged," Mike appeared on stage with an acoustic bass guitar that had the phrase "Friends don't let friends get friends haircuts" written on it. This was Mike's way of protesting against Metallica's decision to cut their long hair and replace it with short haircuts, despite being good friends with Alice in Chains. Metallica's members were actually present in the audience during the same show.
6. After the "MTV Unplugged" show, the future of Alice in Chains was uncertain, and Mike took the opportunity to play with other groups and pursue his musical career. He joined Slash's band, called Slash's Snakepit, and recorded their debut album, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere." Although he didn't tour with them, he instead rejoined Ozzy Osbourne for the Retirement Sucks tour, replacing the legendary Geezer Butler.
(Photo: Geffen Records)
7. In 1997, Mike collaborated with his friend Jerry Cantrell to record his first solo album, "Boggy Depot." That same year, he formed the band Spys4Darwin with drummer Sean Kinney, guitarist Chris DeGarmo from Queensrÿche, and singer and guitarist Vinnie Dombroski. They released one EP titled "Microfish."
8. Following Layne Staley's death in 2002 and the uncertain future of Alice in Chains, Mike found solace in touring and recording with the Wilson sisters from the band Heart. He toured with them for four years and recorded their 13th album, "Jupiters Darling," which also featured his friend Cantrell.
9. In 2003, Mike briefly joined the Black Label Society, replacing Robert Trujillo, who became Metallica's bassist. He also recorded several songs with the band.
10. In February 2005, three Alice in Chains members reunited to perform together for the first time in almost a decade at a fundraising event for tsunami victims. They went on a tour with various guest singers to celebrate their love of music and reminisce about the old days. In 2006, William DuVall officially joined the band and became their lead singer, which inspired them to continue writing and recording new music.
(Photo: Johnny Buzzerio)
11. Following their reunion, the veteran band continued to release three more albums and embark on tours around the world, including a performance in Israel.
12. In 2008, Mike released a DVD titled "Behind the Player," which featured interviews and videos from his career, as well as music lessons for some of Alice in Chains' most popular songs.
Listen to "Alice's" latest album on Spotify, Apple Music