Demri Parrott was former ex-girlfriend of singer Layne Staley from Alice in Chains. He struggled with addiction for much of his life, and as Steven Hyden of the A.V. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. "Everyone always asks if that is Demri [Parrott, then-girlfriend of frontman Layne Staley], on the Dirt cover," he says."I think Demri's name might have been mentioned as a possible model once or twice, but it was never a serious consideration." Also, demri never got sober, so, all the times layne was in rehab, demri was still using heroin, which wasn't very helpful. Because he'd been a recluse for so long, friends and family who might've found him earlier didn't think it was particularly odd they hadn't heard from him during that time. Demri was born in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington, in the United States of America's Pacific Northwest. Eventually, his father managed to stop using. Taproot were recording a new album with Alice In Chains producer Toby Wright in 2002, and wanted Layne Staley to sing on a song, according to Mark Yarms book Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge. ver: '1.0', Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); Around 1999/2000, Bob Forrest and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante tried to help Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley get clean. It was therapeutic and worked [for] me for a while until my dad saw my picture printed on a magazine., The singer divulged how his father became a bad influence on him. And demri parrott kinda introduced him to heroin, i believe the first time layne used it was in the backstage of a show when demri gave to him. He was traveling with a bodyguard hired specifically to keep his drug use in check, but after the show he overdosed. "@type": "ListItem", She wasn't far behind, having immediately clocked out of work and raced home, flying past five police cars who, thankfully, didn't try to stop her. asi: 'theadengine.com', Im not going to quit doing drugs. } Staley wasnt the sort to hedge his bets when it came to calling his own drug-related death. .addSize([990, 200], [[728, 90], [970, 90], [970, 250]]) I'm Melisa. schain: { "I was about 20," he said, "and music became my only obsession to stay alive. If its coming from someone, not in her obit or living in Seattle its probably not true and can certainly be verified through one of them. ", It's hard to tell if Staley would agree or disagree with his mom's take. She will know it sooner or later. He said, In his arm? The2002 Rolling Stone article claimed that thedeath of ex-girlfriend Demri Parrott was one of the catalysts for Layne Staley's collapse into an isolated, drug-fueled existence that ultimately claimed his life. The host focuses on a section of his studio `gallery and makes references to those who have `crossed over.He also conducts one-on-one sessions with audience members and celebrity guests., While watching Crossing Over, Layne turned to Mike and said, Demri was here last night. He was down in a hole so deep he couldnt hope to hit bottom. "I'm not into religion, but I have a good grasp on my spirituality. var googletag = googletag || {}; (Terry McGinnis/WireImage). ROCK IS DEAD? If he felt any misgivings about essentially pretending to be Bradley Nowell so his old bandmates could tour again under a lucrative moniker, he didnt show it when he made his debut as Sublimes new lead singer in February 2009 at a surprise show in Nevada. "@type": "WebSite", Self: 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. "The same s--t was going on again.". ] Forrest called back Staleys mother Nancy and told her that theyd try to help him, though he told her he didnt know if itd work. .defineSizeMapping(mapping2) sid: '1366', Days passed before his accountant sent up an alert that Staley hadn't been withdrawing any money. By the next year, the band's dark and deeply pained breakthrough album, "Dirt," was rife with references to the drug. I told him that John had gangrene once. More about Demri Parrott edit Dating History # Rosheen Raugi Search for Bradley Nowell videos on YouTube and youll find a smattering of interview clips recorded a year or so before he died. }); His comments given to Rubio show that Staley was aware that his mortality was on the horizon and had accepted his fate. An appearance at Cypress Hills Smokeout Festival followed in October, and the bands first tour commenced in April 2010. Rumors began circulating that he had lost an arm to gangrene. }); The 20th anniversary of the death of late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staleys girlfriend Demri Parrott was over the weekend. You dont look too good. In the end, his dad found him. They were attached at the hip until 1994 when they split for a final time. However, she goes on to say that her late son was "shocked to find that God isn't going to dig you out of every tunnel that you put yourself in to. .addSize([748, 200], [[728, 90]]) Its okay! According to Ferrano, even though everyone around them knew that they decided to accuse Parrott of causing Staleys addiction and depression. var googletag = googletag || {}; "@type": "ListItem", Starr himself had drug issues and, like Staley, succumbed to their power. (Rolling Stone later noted that the heroin-related death of touring Smashing Pumpkins keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin that July garnered more coverage than Nowells death.) The article notes that Jerry Cantrell had told Kerrang! googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_content_2', [[336,280],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-4') } }); - WORLDWIDE:- Vimeo https://vimeo.com/ondemand/whatisclassicrock2Cheers,Daniel .addService(googletag.pubads()); Bob Forrest & John Frusciante Visited Laynes Home. I was about 20, and music became my only obsession to stay alive, he said. "@type": "WebPage", "name": "Home" The singer spoke about how he went on a journey when he was 16 to find his father, but what he discovered made him not want to look any further. And then, our neighbor sold him a drum set, and he changed his middle name to Thomas, because he admired Tommy Lee.". One of Layne Staleys friends who spoke to NME revealed that he was placed on a 24-hour suicide watch after he had learned that Demri Parrott died from an overdose. (Handout). nodes: [ According to The Book Of Rock Lists by Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein (1981 ed. By 1998, Staley already seemed on last legs. My liver is not functioning and Im throwing up all the time and shitting my pants. Learn More{{/message}}, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. Part of what makes Dirt an impressive artistic achievement is that much of the album was written or co-written by Cantrell, who performed a sort of method songwriting by infusing a junkies hopelessness and guttural desperation even into songs that didnt directly address addiction. ver: '1.0', Staley was playing video games while they talked, and pretended to listen according to Forrest. } googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_content_1', [[336,280],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-3') The two had argued over Staley's condition until Staley threatened to end the friendship if Starr reached out to the authorities. Alice in Chains was opening for Van Halen on tour in 1991 when Staley, prompted by Parrott,. "Demri was a fashion icon in the Seattle Grunge scene. .addSize([748, 200], [[728, 90]]) Demri Lara Parrott, 27, of Bremerton died Oct. 29, 1996, at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland. The last public appearance he made was almost four years before his death when he attended his bandmate Jerry Cantrells solo concert in Seattle on Halloween in 1998. The book says that former Alice bassist Mike Starr was visiting Staley the day before the singer's death. Gaugh and Wilson tried as best as they could to capitalize on Sublimes unexpected and poorly timed success, signing a deal to release a series of archival records collecting early songs, outtakes, and remixes, starting with 1997s Second Hand Smoke. Layne Believed Girlfriends Ghost Visited Him Just Prior To His Death. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. He was already pretty reclusive in 1996, but after her death, there were only three recordings that I know of (Despiseley Brothers, 2 AIC songs, and a Pink Floyd cover for a movie soundtrack). "@type": "WebPage", He needs his hands and arms. "When Sean got lit he was pretty unstoppable," a friend says. You're not wrong if you're picking up on a bit of resentment at the end there. The pain is more than you can handle. From rough beginnings to the deadly experiences with hard drugs that stole his prime and took his life to his final years as a recluse, these are the tragic details of one of rock history's greatest voices. Don't try to contact any AIC members. asi: 'theadengine.com', She said she believes her daughter was there that night to be there with Layne as hes doing his transition., 10. Since both Staley and Cobain were smackheads and ran with the same musicians, the assumption was he might know something. He never recovered from Demris death. After that, I dont think he wanted to go on.. .addSize([0, 0], [[320, 50]]) She said after most of the crowd left at night Layne was still there, and she wanted to go swimming so Layne followed her to the pool. Its known that both Parrott and Staley were struggling with their drug addiction problems for a very long time until the young couples early and unexpected deaths. As for fans that object to another man heading up Sublime, Ramirez seems content to play the haters gonna hate card. Staley created a personal shrine in the recording studio featuring a dead puppy in a jar that he used for inspiration as he crooned lyrics like "Stick your arm for some real fun.". googletag.cmd.push(function(){ Much of the interview deals with his ongoing experiences with heroin addiction, which he claims were about to take his life. People Projects Discussions Surnames Demri Parrott Remembered. Still, its the brand name that puts butts in the seats, and Alice In Chains has drawing power; Black Gives Way To Blue sold 126,000 copies its first week, good for a Billboard debut at No. His will to live went with her. According to a transcript of a 2002 Rolling Stone article, Layne Staley spent the final years of his life in reclusive isolation, with nothing but his drugs to keep him company. The Book Of Rock Lists gave Aces death most spectacular distinction based on a piece of mistaken information, repeating the legend that the shadowy balladeer killed himself during a game of Russian roulette played backstage at the City Auditorium in Houston between holiday shows with Big Mama Thornton. { Next But everyone starts somewhere. complete: 1, If you have a better quality version of this photo please send it! Really.. According to David de Solas book Alice In Chains: The Untold Story, Layne Staley believed that the ghost of his late girlfriend Demri Parrott visited him just days before his April 2002 death. They also were on hand that year to accept an MTV Video Music Award for best alternative video, an appearance punctuated by drunken shoutouts to Happy Gilmore and Lynyrd Skynyrd and an awkwardly slurred tribute to Nowell. I invested a lot of money on treatments. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_top_2', [[336,280],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-2') Fuck it, fight it, its all the same, Nowell sang on What I Got, and it was a message that resonated with millions of people that had no idea that they were bobbing their heads to a happy-go-lucky dead guy. } It's the worst pain in the world. Topics You dont get the same singular experience listening to Godsmack (which took its name from a Dirt track), Staind, or Creed, who adopted the superficialities of Alice In Chains sonic and thematic signposts and reconfigured them into interchangeably angsty and thuddingly poppy plop-metal. He said he was going back to treatment and then going to LA to do the audition in a couple of months. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. ,{ Neither Demri's mother nor Layne's stepfather have been able to confirm that. adServer: 'googletag', Demri's obituary. Im telling you: Demri was here last night. Demris mother, Kathleen Austin, heard this story from Mike Starr after Laynes death and relayed the story to David de Sola (and it was corroborated by Jason Buttino). The difference on Black Gives Way To Blue was, as the title suggested, a shift in perspective. "@id": "https://www.alternativenation.net/category/rock/deep-cuts/", "@id": "https://www.alternativenation.net/category/rock/", Frusciante was hesitant to visit Staley because he didnt think you could really preach to somebody about getting clean, but Forrest was adamant about trying to help him. Sean Kinney, Layne Staley, Mike Starr and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains during an In-Store record promotion in Los Angeles in September 1990. "I promised that I would always be there for my children," she said to TheSeattle Times. Mark Lanegan and Mike Inez also went to Laynes home and bang on his door trying to see him. } By the end, she was living with an older man who bizarrely drove her around unconscious for several hours before getting help. They had chosen Kiana Lodge on Bainbridge Island as the wedding venue, thats why the private invitation-only memorial service for Laynes family and close friends was held there in 2002. I know I have no chance. .addService(googletag.pubads()); The group didnt release another album with Staley following their eponymous third studio album in 1995, which gave Alice In Chains their first number one record in the United States. ,{ I don't live his lifestyle, so his house isn't the healthiest place to be around. "When he returned from a trip to the bathroom," wrote Jon Wiederhorn about Layne Staley for Rolling Stone, "his sleeves were unbuttoned, exposing what appear to be red, round puncture marks from the wrist to the knuckles of the left hand. I didn't want my fans to think that heroin was cool.". Diffuser says that after they realized the singer hadn't spent money in a strange amount of time, Staley's mother gave the police permission to breach his door. Layne was very into his artwork during his later years, frequently buying art supplies that were scattered around his home. " Kinney recalls. Demri Parrott (born Demri Lara Murphy on February 22nd 1969 - d. October 29th 1996) was the love of Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley's life.She was born in Bremerton, Seattle (WA) to Dennis Dougherty and Kathleen Austin, and had three brothers, Devin, Derek and David. Austin got that bear back after it was found in Laynes things after his death. Some believe that that when Layne his ex Demri Parrott died in 1996 from Drug overdose, Layne never recovered from her death and probably what caused him to fall apart beyond repair with his drug using. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_content_2', [[336,280],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-4') Thats terrible, Mom. It's hard enough to lose a child. Hes always been dead as far as most people are concerned. Harder still,Nancy McCallumtold The Seattle Times that she still gets flooded with emails and letters from people all over who are experiencing addiction or love someone who is. { Now touring as Sublime With Rome, Gaugh and Wilson are playing their old songs with Rome Ramirez, a singer born the same year that Sublime played its first show. Menu. By this point he had quit [Alice In Chains], he had lost most of his teeth, and weighed barley 100 pounds. { That night, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr, who had just been tossed from the band, claimed he actually died and came back as he bounced from shooting up with one famed musician to the other. "I don't have any magic answers," she told the paper. A friend of hers said so and there's even an interview with Layne where he says Demri was pissed about it because it looked just like her when they could've just let her . Staley then delved into his family life and how his father passed away after falling into a drug-filled route, with the two growing estranged. Demri Parrott was famous for being the ex-fiancee of Alice in Chains frontman, Layne Staley. googletag.cmd.push(function() { Demri Parrott died on October 29, 1996. }); Late Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley was reclusive his his final years prior to his 2002 drug overdose death, but stories have surfaced over the years about collaborations he discussed, his hobbies, and run ins he had with old friends. ,{ Not exactly a good start to the relationship. googletag.defineSlot('/98948493,22548962605/alternativenation_multisize_sidebar_1', [[300,600],[300,1050],[300,250]], 'div-gpt-ad-3901802-7') "The opioid explosion in recent years tells me that people feel alone," she says. I think maybe the percentage has been a bit inverted [on the new album]. Befitting a band that preferred to work spontaneously and under the influence of strong substances, Sublime is a spotty, erratic record, with more dead ends and half-formed ideas than successes. Yes, Staley, born Layne Rutherford Staley on August 22, 1967, picked the middle name "Thomas" because he was a fan of Mtley Cre drummer Tommy Lee. }); Gallagher had been friends with Staley since 1986, even living with him and Sleze bassist Mike Mitchell for a period in the 80s. "item": { How lucky are we to have seen that? Ann responded that it was beautiful, and Layne retorted, Do you have any idea how rare it is for a meteor that big, and that bright, to come that close to us? Staley and Parrott were no longer together when she died; because she lacked Staleys rock-star bank account, Parrott was reduced to living out a conventional junkie death, finally prostituting herself in order to score drug money. eyewitness account from Thorntons bassist Curtis Tillman. The engagement was called off, but she did pick out a dress. An indicator of that drop in regard for himself was when, in 1998, he contracted gangrene as a result of his lifestyle. I can get by without them. I know he was joking, but I dont like to hear stuff like that. As Starr stormed out, Staley begged him to stay, saying, "Not like this. But Staley wouldnt see or talk to his bandmate. "Then, our family friend Fred loaned him a drum set, and he loved the drums. Layne and Mike Starr were watching television on April 4, 2002, the day before Staley died of a heroin overdose. While late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley was largely reclusive during his later years, the legendary singer considered fronting the band that later became known as Audioslave in January 2001, according to Staleys friend Morgen Gallagher, who talked to Alternative Nation in August 2015. Then he relapsed again. It was love at first sight. 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