Alice in Chains Drummer Sean Kinney: ‘We Honor the Past and Honor Who We Are Now’

Ever since deciding to continue as Alice in Chains after the death of Layne Staley, the band has faced some scrutiny from their fans who were not in love with the idea. In a video interview (watch above) we conducted with Sean Kinney at Rock on the Range, the drummer goes in-depth about the subject that has divided the band's followers.

After the passing of Staley in 2002, fans of Alice in Chains were devastated. Many had just gotten used to the idea that they would never see the band again when, in 2006, the surviving members of AIC began touring with Comes With the Fall singer-guitarist William DuVall. As can be expected, some fans were thrilled to get to see what Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney had planned for the future. Others immediately locked out the idea and felt offended by the band's decision to continue without Layne.

Fast forward to May 2013, as the band unleashes 'The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here,' the highly anticipated follow-up to their 2009 comeback album 'Black Gives Way to Blue.' Even though Alice in Chains have more than cemented their status as hard rock heavyweights, some Staley-era fans still disapprove of what the band is doing. Those fans made themselves known again when former bass player Mike Starr passed away in 2011.

It's becoming fairly routine to see disrespectful comments from fans about the band's career without Staley and Starr on the Alice in Chains Facebook page. So when we sat down with Sean Kinney at Rock on the Range, we asked him what he would say if given the chance to address those fans who have rejected the current lineup. Surprisingly, he opened up on that topic, and spoke personally about the losses of both Staley and Starr.

This video interview was conducted in conjunction with Loudwire's affiliate station Banana 101.5. Click below to watch the full 20-minute conversation with Sean Kinney at Banana 101.5's website: