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I think when one of the voices of your generation dies, it makes you wonder about what your generation has been doing with themselves. I mean, not to get too philosophical, but are you getting things done, did that voice say it all, what did their life represent? I heard about the passing of Layne Staley late on Sunday night, the 21th. While it came as a shock, I still expected it, as I expect to hear Robert Downey, Jr. to pass the same way: from a drug overdose. Layne has been sick, reports say he's tried unsuccessfully for years to kick heroin. There was even word years ago he had to have fingers removed because of gang green caused from dirty needles. I say all this not to glorify, but to horrify. Layne was well off, a successful popular musician who probably had much more to say to us. This isn't merely admiration for a dead idol, its eulogy for an artist, a voice and a Generation. Layne was only four years older than me. Four years, and I can't remember a day not hearing about the dangers of drugs. Layne must have heard them. Why didn't he listen? Why hasn't anyone listened? We in Generation X fight and sweat and struggle to be better than our parents but how can we be when our guys are dying just like theirs have? And why haven't our parents warned us? I can't blame the Baby Boomers for their self-indulgence and miscommunication forever, but for fuck's sake, we're dying here! Your fucking kids are dying! We lost Kurt Cobain eight years ago, suicide from depression that I'm sure was driven by years of drug abuse. Now Layne has gone. I expect Robert Downey, Jr. to go, and that is not wishful thinking. Not at any measure. Layne said "slow suicide's no way to go," but that seems to be what happened. Then he says, "wake up," and I think that's the moral here. Wake up and get the fuck off the drugs. Parents haven't helped with the drug problem. They use and abuse, they get kids on them, they've ignored the problems. The police are shit. Some D.A.R.E. programs may be working and I fully support them, but what of the cops who look the other way or are on the take or just not doing their job? And teachers, come on. Drug and alcohol awareness must be covered in health classes, but why can't a history teacher duscuss it. When they hit the 1970s, tell them about your idols, your Hendrixes and Joplins and Morrisons and tell them what you've been missing from these people. No, it looks like its up to us. Generation X has to get a hold of this thing. Damned us if we follow the path of the bay boomers and fail to progress. Alice in Chains released their last studio album in 1995, a self titled piece of brilliance that ended up being their ode to the swan. The swan song and graceful exit came the following year when "Unplugged" was release, a stunning and brilliant performance, their first live show in three years and ultimately their final goodbye. A box set entitled "Music Box" and a greatest hits summary came a few years later, but Layne has remained in seclusion since the "Unplugged" set. He formed a side band called Mad Season in 1995 with guys he met in rehab, like Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, and for a while we thought there was hope. The album is fresh voiced and dark, expressing horrors of a sane mind on an insane trip. Alice in Chains even played a part in Cameron Crowe's 1992 triumph "Singles," a film about GenXers living in Seattle and toying with life and love. Heroin tragedy was even the topic of one AIC's biggest hits, "Would?" about Andrew Wood of the Seattle-based and pre-Pearl Jam'd Mother Love Bone who died of an overdose. So what is it? Are we destined to follow our parents? Do drugs just have that way about it, taking the voices from inside our heads? Where does it stop? When will it stop? In 1996, Staley lost his girlfriend over a battle with heroin and some say he'd never recovered from that loss. Layne said at first drugs were great to him, but over time they become a horrible struggle, a walking hell, making his life difficult. Take the latter part of that statement as a guide in case you're confused about whether to start or not. So what does it take to get us clean? Less than Zero couldn't do it. Neither could New Jack City. May be we need a prime time TV show that just has story lines dealing with addicts and the struggles of substance abuse. We've heard the lyrics and the sermons and read the books about teen and adult addiction, and still we're getting fucked up. Make that getting fucked over. I'm getting a little sick of getting fucked over. If this generation is going to come out better than the last one, it's time to take it all back. It saddens me that Layne wasn't successful in getting well. It sickens me that my generation can't leap further ahead than our parents could. We still have a chance, we need the initiative to get it done. Because if we don't, how can we be there for our kids? ejh 22 April 2002 |
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