What is your favorite MTV Unplugged performance? Who do you think would do well in the Unplugged setting? Leave a comment and let everyone know! Click below to hear music from each MTV Unplugged performance discussed: Alice In Chains - “Nutshell” = ruclips.net/video/9EKi2E9dVY8/видео.html Biffy Clyro - “Many Of Horror” = ruclips.net/video/Tuxu77XekMQ/видео.html Eric Clapton - “Tears In Heaven” = ruclips.net/video/aRjxNj-NchU/видео.html Florence + The Machine - “No Light, No Light” = ruclips.net/video/3RD8V6f49Ss/видео.html Jimmy Page & Robert Plant - “Kashmir” = ruclips.net/video/9vbeilE0UrQ/видео.html KISS - “Rock And Roll All Nite” = ruclips.net/video/d9_D-XDcmnA/видео.html Nirvana - “Come As You Are” = ruclips.net/video/z9LiPuVRyU8/видео.html Oasis - “Don’t Look Back In Anger” = ruclips.net/video/QWXaUJ78hZI/видео.html Pearl Jam - “Jeremy” = ruclips.net/video/nL3RLO1-oQI/видео.html Stone Temple Pilots - “Creep” = ruclips.net/video/8YcvxdmG9mM/видео.html Check out more of our videos below: 10 Music Videos Banned By MTV = ruclips.net/video/YuKMGwTlRA0/видео.html 10 Bands Metal Elitists Hate = ruclips.net/video/CveEOqc8eZ8/видео.html Queen Deserved More Truth In Bohemian Rhapsody = ruclips.net/video/XI27N9wGMIk/видео.html 10 Great Nu Metal Albums (yes, really) = ruclips.net/video/mjFZb0NCwoI/видео.html
Agreed, but I still won't say anyone who says Nirvana's was better that they are wrong. I can only say why I prefer Alice in Chains the greatest MTV Unplugged of all-time. From an unbiased perspective I believe it really is a 1a and 1b thing and just a matter of preference.
I always thought the Alice In Chains Unplugged set list worked great as an album and as a live show. It had a nice balance of greatest hits and album cuts. Layne and Jerry’s vocal harmonies help make that show a cut above the rest, as well as the back and forth with Metallica haha. Nirvana’s Unplugged had some iconic moments like their cover of “Man Who Sold the World” but at the same time I didn’t come to watch the Meat Puppets Unplugged! In the mid 90s half of that AIC Unplugged was being played on the radio as singles. There are a lot of parallels between the Nirvana show and the Alice In Chains show like how both bands brought in an extra guitarist (Pat Smear and Scott Olson) both of which were great. Both bands did covers, difference was AIC’s covers were either mocking Metallica between songs or the band singing songs from Hee Haw (which is on the DVD but not the CD) and the obvious heroin usage by the band’s frontmen. And just think that the AIC show could’ve had “Love Hate Love” in the set list as well if it would’ve came together in rehearsal. I will say that as an album I think the AIC set list flows perfectly song to song and it was genius to open with “Nutshell” using the structure of the song to have each band member come out one at a time to join in until Layne finally comes out and starts singing.
Alice In Chains hands down have the best Unplugged session of all time. It was just magical watching theirs compared to like Nirvana’s or Oasis sessions. Seeing them play together after 2 1/2 years of hiatus and Layne being sick and doped up on heroin just shows how talented he was and how they could still play great music live.
@@AlbertoBalsalm nirvanas was good, but it wasn’t near as good as Alice In Chains. Nirvana had so much more high quality stuff and production compared to Alice In Chains session, and AIC still shined brighter than Nirvana’s and every other MTV unplugged.
@@gunsnbeer3392 Nirvana’s unplugged is better than Alice In Chain’s unplugged in every single way. Alice In Chains doesn’t even have the second best unplugged. Even Pearl Jam did better and played better. And in terms of “shining bright” AIC unplugged isn’t even comparable to Nirvana’s. Typical AIC fan boy.
@@AlbertoBalsalm actually guns is right and fanboy? Really but anyways AICs unplugged is the best because of the drug use and the fact that Layne had already started losing his teeth and was well into his addiction. I watched both Nirvana’s and Alice’s live but to each their own
@@AcidWaves80 No he isn’t. Yes, fanboy. AIC fans are always comparing the most bottom tier grunge band to the other 3 big bands and makes sure everyone in every comment section of every video related to grunge knows aic is the best even though that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Nirvana’s unplugged was recorded 5 months before Kurt’s death and he was heavily addicted and depressed, your point doesn’t work. Nirvana had the better unplugged by miles.
Old. Ha. Alice Unplugged came out 6 years after I got out of the service, i.e, about 10 years after I graduated high school. I am old, but have seen a multitude of epic concerts.
I still listen to the Alice in Chains one and just wonder where we would be if Layne didn't fall into the pit of drugs. An amazing and unique voice that I wish we still had here. But, I understand why Nirvana took #1. You can't touch a performance where they did covers that are unique and played on the radio as if they're originals to this day. It's just impossible to not choose something that was so legendary, that throughout the 90s and early 2000s, I kept hearing even deep cuts off of this on local radio. Just nuts how much airplay it got, and STILL gets!
Unfortunately Heroin had too much of a grip on Layne it got so bad that their record label was purposely keeping the band off tour hoping that Lane would stay clean but he just couldn't.
@@Blackout_1692 that, and the death of Demri Lara Parrott. He loved her so much, but when she passed in late 1996, he became a shell of his former self. He literally didn't care anymore.
@Matt Stevenson no, but he was really close with her. They were engaged at one point, but even after that broke off, he still loved her immensely and it helped seal his downfall when she died.
Nah, AiC performance is WAY better than Nirvana's. The vocals and instruments are perfection. On the other hand, Kurt's voice was kinda fried by the time he did the unplugged show.
@@TheStepmonkey oh, I agree. I just know that the reason why Nirvana Unplugged is such a legendary show is that only a few months later, Kurt was dead, the songs were all over the radio, and you couldn't walk 3 steps without hearing something from the album. The AiC one I feel is better, but that's my bias toward them. They were my favorite grunge band and they still are to this day. But you couldn't hear as much from their unplugged set as you could/still can from Nirvana's. It is what it is, unfortunately.
AIC hands down...a highlight for me personally was to witness the song "Got Me Wrong" unplugged...I just needed to see/hear how that unbelievable chorus was done stripped down and was not let down...I'v never heard any band that can cover AIC straight, and tunes like Man in the Box and Got me Wrong, just go home you can't cut it lol
Don't forget the raw feed that has their take on "Rockin' In The Free World" as well. I absolutely love PJ's Unplugged session. Edit: Found that raw feed! ruclips.net/video/VmeZ3kOgIOE/видео.html
Alice In Chains by far it was the best of the unplugged sets you can feel the pain Layne Staley was going through. RIP LAYNE STALEY 20 years without him 😢
Alice in Chains by far had the best all round Unplugged performance. Back story too the band basically on the verge of a break up. First show in 3 years, Jerry being sick and they absolutely knocked it outta the park
I think Queensryche should be recognized. They did an incredible job. They changed the arrangement to fit an acoustic setting so it didn't just sound like the album version done the same with acoustic guitars. That's what a lot of bands did and I didn't think it required much creativity. I think Queensryche was an overlooked, stellar performance.
Just watched AIC for the 100th time. Searched top 10 mtv unplugged performances and if AIC wasn’t at least top 3, I planned to riot. Well everyone agrees with me. Such an unbelievable performance.
The unplugged sessions with AIC and Nirvana always bring me to tears without fail. They are bittersweet, haunting, sad but beautiful at the same. The whole set list for both were beyond amazing but my two standouts were Nutshell and Where did you sleep last night. You could feel the pain and anguish coming out of these two beautiful but very tormented souls. Sadly they both succumbed to their demons, Kurt not long after this performance and Layne exactly 8 years to the day Kurt passed. Kurt and Layne are two truly iconic talents that will always be missed and never forgotten. Vale Kurt and Layne 😢
alice in chains. not only do they deliver a killer show, but layne's funny at various moments, they give metallica shit, and even play part of one of their songs.
Ha, when Layne messed up in Sludge Factory almost no more ne noticed til he said “Fuuuuuuuuck” and Jerry was like “ well I guess they will have to listen to more “ 🤣
I have to check that out! Hope they played “Pain Lies on the Riverside.” Such a killer bass line! One of those bands that were around during the grunge era that did their own thing and were great doing it and deserve more love these days.
I remember tuning into that on a Sunday evening , after Id just seen Judge Dredd in the Cinema that day.😁 Its a very good performance, filmed at the height of "Throwng Copper"s success. That album is a somewhat lost classic these days. It was right after the early 90s Seattle explosion, and in the middle of Green Day detonating a mid-decade riff and rift change with Dookie.
I grew up an 80's hairband guy but when Alice in Chains came out with that "Hit you in the face" style of music I became an instant fan and they still remain one of my favorites still to this day. The passion in which they were able to play and have it translate into their music is 2nd to none. Thank you for that A.I.C.
Hands down favorite Alice In Chains. As a matter of fact, I watched it this afternoon. I have the DVD, a cassette and (2) of the CDs. (Of course I've uploaded digital copies to my server as well!
I can't go a week without listening to Pearl Jam Unplugged purely for how good Eddie's performance was. AIC and Nirvana's are also unbelievably good and as for Clapton, it was the first time I'd ever heard him when it was aired live, I was only a kid and was blown away and one of the reasons picked up a guitar for the first time
And led directly to the 1996 reunion. I saw KISS the first time in 1983, right after Ace wrecked his Delorean. Vinnie Vincent in hideous Egyptian face paint stood in. I was 18 and the notion that I would EVER get to see the original band was fast fading. Then MTV Unplugged happened. Boom. It’s been sort of rocky ever since, but that 1996 show was magic.
As a big fan of Biffy Clyro for the past 15 years or so, it’s great to see them getting recognition like this at long last. Also pleased to see you giving them the thumbs up on Rock Coliseum too! Biffy aside, the overall list is brilliant. Great video!
When I think of MTV Unplugged three performers come to mind (in this order); Eric Clapton, Nirvana, Pearl Jam. The show format was enthralling and I'm sure I would instantly recognize other performances as being significant, but those three were perfection.
Nirvana & Alice In Chains performance’s were stellar , but Pearl Jam is the best . You can feel the crowds energy through the T.V. Most notably with the songs Black & Porch .
Despite Liam not singing, Oasis' performance was dope. Nirvana and AIC are my favorites but also in the mix was Live, Pearl Jam, STP, LL Cool J, Fiona Apple, Oasis, man there were a ton of great performances.
The Alice in Chains performance will never fail to give me chills. Everything about it. Whenever i listen to it, i forget it’s live. It’s so beautifully arranged and recorded. Once they really find their step after the first minute or so, they become so together. A tightness that every live band dreams to have. Simply incredible.
Alice In Chains will always be my favourite MTV Unplugged session. It's bittersweet because although it was absolutely epic and Layne did his legendary best (including any verse fuck ups..he made up for them beautifully) but he was clearly losing the battle his demons had him fighting. By then, really, he had lost. As Sean Kinney said...it's like watching him sing at his own funeral. Extremely heartbreaking to witness for us hardcore Layneaholics😔. My second favourite is definitely Nirvana. A hauntingly beautiful session to watch. Edit- I forgot about STP..oops. Their Unplugged session was awesome aswell.
Despite what Todd in the Shadows thinks about MTV Unplugged series or acoustic music, they can be beautiful and pleasant to listen to (when not being played by John Mayer).
The Nirvana and Alice in Chains unplugged are legendary God tier performances it's insane how good those performances were especially Alice in Chains given the state of Layne Staley's health at the time he was the living embodiment of the despair/pain/hopelessness in the lyrics probably more so than when the lyrics were first written
Honorable mention for me, Queensryche's from 1993. Done to promote their upcoming "Promised Land" album, it was a great look at why they were such an underrated act in the late 80s and early to mid 90s. Listening to Tate at the tail end of his prime as well as the technical prowess of Chris DeGarmo is just awesome, but doesn't crack the top ten for rather obvious reasons that were explained here. Still an awesome show that I'd recommend. Also, I'd love to see Shinedown or Ghost, particularly just to hear Shinedown's "Bully" in this stripped manner. Maybe it gains bonus emotion like Pearl Jam's "Black" or Layne's power when singing "Down In A Hole".
@@Jillbles It's amazing. I don't believe they ever released it as a standalone album though, which might be why it got swept away, sadly. "The Killing Words" is truly amazing.
Unless Queensryche performed twice, this unplugged was actually at the tail end of the Empire tour cycle. In fact within a month or so of Pearl Jam in the spring of 1992. Promised land wasn’t released for another 2 1/2 years after the unplugged performance. That said, “Della Brown” should have definitely been on the list.
They use to do it all the time at skate and surf in Asbury Park NJ they would play one night and the next day proforma under a made up name and play an acoustic set, in 2004 I got lucky I went into the theater to wait for HIM to play and aband I never heard was playing first dark lights then you new jerseys bounds the whole place turned a look an became quiet as Claudio went on it was awsome
I kinda think Tobias Forge would be an interesting Unplugged Performance based on his interviews discussing his early work and playing a few bars on an accoustic guitar
Your numbers 1-2-3 are SPOT ON. I do think, however, that The Cranberries Valentine's Day 1995 unplugged session was amazing. I was sad for not seeing it on your list. Other than that, GREAT VIDEO!!!
Great list. Your top 4 especially are completely untouchable. 2 more honorable mentions I would add are 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M.'s 1991 set. As for who i would like to see do one now.... the Foos def would've been my top choice before we lost Taylor, A Jack White set would be cool, and I know it's a cop-out, but I'd love to see another (much longer) PJ set with later hits.
Great list, and I agree, you had two number ones there. LL Cool J did a fantastic Unplugged in 1991. It was rap stripped to its core and really showing its roots in blues and jazz. I would love to see Avatar get the full Unplugged treatment. Them, or Ghost. Both bands have done acoustic sets from time to time that really shows their skills.
Totally agree about the LL Cool J Unplugged. I understand he kept his list all rock, but that Unplugged would be in my top 5 easily. The band and the arrangements were phenomenal.
Came here to make sure this was mentioned. That show was 1991 and showed what rap-style vocals with a live band could do in terms of pure power. Rage Against The Machine early shows on youtube are all from 1992. Keep that in mind when watching this performance from Uncle L.
Alice in chains is so far clear for me. Performed exactly 28 years ago tomorrow. It was a miracle Layne even showed up, AIC hadn’t practiced, let alone performed for 2.5 years. Flawless
Korn's unplugged performance is also amazing. I understand why you have the performances you do on there but I think Korn's should be somewhere on this list. For your question at the end, I would love to see a Rise Against unplugged session.
I love Korn's unplugged album. When I first heard they had done an unplugged I was extremely dubious and just thought it wouldn't work. They totally nailed it though, and Amy Lee's guest vocals work so well.
I knew there was this comment out here! Korn really impressed me. It's all about the arrengments, fellas! Whether you like them or not, or even your opinion regards nu metal, but that unplugged was something else. They really capture the essence of an evening meant for an unplugged concert. Covers, special guests, and the redefinition of their own hits
Will have to see if there is vid. They are awesome every time I see them. They come through central Illinois often so I saw them for the seventh time on the victorious war tour.
Love the list...but it should not be forgotten the origin of acoustic live gigs began with Tesla's Five Man Acoustical Band. It would be awesome to see an episode that involves artists that weren't on MTV but played acoustically...Dream Theater. Metallica , Godsmack and other artists deserve nod on a Rocked episode
1 AIC 2 Pearl Jam 3 Nirvana 4 STP I'd like to see RHCP do an Unplugged. Also Depeche Mode. And if ya love STP like I do there are some great performances of them from the Howard Stern Show. Also Metallica as well. In fact I've seen some really good musical performances from that show.
I've always thought and heard Clapton's has been the best as far as musicality, surprisingly iconic and famous along with the fact they perform genres that reaches more people/cultures and it sold best.
I never really cared for KISS even today but that unplugged was a game changer for me. I was like 13-14, and just had a ton of respect for these guys after that performance.
Take into consideration that the Alice in Chains MTV Unplugged show was the only time Frogs or Over Now was played live and had many live debuts mainly for the Tripod songs and Killer is Me.
I think a Foo Fighters was inevitable, until we lost Taylor. I would really appreciate a Shinedown Unplugged. They seem to have the talent to make a rememberable show.
The songs from the Nirvana Unplugged like The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, & All Apologies are all still played alot on rock radio.
So happy to see biffy clyro on the list. This MTV unplugged album got me into them and is just beautiful. They even manage to bring my whole family together when it comes to music even though our tastes differ pretty much.
The greatest Unplugged session was without doubt, Alice In Chains. I never get tired of watching it. I always wonder how big Alice In Chains could’ve been, if the band hadn’t been engulfed with drug addiction. Such a tragic tale. Drugs are for mugs. The hype around the Nirvana session was obviously fuelled by Kurt Cobain’s death. It has become a classic but things were different at the time. People’s memories of Nirvana Unplugged are a bit clouded. The anniversary dvd showed what fans really thought. Interviews with fans as they left the show were interesting. Most were underwhelmed and hugely disappointed by Nirvana’s set list. Complaints included too many covers of songs they didn’t know and the mystery guests were a disappointment. Many were expecting a big star but instead they got The Meat Puppets. Lots were saying who are they?
a special shoutout for alanis morissette! giving us the inspirational song “no pressure over cappuccino” that was sometimes performed during the jagged little pill era! however, her rendition of “that i would be good” is sooo touching during her unplugged performance. plus, she covered the police song “king of pain” too!
Wow. About right!!! So rare I can agree on these sorts of rankings! Yea, I’d put AiC as “1a” and Nirvana as “1b”, but really; you were super fair and clear about it. Nice list! Thank you!!!!
About AIC: MTV Unplugged... Alex Coletti was a producer at MTV who had been involved with the Unplugged series since it started in 1989. Seven years later, Coletti and the network had plenty of episodes of Unplugged under their belt, and a commensurate amount of experience. Pearl Jam and Nirvana had already filmed their episodes a few years earlier, demonstrating the viability of grunge in an acoustic format. MTV had asked Alice In Chains numerous times over the years to do a show. Layne had always turned it down. In Coletti’s mind, Alice In Chains had the songs, the depth, and the emotion where, when you stripped it down, you really find something there. Other grunge bands were out there, but Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana were three of the big four that had the songs that fit in an acoustic setting really well. There was no denying that Alice In Chains was going to shine no matter what they did, Layne’s voice and those songs were going to shine through. MTV approached the band one last time and Layne surprised everyone when he agreed to do Unplugged. Rehearsals began in Seattle, although it wasn’t without the normal complications. Sean would later tell Greg Prato, “It became apparent that unless things seriously change, we can’t go out and play to our potential - at this level. We can’t even get through a fucking week and a half without drama and scary shit going on. That’s about right when I mentally started preparing, like, ‘It’s done.’ Same thing with MTV Unplugged - they kept asking if we’d do it. Up to that moment, it was just a nail-biter. Barely any rehearsing at all, guys not showing - the same shit. Rolled out there and everything worked.” When asked about Sean’s comments, Coletti said, “Clearly there was more going on behind the scenes than I was aware of.” Sean was right, of course, Sean, Mike, and Jerry would straggle in at different times and Layne barely showed up to rehearsal, if he bothered to show up at all it was only for one or two songs and then he'd leave again. It was similar to the recording session for Tripod where they never knew when Layne would show up to the studio and if he did, was he ready to sing and waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. Toby had Sam Hofstedt wearing a pager at all times in case Layne made an appearance. Coletti didn’t see the behind-the-scenes drama of Layne’s addiction. At the point that Alice In Chains agreed to do Unplugged Layne was deep in his heroin addiction with a side helping of crack whenever the mood struck him and any other drug he had available at the time. After so many years of drug abuse, his liver was damaged and the drugs were definitely turning against him. For Coletti’s part, all he saw was a great band that wasn’t continuously on tour so they didn’t have to strip down their live set to the bare minimum for a one-off acoustic show. A few weeks before the show, Coletti flew to Seattle to meet with the band at their rehearsal space to check on how they were adjusting to the parameters of the show - from instruments and gear to stage positioning. The band brought in Scott Olson, who had played with Heart, as a second guitarist to boost the sound on stage. Things were looking good from what Coletti saw. Layne energetically walked into the room eating a bucket of chicken and greeted him. “Hey, man.” His hands, covered by fingerless gloves, were greasy from eating the chicken. Rather than shake hands, he gave Coletti an elbow bump. In retrospect, Coletti said of the visit, “I do remember going, ‘Oh, cool. Layne’s in awesome form.’ And then when I heard him sing, it was already a home run - this was a slam dunk.” The thing was it was all a performance for outsiders. Internally, the band was a mess. Layne not showing up for rehearsal or if he did it was for one song. Jerry was drinking. Sean was drinking like a fish. Who knew what Mike had going on that he wasn’t telling anyone about. Yet, it was Layne that got the brunt of accusatory words and glares from their record label and management. Layne's anger at the record company execs and band manager Susan Silver is all over the Tripod album. The band traveled to New York City in early April to prepare for the show, which was scheduled for April 10, 1996, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Jerry asked Toby Wright to produce the show which would make Layne feel more at ease. Toby sat in on the few rehearsals at Sony Studios that Layne had actually shown up for and Toby thought they went great. The way he saw it, once Layne found his voice, it took very little effort for it to stay there and the songs sounded amazing. They tried a lot of songs from their back catalog, some worked well, some didn’t, and others had to be scrapped for time. The show took place at what was once known as the Majestic Theater. The art director renovated it to intentionally look “kind of decrepit.” The stagehands had shot bullets into the upstage walls to create the cracks. But all the flaking paint was beautifully hand-painted and done on purpose. It was a bowl-shaped, semicircle amphitheater which was perfect for the show. It was Layne’s idea to have big candles decorating the stage to keep it dark and moody, as the band never liked bright lights on stage, so Layne himself bought the candles in Seattle. Coletti thought that out of all the bands that had appeared on Unplugged, the stage setup was most perfect for Alice In Chains. It had an old theater feel to it, with a sense of history and a little sense of gloom that set the mood. Someone in the band had a last-minute request for lava lamps to decorate the stage along with the candles, which wound up adding a visual element he hadn’t anticipated. Lava lamps needed to be heated and turned on for quite a while before they worked properly. Due to the late addition, the lamps were kind of sluggish and not at full-potential. It fit the setting perfectly and yet it was completely by accident that it worked out well that way. Because Layne had dyed his hair pink before traveling to New York, the lighting director tried to match the background to that. As the band ran through a soundcheck and camera rehearsal, the lighting palette was chosen based on each song the lighting director heard them play. Of course, it helped that the band had a specific setlist for the show and provided it to MTV ahead of time. Coletti would be responsible for producing the televised performance, splitting his time between the production truck outside and the floor, while Toby would be responsible for producing the audio, working from inside the truck. Because he knew how the band normally sounded in the studio, he would let the band know what sounded good and what needed to be redone. Under all the superficial stage dressing, there were unforeseen pre-show complications: Jerry had eaten a hot dog from a street vendor and gotten food poisoning. A wastebasket was placed next to his stool onstage in case he felt sick during the show. Sean and Mike were arguing with Jerry about how, in Layne’s condition, there was no way in hell Layne would be able to hit the high notes in some of the songs they’d chosen for the setlist. Layne’s depression had sunk deeper knowing that his own bandmates didn’t have faith in him that he could do the one thing he’d been able to do since he was in high school. Jerry was the only one of them who had complete confidence that Layne could pull it off. According to guitar and bass tech Randy Biro, no one was expecting this show to get off the ground at all. Everyone was planning on it going south because of Layne’s condition; because the band hadn’t been touring or done a live show together in two and a half to three years. Jerry was throwing up the whole time. Both Layne and Randy were going through withdrawals. The whole thing was a slow-moving train wreck waiting to happen. Randy had run out of heroin and had someone bring some for him to the show. Layne had brought along his own precooked supply, which he carried in an old glass pill bottle covered by a cork top. Layne hadn’t done enough where he was nodding off and drooling, but Randy was there before Layne went on and saw the singer shoot heroin before he went onstage. Layne didn’t do a lot. He had just enough to chase away withdrawal symptoms and not get dopesick. From what Randy saw, Layne held it together through the whole show. There was no running to the bathroom or anything. All their friends, management, and record label were at the show. Between Sean and Mike thinking he couldn’t hit the high notes, Jerry had added another stressor by inviting his friends, all four members of Metallica. To say things between Layne and the guys in Metallica were strained was an understatement. There was no love lost between Metallica and Layne. Layne could have cared less about them since James Hetfield and his bandmates made fun of the fact Layne’s addiction had sidelined Alice In Chains from taking on extended tours back in 1994. Layne wasn’t the least bit thrilled to find out all four of them were sitting in the front row, but he tolerated them being there for Jerry’s sake. (Continued in the first reply...)
Jerry was already out on stage playing the opening strands of NUTSHELL when he looked up and saw Mike sit down and settle his acoustic bass in his lap. Mike had written “Friends Don’t Let Friends Get Friends Haircuts” on the front of the bass. It was a shot of humor directed at the guys in Metallica for cutting their hair short for the Load and Re-Load albums. Between songs, there was a lot of clowning around with the audience. The band members would insult Randy, referring to him as “a fucking Frenchman” or “a fucking frog from Montreal,” and Randy took it in stride, yelling right back at them. Initially, the audience thought the barbs were serious. Then, the band started making jokes with the audience and just had a really good connection with the audience. It was similar to what they did when they were on stage during a tour, only this time it was in a more intimate setting. Alex Coletti called Sean “the unsung hero of that Unplugged, because the thing about Unplugged, especially with rock bands, is you live or die by the drummer. If the drummer gets it and tempers his playing, then everyone can kind of play at a lower volume and play acoustically. When the drummer plays it like a rock show, everyone turns up their monitors, and then what’s meant to be this pretty, acoustic thing just sounds like shitty electric guitars.” They did a Saturday Night Special concert and a week after the Saturday Night Special concert, MTV sent the band the first cut of the Unplugged show since they had final approval. Layne took one look and hated it. Toby Wright was given the task of reviewing the material. The way MTV edited it together, Layne despised it. He didn’t want it coming out at all. The band agreed. They felt MTV edited Layne in the worst light possible, so Layne asked if Toby would edit it. Toby agreed. He picked the shots and redid the whole editing process, subsequently sending Layne copies of his work along with the audio, and boom! Layne approved. The problem was MTV would cut to Layne doing certain things during songs and he didn’t like the way they cut it together. Layne was looking for something to show him in a more positive way, away from the stigma of whatever was going on in his personal life. From Toby’s point of view, Layne was always paying attention, whether it was listening to Jerry’s guitar or counting Sean’s drumbeats in his head, but to the outside world he looked like he was falling asleep at certain points or he’d nod out and then all of a sudden his part would come up and he’d be right there. But, MTV just showed him sitting there with his eyes closed for several bars of the music, and then they wouldn’t show him when it was his time to sing - they’d cut to Jerry or Mike or cut somewhere else, and it just looked like he had slept through the whole thing during certain songs. So, it was Toby Wright who provided suggested changes in the form of specific notes and time codes of what he wanted fixed, and MTV complied. The show aired on May 28, 1996, and the album was released on July 17, debuting at number 3 on the Billboard charts, and was accompanied by a home video release, both of which went platinum. After what Wiederhorn did to Layne and the band with the hit-piece in Rolling Stone, Sandy Masuo of Rolling Stone wrote in her review "Unplugged certainly reaffirms the emotional range and technical prowess of Alice in Chains. But it lacks electricity in more ways than one. The concentrated catharsis in Alice in Chains' music is still best heard with the amps cranked up to 11." Despite the review, the album eventually gained more recognition and praise after Layne’s death, mainly due to his powerful performance despite his condition, and is now considered an iconic live album. On May 10, 1996, Layne agreed to another surprise outing and the band performed on The Late Show with David Letterman. Unplugged is so heartbreaking for me to watch because Layne was deep in a heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was doing other drugs on top of heroin). His liver was damaged from the continued drug use over the years. He had to have known what was happening to him just by the way his body was functioning that the drugs were working against him by 1996. He was just high enough to get through the show, chasing away the withdrawal symptoms and so he wouldn’t get dopesick. Sean and Mike argued with Jerry about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER. Layne was a ghost of himself during Unplugged. Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking. The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through. The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was.
Yeah, nirvana's unplugged album is my favorite thing they've done. I've always been more of a pearl jam guy. Though, alice in chains, and stp and of course pearl jam were pretty damn good unplugged.
I absolutely love Nirvana and unplugged performance, but feel like Alice In Chains was so deep, dark, and beautiful. Unplugged was made for them. No one did it better.
One of the things you didn't mention about the KISS session was how obscure their setlist was. They omitted almost all of their classics/live staples in favor of extreme deep cuts from Dynasty, Gene's Solo album, Hotter than Hell, and The Elder. It sounded like a completely different band.
My first introduction to Unplugged was Unplugged in New York Nirvana. I probably listened to that cassette tape/CD/digital copy well over 100 times. In my opinion it is a must to listen to. Especially the song Where did you sleep last night. Kurt did a great job. You can hear the emotion in his voice. 10/10 performance in my opinion.
What is your favorite MTV Unplugged performance? Who do you think would do well in the Unplugged setting? Leave a comment and let everyone know!
Click below to hear music from each MTV Unplugged performance discussed:
Alice In Chains - “Nutshell” = ruclips.net/video/9EKi2E9dVY8/видео.html
Biffy Clyro - “Many Of Horror” = ruclips.net/video/Tuxu77XekMQ/видео.html
Eric Clapton - “Tears In Heaven” = ruclips.net/video/aRjxNj-NchU/видео.html
Florence + The Machine - “No Light, No Light” = ruclips.net/video/3RD8V6f49Ss/видео.html
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant - “Kashmir” = ruclips.net/video/9vbeilE0UrQ/видео.html
KISS - “Rock And Roll All Nite” = ruclips.net/video/d9_D-XDcmnA/видео.html
Nirvana - “Come As You Are” = ruclips.net/video/z9LiPuVRyU8/видео.html
Oasis - “Don’t Look Back In Anger” = ruclips.net/video/QWXaUJ78hZI/видео.html
Pearl Jam - “Jeremy” = ruclips.net/video/nL3RLO1-oQI/видео.html
Stone Temple Pilots - “Creep” = ruclips.net/video/8YcvxdmG9mM/видео.html
Check out more of our videos below:
10 Music Videos Banned By MTV = ruclips.net/video/YuKMGwTlRA0/видео.html
10 Bands Metal Elitists Hate = ruclips.net/video/CveEOqc8eZ8/видео.html
Queen Deserved More Truth In Bohemian Rhapsody = ruclips.net/video/XI27N9wGMIk/видео.html
10 Great Nu Metal Albums (yes, really) = ruclips.net/video/mjFZb0NCwoI/видео.html
The Cure
The first REM one was pretty special.
Layla its a totally different take on the song and it reminds me of being 6 in 92 and my mom partying all night listening to the blues
Avenged sevenfold. Even tho we got that with the Grammy museum album
Nine inch nails
Nothing will beat Alice In Chains Unplugged for me.
Honestly 😫🙏
Agreed, but I still won't say anyone who says Nirvana's was better that they are wrong. I can only say why I prefer Alice in Chains the greatest MTV Unplugged of all-time. From an unbiased perspective I believe it really is a 1a and 1b thing and just a matter of preference.
Nirvana is the best
Me too
Layne lives on 💪🏽
Agree with Alice and Nirvana. They are both sensational unplugged performances; they just hit differently.
Pearl Jam? Or is it Pearl Marmalade?
Alice In Chains truly owned it!
The Alice in Chains performance is still my favorite. Would? especially is terrific.
I always thought the Alice In Chains Unplugged set list worked great as an album and as a live show. It had a nice balance of greatest hits and album cuts. Layne and Jerry’s vocal harmonies help make that show a cut above the rest, as well as the back and forth with Metallica haha. Nirvana’s Unplugged had some iconic moments like their cover of “Man Who Sold the World” but at the same time I didn’t come to watch the Meat Puppets Unplugged! In the mid 90s half of that AIC Unplugged was being played on the radio as singles. There are a lot of parallels between the Nirvana show and the Alice In Chains show like how both bands brought in an extra guitarist (Pat Smear and Scott Olson) both of which were great. Both bands did covers, difference was AIC’s covers were either mocking Metallica between songs or the band singing songs from Hee Haw (which is on the DVD but not the CD) and the obvious heroin usage by the band’s frontmen. And just think that the AIC show could’ve had “Love Hate Love” in the set list as well if it would’ve came together in rehearsal. I will say that as an album I think the AIC set list flows perfectly song to song and it was genius to open with “Nutshell” using the structure of the song to have each band member come out one at a time to join in until Layne finally comes out and starts singing.
Alice In Chains hands down have the best Unplugged session of all time. It was just magical watching theirs compared to like Nirvana’s or Oasis sessions. Seeing them play together after 2 1/2 years of hiatus and Layne being sick and doped up on heroin just shows how talented he was and how they could still play great music live.
They definitely don’t. Nirvana’s unplugged is untouchable.
@@AlbertoBalsalm nirvanas was good, but it wasn’t near as good as Alice In Chains. Nirvana had so much more high quality stuff and production compared to Alice In Chains session, and AIC still shined brighter than Nirvana’s and every other MTV unplugged.
@@gunsnbeer3392 Nirvana’s unplugged is better than Alice In Chain’s unplugged in every single way. Alice In Chains doesn’t even have the second best unplugged. Even Pearl Jam did better and played better. And in terms of “shining bright” AIC unplugged isn’t even comparable to Nirvana’s. Typical AIC fan boy.
@@AlbertoBalsalm actually guns is right and fanboy? Really but anyways AICs unplugged is the best because of the drug use and the fact that Layne had already started losing his teeth and was well into his addiction. I watched both Nirvana’s and Alice’s live but to each their own
@@AcidWaves80 No he isn’t. Yes, fanboy. AIC fans are always comparing the most bottom tier grunge band to the other 3 big bands and makes sure everyone in every comment section of every video related to grunge knows aic is the best even though that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Nirvana’s unplugged was recorded 5 months before Kurt’s death and he was heavily addicted and depressed, your point doesn’t work. Nirvana had the better unplugged by miles.
I loved them all, but Nirvana doing "The man who sold the World" is one of my favourite all time covers.
My too!!!i think nirvana wins hère...After i think Jonathan...
@@dimitrakapa4887 nirvana was close but aic owned it
I love Alice in Chains and Nirvana. I still have Nirvana CD and the AiC show was done the year I graduated high school. God i feel old....
Those are worth owning hard copy for sure.
Old. Ha. Alice Unplugged came out 6 years after I got out of the service, i.e, about 10 years after I graduated high school. I am old, but have seen a multitude of epic concerts.
What I wouldn’t give to be watching these again for the first time. Chills.
U ain't as old as me I graduated in 1990 lol.
I graduate in 96 too, I feel old cause I out lived a lot of the guys in bands I liked . I got a 3 way tie 🤣STP, AIC and Nirvana 😎
I still listen to the Alice in Chains one and just wonder where we would be if Layne didn't fall into the pit of drugs. An amazing and unique voice that I wish we still had here. But, I understand why Nirvana took #1. You can't touch a performance where they did covers that are unique and played on the radio as if they're originals to this day. It's just impossible to not choose something that was so legendary, that throughout the 90s and early 2000s, I kept hearing even deep cuts off of this on local radio. Just nuts how much airplay it got, and STILL gets!
Unfortunately Heroin had too much of a grip on Layne it got so bad that their record label was purposely keeping the band off tour hoping that Lane would stay clean but he just couldn't.
@@Blackout_1692 that, and the death of Demri Lara Parrott. He loved her so much, but when she passed in late 1996, he became a shell of his former self. He literally didn't care anymore.
@Matt Stevenson no, but he was really close with her. They were engaged at one point, but even after that broke off, he still loved her immensely and it helped seal his downfall when she died.
Nah, AiC performance is WAY better than Nirvana's. The vocals and instruments are perfection. On the other hand, Kurt's voice was kinda fried by the time he did the unplugged show.
@@TheStepmonkey oh, I agree. I just know that the reason why Nirvana Unplugged is such a legendary show is that only a few months later, Kurt was dead, the songs were all over the radio, and you couldn't walk 3 steps without hearing something from the album. The AiC one I feel is better, but that's my bias toward them. They were my favorite grunge band and they still are to this day. But you couldn't hear as much from their unplugged set as you could/still can from Nirvana's. It is what it is, unfortunately.
AIC hands down...a highlight for me personally was to witness the song "Got Me Wrong" unplugged...I just needed to see/hear how that unbelievable chorus was done stripped down and was not let down...I'v never heard any band that can cover AIC straight, and tunes like Man in the Box and Got me Wrong, just go home you can't cut it lol
Pearl Jam’s performance of the song “Porch” from unplugged is flat out amazing
Eddie singer black is heartbreaking
Agreed. The whole set was great.
Don't forget the raw feed that has their take on "Rockin' In The Free World" as well. I absolutely love PJ's Unplugged session.
Edit: Found that raw feed! ruclips.net/video/VmeZ3kOgIOE/видео.html
Absofreakingloutely.
Listening to the entire performance now and man eddie’s vocals on “Black” are some of the most raw emotional vocals I have ever heard
Those grunge Unplugged presentations were the best of all time
Alice In Chains by far it was the best of the unplugged sets you can feel the pain Layne Staley was going through. RIP LAYNE STALEY 20 years without him 😢
And as of yesterday, 21 yrs.. Layne was everything
Alice in Chains by far had the best all round Unplugged performance. Back story too the band basically on the verge of a break up. First show in 3 years, Jerry being sick and they absolutely knocked it outta the park
My god, how alice in chains unplugged was so legendary it still give chills...
I think Queensryche should be recognized. They did an incredible job. They changed the arrangement to fit an acoustic setting so it didn't just sound like the album version done the same with acoustic guitars. That's what a lot of bands did and I didn't think it required much creativity. I think Queensryche was an overlooked, stellar performance.
I think my favourite is the Alice in Chains concert. It is mesmerising.
Personal opinion, i would always rank aic's performance 1. How sick he was at that time and still knocked it out the park.
Layne was not at his best but still 100% better than most all other singers.
@@sportsmom165 i thought even at that state he was better then anyone in that era
It’s heartbreaking to see and a perfect example of how evil drugs are.
For me Alice in chains unplugged is perfect and of course the best one, it is a masterpiece
Just watched AIC for the 100th time. Searched top 10 mtv unplugged performances and if AIC wasn’t at least top 3, I planned to riot. Well everyone agrees with me. Such an unbelievable performance.
The unplugged sessions with AIC and Nirvana always bring me to tears without fail. They are bittersweet, haunting, sad but beautiful at the same. The whole set list for both were beyond amazing but my two standouts were Nutshell and Where did you sleep last night. You could feel the pain and anguish coming out of these two beautiful but very tormented souls. Sadly they both succumbed to their demons, Kurt not long after this performance and Layne exactly 8 years to the day Kurt passed. Kurt and Layne are two truly iconic talents that will always be missed and never forgotten. Vale Kurt and Layne 😢
This sums up both performances perfectly.
yes, we were witnesses of 2 guys dying and we didn't know, which is truly sad. both shows blew my mind at the time, and still today...
alice in chains. not only do they deliver a killer show, but layne's funny at various moments, they give metallica shit, and even play part of one of their songs.
Ha, when Layne messed up in Sludge Factory almost no more ne noticed til he said “Fuuuuuuuuck” and Jerry was like “ well I guess they will have to listen to more “ 🤣
"What's my motivation here?" - Layne
The band Live (yeah that's their actual name) also had an amazing unplugged performance way too overlooked.
I have to check that out! Hope they played “Pain Lies on the Riverside.” Such a killer bass line! One of those bands that were around during the grunge era that did their own thing and were great doing it and deserve more love these days.
I had forgotten that, but you're right, it was great.
I remember tuning into that on a Sunday evening , after Id just seen Judge Dredd in the Cinema that day.😁 Its a very good performance, filmed at the height of "Throwng Copper"s success. That album is a somewhat lost classic these days. It was right after the early 90s Seattle explosion, and in the middle of Green Day detonating a mid-decade riff and rift change with Dookie.
The unplugged version on “white discussion “ is still one of my favorite unplugged moments
The Live performance was brilliant! Supernatural was great and their own songs were fantastic!
It’s a close one for me but all of the Grunge Era bands will always be the best of all time. Alice In Chains was so deep!
I grew up an 80's hairband guy but when Alice in Chains came out with that "Hit you in the face" style of music I became an instant fan and they still remain one of my favorites still to this day. The passion in which they were able to play and have it translate into their music is 2nd to none.
Thank you for that A.I.C.
Hands down favorite Alice In Chains. As a matter of fact, I watched it this afternoon. I have the DVD, a cassette and (2) of the CDs. (Of course I've uploaded digital copies to my server as well!
I can't go a week without listening to Pearl Jam Unplugged purely for how good Eddie's performance was. AIC and Nirvana's are also unbelievably good and as for Clapton, it was the first time I'd ever heard him when it was aired live, I was only a kid and was blown away and one of the reasons picked up a guitar for the first time
The MTV KISS unplugged from 1995 is truly a magical moment for the fans of the band.
Yes, it's amazing how the music makes you headbang and... they're playing acoustics! The double drum thing was also incredible.
Yes I liked it.
Kiss sucks! Lol
And led directly to the 1996 reunion. I saw KISS the first time in 1983, right after Ace wrecked his Delorean. Vinnie Vincent in hideous Egyptian face paint stood in. I was 18 and the notion that I would EVER get to see the original band was fast fading. Then MTV Unplugged happened. Boom. It’s been sort of rocky ever since, but that 1996 show was magic.
Pleasantly surprised to see Biffy on the list. They deserve so much more recognition.
Korn's preformance was also amazing.
Pearl Jam was deserving of a higher rank. That was amazing. I still watch it today.
Great list. Delighted to see Biffy Clyro make a list on that side of the Atlantic.
As we say here “ ‘Mon the Biff!”
I to was pleasantly surprised to see Biffy Clyro on the list.
I just cannot look past Nirvana and Alice in Chains as the top 2. Beautiful and haunting with great songs. Still watch them both today
the alice in chains one will always be my favorite :)
As a big fan of Biffy Clyro for the past 15 years or so, it’s great to see them getting recognition like this at long last. Also pleased to see you giving them the thumbs up on Rock Coliseum too! Biffy aside, the overall list is brilliant. Great video!
That Clapton set is pure lightning in a bottle. That version of 'Layla' is just so fuckin' pure!
I still have that CD and pop it into my CD player in my van to hear to and from work.
When I think of MTV Unplugged three performers come to mind (in this order); Eric Clapton, Nirvana, Pearl Jam. The show format was enthralling and I'm sure I would instantly recognize other performances as being significant, but those three were perfection.
Love how biffy are in this list it's nice to hear American youtubers talking about the band from a fan of the band from Scotland 🤟🤟
Nirvana & Alice In Chains performance’s were stellar , but Pearl Jam is the best . You can feel the crowds energy through the T.V. Most notably with the songs Black & Porch .
Yes absolutely agree. Can't understand why not many felt the passion in their performance. Especially Black
Despite Liam not singing, Oasis' performance was dope. Nirvana and AIC are my favorites but also in the mix was Live, Pearl Jam, STP, LL Cool J, Fiona Apple, Oasis, man there were a ton of great performances.
The Alice in Chains performance will never fail to give me chills. Everything about it. Whenever i listen to it, i forget it’s live. It’s so beautifully arranged and recorded. Once they really find their step after the first minute or so, they become so together. A tightness that every live band dreams to have. Simply incredible.
Alice In Chains will always be my favourite MTV Unplugged session. It's bittersweet because although it was absolutely epic and Layne did his legendary best (including any verse fuck ups..he made up for them beautifully) but he was clearly losing the battle his demons had him fighting. By then, really, he had lost. As Sean Kinney said...it's like watching him sing at his own funeral. Extremely heartbreaking to witness for us hardcore Layneaholics😔.
My second favourite is definitely Nirvana. A hauntingly beautiful session to watch.
Edit- I forgot about STP..oops. Their Unplugged session was awesome aswell.
Just came across this channel yesterday. You've easily gained my subscription! Love your content and keep it up!!
Despite what Todd in the Shadows thinks about MTV Unplugged series or acoustic music, they can be beautiful and pleasant to listen to (when not being played by John Mayer).
Just not the Lauryn Hill one. That was AWFUL.
There are many great ones even if you don't love the concept.
@@lloydster9000 If I wanna hear half-assed raspy songs played on a single acoustic-guitar, I'll watch the sponge-monkeys Quiznos commercial
@@afterdinnercreations936 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@RockedNet Dude, I LOVE the concept.
I'm just pointing out that Todd in the Shadows isn't a fan of Unplugged or acoustic music.
The Nirvana and Alice in Chains unplugged are legendary God tier performances it's insane how good those performances were especially Alice in Chains given the state of Layne Staley's health at the time he was the living embodiment of the despair/pain/hopelessness in the lyrics probably more so than when the lyrics were first written
The 30 minute version of Kashmir was and still is Everything
Honorable mention for me, Queensryche's from 1993. Done to promote their upcoming "Promised Land" album, it was a great look at why they were such an underrated act in the late 80s and early to mid 90s. Listening to Tate at the tail end of his prime as well as the technical prowess of Chris DeGarmo is just awesome, but doesn't crack the top ten for rather obvious reasons that were explained here. Still an awesome show that I'd recommend. Also, I'd love to see Shinedown or Ghost, particularly just to hear Shinedown's "Bully" in this stripped manner. Maybe it gains bonus emotion like Pearl Jam's "Black" or Layne's power when singing "Down In A Hole".
Wow, I'd forgotten they had one. I'll have to go hunting for that. I was a huge fan up until about Hear in the Now Frontier.
@@Jillbles It's amazing. I don't believe they ever released it as a standalone album though, which might be why it got swept away, sadly. "The Killing Words" is truly amazing.
Came here just to ask where the hell is Queensryche. An yea that preformance almost beats half this list
Unless Queensryche performed twice, this unplugged was actually at the tail end of the Empire tour cycle. In fact within a month or so of Pearl Jam in the spring of 1992. Promised land wasn’t released for another 2 1/2 years after the unplugged performance.
That said, “Della Brown” should have definitely been on the list.
@@bagelish6686 they did play delta brown man. It was empire songs an older
Alice in Chains Unplugged with always be the best in my opinion.
The Nirvana MTV Unplugged is easily one of the best vinyls I own and ever found in a record store
My favorite MTV unplugged is Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, incredible!! That was awesome, thank you for sharing this awesome video 😊💓✌️🤘
I would kill for a Coheed and Cambria unplugged set
They use to do it all the time at skate and surf in Asbury Park NJ they would play one night and the next day proforma under a made up name and play an acoustic set, in 2004 I got lucky I went into the theater to wait for HIM to play and aband I never heard was playing first dark lights then you new jerseys bounds the whole place turned a look an became quiet as Claudio went on it was awsome
I kinda think Tobias Forge would be an interesting Unplugged Performance based on his interviews discussing his early work and playing a few bars on an accoustic guitar
Bruh Ghost acoustic performances are top notch. I'd love to see a Ghost unplugged show
Your numbers 1-2-3 are SPOT ON. I do think, however, that The Cranberries Valentine's Day 1995 unplugged session was amazing. I was sad for not seeing it on your list. Other than that, GREAT VIDEO!!!
Great list. Your top 4 especially are completely untouchable. 2 more honorable mentions I would add are 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M.'s 1991 set. As for who i would like to see do one now.... the Foos def would've been my top choice before we lost Taylor, A Jack White set would be cool, and I know it's a cop-out, but I'd love to see another (much longer) PJ set with later hits.
Pearl jam singing Black is absolutely the best performance ever in life.I promise!
Great list, and I agree, you had two number ones there. LL Cool J did a fantastic Unplugged in 1991. It was rap stripped to its core and really showing its roots in blues and jazz.
I would love to see Avatar get the full Unplugged treatment. Them, or Ghost. Both bands have done acoustic sets from time to time that really shows their skills.
I haven't bought a physical album in years, but I'd wait in line to buy Ghost Unplugged.
LL Cool J with a special appearance of his deodorant..
Totally agree about the LL Cool J Unplugged. I understand he kept his list all rock, but that Unplugged would be in my top 5 easily. The band and the arrangements were phenomenal.
Came here to make sure this was mentioned. That show was 1991 and showed what rap-style vocals with a live band could do in terms of pure power.
Rage Against The Machine early shows on youtube are all from 1992. Keep that in mind when watching this performance from Uncle L.
This will probably be laughed at as incredibly uncool but the Bryan Adams unplugged session was great, top quality performance.
Alice in chains is so far clear for me. Performed exactly 28 years ago tomorrow. It was a miracle Layne even showed up, AIC hadn’t practiced, let alone performed for 2.5 years. Flawless
Korn's unplugged performance is also amazing. I understand why you have the performances you do on there but I think Korn's should be somewhere on this list. For your question at the end, I would love to see a Rise Against unplugged session.
Yes!! I love when Robert Smith came out and they did the Make Me Bad / Inbetween Days mashup. It’s sooo good
Glad I found this comment. Korns unplugged usually gets a lot of hate.
Ive always talked about Rise Against needing an Unplugged. It would be amazing!
I love Korn's unplugged album. When I first heard they had done an unplugged I was extremely dubious and just thought it wouldn't work. They totally nailed it though, and Amy Lee's guest vocals work so well.
I knew there was this comment out here! Korn really impressed me. It's all about the arrengments, fellas! Whether you like them or not, or even your opinion regards nu metal, but that unplugged was something else. They really capture the essence of an evening meant for an unplugged concert. Covers, special guests, and the redefinition of their own hits
I’m glad you mentioned that 1&2 is hard to pick between but for me the performance of Nutshell gives Alice In Chains the edge.
Everyone knows what 2 bands are gonna be #1 & #2.... and they'll never be replaced.
Great list! Imo especially Alice In Chains and nirvana
As far as today. I would love to see sevendust do an acoustic set. I've seen them several times and they are always amazing live.
They've done acoustic tours before so it's definitely achieveable from the band.
I saw them acoustic in KC. It was a great show!
Will have to see if there is vid. They are awesome every time I see them. They come through central Illinois often so I saw them for the seventh time on the victorious war tour.
Hell YEAH ✊🏿 💀☠🤘🏽
They have an album of some of their songs done acoustic. Seeing them do unplugged would be a great idea.
Love the list...but it should not be forgotten the origin of acoustic live gigs began with Tesla's Five Man Acoustical Band. It would be awesome to see an episode that involves artists that weren't on MTV but played acoustically...Dream Theater. Metallica , Godsmack and other artists deserve nod on a Rocked episode
Great video! I was unaware of some of these performances. Now, I've gotta listen to all of them!
April 14th 2022 was the day Rocked finally made a top 10 list. I'm so proud.
The nirvana performance will always be impressive. I personally also really like the Scorpions MTV unplugged.
There are many great ones I couldn't cover in time.
@@RockedNet maybe another top 10?
Having lived through all this. I recall Eric Clapton’s unplugged performance being the most noteworthy. I think it should have been #1
1 AIC
2 Pearl Jam
3 Nirvana
4 STP
I'd like to see RHCP do an Unplugged. Also Depeche Mode. And if ya love STP like I do there are some great performances of them from the Howard Stern Show. Also Metallica as well. In fact I've seen some really good musical performances from that show.
That would be my list as well......
I've always thought and heard Clapton's has been the best as far as musicality, surprisingly iconic and famous along with the fact they perform genres that reaches more people/cultures and it sold best.
The KISS one is my favorite by far! They were soooo tight! Still one of the best KISS performances ever!
I still say it was their best recorded live performance.
I never really cared for KISS even today but that unplugged was a game changer for me. I was like 13-14, and just had a ton of respect for these guys after that performance.
this is done well and incredibly accurate, just wish Alice would have taken that #1, but still this is damn spot on
Now I'm just imagining Spanish Love Songs unplugged... God, what an emotional roller coaster that would be.
Yeah, they're great! Wouldn't hurt to throw a shirt on every now again though 🤣
I have Alice unplugged on CD and listen in the car all the time. Best is Nutshell and Down in a Hole
Take into consideration that the Alice in Chains MTV Unplugged show was the only time Frogs or Over Now was played live and had many live debuts mainly for the Tripod songs and Killer is Me.
Sluge factory was meant to be played life , basically most of that album was in my opinion it gave me chills
Sludge
I think a Foo Fighters was inevitable, until we lost Taylor. I would really appreciate a Shinedown Unplugged. They seem to have the talent to make a rememberable show.
A Shinedown or Rival Son's Unplugged would be great,
Their Skin and Bones album, is pretty much an unplugged album in everything but name. If you haven’t heard it, it’s well worth checking out
@@mmmoynihan I will check it out
Shinedown would be awesome to see.
I had the same thought about Foo Fighters, RIP Taylor. Such a shame.
The songs from the Nirvana Unplugged like The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, & All Apologies are all still played alot on rock radio.
So happy to see biffy clyro on the list. This MTV unplugged album got me into them and is just beautiful. They even manage to bring my whole family together when it comes to music even though our tastes differ pretty much.
The greatest Unplugged session was without doubt, Alice In Chains. I never get tired of watching it.
I always wonder how big Alice In Chains could’ve been, if the band hadn’t been engulfed with drug addiction. Such a tragic tale. Drugs are for mugs.
The hype around the Nirvana session was obviously fuelled by Kurt Cobain’s death. It has become a classic but things were different at the time.
People’s memories of Nirvana Unplugged are a bit clouded. The anniversary dvd showed what fans really thought. Interviews with fans as they left the show were interesting. Most were underwhelmed and hugely disappointed by Nirvana’s set list. Complaints included too many covers of songs they didn’t know and the mystery guests were a disappointment. Many were expecting a big star but instead they got The Meat Puppets. Lots were saying who are they?
My favorite Unplugged is Queensryche. They did completely amazing versions of "The Killing Words" and "Silent Lucidity".
a special shoutout for alanis morissette! giving us the inspirational song “no pressure over cappuccino” that was sometimes performed during the jagged little pill era! however, her rendition of “that i would be good” is sooo touching during her unplugged performance. plus, she covered the police song “king of pain” too!
Wow. About right!!! So rare I can agree on these sorts of rankings!
Yea, I’d put AiC as “1a” and Nirvana as “1b”, but really; you were super fair and clear about it.
Nice list! Thank you!!!!
While I would give AIC the edge on this list, I definitely agree the top 2 are fantastic. They really defined what Unplugged was
The band “Live” did mtv unplugged in 95, no one talks about it but it was fantastic and my second fav behind Alice In Chains.
I was waiting to see if it made this channel's top 10 but it didnt. Itt's my number 1!
10,000 Maniacs didn't even make your list? Boo! Sir! I'm taking my like back!
Alice in Chains .. Pearl Jam and Nirvana.. The 3 we all go back to if we're all like me and grew up in the 90s.
Alice in chains is the best 💗 They're in a totally different league🤘
Dude that Eric Clapton session was 🔥
About AIC: MTV Unplugged...
Alex Coletti was a producer at MTV who had been involved with the Unplugged series since it started in 1989. Seven years later, Coletti and the network had plenty of episodes of Unplugged under their belt, and a commensurate amount of experience. Pearl Jam and Nirvana had already filmed their episodes a few years earlier, demonstrating the viability of grunge in an acoustic format.
MTV had asked Alice In Chains numerous times over the years to do a show. Layne had always turned it down. In Coletti’s mind, Alice In Chains had the songs, the depth, and the emotion where, when you stripped it down, you really find something there. Other grunge bands were out there, but Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana were three of the big four that had the songs that fit in an acoustic setting really well. There was no denying that Alice In Chains was going to shine no matter what they did, Layne’s voice and those songs were going to shine through.
MTV approached the band one last time and Layne surprised everyone when he agreed to do Unplugged. Rehearsals began in Seattle, although it wasn’t without the normal complications.
Sean would later tell Greg Prato, “It became apparent that unless things seriously change, we can’t go out and play to our potential - at this level. We can’t even get through a fucking week and a half without drama and scary shit going on. That’s about right when I mentally started preparing, like, ‘It’s done.’ Same thing with MTV Unplugged - they kept asking if we’d do it. Up to that moment, it was just a nail-biter. Barely any rehearsing at all, guys not showing - the same shit. Rolled out there and everything worked.” When asked about Sean’s comments, Coletti said, “Clearly there was more going on behind the scenes than I was aware of.”
Sean was right, of course, Sean, Mike, and Jerry would straggle in at different times and Layne barely showed up to rehearsal, if he bothered to show up at all it was only for one or two songs and then he'd leave again. It was similar to the recording session for Tripod where they never knew when Layne would show up to the studio and if he did, was he ready to sing and waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. Toby had Sam Hofstedt wearing a pager at all times in case Layne made an appearance.
Coletti didn’t see the behind-the-scenes drama of Layne’s addiction. At the point that Alice In Chains agreed to do Unplugged Layne was deep in his heroin addiction with a side helping of crack whenever the mood struck him and any other drug he had available at the time. After so many years of drug abuse, his liver was damaged and the drugs were definitely turning against him.
For Coletti’s part, all he saw was a great band that wasn’t continuously on tour so they didn’t have to strip down their live set to the bare minimum for a one-off acoustic show. A few weeks before the show, Coletti flew to Seattle to meet with the band at their rehearsal space to check on how they were adjusting to the parameters of the show - from instruments and gear to stage positioning. The band brought in Scott Olson, who had played with Heart, as a second guitarist to boost the sound on stage. Things were looking good from what Coletti saw.
Layne energetically walked into the room eating a bucket of chicken and greeted him. “Hey, man.” His hands, covered by fingerless gloves, were greasy from eating the chicken. Rather than shake hands, he gave Coletti an elbow bump. In retrospect, Coletti said of the visit, “I do remember going, ‘Oh, cool. Layne’s in awesome form.’ And then when I heard him sing, it was already a home run - this was a slam dunk.”
The thing was it was all a performance for outsiders. Internally, the band was a mess. Layne not showing up for rehearsal or if he did it was for one song. Jerry was drinking. Sean was drinking like a fish. Who knew what Mike had going on that he wasn’t telling anyone about. Yet, it was Layne that got the brunt of accusatory words and glares from their record label and management. Layne's anger at the record company execs and band manager Susan Silver is all over the Tripod album.
The band traveled to New York City in early April to prepare for the show, which was scheduled for April 10, 1996, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Jerry asked Toby Wright to produce the show which would make Layne feel more at ease. Toby sat in on the few rehearsals at Sony Studios that Layne had actually shown up for and Toby thought they went great. The way he saw it, once Layne found his voice, it took very little effort for it to stay there and the songs sounded amazing. They tried a lot of songs from their back catalog, some worked well, some didn’t, and others had to be scrapped for time.
The show took place at what was once known as the Majestic Theater. The art director renovated it to intentionally look “kind of decrepit.” The stagehands had shot bullets into the upstage walls to create the cracks. But all the flaking paint was beautifully hand-painted and done on purpose. It was a bowl-shaped, semicircle amphitheater which was perfect for the show. It was Layne’s idea to have big candles decorating the stage to keep it dark and moody, as the band never liked bright lights on stage, so Layne himself bought the candles in Seattle. Coletti thought that out of all the bands that had appeared on Unplugged, the stage setup was most perfect for Alice In Chains. It had an old theater feel to it, with a sense of history and a little sense of gloom that set the mood.
Someone in the band had a last-minute request for lava lamps to decorate the stage along with the candles, which wound up adding a visual element he hadn’t anticipated. Lava lamps needed to be heated and turned on for quite a while before they worked properly. Due to the late addition, the lamps were kind of sluggish and not at full-potential. It fit the setting perfectly and yet it was completely by accident that it worked out well that way.
Because Layne had dyed his hair pink before traveling to New York, the lighting director tried to match the background to that. As the band ran through a soundcheck and camera rehearsal, the lighting palette was chosen based on each song the lighting director heard them play. Of course, it helped that the band had a specific setlist for the show and provided it to MTV ahead of time.
Coletti would be responsible for producing the televised performance, splitting his time between the production truck outside and the floor, while Toby would be responsible for producing the audio, working from inside the truck. Because he knew how the band normally sounded in the studio, he would let the band know what sounded good and what needed to be redone.
Under all the superficial stage dressing, there were unforeseen pre-show complications: Jerry had eaten a hot dog from a street vendor and gotten food poisoning. A wastebasket was placed next to his stool onstage in case he felt sick during the show. Sean and Mike were arguing with Jerry about how, in Layne’s condition, there was no way in hell Layne would be able to hit the high notes in some of the songs they’d chosen for the setlist. Layne’s depression had sunk deeper knowing that his own bandmates didn’t have faith in him that he could do the one thing he’d been able to do since he was in high school. Jerry was the only one of them who had complete confidence that Layne could pull it off.
According to guitar and bass tech Randy Biro, no one was expecting this show to get off the ground at all. Everyone was planning on it going south because of Layne’s condition; because the band hadn’t been touring or done a live show together in two and a half to three years. Jerry was throwing up the whole time. Both Layne and Randy were going through withdrawals. The whole thing was a slow-moving train wreck waiting to happen. Randy had run out of heroin and had someone bring some for him to the show. Layne had brought along his own precooked supply, which he carried in an old glass pill bottle covered by a cork top.
Layne hadn’t done enough where he was nodding off and drooling, but Randy was there before Layne went on and saw the singer shoot heroin before he went onstage. Layne didn’t do a lot. He had just enough to chase away withdrawal symptoms and not get dopesick. From what Randy saw, Layne held it together through the whole show. There was no running to the bathroom or anything.
All their friends, management, and record label were at the show. Between Sean and Mike thinking he couldn’t hit the high notes, Jerry had added another stressor by inviting his friends, all four members of Metallica. To say things between Layne and the guys in Metallica were strained was an understatement. There was no love lost between Metallica and Layne. Layne could have cared less about them since James Hetfield and his bandmates made fun of the fact Layne’s addiction had sidelined Alice In Chains from taking on extended tours back in 1994. Layne wasn’t the least bit thrilled to find out all four of them were sitting in the front row, but he tolerated them being there for Jerry’s sake.
(Continued in the first reply...)
Jerry was already out on stage playing the opening strands of NUTSHELL when he looked up and saw Mike sit down and settle his acoustic bass in his lap. Mike had written “Friends Don’t Let Friends Get Friends Haircuts” on the front of the bass. It was a shot of humor directed at the guys in Metallica for cutting their hair short for the Load and Re-Load albums.
Between songs, there was a lot of clowning around with the audience. The band members would insult Randy, referring to him as “a fucking Frenchman” or “a fucking frog from Montreal,” and Randy took it in stride, yelling right back at them. Initially, the audience thought the barbs were serious. Then, the band started making jokes with the audience and just had a really good connection with the audience. It was similar to what they did when they were on stage during a tour, only this time it was in a more intimate setting.
Alex Coletti called Sean “the unsung hero of that Unplugged, because the thing about Unplugged, especially with rock bands, is you live or die by the drummer. If the drummer gets it and tempers his playing, then everyone can kind of play at a lower volume and play acoustically. When the drummer plays it like a rock show, everyone turns up their monitors, and then what’s meant to be this pretty, acoustic thing just sounds like shitty electric guitars.”
They did a Saturday Night Special concert and a week after the Saturday Night Special concert, MTV sent the band the first cut of the Unplugged show since they had final approval. Layne took one look and hated it. Toby Wright was given the task of reviewing the material. The way MTV edited it together, Layne despised it. He didn’t want it coming out at all. The band agreed. They felt MTV edited Layne in the worst light possible, so Layne asked if Toby would edit it.
Toby agreed. He picked the shots and redid the whole editing process, subsequently sending Layne copies of his work along with the audio, and boom! Layne approved. The problem was MTV would cut to Layne doing certain things during songs and he didn’t like the way they cut it together. Layne was looking for something to show him in a more positive way, away from the stigma of whatever was going on in his personal life.
From Toby’s point of view, Layne was always paying attention, whether it was listening to Jerry’s guitar or counting Sean’s drumbeats in his head, but to the outside world he looked like he was falling asleep at certain points or he’d nod out and then all of a sudden his part would come up and he’d be right there. But, MTV just showed him sitting there with his eyes closed for several bars of the music, and then they wouldn’t show him when it was his time to sing - they’d cut to Jerry or Mike or cut somewhere else, and it just looked like he had slept through the whole thing during certain songs.
So, it was Toby Wright who provided suggested changes in the form of specific notes and time codes of what he wanted fixed, and MTV complied. The show aired on May 28, 1996, and the album was released on July 17, debuting at number 3 on the Billboard charts, and was accompanied by a home video release, both of which went platinum.
After what Wiederhorn did to Layne and the band with the hit-piece in Rolling Stone, Sandy Masuo of Rolling Stone wrote in her review "Unplugged certainly reaffirms the emotional range and technical prowess of Alice in Chains. But it lacks electricity in more ways than one. The concentrated catharsis in Alice in Chains' music is still best heard with the amps cranked up to 11."
Despite the review, the album eventually gained more recognition and praise after Layne’s death, mainly due to his powerful performance despite his condition, and is now considered an iconic live album.
On May 10, 1996, Layne agreed to another surprise outing and the band performed on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Unplugged is so heartbreaking for me to watch because Layne was deep in a heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was doing other drugs on top of heroin). His liver was damaged from the continued drug use over the years. He had to have known what was happening to him just by the way his body was functioning that the drugs were working against him by 1996. He was just high enough to get through the show, chasing away the withdrawal symptoms and so he wouldn’t get dopesick.
Sean and Mike argued with Jerry about whether Layne could even pull off the high notes in some of the songs, which is why Jerry gave them that “I told you so” smirk after Layne hit that long, high note in DOWN IN A HOLE. He did the same thing again when he hit a high note in ROOSTER.
Layne was a ghost of himself during Unplugged. Knowing what Layne was capable of before, and what you see on Unplugged is the difference between night and day. Watch him sing DOWN IN A HOLE and knowing that this was the same guy who back in 1992 was hanging from the rafters of a low ceiling in a bar belting out LOVE HATE LOVE, that is what's heartbreaking. Knowing how he sang ROOSTER in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1993 when his “yeahs” and screams were so loud and high I’m surprised the rafters didn’t come crashing down around him and then watch him sing the same song so low-key on Unplugged knowing he could do to the song what he did in Tilburg is heartbreaking. Knowing he initially sang the hell out of WOULD? on the official video and album and seeing the end of WOULD? on Unplugged . . . and knowing how deep into his addiction he had gotten by that point is heartbreaking.
The fact that Sean and Mike didn’t have any confidence that Layne could do the show and Jerry being the only one that knew deep in his heart that Layne could do it because Layne had done so many things against the odds over the years no matter how high he was at the time. When Jerry needed him to be there where it counted, Layne always pulled through.
The entire show was a success because Layne did have a powerful performance despite his condition. He proved to his cynical bandmates that he could still sing the high notes and he pulled it all off beautifully while the same four guys who had mocked him for his addiction sidelining Alice In Chains from ever doing extended tours sat in the front row. The mistakes he made screwing up SLUDGE FACTORY (and I think he screwed up GOT ME WRONG once or twice, but Toby didn’t keep that in editing) were endearing, at least to me. They didn’t take away from the performance, it added something to the performance that, had it been removed after everyone had seen it, wouldn’t have made the show what it was.
@@tamibrandt Beautifully said
I had picked up quite a bit of this information over the last couple decades, but not all the minute little details. Thanks for sharing this.
Yeah, nirvana's unplugged album is my favorite thing they've done. I've always been more of a pearl jam guy. Though, alice in chains, and stp and of course pearl jam were pretty damn good unplugged.
They set a high standard.
Hey Rocked! Just asking how's your day going? :D
Doing well. Out of town right now and saw Elton John last night!
@Rocked I just saw Sir Elton a little over a week ago. He was awesome!!!!
I absolutely love Nirvana and unplugged performance, but feel like Alice In Chains was so deep, dark, and beautiful. Unplugged was made for them. No one did it better.
You pretty much nailed this one. Nice job!!
One of the things you didn't mention about the KISS session was how obscure their setlist was. They omitted almost all of their classics/live staples in favor of extreme deep cuts from Dynasty, Gene's Solo album, Hotter than Hell, and The Elder. It sounded like a completely different band.
George Michael unplugged…. Amazing!!👍🏻 Legendary!!
As soon as I saw the video title my first thought was, "Okay, Nirvana is number one."
Pearl Jam "Black" and Clapton "Tears in Heaven" were the Best. Incubus is in my Top 10. Thanks for the Video!
Unplugged...inspired by Richie and Bon Jovi's live acoustic performance at the MTV Music Video Awards in '89
Mariah Carey was huge too. The Jackson’s 5 cover, c’mon, that was a moment.
omg. i totally forgot about mimi! i read that she did mtv unplugged to prove that she can actually sing those whistles. icon.
My first introduction to Unplugged was Unplugged in New York Nirvana. I probably listened to that cassette tape/CD/digital copy well over 100 times. In my opinion it is a must to listen to. Especially the song Where did you sleep last night. Kurt did a great job. You can hear the emotion in his voice. 10/10 performance in my opinion.
Agree with all of that. Was shocked and surprised that Biffy Clyro was mentioned they are underrated and that performance was great.