"I sent that song to Elton and asked him to play piano on it...it meant the world to us." How Elton John and Dave Grohl helped one of the grunge era's greatest bands heal from an unimaginable loss

Aice In Chains looking down at the camera from above.

For both fans and bandmates, the fatal 2002 overdose of singer Layne Staley seemed to herald the end of the road for Alice In Chains. Though other members of the band had struggled with drug and alcohol dependency, Layne’s had been the most public at the time (in 2011, original bassist Mike Starr would also fatally overdose), and sadly, few were surprised by the tragedy.

The band hadn’t released new material for seven years and so Layne’s passing only confirmed what had long been the de facto truth — that Alice In Chains were all but done. Four more years passed before AIC eventually re-emerged for a string of benefit concerts, one-offs and small tours.