“Radio stations all said Layne’s voice is wrong”: Alice In Chains and Jane’s Addiction producer Dave Jerden helped to define the sound of alternative rock

Layne Staley in 1990.

Dave Jerden, producer of some of the most influential rock albums of the late ’80s and early ’90s, died on 5 February at the age of 75.

In a long and varied career, he worked on a host of classic albums as engineer, mixer and producer - beginning with Talking Heads’ Remain In Light (1980) and including Herbie Hancock’s Future Shock (1983), Red Hot Chili Peppers’ self-titled debut (1984) and The Rolling Stones’ Dirty Work (1986).