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Mike Inez

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Mike Inez
Inez performing with Alice in Chains in 2019
Inez performing with Alice in Chains in 2019
Background information
Birth nameMichael Allen Ines[1][2]
Born(1966-05-14)May 14, 1966(age 58)
Los Angeles County, California,U.S.[3]
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Bass guitar
Years active1983–present
Member ofAlice in Chains
Formerly of

Michael Allen Inez(born May 14, 1966)[2]is an Americanrockmusician andbassist.Since 1993, Inez has been the bassist of the American rock bandAlice in Chains.He is also recognized for his work withOzzy Osbournefrom 1989 to 1993. Inez also has connections withSlash's Snakepit,Black Label Society,Spys4Darwin,andHeart.He is of Filipino descent.[4][5]Inez has earned sevenGrammy Awardnominations as a member of Alice in Chains.[6]

Career[edit]

Mike Inez began his career in music by playing guitar and saxophone. Since the late 1980s, his career has consisted of the role of bass guitarist in popularhard rockbands.

Ozzy Osbourne (1989–1993)[edit]

In 1989, more than 50 musicians auditioned forOzzy Osbourne's group, and Inez, then a member of the local L.A. band Skin on Skin, won the spot of bassist. Within a month, Inez was playing live at agigwith Osbourne atWembley Stadium.[citation needed]

Inez was an official member of Osbourne's band during their recording of theNo More Tearsalbum. However,Bob Daisleywas brought in to record the bass and none of Inez's playing is on the final album. In the liner notes Inez was credited as "bass and music inspiration," as he had written the riff to the title track in a jam session. Inez also appeared on the 1993 Osbourne live album,Live & Loud.

Alice in Chains (1993–2002)[edit]

Inez performing with Alice in Chains in 2009

By January 1993 Inez had moved on to his next project.Alice in ChainsbassistMike Starrhad left the group after the release of their albumDirtand Inez replaced him. Inez toured throughout 1993 with Alice in Chains on the strength of theDirtalbum. The group also participated in the1993 Lollapalooza Tour.Alice in Chains'Jar of FliesEPwas released in 1994 with Inez on bass.Jar of Fliesdebuted at #1 on album sales charts, the first EP ever to do so.[7]

Inez recorded with the band for their eponymous 1995 releaseAlice in Chains,which also debuted at #1. In 1996, Alice in Chains recorded theirMTV Unpluggedspecial, the first live performance the group had played together in three years. After their last live performance on July 3, 1996, Alice in Chains went on hiatus. Then in August 1998 Alice in Chains returned to the studio to release the songs "Get Born Again" and "Died". In 1999 the band went on hiatus once again, when rumors of vocalist Layne Staley's drug abuse arose. Alice in Chains officially disbanded on April 20, 2002, after the news of the death of Staley.

Slash's Snakepit (1995)[edit]

In 1995, Inez played withSlashon theGuns N' Rosesguitarist's side group,Slash's Snakepit.The group recordedIt's Five O'Clock Somewherealthough Inez did not play any live shows during the corresponding tour.[citation needed]He also briefly rejoined Ozzy Osbourne's band on the Retirement Sucks tour afterGeezer Butlerresigned due to the pressures of touring.

Jerry Cantrell and Spys4Darwin (1998)[edit]

In 1997 Inez played with his Alice in Chains bandmate,Jerry Cantrell,on his debut solo album,Boggy Depot.In the following year, Inez played on the bonus track toBlack Label Society's debut albumSonic Brew,a reworkedheavy metalcover versionof the Osbourne track "No More Tears". At around this time, Inez formed the bandSpys4DarwinwithSean Kinney,Chris DeGarmofromQueensrÿche,andVinnie DombroskifromSponge.They released themicrofishEP,and played radio festivals in theNorthwest.

Black Label Society (2001–2004)[edit]

In mid-August 2001, Inez temporarily replaced Black Label Society bassistSteve Gibb,who was sent home in the middle of their Ozzfest tour. In 2003, Black Label Society'sRobert Trujillojoined Metallica; Inez replaced him in Black Label Society, joining for a short two-week west coast tour of the United States and a short tour of Japan for theirThe Blessed Hellridealbum. A few songs from the Tokyo, Japan show of this tour appear in the bonus features section of their live DVD,Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned.In 2004, Inez recorded the track "Crazy or High" with Black Label Society for their studio album releaseHangover Music Vol. VI.

Heart (2002–2006)[edit]

FollowingLayne Staley's death in April 2002, Inez joinedHeartand toured with the band from 2002 through 2006.[8]He appears on Heart's 2003 release,Alive in Seattle,a double CD live recording that documents a 2002 concert atSeattle'sParamount Theatre.[9]

Inez also played bass and tambourine on Heart's 2004 albumJupiters Darling.[10]

Alice in Chains reunion (2005–present)[edit]

Inez performing at aSeattle Seahawksgame

In 2005, Jerry Cantrell, Inez, and Sean Kinney reunited to perform a benefit concert in Seattle for victims of thetsunami disasterthat struck South Asia in 2004. By 2006 Inez, along with the surviving members of Alice in Chains,Jerry CantrellandSean Kinney,set out for a world tour with various guest singers to fill in for the lateLayne Staley.The main singer for the band's tour wasWilliam DuVall.The band was also featured onDecades of Rock: Heart and Friendswhere they performed "Would?" withPhil Anselmoand "Rooster" with William DuVall. DuVall would go on to be made the permanent singer of the group, which has since released three studio albums with Duvall and toured extensively since 2006.

Guest appearances[edit]

In late 2002, Inez was considered to replaceJason NewstedinMetallica.[11]

At the 2007 VH1 Rock Honors, Alice in Chains performed the tribute to Heart. Inez is the only musician who has been a member of both bands.

Inez was a guest player on "Under the Gun" fromMotörhead's 2006 albumKiss of Death.

In early 2008, Inez recorded a "Behind the Player" instructional DVD with the help ofJohn Tempesta.The DVD features lessons of some of Mike's favorite Alice in Chains songs, and a sit down in depth interview.

In 2019, Inez was a guest bass player onMark Morton's debut solo albumAnesthetic.[12]

Personal life[edit]

Inez married his fiancée Sydney Kelly on May 8, 2010, at the estate ofSusan Silver,Alice in Chains' manager.[13]

Basses and amps[edit]

According toBass Player Magazine,Inez uses the following basses:

They are strung with medium-gaugeDean MarkleyBlue Steel strings.

Inez uses fourAmpeg SVT-2PRO heads, two of them plugged into four 1x18 "cabinets for the lows, and the other two plugged into two 8x10" cabinets. In addition, he sends his signal direct to the mixing board with aTech 21SansAmp Bass Driver DI.[14]

Discography[edit]

Year Album details Band Notes
1993 Live & Loud
1994 Jar of Flies Alice in Chains
1995 It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Slash's Snakepit
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains
1996 Unplugged
1999 Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
Music Bank
2000 Live
2001 Greatest Hits Bass on tracks 6–10.
Microfish
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Pied Viper Records
 Spys4Darwin
2003 Alive in Seattle Heart
2004 Jupiters Darling
  • Released: June 22, 2004
  • Label: Sovereign
2006 The Essential Alice in Chains Alice in Chains Bass on Disc 2 except "Would?"
2009 Black Gives Way to Blue
2013 The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
2018 Rainier Fog
  • Released: August 24, 2018
  • Label:BMG
2019 Live in Atlantic City
  • Release date: January 25, 2019
  • Label: earMUSIC
 Heart
Other appearances
Year Album details Band Notes
1998 Boggy Depot Jerry Cantrell Bass on "Cut You In", "Jesus Hands" and "Devil by His Side"
1999 Sonic Brew Black Label Society On track "No More Tears"
2003 Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned Live DVD. Mike appears on the Tokyo, Japan section
2004 Hangover Music Vol. VI On track "Crazy Or High"
2005 Kings of Damnation 98–04 On "Crazy Or High" and on "No More Tears" (from Bonus Disc)
2019 Anesthetic Mark Morton Tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Nona Tapes Himself Short film
2013 AIC 23 Unta Gleeben Glabben Globben Globin Short film

References[edit]

  1. ^Michael Allen Inez, 1966–
  2. ^abCalifornia Births, 1905–1995,Michael A. Ines(Birth Date: May 14, 1966, County of Birth: Los Angeles)
  3. ^"Michael A Ines, Born 05/14/1966 in California".California Birth Index.RetrievedSeptember 16,2022.
  4. ^""Foi como perder um irmão", diz Mike Inez, do Alice in Chains, sobre a morte de Layne Staley ".Rolling Stone Brasil(in Portuguese). May 14, 2013.RetrievedJuly 9,2017.
  5. ^"ALICE IN CHAINS Vocalist WILLIAM DUVALL Recalls Being Racially Profiled By Police".Blabbermouth.December 5, 2014.RetrievedJuly 9,2017.
  6. ^"GRAMMY Award Results for Mike Inez".Grammy.com.RetrievedOctober 31,2021.
  7. ^Billboard. "Alice in Chains Biography & Awards".Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  8. ^"Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart at Walk of Fame Star Ceremony".heart-music.com.October 5, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon September 20, 2015.RetrievedApril 9,2018.
  9. ^"Heart – Alive in Seattle".AllMusic.RetrievedApril 9,2018.
  10. ^"Heart – Jupiters Darling".AllMusic.RetrievedApril 9,2018.
  11. ^Yahoo! "Metallica Biography – Yahoo! Music".Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  12. ^"Lamb Of God's Mark Morton Debuts First Solo Album, Anesthetic".Guitar.com.March 5, 2019.
  13. ^"Alice In Chains Bassist's Wedding Photo".Blabbermouth.May 11, 2010.RetrievedJuly 9,2017.
  14. ^Nichole, Dr."Bass Player".Bass Player.RetrievedMay 7,2022.

External links[edit]

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