Never Fade (song)

Last updated
"Never Fade"
Single by Alice in Chains
from the album Rainier Fog
ReleasedAugust 10, 2018 (2018-08-10) [1]
RecordedJune 12, 2017–January 12, 2018 [2] [3]
Studio Studio X in Seattle • Rock Falcon Studio in Nashville • Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles • Jerry Cantrell's home studio in Los Angeles [4]
Genre Hard rock [5]
Length4:40
Label BMG
Composer(s) Jerry Cantrell [6]
Lyricist(s) William DuVall, Jerry Cantrell [7] [6]
Producer(s) Nick Raskulinecz and Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains singles chronology
"So Far Under"
(2018)		"Never Fade"
(2018)		"Rainier Fog"
(2019)

"Never Fade" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and the third single from the band's sixth studio album, Rainier Fog , released on August 24, 2018. [1] The song was written by vocalists/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, [6] who also share lead vocals, with DuVall singing the verses and the pre-chorus, while Cantrell sings the chorus. [8] "Never Fade" is a tribute to DuVall's grandmother, Soundgarden lead vocalist Chris Cornell, and Alice in Chains' original lead singer Layne Staley. [9] The song was released as a single on August 10, 2018 via YouTube, streaming and digital download. [1] "Never Fade" peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. [10]

Contents

Origin and recording

During an interview on Steve Jones' radio show, Jonesy's Jukebox, on August 10, 2018, vocalist and guitarist Jerry Cantrell said that he initially didn't think "Never Fade" was an Alice in Chains song. It was something they had laying around in the studio session. Cantrell had written the music and the chorus, but he didn't have a good verse and was intending to write it throughout the recording process of Rainier Fog, or maybe for something that he would do later, like a soundtrack. [8] Vocalist/guitarist William DuVall ended up writing the lyrics for the song at Studio X in Seattle in the summer of 2017. He wrote and recorded the track alone in the studio until 3am. [11] "Never Fade" is DuVall's major composition in Rainier Fog. [7]

The song features the lyrics "all my friends are leaving". [11] DuVall's grandmother, described by him as a pillar in his life, died at the age of 105 while the band was recording the album, and he wrote the lyrics to "Never Fade" thinking about his grandmother and the late Soundgarden lead vocalist Chris Cornell, who died a month before the band started recording the album, among others. [11] DuVall later told Kerrang! magazine that he was also thinking about Layne Staley while writing the lyrics. [9] Cantrell told Premier Guitar that the chorus he wrote is about something totally different than the verses written by DuVall. [12]

Speaking with Classic Rock magazine in August 2018, DuVall said of the song:

Never Fade was written by myself in the studio. Everyone else had gone home. I stayed there all night and just absorbed and thought about a lot of things. And I felt like being in that setting helped trigger a lot of these things that needed to come out, that I'd been hanging on to, for a lot of time in some cases. I'd just lost my grandmother; you know about Chris [Cornell]. There was so much happening, going back. [7]

The night-time session at the windowless studio in Seattle was contrasted with the home studio of producer Nick Raskulinecz in Nashville, where most of the vocals were completed. [7] "We decamped to this opposite, bucolic community, with nothing but farmland for miles around. You could see sunlight or rain through the windows, and felt among the elements", DuVall said of the recording at Raskulinecz's studio. [7]

Release and reception

On August 9, 2018, Alice in Chains announced on their social media pages that a new song would be released the next day. [13] The song was made available on Alice in Chains' official YouTube channel [14] and for streaming and digital download via Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Play and Deezer on August 10, 2018. [1]

Loudwire said that the song "has a slight garage rock feel with an immediate hook. There's a balance to the moods of "Never Fade" with a moderate nod toward the gloom of their classic days, but it washes away with an emphatic pre-chorus and soothing refrain as the band promises an unnamed person they are not forgotten and will never fade." [15] and listed it as the eighth best rock song of 2018. [16]

Exclaim! wrote that Never Fade "offers everything Alice in Chains fans are likely looking for, pairing plenty of beefy guitars with even more meaty vocals." [17]

The song debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's Best Sellers in Rock, [18] and at No. 20 on Amazon's Top 100 Paid Songs. [19]

Live performances

The song was performed live for the first time during Alice in Chains' concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, Canada on August 22, 2018, [20] and was frequently performed throughout the Rainier Fog tour. [21]

Music video

A music video directed by Adam Mason was released on Alice in Chains' official YouTube channel on November 1, 2018. It continues the storyline from the previous music video for the single "The One You Know", and features actors Paul Sloan, Viktoriya Dov, Eric Michael Cole, Mike Hatton, Jerry Raines Jr., and Darri Ingolfsson in clips from the upcoming sci-fi film Black Antenna , also directed by Mason. The music video also features the band performing in a studio colored by red and green lights. [22] [23]

On June 27, 2019, a new version of the music video was released on YouTube as the ninth episode from the miniseries Black Antenna, also directed by Mason and starring the same actors. This version does not feature the band performing. [24]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
Position
Canada Active Rock (Mediabase) [25] 20
Netherlands (Free40 Alternative Songs) [26] 12
US Active Rock (Mediabase) [27] 10
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [10] 10
US Rock Airplay ( Billboard ) [28] 32

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice in Chains</span> American rock band

Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney. Vocalist Layne Staley and bassist Mike Starr are former members of the band. The band took its name from Staley's previous group, Alice N' Chains. Often associated with grunge music, Alice in Chains' sound and style is deeply rooted in heavy metal music. The band is known for its distinctive vocal style, which often included the harmonized vocals between Staley and Cantrell, making Alice in Chains a two-vocal band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Cantrell</span> American guitarist, singer and songwriter

Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to international fame in the early 1990s during Seattle's grunge movement and is known for its distinctive vocal style and the harmonized vocals between Cantrell and Layne Staley. Cantrell started to sing lead vocals on Alice in Chains' 1992 EP Sap. After Staley's death in 2002, Cantrell took the role of Alice in Chains' lead singer on most of the songs from the band's post-Staley albums, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013), and Rainier Fog (2018), with DuVall harmonizing with him in the new songs and singing Staley's vocals in the old songs in live concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Kinney</span> American drummer

Sean Howard Kinney is an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band Alice in Chains. Kinney also founded the short-lived supergroup Spys4Darwin, and has collaborated with other artists such as Johnny Cash and Metallica. He played drums for his Alice in Chains bandmate, Jerry Cantrell's first solo album, Boggy Depot (1998). Since 2009, Kinney has been co-owner of The Crocodile club in Seattle. He was a guest drummer on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers in September 2018. Kinney has earned nine Grammy Award nominations as a member of Alice in Chains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William DuVall</span> American musician (born 1967)

William Bradley DuVall is an American musician best known as the current co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Alice in Chains. He joined Alice in Chains in 2006, replacing the band's original lead singer, Layne Staley, who died in 2002, and shares vocal duties with guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell. DuVall has recorded three albums with the band: 2009's Black Gives Way to Blue, 2013's The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, and 2018's Rainier Fog. DuVall won an ASCAP Pop Music Award for co-writing the song "I Know" for Dionne Farris in 1996 and has earned three Grammy Award nominations as a member of Alice in Chains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Stay Away</span> 1994 single by Alice in Chains

"I Stay Away" is a song from Alice in Chains' 1994 EP Jar of Flies, and the second single from the album. This song marked the first time the band wrote with bassist Mike Inez. The single reached No. 10 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks, and stayed in the chart for 26 weeks. "I Stay Away" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1995. The song was included on the compilation albums Nothing Safe: Best of the Box (1999), Music Bank (1999), Greatest Hits (2001), and The Essential Alice in Chains (2006).

"Nutshell" is a song by Alice in Chains that originally appeared on the band's 1994 extended play Jar of Flies. The band played it on MTV Unplugged in 1996, and this rendition of the song was included on the compilation album Music Bank (1999), as well as The Essential Alice in Chains (2006). Since 2011, guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell dedicates "Nutshell" to Alice in Chains' late original members Layne Staley and Mike Starr during the band's concerts.

<i>Black Gives Way to Blue</i> 2009 studio album by Alice in Chains

Black Gives Way to Blue is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 2009, on the 17th anniversary of the release of their second album, Dirt. It is their first record without original lead singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002, and their first album with new vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall sharing vocal duties with lead guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, who sings lead vocals on most of the songs. The title track is a tribute to Staley featuring Elton John on piano. This is the first Alice in Chains album released on Virgin Records and their first venture away from Columbia, who handled all of their previous releases. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the RIAA on May 26, 2010, with shipments exceeding 500,000 copies in the U.S. and over 1 million copies sold worldwide. "Check My Brain" and "A Looking in View" were both nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Black Gives Way to Blue won Revolver magazine's Golden Gods Award for Album of the Year in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Looking in View</span> 2009 single by Alice in Chains

"A Looking in View" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains, featured on their fourth studio album, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009). It was the first publicly released song from the album and was available for purchase on June 30, 2009, and for a limited time it was available as a free download through the official Alice in Chains website. Although it was not the album's first official single, Rock stations across the U.S. started playing the song after it was made available for streaming. The first official radio single, "Check My Brain", was released in August 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Check My Brain</span> 2009 single by Alice in Chains

"Check My Brain" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains, featured on their fourth studio album, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009). It was released as the first official single from the album on August 14, 2009, marking it as the band's first single in a decade. The single topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Billboard Hot Rock Songs charts in September 2009. This was the first time an Alice in Chains song would hit number-one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart since their 1994 single "No Excuses". This is Alice in Chains' first and currently only song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 92, and also their first number-one on the Alternative Songs chart. "Check My Brain" received a nomination for "Best Hard Rock Performance" at the 52nd Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollow (Alice in Chains song)</span> 2012 single by Alice in Chains

"Hollow" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains and the first single from their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, released on May 28, 2013. The band debuted the song on YouTube with a fan-made lyric video on December 18, 2012. The lyric video contains static images submitted by fans via Instagram. The song was made available for digital download on January 8, 2013. "Hollow" reached number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. It is played in a 6/4 time signature during the verses, and in a standard 4/4 signature during the choruses.

<i>The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here</i> 2013 studio album by Alice in Chains

The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here is the fifth studio album by American rock band Alice in Chains, released on May 28, 2013, through Capitol Records, the band's final album released through the label. Following a worldwide tour in support of its previous album, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), Alice in Chains began work on a new album. The making of The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here lasted for more than a year and the release of the album was delayed numerous times. The band entered the studio in July 2011 to start work on their fifth album. During the writing and recording sessions, guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell underwent shoulder surgery, which resulted in the delay of the album. The recording sessions of The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here were completed in December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone (Alice in Chains song)</span> 2013 single by Alice in Chains

"Stone" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains and the second single from their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013). The song was released as a single on March 25, 2013, reached No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. A music video directed by Robert Schober was released for the song. The song was first played live on April 10, 2013, during Alice in Chains' appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles. The lyrics to "Stone" are printed on the bottom plate of a limited edition of Jerry Cantrell's signature Dunlop Cry Baby Wah pedal released in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voices (Alice in Chains song)</span> 2013 single by Alice in Chains

"Voices" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and the third single from their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013). Guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell takes lead vocals on the song. The single premiered exclusively on USA Today website on July 26, 2013, and was released to radio stations on July 29, 2013. "Voices" peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks, and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. It also peaked at No. 18 on the Rock Airplay chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The One You Know</span> 2018 single by Alice in Chains

"The One You Know" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains, and the first single from the band's sixth studio album, Rainier Fog, released on August 24, 2018. The single was released via streaming on May 3, 2018, accompanied by an official music video. "The One You Know" spent 17 weeks on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and peaked at No. 9.

"Sunshine" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and the eighth track on their debut album, Facelift (1990). The song was written by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell as a tribute to his mother Gloria, who died in 1987.

"Phantom Limb" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and the tenth track on their fifth studio album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013). The lyrics were written by Alice in Chains' co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall, who also played the guitar solo in the song, the first solo he wrote for Alice in Chains. The song premiered on radio via Seattle station KISW on March 25, 2013.

"So Far Under" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and the second single from the band's sixth studio album, Rainier Fog, released on August 24, 2018. The single was released via YouTube, streaming and digital download on June 27, 2018. The lyrics and music were written by Alice In Chains' co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall, who also played the guitar solo in the song.

<i>Rainier Fog</i> 2018 studio album by Alice in Chains

Rainier Fog is the sixth studio album by American rock band Alice in Chains, released on August 24, 2018, through BMG, the band's first release on the label. The title was inspired by Mount Rainier, a volcano that overlooks the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area, and the title track is a tribute to the Seattle music scene. This is the band's third album with William DuVall sharing lead vocals with Jerry Cantrell, and the first Alice in Chains album in 22 years to be recorded in their hometown of Seattle. The album was partially recorded at Seattle's Studio X, the same studio where the band recorded their 1995 self-titled album. Rainier Fog is also Alice in Chains' third collaboration with producer Nick Raskulinecz, marking their first time recording three full-length albums with the same producer.

"Rainier Fog" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains. It is the fourth single and the title track to the band's sixth studio album, Rainier Fog (2018). Written by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell, the song is a tribute to the Seattle music scene and the band's former members, Layne Staley and Mike Starr, and the title was inspired by Mount Rainier, a volcano that overlooks Seattle. The single peaked at No. 20 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Excerpts from the lyrics are featured upside down on the album cover. The full lyrics to "Rainier Fog" are inscribed on the bottom plate of Jerry Cantrell's signature Dunlop Cry Baby Wah pedal, released in April 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Listen To New ALICE IN CHAINS Song 'Never Fade'". Blabbermouth. August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  2. ↑ "William DuVall: Day One tracking". Instagram. June 12, 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Big News From Alice in Chains: New Album Almost Wrapped Up!". Ultimate Guitar. February 8, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ Bienstock, Richard (April 11, 2018). "Jerry Cantrell Offers More Details on Alice in Chains' New Album". Guitar World. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Alice In Chains Get Older, But "Never Fade"". Metal Sucks. August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "Credits". Imgur. August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Nick Hasted (August 2018). "No Excuses". Classic Rock . No. 252. pp. 62–63.
  8. 1 2 "Jerry Cantrell in studio on Jonesy's Jukebox!". YouTube. August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Hickie, James (August 23, 2018). "Alice In Chains Address The Ghosts Of Their Past And Plot A Glorious Future". Kerrang!. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 Luke Morton (July 19, 2018). "The Music Lives. That Was The Goal". Metal Hammer . No. 312. p. 47.
  12. ↑ Kobylensky, Paul (August 28, 2018). "Alice in Chains: Looking Toward Home". Premier Guitar.
  13. ↑ "Alice in Chains: TOMORROW. #RainierFog #NewMusic". Twitter. August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Alice In Chains - Never Fade". YouTube. August 10, 2018.
  15. ↑ Divita, Joe (August 10, 2018). "Alice in Chains Promise You'll 'Never Fade' on New Song". Loudwire. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  16. ↑ "THE BEST HARD ROCK SONGS OF 2018". loudwire.com. Loudwire. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  17. ↑ Hughes, Josiah (August 10, 2018). "Alice in Chains "Never Fade" on New Single". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Amazon Best Sellers: Best Rock". Amazon. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Amazon Best Sellers: Best Songs". Amazon. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Alice in Chains Concert Setlist at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver on August 22, 2018". Setlist.fm. August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Never Fade by Alice in Chains". Setlist.fm. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Watch Alice in Chains' Sinister, Sci-Fi 'Never Fade' Video". Rolling Stone. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Alice In Chains' "Never Fade" Music Video Pulls From 'A Nightmare On Elm Street 2'". Bloody Disgusting. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Alien Tricks, Slimy Encounters: See Part 9 Of Alice In Chains' Sci-Fi Film". Revolver Magazine. June 27, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Canada: Active Rock". Mediabase. November 12, 2018. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Free40 Chart - Wekelijkse alternatieve Top 40 met de beste Indiemuziek van dit moment". free40.nl (in Dutch). October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Active Rock". Hits Daily Double . October 9, 2018. Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Alice in Chains Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.