Guitarist ACTUALLY Exorcized His Father’s Demons With THIS Metal Rock Epic | Professor of Rock

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Professor of Rock

Professor of Rock

Күн бұрын

How Guitarist Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains honored his Father in the harrowing 90s classic song Rooster. Coming up, a story about a guitarist from a Jerry’s Father, a Vietnam vet who suffered from a war that wouldn’t stop playing in his head. Jerry put himself in his Father’s boot and captured the experience. Riddled with bullets, fallen soldiers, and enduring psychological scars, the song became one of the greatest of the decade with a beautiful interpretation by singer Layne Staley. Today we honor an anthem and it’s story... NEXT on the Professor of Rock.
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Hey music junkies and vinyl junkies Professor of Rock always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest 90s songs of all time for the music community and vinyl community with music history video essay's. If you’ve ever owned records, cassettes and CD’s at different times in you life or still do this is your place Subscribe below right now to be a part of our daily celebration of the rock era with exclusive stories from straight from the artists and click on our patreon link in the description to see our brand new show there.
Back in 1991, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell found himself temporarily homeless, so he turned to a fellow Seattle rocker for help. Chris Cornell and his wife Susan Silver agreed to take him in until he could figure other living arrangements. So, Jerry moved into a little guest room that resembled something like a converted closet with just enough room for a bed.
While there, Jerry’s thoughts turned to his father. The two didn’t speak very often and really weren’t involved in each other’s lives at all.When Jerry was a baby, his father Jerry Cantrell Sr., left to fight in the Vietnam War. He would be there for two tours and three years of his life. His physical absence then, and his emotional absence after he came back would have a devastating effect on Jerry’s mother Gloria, and Jerry as well.
Jerry was three years old, when his mother introduced him to a stranger in uniform that she said was his dad. The psychological trauma Cantrell Sr. accrued from the war put a tremendous strain on the family. And in Jerry’s words, it splintered his family apart. His parents divorced a few years later, when he was seven.
Jerry would later say of his dad, “He didn’t walk out on us. We left him. It was an environment that wasn’t good for anyone, so we took off to live with my grandmother in Washington... I didn’t have a lot of my father around, but I started thinking about him a lot during that period.”

Пікірлер: 439
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Poll: What are some songs or artists that you didn't appreciate in your youth, but now enjoy as an adult due to new perspective?
@stephenbrown4211
@stephenbrown4211 2 жыл бұрын
Being a Metalhead in the UK in my youth I didn’t like punk or ska. Now I appreciate the tribal factions from that time and now love listening to The Clash, Cockney Rejects, Prince Buster Madness etc
@tse90723
@tse90723 2 жыл бұрын
Actually, none. I have found that if there is a piece of music or a musician that I do not like, My opinion never changes. If I thought it was garbage when it came out 20-30 years ago, its still garbage today.
@deannrobinson2031
@deannrobinson2031 2 жыл бұрын
The Beach Boys - We listened to them all the time as kids - their Endless Summer album was one of the 12 cassettes we had when we drove from Anchorage, AK to Houston, TX and back in the summer of '84. Made me a fan and I bought anything I could lay my hands on. I can sing every word of all their songs, but it wasn't until I was older that I truly appreciated the musicianship of Brian Wilson and the complex harmonies and sounds he created. The more I learned about music and music theory, the more in awe I became.
@markallen2984
@markallen2984 2 жыл бұрын
I'm not sure I would say "enjoy" but I hated *most* disco during the disco era, now I can listen to the Bee Gees or CHIC with some appreciation
@davidellis5141
@davidellis5141 2 жыл бұрын
The Kinks
@soonerproud
@soonerproud 2 жыл бұрын
Being a Gulf War veteran, I've always loved how this song captures how war leaves an indelible scar you'll always carry with you.
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing that Todd. Peace be with you sir.
@sandymiller3577
@sandymiller3577 2 жыл бұрын
I agree. My father did two tours in Vietnam after he got his "wings" as a helicopter pilot. How can the horror that someone witnesses from war not change them? I mostly just wanted say "Thank you for your service" and I'm sorry you still have to deal with those images ❤️
@scott9050
@scott9050 2 жыл бұрын
My dad was wounded in Korea and also fought in Vietnam. I remember him sleepwalking with night terrors right up until he passed away at age 64. I relate with all of this. Right now in my older years I help take care of my father in law who nearly died in the USS Oriskany fire in October of 1966. He was spit on when he returned home. When he moved here with my wife and I we took him to eat at Mission BBQue. He wore his Oriskany hat and three people told him "Welcome home". He broke down and cried. It chokes me up thinking about it now.
@travismiles5885
@travismiles5885 2 жыл бұрын
Welcome Home brother.
@laurawatters914
@laurawatters914 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your service 😊✌️
@Kashed
@Kashed 2 жыл бұрын
It’s hard to explain, as the son of a Vietnam Vet and for those of us who grew up feeling proud of their fathers service and seeing how no one else cared or gave them the recognition for it, this song always felt special. I appreciated Jerry Cantrell for writing it and felt a sort of kinship. He gets it, he’s one of us. Thank you to all of you veterans out there, your service and sacrifice does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated. 🙏🏻 🇺🇸
@gemangel73
@gemangel73 5 ай бұрын
Well said.
@Kashed
@Kashed 5 ай бұрын
@@gemangel73 Thanks 🙏🏻
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336 2 жыл бұрын
Staley's vox on this song are surreal, such an epic performance. Makes his death a harder pill to swallow 😕
@jasonmcluskie7102
@jasonmcluskie7102 2 жыл бұрын
"Judgement should take a backseat to understanding". Nicely Fuckin' Said, My Friend.
@Kalepherion
@Kalepherion 2 жыл бұрын
I am 56. My Father fought in WWII (Pacific Theater). He never talked about it, I could tell he had seen and done things that had profoundly affected him. Sadly, he passed away before this song was recorded, but it always brings me memories of him and his struggles. Easily my favorite Alice In Chains song.
@ZiggieZoo
@ZiggieZoo 2 жыл бұрын
Rooster is intense and beautiful. Layne Staley's self destruction is so SAD. He was a treasure.
@rnrtruestories
@rnrtruestories 2 жыл бұрын
Whoa strange coincidence we both did this song this week
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah that’s crazy! Loved your take on it 🤘
@poetsdreamsatc
@poetsdreamsatc 2 жыл бұрын
Layne Staley’s voice makes this song seem almost painful and like you’re actually living this. Great song. Thanks Professor for your stories along with the songs.
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the comment. Layne Staley is one of the greatest voices of his era no doubt.
@fivestring65ify
@fivestring65ify 2 жыл бұрын
Layne nailed the vocals. He was the perfect singer for this song.
@rubygirl214
@rubygirl214 4 ай бұрын
@@ProfessorofRockdamn I miss him 😢. He was astounding.
@erickrupa1748
@erickrupa1748 2 жыл бұрын
Wow. IMO this is your best video yet. Had me tearing up. Wonderful story of redemption.
@greenzombie77
@greenzombie77 2 жыл бұрын
Yes, indeed. Understanding and mercy. Needed today. Thanks for this. Cried through the whole thing.
@jamaalmoses8821
@jamaalmoses8821 2 жыл бұрын
Cantrell and Layne's harmonies are perfection .
@nightsazrael
@nightsazrael 2 жыл бұрын
This is why I watch you. I always loved this song and now I love it more.
@laudanum669
@laudanum669 2 жыл бұрын
Back in 1990 I was at a club to see the band Exodus a staff member asked if I wanted free tickets to see the band Extreme the following week. I took the tickets and figured I'd give them to a friend as I wasn't an Extreme fan. Nobody wanted them so when that night came I had nothing better to do so I decided to go. Turned out Alice in Chains was the opening band I was so glad I went. I left three songs into Extreme's set.
@SteveC-Shaman
@SteveC-Shaman 2 жыл бұрын
Losing Layne Staley was truly a tragedy. That voice was so emotive and powerful, he had a long career ahead of him if he had just wanted it more than he wanted the drugs.
@Dontwantahandle111
@Dontwantahandle111 2 жыл бұрын
I’ve always wondered why as we get older, we’re enticed to get into substances that destroy lives.
@scottgrohs5940
@scottgrohs5940 2 жыл бұрын
Because, we need coping mechanisms just to deal with the organized insanity that constitutes our modern world.
@hermesokniknee7168
@hermesokniknee7168 Жыл бұрын
I don’t think it was so much of wanting the drugs versus not wanting to go through the horrendous withdrawals and thus not knowing how to get off of them. Mark Lanegan touched upon this in one or more books And/or conversations. He also had such deep grief and guilt from the death of the love of his life; he never recovered from her death. her
@alexnagy2044
@alexnagy2044 Жыл бұрын
@@hermesokniknee7168 Exactly! Rest In Peace Layne and Mark
@bethshadid2087
@bethshadid2087 2 жыл бұрын
When I was first introduced to Rooster I instantly loved it. The words and video clips you could feel the sense of dread, hurting and hopelessness. The empathy towards what our soldiers went thru not only in Vietnam but the treatment they received when they came home is so strong. Any war is horrible and to take what you seen, done, smelled to the grave with you is not healthy but men were always taught not to show weakness which is a shame 😓. GOD bless and help ALL men and women whom experienced any of this as with ppl on the home front dealing with violence within their lives 🙏🕊️💗
@LadyAspenHaven
@LadyAspenHaven 2 жыл бұрын
If I'd watched the video and learned the story back then, I'd likely have given the song a fair shake and liked it. This video breakdown with you, Professor, has me listening to what seems a completely new song and I appreciate that!
@wayneholmes6656
@wayneholmes6656 2 жыл бұрын
I lived in Los Angeles in the 90s. I worked at the Amazon restaurant where I met a bartender who once told me that he was approached to be cast as the Rooster in the official Alice in Chains music video of the rooster because he looked so much like his father. In the gritty Vietnam reenactment this tall limber bartender with no acting ability fit the bill perfectly. He added a visual likeness to complete the introspective examination of the father and the war veteran. To that bartender? He was a nice guy, I wish I could remember his name. As for the Rooster, wars can make a mess of young men's lives. Raise a glass to the sung and unsung soldiers that never really come back home.
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336 2 жыл бұрын
Well said, thank you.
@markmiersma5045
@markmiersma5045 2 жыл бұрын
Touched my heart
@christianbivona8165
@christianbivona8165 2 жыл бұрын
This is the greatest explanation/appreciation of Jerry Cantrell’s masterpiece. Well done, as always.
@danielmarquis5258
@danielmarquis5258 2 жыл бұрын
Alice In Chains is at the very top of my list for 90’s Grunge/Metal. They NAILED the exact sound that they were after.
@jamescarey9197
@jamescarey9197 2 жыл бұрын
Jerry is such a great guitarist, so melodic 1 second and in your face the next. 👍
@V01t2
@V01t2 2 жыл бұрын
There will never be another Layne.
@brandyreynolds3390
@brandyreynolds3390 Ай бұрын
As a nurse I have taken care of many Vietnam Vets and WW2 vets and I have seen the horrors of those wars written on their bodies and souls…..and it often makes my soul bleed from the pain living in their heads and behind their scars. I also gave my happy go lucky son to the Army when he was 18 and received back a completely different man returning from Iraq/Afghanistan when he was 22. I thank every Vet I meet for their sacrifice and thank God every day for my son coming home alive but I cry silently when I see their pain that they try desperately to keep locked away.
@kellysuealexson1285
@kellysuealexson1285 2 жыл бұрын
There are few songs like this one. It gets me every time, knowing what these young men and women went through and the scars they came back with. And yet, it is full of survival and hope. Thanks to Jerry Cantrell for taking on something like this and just grabbing hold of it. And thanks to those Vietnam and Gulf War veterans who served with honor, despite the scorn that came with it. Thanks, Prof, for the in depth look at this song.
@ChrisCenTex
@ChrisCenTex 2 жыл бұрын
Great video for an amazing song. I remember listening to this song as teenager on the radio and it always left me rattled. All these years and I still feel the same when I listen today. Great writing, excellent musicianship and Layne being Layne did his thing.
@ChadGriffey-w9m
@ChadGriffey-w9m 6 күн бұрын
This song inspired me to right my own song about my father’s two tours in Vietnam. After reading his memoirs about his first tour I knew I had to right something. A very touching tribute to his Father.
@jeffreywebb7932
@jeffreywebb7932 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent video.Your passion for music and what you do,is infectious.Also,thanks for not bringing politics into your videos,and just letting the music,speak for itself.It is much appreciated.
@sheriandreas8260
@sheriandreas8260 2 жыл бұрын
This is one of the few songs that I dig that is not from my youth. Thank you Professor.
@deweythornbrugh3037
@deweythornbrugh3037 Жыл бұрын
Growing up in a home with a Vietnam vet I seen first hand some of the psychological scars that the war left. The nightmares of the things that he seen and went through I wasn't old enough or mature enough to understand it but when I heard rooster I walked away with a better understanding of the hell that he was just trying to deal with and it made me appreciate what he and the other Vietnam veterans went through for their country. I say thank you and salute every veteran past and present for your service and sacrifice to this great nation we call home and Laynes voice was so powerful in this song there ain't nobody that could have pulled it off better.
@Triznac52
@Triznac52 Жыл бұрын
I'll never forget listening to this with my buddy who was a Vietnam Vet, an Airborne Sniper that did two tours, it got him to open up several times. Dude had gone through some horrendous shit, and to hear this account of just how bad things could get, it really puts you on your ass. He loved this song though, and he knew it came from the heart, and even though he'd have tears going down his face, I knew it helped. "Welcome home brother, welcome home."
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336 2 жыл бұрын
Wow didn't know about the Cantrell-Cornell connection. Just another reason to shed a tear for his passing.
@tmuxie
@tmuxie 2 жыл бұрын
Once again I've learned so much about a song that I really love but really knew nothing about. Thank you Professor, rock on!
@NickNitro03
@NickNitro03 2 жыл бұрын
MORE LAYNE BABYYYY 🤘🏻
@nymom8204
@nymom8204 2 жыл бұрын
This is your best ever analysis. You killed it! Bravo
@markallen2984
@markallen2984 2 жыл бұрын
Never had any idea what this song was about. I never found it sonically appealing enough to investigate it. But, this video has demonstrated to me that the song and the songwriter deserve respect and empathy. Very little of the music that came out of the Seattle "grunge" scene ever appealed to me....I may give it another look.
@chestrockwell8328
@chestrockwell8328 2 жыл бұрын
Mark, I'm not much a fan of the grunge myself, sans a hand full of songs. Rooster is now a song I respect as well.
@katherineskrzynecki3347
@katherineskrzynecki3347 2 жыл бұрын
Always loved Grunge...love Jerry Cantrell have seen him 3 times! Awesome sound...played with ?Luis Trejeho a couple times( he plays bass w/Metallica now)
@joelspaulding5964
@joelspaulding5964 2 жыл бұрын
AIC Soundgarden The latter a far cut above the rest...much greater than standard grunge. Imo
@lizack3693
@lizack3693 24 күн бұрын
Alice in Chains is in a league of their own, above everyone else imo.
@gregkral4467
@gregkral4467 Жыл бұрын
This was both so heartbreaking and heartwarming, played the song for my boy, 14, and discussed and listened to this video as well, tears, .... wow
@dtw63
@dtw63 2 жыл бұрын
I love the back stories to songs. Your knowledge is incredible and I have learned so much from your channel. Keep on rocking!
@RyleighsMomma09
@RyleighsMomma09 6 ай бұрын
As the daughter/niece of Vietnam Vets that was a war that my dad and Uncles wouldn’t talk about with the family but they would talk to each other. My Dad and his younger brother did 1 tour and my dad’s older brother did three tours. One thing I remember hearing family members say is the persons they knew before Vietnam was not the same ones who came home. Just like the song says they were spit on and called names when they came home. The 3 of them all fell into drinking and drugs just to get by. My parents have just celebrated 50 years and they have had their ups and downs. We lost my dad’s older brother to cancer 19 yrs ago and he never got over that war. I have heard a few stories from them and I could never even comprehend how they all managed but did understand how they changed and turned to other vices to cope.
@thecollective1584
@thecollective1584 Жыл бұрын
As a Marine, and the son of a Marine Vietnam vet, I watched my father's struggles, and tried to justify things I had seen, and things I had been through after I got out. I was not a big AIC fan and never really paid attention to their music. One afternoon, as my head was really becoming unwrapped, this song came on the radio. I found myself in a ball on the couch completely losing it. I was able to exorcize a bunch of demons that day, and have bought everything Jerry was ever a part of since. Just to say "thank you"
@s.marcus3669
@s.marcus3669 2 жыл бұрын
I was never a fan of AiC or for that matter any music from 1990 onward, save for Depeche Mode's Violator album which is essentially their 1980s sound. Thank you for this great episode, I had absolutely no idea nor would I have an inkling of who the Rooster was... I really wish someone would stop cutting onions in my house.
@MikeHart72
@MikeHart72 2 жыл бұрын
If you really want the "onion cutting" feeling watch Alice in Chains unplugged. It's one of the most masterful performances ever and it's just as sad. Layne looks like the walking dead. You can tell the demons got him and there is no turning back. He is as skinny as can be and lost all his teeth. I wasn't a huge fan of the grunge scene or it's music but Alice in Chains were something special.
@s.marcus3669
@s.marcus3669 2 жыл бұрын
@@MikeHart72 Thanks, Mike. I'll have to look more into AiC and perhaps change my mind about post-1980s music...
@MikeHart72
@MikeHart72 2 жыл бұрын
S. Marcus ... I'm the same way. I was a teenager in the 80's and for me music basically dies after 1989. I do like Alice in Chains though. There is something a little different that made them stand out compared to the rest of the grunge bands. Nirvana... meh. Soundgarden... so what....Pearl Jam...Eddie can sing but whatever. The Rooster was the first song that caught my attention.
@scottgrohs5940
@scottgrohs5940 2 жыл бұрын
I wasn’t a fan of grunge either but AiC was one of the few bands I liked from that scene.
@yougoseo1580
@yougoseo1580 2 жыл бұрын
"Ain't found a way ta kill me yet!" Great job as always Professor! Don't fuck with the Rooster!
@purpleconundrum783
@purpleconundrum783 2 жыл бұрын
Nailed it as always, Professor. One of my favorite songs by AIC / probably, like, *ever*. I sort of knew the story behind it but strangely had never seen the video / realized its immense impact. I was around 10 years old when it came out... and 13 when I decided to teach myself how to play it on a Gibson I'd gotten for Christmas the year before. And it was perhaps only as I sank deeper into learning the chords that it started to hit me. I dressed up like the lady on the front of Dirt for Halloween. No one seemed to get the reference, oddly, except for my neighbor who -- like Cantrell, Sr. -- was a Vietnam War veteran (retired "dustoff" pilot, he later told me). It really hit me, though, a few years later when I was in my later teens -- still hopelessly in love with grunge and all Her stepchildren -- and That Other Nasty War hit my awareness. I was 18 when Black Tuesday hit, considered going with the patriotic spirit and enlisting full time. I only took the first two years of ROTC and quickly decided I'd rather go back to studying art history instead, a more peaceful means of directing my energies. My brother and several classmates -- male and female -- had no such compunction and enlisted, one after the other, in the coming weeks / months. Some of these friends didn't make it, and those who did -- like Rooster, perhaps --- were, of course, forever changed as you might expect. I also remember going home to my small town in Pennsylvania and seeing rows after rows of white crosses staked into the front yard of a nearby church. I asked my mom who put them there, why they were there. She got quiet for a long minute and focused on making the turn into our neighborhood. When we were almost home, she looked at me sideways and with absolute seriousness told me that the crosses were a sort of memorial to those who'd already died in what was then called OIF, Operation Iraqi Freedom, which as we all know quickly turned into OIF / OEF. A squeaky "Oh" was all I could manage in response. I also remember around that time that all through the various strains of MSM, reporters and pundits were calling OEF / OIF *our Vietnam*, which I can understand a little, but it didn't sit too well with many people outside of journalism... Wow. I didn't think I had so many words in me. Thanks for reading this far if you've made it here. And thank you as always for a spot-on video. :)
@gemangel73
@gemangel73 5 ай бұрын
As a daughter of a Vietnam Vet, I feel fortunate that my mom was so strong and helped my dad through the living nightmare when he came back. Where my dad was able to talk to me about what he went through. He served 2tours and spent 3 yrs there. And I have always been so proud of him and even went so far as to ask him to do an interview for me, for a history assignment. Which he graciously did. He recorded on a tape, the story of what he went through. Which I still have and I wrote my piece from there. This was before Roster but, not by much. When, I heard the song I automatically knew what they were singing about. And after reading about Jerry, and his father, it made me feel like...Yeah, there are other "kids" out there like me. There are a large group of us, that want to express how we feel about our dad's, uncles, cousins, brothers or friends. The gratitude, love and how proud we are. My dad is my hero. And I feel this song, puts into words what many of our loved ones can't say. Thank you, Jerry for this amazing song. And to Layne, who brought it to life. ❤ And Thank you, to all who have served past and present, your sacrifice does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. 🦅🇺🇸
@lawrencegambrell4293
@lawrencegambrell4293 2 жыл бұрын
Professor, you do outstanding work. Totally enjoyed this and learned alot.
@schmidington
@schmidington 2 жыл бұрын
I understood the song from my first time hearing it. I got it. It's a very emotionally driven song, and one of my favorites from that band. Jerry Cantrell, as a songwriter and musician, deserves far more credit than just being 'the guitarist for AIC'. As evidenced here, this is a man whose talent takes real emotion and hardship and transcribes them into songs for people to enjoy.
@fivestring65ify
@fivestring65ify 2 жыл бұрын
I heard the backstory about it, but even if I hadn't, I would still think it was a great song. Laynes vocals are perfect.
@xxstormbringerxx
@xxstormbringerxx 2 жыл бұрын
Man, I love this channel. Thanks for the work you put into these videos. I never thought I would find someone that loves the back stories as much I do. Keep the music flowing.🤟
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you like them! We WILL keep them coming. Thanks John!
@Mike-bx4ww
@Mike-bx4ww 2 жыл бұрын
Good day, My dad was a medic in Nam '67 through '69, one of the first people to use what would later become "Super Glue", to field dress wounds. Long story short, the Man that left for Nam, WAS NOT the man who returned. He too refused to talk about his experience, what a horrific time for our country. I think what's worse, was the people calling him/them Baby Killers 😠
@deejin25
@deejin25 2 жыл бұрын
"Walking tall machine gun man, they spit on me in my home land." I was a gulf war (1st bush family fundraiser) vet. I knew what this song was about the moment I heard it.
@judmorrison68
@judmorrison68 4 ай бұрын
I always hoped there was a story behind this song. But this was so much better a story than I ever imagined.
@butterysmooth5808
@butterysmooth5808 2 жыл бұрын
Great video. Always loved this song
@joeymorvant161
@joeymorvant161 2 жыл бұрын
Love AIC! Saw them open up for Van Halen. My AIC favorite is "Them Bones".
@leightnite3056
@leightnite3056 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks to all the Vets! Chilling tune, can't imagine the last 30 yrs without it!
@MenachemWeinreb
@MenachemWeinreb 2 жыл бұрын
This is such a great channel. The background on all these artists and makes them so much more human. Bless you
@leeshaver7825
@leeshaver7825 2 жыл бұрын
My wife's Uncle Henry was a Vietnam vet He was a 60 gunner in a platoon I used a verse of this song for his ringtone Surrealistic Pillow Today is my favorite on that album
@manualgearshift4965
@manualgearshift4965 2 жыл бұрын
The switch back and forth from here to combat is accurate. - OIF and OEF vet
@stereophonicsmom
@stereophonicsmom Жыл бұрын
Seasons is my favorite 90’s soundtrack. My dad was a 3 time combat vet in Vietnam and never told us. His behavior was erratic and he was an adrenaline junkie. He flirted with death a lot but as 5 years old we thought he was SO cool. When he passed that’s when the truth came out. 😢 All we knew was that he was in the Army and said he was in Oklahoma. I now understand why he didn’t talk about it. He was a wonderful loving dad ❤ I can’t imagine his pain. 💔
@gearViewmirror
@gearViewmirror 2 жыл бұрын
Spot on! One of the most haunting 'Meisterwerk' ever...🤘🎸🤘
@RFXLR
@RFXLR 2 жыл бұрын
Alice In Chains is one of my favorite bands ever. I’m a Just Cause/Gulf War veteran, my dad was a Vietnam veteran so this song hits home.
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your service. Gratitude to your father for his sacrifice as well.
@Star_Dragon92
@Star_Dragon92 Жыл бұрын
My Favorite Band Of All Time! R.I.P. LS MS ❤️❤️
@ralphvickers2339
@ralphvickers2339 2 жыл бұрын
Saw them at Lollapalooza....great show , great band
@kevincurry4304
@kevincurry4304 Жыл бұрын
Haunting song... Horrifying topic.. Beautifully delivered.. Best end result of any song I can think of... Heart is swollen that Jerry Sr and Jerry have a relationship now.. Great great breakdown. So much admiration for you Adam. You paint pictures of music in a way that few can.. Thanks for all you deliver to me.
@billbeckley1474
@billbeckley1474 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for such an awesome breakdown of this amazing and underrated song. I already knew that this was about his father's experiences in Vietnam, but not about the intricate interpersonal relationship between the two Jerry's or it's healing power for them both. That is beautiful and really goes to show how powerful music can be when it's from the heart. I've never really been into grunge per se, but I've always loved Alice in Chains. Their music has always been so real and just simply gets under your skin within the first couple bars. Thank you again to you and to all of our brothers and sisters who served who were lost and those that are still with us but lost within their own inner hell. Rock on!
@wesdog8975
@wesdog8975 2 жыл бұрын
It was kind of a coincidence that "Rooster" was part of the 101st Airborne Division, aka The Screaming Eagles. The unit shoulder sleeve insignia is a depiction of an American Bald Eagle in mid-scream. The Vietnamese never knew what a Bald Eagle was and could only compare it to what they knew, and that was a Chicken or Rooster. Thusly the Vietnamese would name the Soldiers of the 101st as the Chicken/Rooster Men and the NVA/VC had placed bounties on all who wore The Screaming Eagle. The constant attacks from NVA/VC patrols and snipers is what the lyrics "The bullets scream to me from somewhere" and "Here they come to snuff the rooster" refer about.
@dgarve
@dgarve 2 жыл бұрын
Another great, passionate episode, Professor! Cornell and Vedder were/are amazing vocalists, but Layne, for me, will always be the greatest vocalist of the '90s. Nobody could convey pain and depths of despair like him, and of course, the harmonies with Jerry were so tight. Jerry, also never really gets as much credit as he deserves for his sense of melody in his songs, something he no doubt honed while touring with the melody-master, Eddie Van Halen in 1991. This song strikes a delicate balance between fear and the will to survive.
@jcripp7974
@jcripp7974 2 жыл бұрын
Alice In Chains was the supreme band of that era. Hands down. Nobody else came even close. Not Soundgarden not Nirvana and definitely not Pearl Jam
@MrPhilm00r
@MrPhilm00r 2 жыл бұрын
The amount of amazing music that Chris Cornell has touched, directly and indirectly, is just crazy.
@hermesokniknee7168
@hermesokniknee7168 Жыл бұрын
More like they touched him. Although talented, his talent paled in comparison to Andrew Wood, Layne Staley and various others.
@kimkovaly3096
@kimkovaly3096 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you sooooo much for this amazing video. Alice in Chains will always be my favorite band. Rooster is such a great song. RIP Layne Staley and Mike Starr ❤
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Love Alice in Chains. Amazing music.
@garymorris216
@garymorris216 2 жыл бұрын
You've done it again Professor! I know & research A LOT about music, and it seems like every video you do has a little info that I already knew and then a ton that I didn't. I've always known that Rooster was about Jerry's Vietnam vet dad but never knew the WHOLE back story. And as a veteran I so greatly respect and look up to the Vietnam vets for their horrific service they endured then the terrible way they were treated back home. Thank you so much for spotlighting one of those very deserving vets with this video.
@johnhamilton2588
@johnhamilton2588 2 жыл бұрын
Couldn't have said it better. My friends and family look up to me for my knowledge of rock music going back 60 years, and I learn something new on this channel every day.
@ravenrose6672
@ravenrose6672 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for finally doing one on Alice In Chains. I am a huge fan, listen to them daily and Jerry and Layne are two of the best song writers out there with Layne being the best vocalist hands down period.
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
I Agree. Amazing band.
@travismiles5885
@travismiles5885 2 жыл бұрын
I remember cranking this tune as I drove across the Sava River into Bosnia on a pontoon bridge in January of 1996. As soldiers, my buddies and I all felt an attachment to this tune even if it was about Vietnam. My dad is Vietnam vet as well and digs this song too. Says it can make him smell the jungle when he hears it. That's some damn powerful stuff right there.
@garymorris216
@garymorris216 2 жыл бұрын
Alice In Chains were one of the many bands who helped keep me sane during two tours in the Adriatic, 93/94 & 95/96. Apparently you were crossing that bridge into Bosnia about the same time I was headed home from that second tour. Always cool to see someone who served at the same place as me. Keep those horns flyin Brother! 🤘🤘
@travismiles5885
@travismiles5885 2 жыл бұрын
@@garymorris216 You too! Welcome Home brother.
@bunda713
@bunda713 2 жыл бұрын
This is a top 10 all time song for me. The story behind Rooster is so beautiful. The way Layne sings the song is incredible. This song is a masterpiece. Great job Professor. 🤘
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Rock on my friend.
@JoeMoutard
@JoeMoutard 6 ай бұрын
I accidentally met the band in 2009 in Columbus, OH. They were headlining Rock On the Range on Saturday and just happened to casually sit down with me at my table at the bar across from our hotel when I arrived Friday evening. I spent a bit of time in casual conversation with them before realizing who it was. They were really cool though and pleasant to hang out with.
@cooziedoo
@cooziedoo 2 ай бұрын
I guess as it’s been 2 years since this video was uploaded, it’s unlikely that my words will be seen here, but this song has such significance to me that I had to comment. The Dirt Album came out when I was in high school and was both the first cassette and first CD I ever purchased. The song became very significant to me in two ways. First, my dad, like Jerry’s, was a Vietnam vet…he flew helicopters during the war and suffered from undiagnosed PTSD throughout his life because of his experiences. He rarely spoke of the war. When he heard Rooster, it spoke to him, and led him to open up a little. I was always close to my Dad, but this was another area we could connect over. He loved a song by my favorite band (still my favorite band), and he spoke more about his experiences which also brought us closer. The second way it impacted my life is that it gave me the nickname that I still wear to this day. My name sounds similar to Rooster and in high school some kids tried to use it to tease me…”here they come to snuff the (insert my last name)”, they would sing. But, being a fan of the song and the band, I loved it. The name sort of stuck in high school and college, but it really became part of my identity when I got to my first assignment in the Air Force and everyone from my immediate friends to the Vice Wing Commander called me Rooster. I was well liked and respected and I wore the name with pride. From that point until now, it’s been part of me. Even my Wife, who I met in the military, first knew me as Rooster. No disrespect to Jerry or his Dad, but in my own little piece of the world, I am Rooster and in a small way it’s “my” song. So, the song means a lot to me, the band means a lot to me, and both will always be a part of me.
@Baloothepibble
@Baloothepibble 3 ай бұрын
I was 11 and heard Rooster on the radio in my uncles truck. It gave me chills like I’d never experienced. The next song was Cult of Personality…. It was an awakening of my musical taste waiting on him to pump gas.
@somnerprice4693
@somnerprice4693 2 жыл бұрын
No doubt Layne delivered this song perfectly. From the interviews I’ve heard Jerry has said he did it justice. So cool. Definitely my favorite song of theirs. This song will live forever!!!
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336
@amberheardsbumpyknuckles9336 2 жыл бұрын
Speaking of Screaming Trees, may we get an episode of the dearly-departed Mark Lanagan? Por favor... This channel rules, nostalgia is the greatest drug.
@monicajean37
@monicajean37 2 жыл бұрын
"HUMAN beings are complicated, and JUDGEMENT? needs to take a backseat to mercy and UNDERSTANDING"~ pans off to Layne~ Professor of Rock thank you Adam!!
@jenh9221
@jenh9221 2 жыл бұрын
This is one of my favorite episodes so far. Just watched TotD the other day. I’m 43 so 90s stuff hits better for me, but I like your other stuff too.
@tdsollog
@tdsollog 2 жыл бұрын
I’m a civvy who works in a medical group on a military base. Rooster hits home for a lot of retirees and Active Duty.
@onenationhere
@onenationhere 2 жыл бұрын
Amazing commentary, you really capture the emotion of the songs and bands you showcase here. You can really tell your heart is into this and its really something special. I imagine some young kid is feverishly tuning in every day to watch your videos. Then years down the road making his own videos about how the professor of rock made him or her hear and feel music in a whole new light. Appreciate you dude. You knock it out of the park every time.
@lisakvieira9201
@lisakvieira9201 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you Professor anytime I hear the voice of Layne it just stops me in my tracks for some reason, great clip great song great band thanks again and Happy Holiday's!!🎄✌
@ddw1272
@ddw1272 2 жыл бұрын
My father is a Vietnam vet as well, he's got lots of stories about basic training at Paris Island, but very few about the war itself. I think that's true to a lot vets of that time.
@travismiles5885
@travismiles5885 2 жыл бұрын
My dad didn't start really start talking to me about Nam until I got back from my first tour in the Balkans. I think he knew I would be able to understand it now. But growing up he didn't talk about it much. About once a year he would break out the slide machine aim it at the wall and click through stacks of slides he had made from pictures he took in Nam. Having served myself, I look at now as him doing some self therapy at the time.
@Cactusruss1
@Cactusruss1 2 жыл бұрын
Extremely relatable to me. That is all I will say.
@ellendunn559
@ellendunn559 2 жыл бұрын
Another stark and moving look at the experience of a soldier in Vietnam is the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, a Vietnam vet. Published 1990. Highly recommend. I wonder if either JC Sr or Jr has read it…
@DinsdalePiranha67
@DinsdalePiranha67 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this episode! Alice In Chains is my favorite band of the '90s, and one I still listen to pretty regularly. I got to see them perform this song live at Lollapalooza '93, with Adam Jones of Tool guesting on rhythm guitar. I also got to witness Jerry singing the second verse of "Sickman", after Layne decided to go crowd surfing for a bit. :)
@jetblast190
@jetblast190 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Professor for sharing the story behind Rooster. The song now takes on even more meaning and its message is even more powerful.
@FatherAndTeacherTV
@FatherAndTeacherTV 2 жыл бұрын
I've never heard this song before. But the story behind it is moving. Thank you for the history, Professor of Rock!
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks brother!
@davidmoore5925
@davidmoore5925 2 жыл бұрын
That was a deep one Prof, gave me a new insight into this classic.
@gregkral4467
@gregkral4467 Жыл бұрын
My god, this is such a soul jerking song..... I bet so many survivors wished they were dead, cannot escape it, he ain't gonna die, no matter how much he wants to escape the torture.... the memories, nightmares, and horrible treatment and neglect at home....
@twisted2291
@twisted2291 2 жыл бұрын
I to am a child victim of Vietnam. My father was exposed to "Agent Orange" during the war. He tried to kill both my mother and I went I was 1 year old. Can't say I remember anything that happened. Just the stories I was told from other family members including my more. When this song came out. It struck a never in me. I went on a search to find my father, and turned up empty handed. The Army would not release any info. I just recently turned 50, and still to this day. I don't know about my father. But I have this song that make me stop and think about what truly happened to him.
@chriscampbell499
@chriscampbell499 Жыл бұрын
AIC is my favorite band, and Dirt is a masterpiece. Thanks for doing an episode on Rooster.
@scottjeune154
@scottjeune154 2 жыл бұрын
Hey professor! Glad youre covering the 90s. Can i throw you a request for some coverage of the Wax Trax label in Chicago. Iconic sound, and really a huge band. I remember watching this song on mtv at 4 am back in the day on various couches.
@ellendunn559
@ellendunn559 2 жыл бұрын
One detail missing: “Rooster”‘s name is Jerry Cantrell, Sr.
@Scav-Goblin
@Scav-Goblin 8 ай бұрын
i saw something on MTV one time and i THINK it was Jerry Cantrell talking about how somebody stole his dad's War Medals or something? ive been looking for that story again since i saw it by accident flipping channels in the mid 90s..
@jaymason480
@jaymason480 2 жыл бұрын
One of my favorite songs of all times
@HellcatCustoms
@HellcatCustoms 2 жыл бұрын
I love Cantrell and AIC. I love playing their music on guitar.
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool Chris. Thanks for sharing.
@nateg7973
@nateg7973 2 жыл бұрын
Me too!
@wetblanket1977
@wetblanket1977 2 жыл бұрын
Jerry's father lives up the road about 10 miles from mine. Always loved AIC not just because they are awesome, but also because of this small town connection. (Caney/Tushka, Oklahoma) Thanks Professor, WB
@ProfessorofRock
@ProfessorofRock 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks WB!
@maggieanaya1114
@maggieanaya1114 2 жыл бұрын
The song and video are incredible pieces of art! Heart wrenching and beautiful all at the same time! ❤️
@johncrafton8319
@johncrafton8319 2 жыл бұрын
Dammit, man. I didn't expect to be crying over my lunch.
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