Fear the Voices

"Fear the Voices" is the last single that Alice in Chains released with vocalist Layne Staley and the only single that was co-written by bassist Mike Starr. The song was included on the box set Music Bank (1999).

Origin and recording

"Fear the Voices" is an outtake from the Dirt album, recorded in 1991. The song would remain unreleased until 1999, when it was released on the Music Bank box set and also issued as a promotional single.

According to Dirt producer Dave Jerden, the song was primarily written by then Alice In Chains bassist Mike Starr (although the Music Bank insert credits Starr, guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley as all contributing to the song).

Starr provided further details:

In the liner notes of 1999's Music Bank box set collection, guitarist Jerry Cantrell said of the song:

Meaning

The song seems to be anti-censorship, making reference to then Washington state governor Booth Gardner's March 20, 1992 signing of a bill that would impose a jail term to anyone caught selling an album a judge would deem "erotic" to a minor. Prior to the signing, MTV had publicized Gardner's office phone number, bringing in over 4,000 faxed signatures (mostly against the bill). This incident is directly referenced in the song's lyric, "So they put your number on the television, Mr. Gardner/A messed up generation put the pressure on you/You're a coward," and, "Fear the voices you hear today/If you steal our choices, we'll blow you away."