 Staley met guitarist Jerry Cantrell while working with Alice N ' Chains at Music Bank rehearsal studios . The two struggling musicians became roommates , living in a rehearsal space they shared . Alice N ' Chains soon disbanded , and Staley joined a funk band that also required a guitarist at the time . Staley asked Cantrell to join as a <unk> . Cantrell agreed on condition that Staley join Cantrell 's band , which at the time included drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr . Eventually the funk project broke up , and in 1987 Staley joined Cantrell 's band on a full @-@ time basis , playing in clubs around the Pacific Northwest , often stretching 15 minutes of material into a 45 @-@ minute set . The band played a couple of gigs , calling themselves different <unk> , including Diamond Lie , the name of Cantrell 's previous band , before eventually adopting the name that Staley 's previous band had initially <unk> with , Alice in Chains . 
