Grunge legends Alice in Chains are currently quite busy with reissues of their albums. After the classic ‘Dirt’ was already re-released on vinyl last year, ‘Rainier Fog’ has been available as a 5th Anniversary Edition on Smog Vinyl in record stores for almost 2 weeks now. And there is more to come.
‘Jar Of Flies’, the celebrated acoustic EP of the band, is getting a reissue on vinyl for its 30th anniversary. In addition to the regular reissue on black vinyl, which will be available in record stores at the end of march, there is a rather bizarre vinyl edition. In line with the EP’s name, dead flies have been pressed into the 150 copies of a limited vinyl. Despite a price of about 100 dollars, the edition is already completely sold out.
Sold out as well is a box set, along with an exclusive edition on tri-colored vinyl available only in the band’s store. In addition to the usual clothing items, there is a lot of merchandise surrounding the EP: from a skateboard in the cover design to a poker set and even plush toys (a whale and a wasp in honor of the song “Whale & Wasp”).
Specialists in ‘bizarre’ vinyl pressings
Responsible for the pressing is Romanus Custom Vinyl Manufacturing, specializing in unique editions where vinyl is filled with liquids or sand – among other things. They were also behind the tear-filled “Crynyl” by Fall Out Boy, and there has even been a record filled with maggots. The biggest challenge in the Alice In Chains pressing was apparently getting hold of dead flies.