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The Nona Tapes

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The Nona Tapes
Video by
Alice in Chains
ReleasedDecember 12, 1995 (VHS)[1]
September 5, 2006 (DVD)[2]
RecordedSeptember 24, 1995[3]
GenreMockumentary
Length25:03
Label
DirectorRocky Schenck
ProducerKatherine Shaw
David Naylor
Samson Aslanian
Alice in Chains chronology
Live Facelift
(1991) 		The Nona Tapes
(1995) 		Unplugged
(1996)

The Nona Tapes is a 1995 mockumentary by the American rock band Alice in Chains directed by Rocky Schenck to promote the band's self-titled album.[4] Released on VHS on December 12, 1995, it features journalist Nona Weisbaum (played by Jerry Cantrell) interviewing the band in Seattle and also includes the music video for the album's lead single, "Grind", and outtake footage overdubbed with the second single, "Heaven Beside You".[5] The Nona Tapes peaked at No. 23 on Billboard's Top Video Sales and at No. 25 on the Top Music Videos chart. Because it is no longer for sale, original copies of the VHS are considered a rarity. However, in 2006, Best Buy offered a DVD version for free for a limited time with purchases of the compilation The Essential Alice in Chains. On June 19, 2017, Alice in Chains' official Vevo channel uploaded the video on YouTube.

Synopsis

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Aspiring journalist Nona Weisbaum (played by a cross-dressing Jerry Cantrell) is on a quest to "find some Seattle rock stars" for a breakthrough story. Throughout the video, Weisbaum scours the streets of Seattle and eventually finds and interviews all members of Alice in Chains, including having to kidnap Sean Kinney. A separate interviewer finds Cantrell, who's spending his last day as a rancher before returning to the band. Kinney also appears as a clown who's on the last day of his job, spending the night getting drunk, while his fictional self is evicted from his apartment.

Nonsensical interviewing is shown throughout, including questions of misogyny and abuse between members, along with sarcastic answers over the contents of their eponymous album. Entwined however are more genuine interviews revealing the lives of the band members footage regarding the album.[6][7] Excerpts for "Grind", "Brush Away", "Heaven Beside You", "Head Creeps" and "Over Now" are heard. The music video for "Grind" is featured near the end, and the mockumentary concludes with outtake footage for "Heaven Beside You".

Cast

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Production

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To promote their self-titled album, Columbia Records asked Alice in Chains to do an Electronic Press Kit (EPK), a common marketing tool in the '90s in which they should talk about themselves, but they did not want to do that. The band took the money from the label and made The Nona Tapes instead.[8] Columbia did not like the finished product at first and told the band they had wasted their money doing it. However, it became a cult hit and Columbia decided to sell it, ironically against the band's opposition. The video was eventually released on VHS in December 1995.[8] In 2006, The Nona Tapes was released on DVD and came as a bonus with the compilation The Essential Alice in Chains.[9]

Nona Weisbaum made a special appearance for Alice in Chains' tribute at MoPOP's Founders Award on December 1, 2020.[10]

Chart positions

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Chart (1995–1996) Peak
position
Australia Music Videos (ARIA)[11] 14
UK Music Videos (OCC)[12] 10
US Top Music Videos[13] 25
US Top Video Sales[14] 23

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Nona Tapes - Alice In Chains". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Alice in Chains: The Nona Tapes DVD". blu-ray.com.
  3. ^ De Sola, David (2015). Alice in Chains: The Untold Story. Thomas Dunne Books. p. 234. ISBN 978-1250048073.
  4. ^ Alice in Chains: The Nona Tapes [VHS] (1995). ASIN 6303923380.
  5. ^ Tobey, Rovi, Matthew (2014). "Alice in Chains: The Nona Tapes (1995)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  6. ^ "The Nona Tapes Review". ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  7. ^ "The Nona Tapes". metal-archives.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell + Sean Kinney Talk Festivals, 'AIC 23' Mockumentary + Rock Hall". Loudwire. May 21, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  9. ^ "Alice In Chains - The Essential Alice In Chains review". Metal Storm. October 5, 2006.
  10. ^ "MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice In Chains". YouTube. Museum of Pop Culture. December 1, 2020.
  11. ^ "ARIA Best Selling Music Videos". ARIA Report. No. 341. September 1, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Official Music Video Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "Top Music Videos". Billboard. January 27, 1996. p. 100.
  14. ^ "Top Video Sales". Billboard. February 3, 1996. p. 66.
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