Longtime ALICE IN CHAINS associate Baldy has issued the following blog in regard to the passing of former bassist Mike Starr, who died at the age of 44 in his Salt Lake City, Utah home on March 8th of an apparent - but unconfirmed - drug overdose:

"I've spent a lot of time tonight watching old home video from the studio as Mike, Layne (Staley), Jerry (Cantrell) & Sean (Kinney) recorded Facelift. It's been so long, but in some ways it feels like yesterday. Everyone was so young, so excited, and as silly as it may sound; things were so much fun at that point in time. And that's a word I keep coming back to as I try and wrap my head around the loss of another friend. Mike Starr was fun. He was a carefree spirit; quick with a joke or a laugh or a silly face, and always fun to spend time with. He loved being a musician, and he loved being in a band. And he was great at it. The guy was a rock star before he stepped on his first stage.

I think Mike lost a part of himself once he was out of the band, and he spent the remainder of his life trying to fill the void. I hadn't seen Mike in several years though, so I can't speak to his battles and struggles. What I can speak to is the guy I remember from what seems like so long ago. Mike was immensely talented, and took enormous pride in the band he helped create. He was a monstrous bass player, and a monstrously good time to hang out with. He was a good friend, and I'm trying to focus on the great times we had together.

As I watch these tapes from 22 years ago I keep coming back to a line Jerry wrote in 'Your Decision'; 'No one plans to take the path that brings you lower.' Mike and Layne were both good people who made bad choices, and the weight of those choices was something they could never get out from under. But neither of them intended for things to turn out the way they did, and neither of them deserved it.

Mike Starr was a founding member of Alice In Chains, and he was a participant in Celebrity Rehab, and for good or bad, those things are what make up part of the headline tonight. I'm choosing to focus on the Mike Starr that was my friend though. A good person who deeply loved his family, friends, and fans, and who was deeply loved in return.

He will be missed..."