Net Worth Ranker
What Is Mike Starr’s Net Worth?
At the time of his death in March 2011, Mike Starr, the American musician best known as the original bassist for Alice in Chains, had a net worth of approximately $1.5 million. This estimate reflects his earnings throughout his career as a musician, primarily from his involvement with Alice in Chains during their formative and commercially successful years.
Early Career and Alice in Chains Formation
Michael Christopher Starr was born on April 4, 1966, in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1983, Starr started his musical journey by forming the heavy metal band Sato. In 1987, Starr joined Gypsy Rose, which included other future members of Alice in Chains, Jerry Cantrell. He and Cantrell eventually left Gypsy Rose and formed Alice in Chains with vocalist Layne Staley and drummer Sean Kinney. The band gained traction playing in the Seattle area and eventually signed with Columbia Records, marking a significant milestone in their career.
Alice in Chains Success and Departure
Mike Starr played bass on Alice in Chains’ albums *Facelift*, *Sap*, and *Dirt*. *Facelift*, released in 1990, became a commercial breakthrough, selling over 3 million copies in the U.S. and earning a triple-platinum certification. The album reached number 42 on the Billboard 200 chart. The success of the single “Man in the Box” which hit number 18 on the Mainstream Rock charts, helped propel the album. *Dirt*, released in 1992, further solidified the band’s success, selling over 5,235,000 copies worldwide and achieving 5x-platinum certification in the United States. Despite the band’s growing success, Starr’s tenure with Alice in Chains ended in January 1993. While initial reports suggested a difference in priorities regarding touring, Starr later stated that he was kicked out of the band due to his escalating drug use. His final album with Alice in Chains was *Dirt*, which remains the band’s highest-selling album.
Post-Alice in Chains Projects and Struggles
After leaving Alice in Chains, Starr joined Sun Red Sun, a band that featured former Black Sabbath members Ray Gillen and Bobby Rondinelli. However, this project was short-lived due to Gillen’s death in 1993. In 1994, Starr was sentenced to 90 days in a Texas jail for stealing luggage at Houston Intercontinental Airport. In 2010, Starr was working with a new band planning to tour with Days of the New. Mike Starr’s struggles with substance abuse were well-documented. He appeared on VH1’s *Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew* in 2010, where he was treated for methadone addiction, and also in the reality show *Sober House*.
Legal Issues and Personal Struggles
Starr faced several legal issues related to his drug addiction. In 2003, he was convicted of felony drug possession, leading to a bench warrant when he failed to appear for sentencing. He and his father were also arrested in 2003 for alleged drug use on a flight. On September 28, 2009, Starr was arrested in Los Angeles on felony narcotics charges, with bail set at $100,000. He was also reportedly the last person to see Layne Staley alive and carried the burden of Staley’s death with him. He admitted to feeling guilt over not calling 911 when Staley was sick.
Final Years and Death
In February 2011, Starr was arrested in Salt Lake City for investigation of drug possession and on an outstanding warrant from 2003. On March 8, 2011, Mike Starr was found dead in Salt Lake City at the age of 44. The cause of death was determined to be a prescription drug overdose. Police were called to a home on the 1900 block of Richards Street at 1:42 PM. His roommate, Spencer Roddan and Travis Meeks from Days of the New, found his body and called authorities. His death was mourned by his former bandmates and Dr. Drew Pinsky, who had worked with him on *Celebrity Rehab*. A public memorial was held at Experience Music Project in Seattle on March 20, 2011, with approximately 400 people in attendance. Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney also attended a private memorial service.
Alice in Chains’ Legacy and Sales
Alice in Chains has sold over 40 million records worldwide, including over 19 million records in the United States. The band has had 18 Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and received 11 Grammy Award nominations. After Mike Starr’s death, Jerry Cantrell revealed that the lyrics “Left me here so all alone, only for me to find/Hear your voice on waves we rode, echoes inside my mind/Disembodied, just a trace of what it was like then/With you here, we shared a space that’s always half empty” from the song “Rainier Fog” are about Staley and Starr.
