Synopsis

In this stop-motion nightmare, clay versions of Alice in Chains travel by bus to a shabby circus, accompanied by a sinister boy carrying a jar of flies. Once the insects are released, the performances descend into violent chaos: animals turn on their handlers, stunts go disastrously wrong, clowns brawl, and the circus catches fire. As the devastated troupe looks on, the flies eventually return to their jar, leaving the boy calmly satisfied with the destruction he has caused.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was released in May 1994, following the release of "I Stay Away" as the second single from the Jar of Flies EP.

• The entire clip was made with stop-motion animation rather than live-action footage. The band members appear as stylized clay puppets.

• The puppets used for the video are preserved and displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

• "I Stay Away" was included on the band's 1999 home-video compilation Music Bank: The Videos.

• The song marked the first Alice in Chains songwriting credit for bassist Mike Inez, who had joined the group before the Jar of Flies sessions.

• The track was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 1995 Grammy Awards, helping cement the song's status beyond its memorable video.