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Rock vets Live appreciate their long run
As Live , Collective Soul news, tour dates, photos and tickets"> Collective Soul and Blues Traveler wrap up their lengthy summer tour together, Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk says the tour is giving pop/rock fans more bang for their buck.
"I think it's just a great package and it has a lot to offer the fans," Kowalczyk told LiveDaily. "If you add up all the songs that you know from all three of those bands, it's pretty incredible that you get that in one show. I'm really excited about it. It's really crazy. It really goes to show the level of songwriting of all three bands."
While Collective Soul and Live switch off headlining spots, each band is playing its well-known hits as well as newer material. Blues Traveler is celebrating "North Hollywood Shootout," which is due in stores Aug. 26, while Collective Soul is pushing "Afterwords" and Live is touring in support of the compilation "Radiant Sea: A Collection of Bootleg Rarities and Two New Songs."
"We definitely play the songs that people know," said Collective Soul rhythm guitarist Dean Roland. "We're not too arrogant to do that. We also, to our satisfaction, play a lot of the new songs. We try to mix it up and make it fun. Music is our passion. When you get to do it live in front of people, it makes it that much better."
Kowalczyk couldn't agree more. His band recently wrapped up filming a live DVD/CD in Holland, where he said Live's audience is rabid.
"We have an incredible fan base there, one that has been so very passionate and really solidly interested in everything the band has done in the last 15 years," Kowalczyk said. "I mean, just incredible energy."
Kowalczyk said it's surprising that the 15-year-old band hasn't recorded a live album/DVD before.
"It's shocking, but now that I see what we did ... , I'm really glad we waited. It was such a perfect night. Put it this way: if we had to wait for this, I'm glad we did."
Roland and Kowalczyk agree said they're thankful that they've stuck around as long as they have.
"From the beginning, we were happy and felt fortunate to make music for a living," Roland said. "We've always taken pride in trying to make the best music we can make at that time. We put our passion and energy into each album. There's no conscious thought about how do we maintain anything. We're just five guys who like to make music and feel blessed to be able to do it."
Kowalczyk added he feels his fans have grown up with him.
"I think that my lyrics have always been a little bit ahead of my age, from what people tell me," he said. "We got beat on a lot when we were in our early 20s for being so serious. Now that I'm 36, 37, I'm getting more of a pass. People have grown with it and appreciate it a bit more than they did 10 years ago. We've aged well and the music's aged well, and people are still really into it and still really want to comment and participate in it."
