Collective Soul

[Chris]

Collective Soul – Thursday, July 15Ed Roland
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
Dean Roland
Rhythm Guitar
Will Turpin
Bass Guitar, Vocals
Joel Kosche
Lead Guitar
Cheney Brannon
Drums, Percussion

Collective Soul got their start in Stockbridge, Georgia, after singer Ed Roland’s song “Shine” from his demo became a hit on a college radio station in Florida. Roland put together the band, which consisted of his brother Dean on rhythm guitar, Will Turpin on bass, Ross Childress on lead guitar, and Shane Evans on drums. The band signed with Atlantic, and Ed’s demo Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid was re-released in 1994 and went double platinum behind the hit “Shine,” which hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart and #11 on the Hot 100. Another song, “Breathe,” would reach #12 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The band reached worldwide fame, opened for Aerosmith on their Get a Grip tour, and even played Woodstock ’94 before even recording a full album together. That album, 1995’s Collective Soul, was technically the band’s 2nd album but was really the first recorded together as a band. The album was a triple-platinum smash hit that contained three #1 Mainstream Rock Chart songs, “December,” “The World I Know,” and “Where the River Flows.” A fourth song, “Gel,” reached #4 on the chart. After legal troubles with their former band manager, the band was delayed in recording and releasing 1997’s Disciplined Breakdown. While the album would sell the less than their previous albums, it still went platinum and had two more #1 Mainstream Rock hits with “Precious Declaration” and “Listen.” 1999’s Dosage would continue the string of platinum sales and #1 Mainstream Rock hits with “Heavy.” The song spent 15 weeks at #1 on the chart, which was a record at the time. The band would also be invited back to Woodstock in 1999. Blender, from 2000, would be their first album to not reach platinum or spawn a #1 hit. However, it still went gold and “Why, Pt. 2” reached #2. The band would complete its album deal with Atlantic in 2001 with a greatest hits album titled 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994-2001. The band would take a break and Childress left the band to be replaced by Joel Kosche, who had been the band’s long-time guitar tech. The band would release their first full album in four years with Youth in 2004. The album sold fairly well behind three moderate hits, including “Counting the Days,” which reached #8 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. In 2007, the band released Afterwords exclusively through Target stores. The album would have two songs reach the US Adult Chart. The band’s latest release is another self-titled album through Roadrunner Records. Released in 2009, the album, is often called Rabbit because of the rabbit on the cover, has had three songs chart. The band will be making their first appearance at Moondance Jam.

Hot 100 Songs
1994 Shine #11
1995 December #20
1995 The World I Know #19

Mainstream Rock Songs
1994 Shine #1
1994 Breathe #12
1995 Gel #2
1995 December #1
1995 Smashing Young Man #8
1995 The World I Know #1
1995 Where the River Flows #1
1997 Precious Declaration #1
1997 Listen #1
1997 Blame #11
1998 She Said #16
1999 Heavy #1
1999 No More, No Less #10
1999 Tremble for My Beloved #35
2000 Why, Pt. 2 #2
2001 Vent #34
2001 Next Homecoming #39
2004 Counting the Days #8
2005 Better Now #35
2009 Welcome Again #33

Setlists
Orlando on March 13, 2010
Welcome All Again
Heavy
Listen
Tremble for My Beloved
Why Pt 2
Anymore Friends
She Does
December
Shine
You
Precious Declaration
Hollywood
Needs
World I Know
Gel
Better Now
Where the River Flows
Run

House of Blues, Dallas, Texas on Sept. 2, 2009
1. Welcome All Again
2. Heavy
3. Listen
4. Tremble for My Beloved
5. Why Pt. 2
6. Needs
7. Dig
8. You
9. December
10. Shine
11. Hollywood
12. The World I Know
13. I Don't Need Anymore Friends
14. Better Now
15. Encore:
15. Staring Down
16. Gel
17. Run

Did You Know?
Collective Soul has had 7 songs hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart.
The band was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
The band played Woodstock '94 and Woodstock '99.
The band got their name from a phrase in Ayn Rand’s book The Fountainhead.
“Shine” was #42 on VH1’s Top 100 Songs of the 90’s.
Dolly Parton’s cover of “Shine” with Nickel Creek garnered a Grammy for Best Female Country Performance.
“Shine” was also covered by Christian rock band Pillar.
Blender featured the song “Perfect Day,” which was a duet between Roland and Elton John.
The song “She Said” was released on the Scream 2 soundtrack.
In 2006, the band released Home, a live album with the Atlantic City Youth Orchestra.
“Tremble for My Beloved” was on the Twilight soundtrack, 9 years after its original release.
The band opened for Van Halen in 1995.
2008 American Idol winner David Cook performed “The World I Know” as his last song of the competition.
The band’s song “Hollywood” was also used as a theme song on American Idol that year.
“Gel” was featured in Jerky Boys: The Movie.

Videos – All seven #1 hits
Shine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m0bI82Rz_k
Shine with the Atlantic City Youth Orchestra - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKROlUWkbsQ
December - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6exsatE-DUk
The World I Know - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7TLTjqUyog
Where the River Flows (Woodstock 99) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDLJpVWiVqg
Precious Declaration - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFebAtN7hhk
Listen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGgTPAbsaGo
Heavy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFX2pk-FtEU

Other Hits
Breathe - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCavdw14vWo
Gel (live on David Letterman) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn-c3uBfwVA
Smashing Young Man - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grt_iG8kzrs
Blame - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNE4orbvuHU
She Said - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTo1dep_-gg
Why Pt. 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4dgUY6lsU4
Counting the Days - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRySq60OoDE
Better Now - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyuA5aZk ... re=related

My Take
I was a fan of Collective Soul back in the mid 1990’s and even saw the open for Aerosmith in 1994. Well, I heard them open for Aerosmith in 1994. Due to a ticket snafu at will call, a friend and I were forced to listen to them rather than enter the amphitheater. We were both disappointed as we only got to see one song after finally entering the grounds but Aerosmith was good though! I also saw them at our annual Rockfest here in KC a few years later. While I have never been a huge fan, I have always respected the band’s longevity and string of hits. I only owned their first two albums but picked up their third album, Disciplined Breakdown, after they signed with Moondance Jam. I was surprised at how many songs I knew from that album. I have also been listening to their newer stuff and what I have discovered is that Collective Soul is never bad. They have a signature sound that for me always sounds good. I don’t know why, but when I hear them, the best word I can come up with to describe their sound is ‘creamy.’ I don’t think that is a musical word ever used before. I have included a larger than usual number of videos for a couple reasons. One is because many jammers consider them a newer band, although their debut was 16 years ago, and this is an easy way to get acquainted with their music. The other reason is to show just how many great songs they have had over the years. They have had an amazing seven songs hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart! Having that many #1 songs on any chart is quite an accomplishment. I know some people are upset over some of the newer band signings this year, but Collective Soul definitely belongs at festivals like Moondance Jam. They have a huge collection of hits that I predict will win over many fans on the official opening night of Moondance Jam 19.

[HalfPast6]

I took my son to see them at Midway Stadium in St. Paul a couple years back. They were co-headlining with Counting Crows. And I came to realize that night that while music seems to happen in generations, at the end of the day you're either a young, current band or you're not. And in looking at the parade of fans who were consistently in their early-30s rolling into the place, my unspoken thought was 'welcome to my world.' It was a new generation of classic rockers, pure and simple. They were there to re-live the stuff they listened to in high school or college or whatever.

As for the band, Collective Soul was tight and, frankly, they stole the show from the Counting Crows. What also stood out was that unlike most every classic rock band I've ever seen, when Collective Soul broke out 'the new stuff' in a song called "Hollywood," I thought it sounded fantastic. It was catchy, with a little bit of a Cars vibe to it. And it even went on to be a hit. Good for them!

Anyway... nice write-up, Chris. This is one of the bands I'm most looking forward to seeing.