No More Ed Bashing For Me, Time for the healing...time to move on Options

[Liveoneut]

Hi everyone,

I came to a realization today, that there will be no more Ed bashing for me. Over the past two weeks, there have been 3 different events that have led me to my awakening.

1) I was EXTREMELY early for a flight out of Houston the other day, so I decided to listen to Secret Samadhi, from start to finish (including Mall Rat and Photograph hehe). It just blew me away. I can't remember in what year I last did this. It left me in a state that I can't even begin to describe. Enlightened? Satisfied? I guess those are close.

2) I was having a semi-crappy day the other morning. Getting ready for work, nothing going right. Out of everything..running late, etc. I get in the car, fire her up, pull out, I catch the last few seconds of the previous song on the radio, and then BAM....All Over You starts to play, and I'm INSTANTLY in such a great mood, I can't stand it. I can't begin to wipe the grin off of my face.

3) I was sitting at work yesterday, normal day....listening to my iPod as usual, and decide to go to my +Live+ Favs playlist. A few songs in, I Alone starts to play, and I'm really digging the song, listening to every note, and at 1:10 in the song, I get this RUSH that passes over my entire body. Chills and goosebumps like never before. The really special part about this one, is that I've heard this song hundreds or even THOUSANDS of times before, and it's never hit me like THAT before!

What I'm getting at, is NONE of this would have been possible had it not been for Ed Kowalczyk. NONE of it. So, as of today, I've seen the err of my ways in the not-so-nice things I've said or posted about Ed. Please mark this day, as the day that the bashing stops.

And just think, these are things that have happened to me in just the last couple of weeks! Just think about all of the good times that I've enjoyed and shared with others because of this man. A person that I know only thru his musical and lyrical genius. I hope others read this post and get the same kind of feeling I'm trying to describe. Please, let's post things we LIKE about The Gracious Few or Ed on their pages or topics, but not the negative things. Well, at least not the really mean stuff (I think we all know what I'm talking about).

Thank you Ed, for giving me times in my life that I will never EVER forget.

Take care everyone,

Mark

[OutToDry]

I don't think we take issue with Ed for the reasons you mentioned at all. His major contributions to the 'band' are extremely many and great. That magic is forever captured on our media players, discs, whatever. I think many of us are angry and dissalusioned with what became of the band after 2001....we don't need to rehash.

Good post.

[Pokey]

Nice post .. I don't think I can be quite so diplomatic just yet

As you've said, a lot wouldn't have been possible without Ed ... those first 4 albums will forever be some of my favorites, and I can't deny the incredible energy, passion and talent that Ed showed on them.

I have trouble still with Ed pissing on this though, bastardising his amazing past work with such piss poor renditions of amazing songs with a terrible band. I guess I've already accepted his slide from amazing to lame awhile ago ... from 2001 onwards to me he's gotten steadily worse in almost every way ... after The River I don't think he can release anything else that would shock me with how far he's fallen.
I find it more of an absolute shame than anything ... you could argue that without the other 3 writing and playing with him that he's just average ... but I don't total buy that ... it was him alone that had THAT voice years back .. that passion and intensity, he had the amazing lyrics, he had the stage presence etc..
It saddens me to know that all of that must still be in there somewhere, but he pushes it aside rather than continuing to explore his creativity.

So to me, the old albums will never leave me ... I'll always cherish them, and the old bootlegs too. But Ed to me is lost ... he's so easy to take pot shots at now, and why not, it's a bit of fun. His personality just begs for it, his crazy turn into wanting to sell you things ... again as someone who has provided me with such highs, the fact that it's fallen to this makes it worse.

I really like Zion, I like it's workman like song style, it's a little bit bluesy, it has a bit of substance, I really, really want to keep liking Ed's stuff but it's just not working. If this was an Ed-only board now you'd probably see a heck of a lot less of me (theres one way to get rid of me Nick )

[sh4rpz]

valid arguments and point taken - now all we need is a 'No More Nick Bashing For Me' thread to follow...

[Merica]

For me, whilst forever and always understandable, the Ed-bashing got boring ages ago.

[Aitkens]

Call me crazy, but I'll never stop bashing the guy that ruined my favorite band.

[OutToDry]

Thats why I have so much contempt for him.

[LiveFan92]

Call me crazy, but I'll never stop bashing the guy that ruined my favorite band.

Yes, it's a real shame that there were no other GROWN MEN in the band who could have stepped up and said, "We're not happy with the direction the band is going!"

They just kept showing up for the paychecks, so what does that say about them?

[Aitkens]

Yes, it's a real shame that there were no other GROWN MEN in the band who could have stepped up and said, "We're not happy with the direction the band is going!"

They just kept showing up for the paychecks, so what does that say about them?

When you're stuck in a contract, that you didn't necessarily sign, you're stuck.

[Deku]

Ed has had a big impact on my life. I'm very cynical of what he is doing now. But you know what? When I think of TDTH, TC, SS, MJ, even some stuff off BOP (I actually really like OutToDry's namesake) - that shit is untouchable. It doesn't matter what he does now, or if he disowns it, or whatever - it's mine. I'll always get that same buzz, as I have my own relationship with those songs. Ed gave me that and I'm damn grateful.

I'll still say what I think regarding his current exploits, but I don't think that's ever spilled over into real 'bashing' on my behalf. I have too much appreciation for what Live has given me. Ed doesn't owe me anything, I should try to remember that more often.

[SecretInsomnia]

People that are bashing on Ed (although - like Ray said - it's getting booooooring guys), are complaining of what he has become, while they know what he could have become or still could be. And that's their right. Although it's not anyone's right to judge what anyone is. That some people are angry because they say Ed is to blame for Live not being there anymore anno 2010, and Live going downhill after TDTH, that's something I can understand well, and that's their right as well.

But I don't think there's anyone on this board (aside from Nick JK that questions the glorious and briliant nature of the first 4 albums, for which we have to thank Ed very much. Anyone who does question it, should be banned from this forum forever!

[tiger]

Congrats on your awakening. It was a process for me, solidified when I heard TGF. I always knew that the other 3 were just as important as Ed but it hit me like a hammer when I heard TGF. Sure, I've known they weren't part of the creative mix for quite some time. But who could have known what they were capable of when their talents were buried for so long. Hell, even CT questioned what he was capable of. For me, I'll look back on the glory years and remember it was LIVE, not Ed that provided such great music. As for bashing Ed, (for me) it doesn't diminish his contribution to LIVE's past to recognize who he is today.

[SJN1279]

When you're stuck in a contract, that you didn't necessarily sign, you're stuck.

There was no contract after Songs From Black Mountain was released in 2006. That is why Live toured basically non-stop from 2007-2009. It was about the money.

[OutToDry]

Nick, care to elaborate on 'no contract'.....do you mean no record deal or no publishing to new songs?


Yes Deku, my name was chosen for an exact reason. Lots of backstory surrounding it.

[beau99]

How the fuck do you know this you gutless retard?? You psychic or did Ed tell you this as you wiped his jizz off your lips?

I think that the guys stayed with Ed partly for the money with touring. but also in hopes of resolving friendship issues. In hopes of having input into the music down the road....a lot of things.

To say it was just for the money is gutless, narrow minded, speculative, and in complete NICKTARD fashion, completely fucking gignorant, biased and unfounded. I swear you've got to be the biggest fucking douchebag I've ever come across. It's amazing how once you get something in your head, you'll stop at nothing in order to belittle anything that opposes it. I think you're completely obsessed and blinded. In my opinion, I think it means your Iq is on the low side and that maybe your parents were second cousins or something. Outside of retardation, I can see no other excuse for the utter garbage that comes from your mouth. God what an idiot.

Common sense.

Facts are facts.