Ed Kowalczyk working for LIVE Reunion?! Options

[SJN1279]

Kowalczyk said he left Live in 2009 because he needed a creative spark. But the band has not been pleased. Just last week, Live, which has a new singer, filed a lawsuit, trying to prevent Kowalczyk from using the Live name.

“I don’t take any of that seriously,” said Kowalczyk, referring to reports of discontent. “I mean, the fans obviously are interested and deserve some sort of reunion with the four original members. And I’m still working for that.”

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/07/26/v-...ck-stardom.html

[Aitkens]

York...

I was born and raised in York. I still live in York.

York is an interesting place. We're roughly an hour from Baltimore, and an hour and a half from Philadelphia. So the location is nice.

Around 2000, York started to see a bunch of big Bars pop up downtown. It gave the younger crowd something to do, but they were just bars and clubs. Nothing special about them. People went out, had a good time, but it also brought out a criminal element. Fights started, then muggings and robberies took hold. Many of those bars closed as a result of their clients not wanting to go downtown any longer. A few years ago some really good restaurant/pubs opened up. That's starting to draw people back downtown. They've added more parking downtown, so you're not stuck walking as far to get to these places, which was a huge safety issue.

The criminal element is still there, which is somewhat of a shock for a place like York. The city doesn't have the money to beef up the police force, so they're ultimately understaffed big time. Just 2 years ago a friend of mine was mugged in front of a bar. He was on his cellphone talking to his girlfriend when a bunch of teens tried to rob him. He thought they were screwing around, and when he went to walk away they shot and killed him.

In addition to this criminal element, it also fuels into the racial undertones within York. York has also had a troubled past when it concerns race relations. When you talk to older York natives, you hear it loud and clear. It's actually really sad.

As someone mentioned earlier, some industry has left York over the years, and it's hurt the place. That's why Live doing what they can for the city, adding jobs, and pumping money into the city is such a great deal. The place needs it. So for someone like EK to shit on York, the place he's from, the place that helped shape his early life and inspire him, it's disgusting to hear. He owes York much more, and he will never realize it. He's taken it for granted, which is why York doesn't embrace him like a son the way they embrace Chad, Chad, and Patrick. York High's own band is struggling, and at one point was on the chopping block. Even though all 4 original members of Live were in the band, it was Chad, Chad, and Patrick that have helped the cause.