What's Going On? Is Live Over? Options

[Hoodstock]

If you missed it Ed went on Instagram basically stating that Live never was much of a band, that the reunion wasn't really a "reunion ", and that he's not in anyone's band.

Chad Gracey commented on this on Facebook:
"There is only one source of drama in LIVE. You guys figure it out. And obviously it’s not Ed."

Bill Hynes then replied to Chad "Chad Gracey and that person has small penis Napoleon narcissist syndrome." to which Chad liked with a laugh emoji.

Bill also said this on Facebook in the conversation:

"One thing is certain. Ed don’t need anyone. His talent and song writing ability is his. As it was seen before. He is irreplaceable. Others need him more than he needs them. When the band broke up the first time it was one person and only one persons fault and that person wasn’t Ed. It rhymes with Tad Chaylor."

and Bill in response to Ed's comments:

"That’s actually is NOT what he is saying. He’s saying he isn’t in someone’s band. He’s in HIS band. But someone has an ego and likes to tell everyone that he’s the band and it’s his band and take credit for songs that he didn’t write. So what ED is saying is that HE isn’t in someone else’s band."

There was also a comment about Chad being a successful insurance agent. Chad replied "I do insurance on the side with my partner George. Im also into a few other endeavors."

Quite a flurry of activity after little to no comments on the state of the band for a lengthy period of time.

[Srx17]

When I said that the band died after Distance to Here, I wasn't just talking about the music but also the soul of it. The first 4 records had a... thing... a feeling... I can't really describe it. It felt honest, soulful, real.

Then... V...

Now I listened to V a LOT. It's an enjoyable record. I have to admit I haven't listened to it in nearly 20 years though. But I remember singing the songs in my car at the time. And of course Overcome is an undeniable classic, written during the Distance to Here era which might explain why it's the only song on the record that has soul. But V didn't have the same feel as the other ones. The whole thing felt wrong and manufactured and produced some of the most cringy, force trying to be cool, lyrics the band ever sang. I remember my jaw dropping when I heard Ed in an interview from the V era kind of mocking the way "some" songwriters wrote their songs but going on to describe the way he said he wrote The Distance to Here...

But of course V was a failure. So BOP came out... and again, to me, it sounded like forcing themselves to sound like they did before. I can't stand that record and there are exactly 0 songs on it that I remotely like. They're Live by numbers song. They're missing that thing that made Live special before. And then SFBM... eww... just no... that record along with Ed's solo records never felt genuine to me.

That's what was missing on every album after The Distance of Here: genuineness.

When The Turn came out, the music felt like it did before V. It could have been under another name because it wasn't the same without Ed but still I loved that record. CCP are brilliant musicians and those songs were solid. The fact that it was surrounded by a lot of positivity, which of course seems to be classic Chris Shinn. But there was a feeling of rebirth of the band and I loved it.

Then the shit hit the fan... and the EP that came out was, again, forced rock. Just like the whole Ed reunion thing, that new music didn't feel genuine.

And of course, the bullshit just keeps coming out with this latest installment... it's just a joke at this point.

Everyone is totally entitled to opinions, but I don't know if it's all just so simple.

There's a lot of plausibility that V was something Ed was tinkering with and it was intended to become a free giveaway to fans. None of truly know what was going on. What is known is that LIVE wrote over 50 songs and stop-started production a couple of times when making TDTH -- which was their deepest period of creative exploration. Perhaps, they were fried and trying to figure things out beyond that.

I can agree V and SFMB are totally my least favorites from their catalogue. Both have a couple of cool tracks, but what is ultimately missing is any feel or footprint of LIVE on them. In fact, these were the first traces of Ed solo and echoed a bunch on his first LP. I will argue, however, that The Flood And The Mercy was a solid release and really felt in moments like a modern TDTH. Peter Buck's inclusion is extraordinary as Ed and the guys really looked up to R.E.M.

Also, yes BOP was a return to form. And, yes, maybe they tried extra hard to get "it" back ... but that doesn't shut it down as a bad effort. Heaven (though a lot of fans here hate it) was a noted song and at least Charted in The States. Like I do, She, and Lighthouse are quick paced and made for excellent concert pieces. Not to mention, there's several of shows from 2003 where the guys brought it and had a total spark. You almost wonder what happened from the middle of 2004-2009?! Weirdly, the 2009 tour saw some of the absolute best setlists including Gas Hed and Hold Me Up.

When LIVE reunited in 2016 on NYE, that didn't feel fake. Ed was sick and still sang with full emotions. The festivals and stops in 2017 was classic LIVE, totally rocking. It was from 2018-the pandemic when they took a weird turn. I think it started with Gracey getting hurt, which called for a back-up drummer and parlayed into two drummers at shows ... no disrespect, but Gracey is good enough on his own!!!!! The sets became solely greatest hits with a couple of covers and The Throwing Copper Anniversary stuff really seemed fumbled (which if this was the heartline of the big problems showing up internally, it's not surprising ... they didn't even plays the most coveted LIVE song in celebration of milestone HOLD ME UP ... wow!!!!). In 2019 we got tired sets and the performances were by the numbers and felt like they were going through the motions. This makes me wonder.

Also, there's has constantly ... from '17 on been mention of the new LP that was to come. It must've been shelved or something. If indeed Chad is a narcissist and Ed clearly shows he can take charge too, maybe it's as simple as they couldn't get fluid together.

The bottom line is we don't know. I'm grateful I got to see them in 2017 at the Park West in Chicago, that show awesome and filled with energy. It was a ROCK show and they were jamming.

With the personal stuff going on, I hope for the best for all involved. I guess, we'll have to all just wait now ...