New Ed Interview- 3/22/07 Options

[SJN1279]

Dangum posted this on SOY:

Published March 22, 2007

Local music beat: 'Lightning Crashes' at Soaring Eagle

By Anne Erickson | Lansing State Journal

Live frontman talks about new album, singing with Daughtry

Post-grunge bands of the mid-'90s were numerous, but few saw the chart-topping success of Live. The Pennsylvanian quartet took its faith-filled, anthemic arena rock to the masses with 1994's "Throwing Copper," which went to No. 1 on the charts thanks to hits like "Lightning Crashes," "I Alone" and "Selling the Drama."

Nowadays, Live still makes passionate rock music. Its latest CD is "Songs from Black Mountain."

We talked with Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk about music, fatherhood and what it feels like to have inspired fifth-season "American Idol" rocker Chris Daughtry to get into rock music.

The HUB: "American Idol's" Chris Daughtry says you're his favorite singer. He's so huge now; he even had the No. 1 album in the country its 15th week out. How does it feel to have inspired Chris?

Kowalczyk : It's really fun to watch him grow. We became friends last year when he did a cover of "I Walk the Line" on American Idol that we originally performed. It was kind of like a cover of a cover. I think Chris Daughtry might have been the only one who heard us do it; it was pretty obscure (laughs). But being a huge fan of us, he did it on the show. So we got to know each other.

The HUB: What were you thinking when you watched Chris perform the cover?

Kowalczyk : Honestly, I had never watched "American Idol" until he did that and someone told me to check it out. I thought, 'Wow, he really nailed it.' And then I have to admit that I watched the show a few more times to keep up on how he was doing.

The HUB: And now Chris is so popular, and he seems to have been accepted into the rock world so quickly.

Kowalczyk : It's fun watching Chris really do well; it's a trip. One of the things that makes music so fun is seeing how I've been inspired by certain people to do music, and then inspiring someone else. It's a passing-the-torch kind of thing.

The HUB: Whose idea was it to perform with Chris for the "American Idol" season finale last year?

Kowalczyk : He had an opportunity to choose a special guest that he would like to do a song with at the end, and he picked Live. It was a good time for us, since we were releasing a new album ("Songs from Black Mountain") and we were doing the promotional thing. It was nice to expose Live to people who were hearing about us through Chris.

The HUB: I've read that your latest CD, "Songs from Black Mountain," was written about your ideas on how much of the world's art has been inspired by the female spirit.

Kowalczyk : Yes, it was definitely a time period in my personal life where I was investigating the idea of a muse, whether or not I had one or maybe having one and not knowing it. The songs have a sensual, beautiful, love-song quality, but for me the story goes (deeper). It was investigating these ideas through the creative songwriting process, which I love so much.

The HUB: One of the songs on the album, "Love Shines (A Song for My Daughters About God)," is written for your two daughters, right?

Kowalczyk : Yes, it's for them. It's pretty specifically about my belief in and awareness of God, and that we're all in this together. That he is the source of all things and anybody can rest on that, regardless of what you believe in terms of religion. I wanted it to be universal.

The song, being for my daughters, is coming from me, as a person who has the role as their first teacher, mentor and father figure. It was my figuring out what I was going to say to them about these certain issues.

The HUB: How old are your daughters?

Kowalczyk : Four and 2.

The HUB: They're so young!

Kowalczyk : Yeah (laughs). I'm a little ahead of myself. But my 4-year-old asks all the time, "When things die, what happens to them?" You've got to be on point! I want to keep their minds open, but at the same time give them what I feel. That song was a way for me to work it out.

The HUB: What's still your favorite part about what you do for a living?

Kowalczyk : It's always been the performances, followed by the writing process. I think the ultimate fulfillment is when you're onstage and in presence of people relating to it. You look into the crowd, people are singing songs back to you and you realize that they've taken the songs into their heart and minds. It's an amazing process, and the fact we get paid to do it is amazing.

Show details: Live, 8 p.m. Friday, Soaring Eagle Casino, Mount Pleasant, tickets at the Soaring Eagle Casino Box Office, Star Tickets Plus outlets or (800) 585-3737, $40, $35, $30, $25.

http://hub.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...220326/1104/HUB

[Heather]

Ana Sophia and Natasha I think.

[brandedwendy]

Ana Sophia and Natasha I think.

*nods..... what she said