Chad Taylor's blog! Options

[Merica]

Not the ending I wished for

There have been tons of crazy rumors surrounding the hiatus of LIVE. I have read quite a few and laughed at the extremely creative imaginations of our fans. I’ve been reluctant to fan the flames but the rumors are getting further away from the truth and I will try to set the record straight from my standpoint.


First and foremost, Ed has every legal right to perform the songs he helped birth while being the front man for LIVE. The copyrights for these songs are owned by Chad Gracey, Patrick Dahlheimer, Ed Kowlalczyk and myself. Ed does not control the catalog but rather the bands publishing company, Black Coffee Publishing, Inc. Black Coffee is a majority rule corporation.


Yes, it is true, there was a hidden publishing contract singed in 2005. I personally discovered it via a communication breakdown. Ed is listed as the only signature. When I wrote him to find some resolution to the situation, he failed to respond. I have left these matters to our attorneys who will no doubt file a complaint. Honestly, I don’t care about the financial/legal outcome of these matters, the proof is on the page. Ed was able to stab his three best friends from middle school in the back. This act was far down the line from typical rock star ego. As you can imagine I am deeply hurt and wounded.


In light of these matter, I can’t ever see myself working with Ed, let alone ever being in the same room with him. LIVE was always about the band, when Ed lost sight of that in favor of his own ambitions and goals, our considerable fans base began to sigh a collective yawn.


As band mates and friends and despite the lack of fresh material we continued to support Ed with all of our integrity. The final blow was Ed’s request for a $100,000 “lead singer bonus” to perform as surprise guests at this years Pink Pop Festival. I was informed of his request by our management and politely told them to “fuck off.”


Ed will no longer be the vocalist for the band LIVE. At this point in time, we have made no official plans to replace him but it is clear that he is no friend of mine or the lifelong fans of LIVE.


I have focused my energy on creating new music with The Gracious Few. I look forward to seeing many LIVE fans in the audience at our shows. Patrick, Chad and I have made a pledge to honor our long shared history with the fans of LIVE. You will always be graciously welcome in our house.


Love


Chad Taylor

Ho... lee.... shit.

[+Ed+]

Two sides to every story.....

Actually there are always 3 sides to every story. You forgot, that there is the TRUTH, which will hardly be uncovered yet again.

It is very very sad for me to be reading all this. I always counted Ed and Chad best friends with all their opposite views. I thought it was what brought them together. Ed's spirituality and Chad's down-to-earth manner. Now I give up. With all my beliefs and fanboyism, with everything the band did to me (and was still doing during the last 8 years), with numerous ways they saved me... Now I really am very very sad.

Not to mention that both my all-time fave bands fell apart this year... But it is another story.

I definitely know one thing. If it came to these terms, I would simply hit the road, come to my friend (or colleague, call him whatever)? knock on the door and say: ok, fucker, let's get down to business. And talk to him as a man, without any scent of online abuse and speculation...

I do not want to move on really and feel abandoned for some strange reason. It is not that I do not want to believe in what is going on, but...

This January I went through a divorse after 10 years of family life and soon after that I lost a guy who used for 16 years call me his best friend. I do know what it is when one part of a unity does its best to keep the relationships going at any cost, while another one is simply fucking it all up day by day. I do not really want to compare, because I am not a rock star or somewhere near that./ i just want to underline the fact that I imagine what a loss is. It is incredibly hard to overcome the hardships when it comes to terms of losing something real.

I think that a reunity tour (or show) is anyhow inevitable is several years. And funny enough in this situation I support both sides. I simply adore Chad's honesty and Ed's generous spirituality (do not get me wrong, i do mean the first 4 records). Live is and will always be my favourite band. for what they were. For what they did to me and my life. For what they taught me. The only sad part is that i never had any money to go overseas and see them on stage.

Anyhow, I am growing my hair for the first time in some 8 years again> So I expect some good headbanging to TGF next year and then I expect shedding a tear to Ed's solo work really. We'll see I guess.

Over and out.

This post has been edited by +Ed+: Dec 1 2009, 3:06 am

[SecretInsomnia]

Although it's hard that I mightl never see the four together on stage again, I'm glad that the last time I saw was a great concert to end with: the recording of the DVD!

This January I went through a divorse after 10 years of family life and soon after that I lost a guy who used for 16 years call me his best friend. I do know what it is when one part of a unity does its best to keep the relationships going at any cost, while another one is simply fucking it all up day by day. I do not really want to compare, because I am not a rock star or somewhere near that./ i just want to underline the fact that I imagine what a loss is. It is incredibly hard to overcome the hardships when it comes to terms of losing something real.

Ahww, that sounds very hard. Two cretain things that really influence your life. My sympathy to you, although it's months later.
I guess the whole Live-break-up doesnt make your situation any happier