New music on the horizon and by no means are LIVE dead, CT's FB Options

[Merica]

Dear Friends of LIVE:

Chad, Patrick and I can feel your passion for our band and our music (has it really been twenty years)! It's a rush every time we hear from you! It still amazes me that our music found a worldwide audience that has remained loyal for so long. Now we can hear from you directly through social media and we've been paying attention. We've read your FB posts and know how much you want to see a new LIVE album and tour dates.

We also know how much you want to see a reunion too and we made efforts to try and meet with Ed. Unfortunately, it's not the right time for the original lineup to come together. Ed remains committed to his solo efforts and we've been busy promoting The Gracious Few (all of us spending some much needed time with our families). At this point, everything remains positive between Chad, Patrick and I and we deeply appreciate your support throughout the hiatus. We can sympathize with your angst surrounding Ed's departure. His magical lyrics touched all of our lives for so many years. On many levels he can never be replaced. Only Ed can determine his future and right now he is unresponsive regarding LIVE; so we must move forward without him.

We ask that our history with each other be respected and that no ill will be charged towards Ed for following his dreams. If you really are a LIVE fan, then you'll heed our emotional and spiritual right to be free and creative. I believe in Ed's right to pursue music on his own terms, just as I believe in my own. This doesn't mean that LIVE is through, in fact, I think the limitations of the band have been lifted and we can create without the confines of the garage. LIVE brought people together and uplifted spirits, all while rocking out! With any luck, nothing will tarnish this legacy and our music can continue to bring joy to the masses. LIVE can live on in many shapes and forms.

Don't worry, there will be new LIVE music on the horizon! Recently, we have begun to focus on a new era of truly exciting projects surrounding our catalog of hit songs and even new recorded material! It may involve non-traditional LIVE tours, festivals, fan gatherings, mobile applications, outtakes, b-sides, rarities and a fresh take on many of the classic LIVE songs we all love. We will be back in the studio as LIVE before you know it! Truthfully, we're only beginning to get a handle on the numerous possibilities being presented to us. Please be patient while we dial in the right mix of new and old.

It's our goal to keep the music of LIVE fresh and relevant. We know that there are many generations of music lovers who will also need the power and integrity of our music and we wish to share it with them.

This transition hasn't been easy on our fans and we have always cared deeply for you. We're not looking to be the next Van Halen or Motley Crue but we do know we have an obligation to the millions of fans who have supported LIVE to carry on the flag. No one can appreciate your pain more than the band itself. It hasn't been easy to say goodbye to an entire era of our lives. Chad, Patrick and I have found great strength and faith in each other. Our ability to forgive and forge ahead as a unit is no doubt a credit to the support you've shown us since Mental Jewelry or even Public Affection. There is still a ton of rock n' roll to be made. That's what I know.

Chad Taylor - guitarist for LIVE and The Gracious Few

Decent post.

[PillarOfDavidson]

I know Chad doesn't want there to be any ill-will toward Ed for pursuing his own music, but that's not the reason people are upset with him. There's no way Chad can put that cat back in the bag no matter how much positive spin he puts out or how many times to reach out to Ed they attempt. The guy fucked the rest of the band in the ass, and with them the majority of the Live-loyal fan-base.

Basically, as a Live fan I'm following their lead. If they can forgive and invite Ed back into the fold to pick up the torch they put down sometime in the year 2000 or so then so be it. If he doesn't care? Fuck him and long live TGF. That's the long and the short of it.

As for Live with a new singer? I don't know about that. The band from Creed sure put themselves in a killer position to be successful when they dumped Scock Twapp and formed Alter Bridge with a guy who could actually sing. But that was a new band, with a new approach. When they reformed Creed they put out an album full of horse shit that wouldn't have made a a B-sides disc from their first three albums. In other words, they were the Live (circa 2006) of the angst-driven, post-grunge scene.

My point? Maybe the upcoming releases should just focus on rarities, outtakes, etc. from pre-V... because even if they got a killer singer to replace Ed, it still wouldn't be vintage Live. And THAT'S what I want. Having said that... if a "new version" of Live that was at least equal to, if not better than vintage Live came along I wouldn't close my ears in the least. But for that to happen they've got to get a singer who can do something unique and not just try to sound like Ed. Alice In Chains sound decent since reforming, and this is no knock on the guy but everyone knows that William DuVall is Layne Staley-lite. There's an obvious quality that's missing and this is a singer who knows how to carry a tune.

This post has been edited by MrSheptical: Mar 23 2011, 4:46 pm

[maccaz69]

Wow it is nice that chad is willing to write this stuff and share it with all. It feels personal and caring to the fans which is extremely unusual in this day and age. I sooo hope they release some hidden tracks...like when photograph recorded in some chapel I want to hear the whole recording! Interesting they have reached out to Ed......I don't blame Ed for not wanting to speak with them after they held him out to dry and painted him as a crook the way ccp did. It may be true but if they didn't react like that 2 yrs ago things may be different now. However its a step in the right direction...Ed now knows he has the option and perhaps after his next solo album he will think about it. I don't want to see live with a new singer it just won't work. Ed's voice is so unique & identifyable while being a quality vocalist and that isn't easy to replace. If they got the lead singer from better than ezra maybe they could fool a lot of the general public and tour as live and they won't notice but I dont think there's another singer out there that sounds anything remotely like ed!