Ed responds to allegations, Well, sorta Options

[OutToDry]

I keep going back in my mind to a conversation that I had with Chad Taylor a few years ago that really told me alot about how much these three guys supported Ed and devoted themselves to Live, even when the creative direction went down a path that they didn't agree with. After SFBM came out, I talked with Chad, and I said to him that I like the new album, but it doesn't have enough "Chad Taylor" in it. I said that I don't just mean that it doesn't have enough guitar or guitar solos, but that it seems to lack what he brings to the band. Chad said "yeah, I know what you mean, it's just not my time, that's all." He refused to say anything bad about it. I could tell that he was creatively stifled and I got the clear impression that he was loyally supporting Live. Even in this private, one on one conversation, he was very loyal and disciplined. I tried to talk with him about Barely Breathing and some other ventures he was involved in and he deflected talking about his other businesses and pursuits because he was there for Live that night and didn't want to distract attention away from Live. I don't mean to say that he brushed me off or anything. I was truly impressed with him and had the impression that he was a loyal band member who was really trying to support the band for the good of the band. I really gained a lot of respect for Chad that night. That happened to be the same night that Ed was unbelievably rude to me and treated me as if I wasn't even a fellow human being. Not very "spiritual" or "Christian". I've been lucky. I have met each member of Live many, many times. And I can say that my personal interactions with all 4 of them strongly inform my opinions of who are the good guys in this whole thing. I've seen Ed treat me and many others like crap. I've seen Chad, Chad, Pat and Adam hanging out together and with the roadies and managers before and after shows and Ed pulling the "rock star" attitude and blowing the others off. I have nothing but positive, impressive experiences with Chad, Chad and Pat. I've met plenty of famous people and I can honestly say that they were the most friendly, down to earth performers that I have met. My limited personal knowledge of the kind of people that Chad, Chad and Pat are have caused me to side with them in this whole thing and have made me biased.

Then I look at the evidence in the music.

I know that Ed took over the creative process from V up to present. That's when Live's music took a turn. Alive seems to be an extension of that. Live lost its way after TDTH - after Chad, Chad and Pat were excluded from the creative process.

I know that Chad, Chad and Pat came to Ed with the music for Like I Do, and when BoP was released, everyone freaked out about how great that one song was and how promising it was that Live might return to old form. That's because the old Live involved those three and they still got it.

Chad Taylor turned Ed on to classic blues music and wrote the music for God Don't Change. As a precursor to the Believe saga, Chad wrote some great music and Ed applied God lyrics to it. Again, after everyone heard God Don't Change, they thought that Live might come back to old form.

Chad, Chad and Pat came to Ed with the music for Believe, and Ed applied God lyrics to it. Again, everyone through that Live might come back to old form after they heard Believe.

Every concert that I have been to for the last 10 years, I have been blown away by the Chad, Chad and Pat moments - Lakini's Juice, White Discussion, etc. Not so much by the shirtless dancing during Sophia and nipple-exposed Wings diddy.

I've heard samples of much of TGF's new album, and it has more creativity and testosterone in one of its pubic hairs than all of The EK's solo music put together.

In other words, from my perspective, following this band way too closely than I would like to admit, I think that virtually everything great that has come out of Live over the last 10 years has been the glimmers of Chad, Chad and Pat's creativity breaking through. And Live's best work occured between 1992 and 1999, when all 4 members of the band worked on the music together and set out to conquer the world.

Fish, great insight, very nicely put. You have some of the best posts on this board. Your history with the band, from my perspective cannot be challenged. I had only slight interaction with the band members and never have I been lucky enough to been to an aftershow. I have seen numerous concerts from the front row and have formulated my opinions on everything discussed here-in.

[OutToDry]

To be fair, recent meeting that I've had with Ed(2006-on) have been very positive.

The one wild card I see is Adam. Adam has always been very nice upon meeting. If Ed was such a horrible person, would he have made him best man in his wedding and joined his new band? If Ed really did such horrible things, don't you think Adam would have washed his hands clean of the situation and started fresh?

I also found it curious that Chad, Pat, and Chad didn't show at Adam's wedding. They worked with the guy for 10 years, but didn't attend due to a rift with his brother? Were they invited? If so, and they didn't attend, that was just a douche move in my eyes.

Why would Adam wash his hands with his blood brother?? Wow. They worked with Adam for 10 years, but he is not a named member of the band. Maybe they were forced into having Adam "Playin guitar & Singing"

This post has been edited by OutToDry: May 4 2010, 4:26 pm

[SJN1279]

Why would Adam wash his hands with his blood brother?? Wow. They worked with Adam for 10 years, but he is not a named member of the band. Maybe they were forced into having Adam "Playin guitar & Singing"

I actually spoke to Adam a week ago. and he seemed genuinely excited to be working with his brother on his new band. He was digging the material and seemed rejuvenated.

I also remember reading tweets where Adam took a few veiled shots at TGF this year. There seems to be a rift between Adam and TGF as well.

There are definitely two sides to the Live break-up story. As outsiders, we may never know the truth.

[SJN1279]

It may have been, in your opinion, stupid to tell the truth in a public forum BUT it is more than stupid to do what Ed has done to his friends of twenty plus years. In my opinion.......childish actions are far easier to forgive than stealing from your friends. Hey kids, can you spell "ill-legal"? In an earlier post I read it's hard to believe that Ed didn't focus on the whole mess. Suprising? Well ofcourse not! The only thing he has focused on in a long, long time is himself. And that folks is pretty much what I have to say about that!

I think if Ed really did anything "illegal" he would be facing jail-time and not be out promoting his new album.

[SinfulEyes]

Most bands do not go into great detail concerning the cause of their break-up, because it is their own personal business. Just because Chad Taylor has diarrhea of the mouth, doesn't mean Ed should join the fray. All that would result is a bitter online argument that wouldn't have a winner.

Ed is doing the right thing by focusing on his music, and not the petty bullshit caused by TGF.

Why so much anger at TGF? Ed is the one who screwed them over. You should really be directing your anger towards Ed, not the rest of what once was Live.

[OutToDry]

It's up to the attorneys if wrong doings need to be recitfied legally. I think that was mentioned in the email from CT.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Maybe someone should have been saying this when a few people were dissing Ed, calling him a cunt who didn't know he was a has-been, etc. And don't tell me it's 'different' because it FUCKING WELL ISN'T. If someone is going to insist that no one insult one half of the feud, the same should go for the other side, no matter what you think of them.

There's a really double standard here, and a lack of judgement.

There is a large difference between what people said of Ed in the immediate time after the news hit, and one poster's consistent attempts to undermine the credibility of a band member because it suits their own beliefs.

Furthermore, the backlash against Ed came from not just this one incident, but years of fan frustration.

Not saying that either side is right to call anyone a douche or a cunt (I'm not even sure who did that), but there was a good bit of precedent in Ed's case that there isn't with CT. That is all.

Oh, and of course Adam stayed with Ed. He's his brother and has given him a nice career in music.

[SJN1279]

All I can say is that sallyinpa probably knows more about this subject and the TRUTH than anyone here.

I agree, but I'm sure there is a heavy level of bias too.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I agree, but I'm sure there is a heavy level of bias too.

How can you agree that she knows a great deal about the truth, yet say she has a heavy bias? That doesn't even make sense.

[SJN1279]

How can you agree that she knows a great deal about the truth, yet say she has a heavy bias? That doesn't even make sense.

There is another reason she has heavy bias on this particular situation, let's leave it at that.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

There is another reason she has heavy bias on this particular situation, let's leave it at that.

So then you don't agree that she knows more about the truth than any of us?

[SJN1279]

So then you don't agree that she knows more about the truth than any of us?

She is getting the truth from one side. The fact she says what Ed did was "illegal" yet there are no charges being filed against him makes me think part of the story is skewed.

I doubt that Ed and TGF would be preparing for worldwide tours if a court case was imminent.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

She is getting the truth from one side. The fact she says what Ed did was "illegal" yet there are no charges being filed against him makes me think part of the story is skewed.

I doubt that Ed and TGF would be preparing for worldwide tours if a court case was imminent.

If a suit was filed (which I would imagine is the case) then I highly doubt it would ever go to court and doubt even less that we would know about it.

Legality is a tricky thing, I would be interested to know how Sally means it in this case.

Truth is also not multi-sided. Okay now I'm just having fun.

[sallyinpa]

I think if Ed really did anything "illegal" he would be facing jail-time and not be out promoting his new album.

All in good time. Sadly, it may come to just that. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. Law suits and the court system take time. Hopefully, Ed will do the "christian" thing and make both moral and financial amends for his terrible transgressions. There just aren't two sides to this story and I'm sad that you, in time, will see the realty of the situation. It's just a fact and it does not make me happy to say that.

[OutToDry]

Nick you're getting off the rails here with trying to say this person or that person knows more. i do know that she and several others probably are in the know more than most.

Is there any middle ground with you.?...........by the way why aren't you promoting Ed's band, & album, it's become moreso that youre his spokeperson for "I've done no wrong". Are there residuals flowing his way?

This post has been edited by OutToDry: May 4 2010, 9:15 pm