Ed not closing door to a future LIVE reunion Options

[tiger]

Exactly.

But imagine it all happens as with Believe.

Chad T: Hey, mates, check out this wicked riff!
Chad G: Wooo
Pat: Wooo
Chad T: Ed, could you write a text to this one?

Ed: Sure, lol, lemme look at my kids and have a coffee
5 seconds later.

Ed: Text ready! It's time to believeeeeeeee my frieeeeeeend, it's time to belieeeeeeeve agaaaaaaain
See what I mean?

And the rest of the guys go: hands down. wtf

Yeah, I don't know what was more awkward at the show I saw in 2009, Ed trying to rock out to Believe or CCP trying to get into Forever. At least the crowd responded more to Believe. Nobody knew what to do during Forever.

[Deku]

It is no coincidence that this comes just as the buzz around Live (without him) heats up. I'm actually quite surprised that some have so quickly forgotten this guys m.o. for the past 10+ years. So in one interview he just cleanses all of that and now there's a chance they could find the common ground to produce magic again? Not that he could even go there anymore if he gave in to the process. Now that Ed has put this out there it is sure to cause quite a commotion. Imagine those that don't know as much as we do, hearing Live is making music without Ed, yet Ed would welcome a reunion. They're going to flip. His responses were calculated and disingenuous. If he truly wanted to mend any fences he wouldn't continue speaking about Live as "I". Every interview lately he reminds us how much he contributed, or more like, how little CCP contributed. Just a not so subtle reminder of his importance to Live, or their reliance on him. He knew damn well that saying he'd welcome a return would get everyone's juices flowing. Like I said, this is all about gaining or trying to keep his leverage as the key component to Live. No Ed, no Live. At least that is what he'd like to perpetuate. This latest move is a calculated effort on that front. Do you really think that if CCP believed there was a chance to collaborate with Ed as they did back in the day, they'd be moving on as they are right now? Absolutely not. The fact that they are tells you all you need to know about a possible reunion.

Yeah I did consider that he may be intentionally trying to rock the boat amid all the excitement around Live atm

[World Dreamer]

If Ed came back it wouldn't be the same because Ed has changed. One thing, for me anyway, is the music is that much better when you know the people playing/singing it actually believe in it. That is what made grunge so powerful. There is no power in music today because it isn't about anything with a deeper meaning. It is about things on the surface like clubs, women, drugs, cars etc. Who gives a shit.

Ed singing the old Live stuff isn't the same because he isn't the same. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. He is a big boy and can do what he wants. But since he isn't the same I don't see him being able to produce some of the potent songs we saw in the first 4 albums. I hope I am wrong, I really do. Hell, it may be cool for Ed to even tap into the darker side of religion. The bible isn't all puppies and rainbows.

The music will be better, but I think the lyrics will lean towards what we heard on Alive and you will end up with TGF sound with Alive lyrics.

Having said that, I think that would be 100 times better than SFBM II.

[tiger]

Yeah I did consider that he may be intentionally trying to rock the boat amid all the excitement around Live atm

It's just Ed asserting himself as usual. There is no way he'd ever let Live gain attention without being part of it too. After all, his future relies on it.

[crazy1]

The music will be better, but I think the lyrics will lean towards what we heard on Alive and you will end up with TGF sound with Alive lyrics.

That would absolutely suck!

[Pokey]

If Ed came back it wouldn't be the same because Ed has changed. One thing, for me anyway, is the music is that much better when you know the people playing/singing it actually believe in it. That is what made grunge so powerful. There is no power in music today because it isn't about anything with a deeper meaning. It is about things on the surface like clubs, women, drugs, cars etc. Who gives a shit.

Ed singing the old Live stuff isn't the same because he isn't the same. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. He is a big boy and can do what he wants. But since he isn't the same I don't see him being able to produce some of the potent songs we saw in the first 4 albums. I hope I am wrong, I really do. Hell, it may be cool for Ed to even tap into the darker side of religion. The bible isn't all puppies and rainbows.

The music will be better, but I think the lyrics will lean towards what we heard on Alive and you will end up with TGF sound with Alive lyrics.

Having said that, I think that would be 100 times better than SFBM II.

Exactly! Hell thats part of what made the initial Punk movement so amazing ... for the most part Punk songs are so simple, not overly talented singers or musicians in bands like the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks etc... but my god did they believe in what they were singing and preaching. You knew that what they lacked in musical ability was made up for with a punk's sense of honesty.

Hence why Ed singing Selling the Drama or Shit Towne with a massive smile plastered across his face is just ... weird and argh. Or changing the words to make the songs suit his view and outlook now as opposed to what originally made the songs great. I can't get inside his head and tell whether he still feels the original message of those songs, but at least from an outsiders point of view it looked like he is just phoning it in because thats what people want to see (sadly). So he's tried to Christianise/pussify the songs to at least fit in with what he really feels now, which are songs like Just In Time. See singing that song with a big cheesey smile and basking in the love of our lord and savior Jesus Christ ... that fits, as bad as it sounds. Ed looks much more at home singing that than he does singing Shit Towne.
So with CCP wanting to create music akin to The Few, Honest Man and Closer ... Ed fitting in lyrics that he GENUINELY believes in just might not work anymore. Some times the magic is gone.

So this is why it's a risk, they'd all need to be 100% sure they can do it and do it genuinely rather than doing it for cash or under the old way of a clash of styles. But as Dimi said, we won't know until they/IF they ever gave it another shot ... but I think it would be a make it or break it for me, going back with Ed is a risk of gaining everything, or losing everything.

This post has been edited by Pokey: Aug 17 2011, 8:43 am

[Good_Pain]

Trust me, EK is not coming back into the +LIVE+ fold. That ship has sailed and now CT, CG, and PD are moving on with a new singer. I know they have been practicing with this new vocalist for a fact and after spending the weekend in the greater York, PA area this past weekend I can assure you that most +LIVE+ fans in that area are ready for the change. The egomaniac prancing around stage, is not what us original +LIVE+ Freaks want and I feel for certain those other fans don't want that either. Personally I take everything that EK says with a grain of salt, but I guess it is a possibility that he now realizes that what he did was wrong.

I don't want to hear, "Oh you have no clue what you are talking about, He didn't stab his friends in the back." BS total BS, what he did may not be out of the realm of what a front man for a normal band may do to his band mates, but +LIVE+ was different. +LIVE+ was a brotherhood of 4 guys from York, PA who wrote and played music that was about make people see through double-standards, falsehood's in religion/religious leaders, and in general opening one's mind to the possibility of nothing being impossible. For anyone who was lucky enough to feel the energy of +LIVE+ early on like myself you would understand this. I'll never forget the first time I saw them in a small club in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1993, changed me forever.

+LIVE+ is better off moving on away from EK, I'm actually happy for him all while being sad for him as the same time. I'm happy that he seems to have found some sort of happiness in his solo work, but sad for him in that he seems to be the kind of person who has gotten to the point that he believes in his own lies. There is no denying EK's greatness and what he did during the 90's, but it amazes me that he had less ego when he and his band where on top of the world. Honestly now the man could walk through a mall and less than 75% of the people would know who he is (same could be said for the rest of the guys in +LIVE+, as well, but their ego's are more in check trust me).

Could there be a day that EK returns to front +LIVE+, sure it could happen, but honestly believe me there are many who don't want it to happen. I'll continue to support TGF and this new +LIVE+ project, I honestly gave EK a chance and even bought his new album, sorry not for me. I wish him the best in what he does, but I just can't bare to listen to what he has done to the +LIVE+ classics. His voice may be strong, but that band is dreadful to say the least. Here's to +LIVE+ moving on having success, not based on sales figures, but true success in fulfilling their desire to reconnect with the music, their fan base, and the passion that was founded in York,PA.

[OutToDry]

[Orion0767]

It is no coincidence that this comes just as the buzz around Live (without him) heats up. I'm actually quite surprised that some have so quickly forgotten this guys m.o. for the past 10+ years. So in one interview he just cleanses all of that and now there's a chance they could find the common ground to produce magic again? Not that he could even go there anymore if he gave in to the process. Now that Ed has put this out there it is sure to cause quite a commotion. Imagine those that don't know as much as we do, hearing Live is making music without Ed, yet Ed would welcome a reunion. They're going to flip. His responses were calculated and disingenuous. If he truly wanted to mend any fences he wouldn't continue speaking about Live as "I". Every interview lately he reminds us how much he contributed, or more like, how little CCP contributed. Just a not so subtle reminder of his importance to Live, or their reliance on him. He knew damn well that saying he'd welcome a return would get everyone's juices flowing. Like I said, this is all about gaining or trying to keep his leverage as the key component to Live. No Ed, no Live. At least that is what he'd like to perpetuate. This latest move is a calculated effort on that front. Do you really think that if CCP believed there was a chance to collaborate with Ed as they did back in the day, they'd be moving on as they are right now? Absolutely not. The fact that they are tells you all you need to know about a possible reunion.

Exactly .... I have to agree. It seems as if this was a sort of power play more than anything else as the timing is too conveniently perfect. But , as I said previously who am I to judge ? Very interesting stuff but hearing things like this sort of complicates things for the true fans (in my opinion) but maybe that was his intent , who knows ? I have to wonder what the reaction of the 3 remaining members of live are ?

[Bremang]

When Ed mentioned "White, Discussion" he said "it was something we collaborated on".

some Live activity these days. Ed said he wrote 8 of the TC songs. Wow.

This post has been edited by Bremang: Aug 17 2011, 9:18 pm

[Aitkens]

The Live of old with the real Ed Kowalczyk will never again happen. That ended right around 1999, and it is never coming back. Move on, or get lost longing for the past, a past which will never happen again.

[LiveRoCkS77]

Trust me, EK is not coming back into the +LIVE+ fold. That ship has sailed and now CT, CG, and PD are moving on with a new singer. I know they have been practicing with this new vocalist for a fact and after spending the weekend in the greater York, PA area this past weekend I can assure you that most +LIVE+ fans in that area are ready for the change. The egomaniac prancing around stage, is not what us original +LIVE+ Freaks want and I feel for certain those other fans don't want that either. Personally I take everything that EK says with a grain of salt, but I guess it is a possibility that he now realizes that what he did was wrong.

I don't want to hear, "Oh you have no clue what you are talking about, He didn't stab his friends in the back." BS total BS, what he did may not be out of the realm of what a front man for a normal band may do to his band mates, but +LIVE+ was different. +LIVE+ was a brotherhood of 4 guys from York, PA who wrote and played music that was about make people see through double-standards, falsehood's in religion/religious leaders, and in general opening one's mind to the possibility of nothing being impossible. For anyone who was lucky enough to feel the energy of +LIVE+ early on like myself you would understand this. I'll never forget the first time I saw them in a small club in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1993, changed me forever.

+LIVE+ is better off moving on away from EK, I'm actually happy for him all while being sad for him as the same time. I'm happy that he seems to have found some sort of happiness in his solo work, but sad for him in that he seems to be the kind of person who has gotten to the point that he believes in his own lies. There is no denying EK's greatness and what he did during the 90's, but it amazes me that he had less ego when he and his band where on top of the world. Honestly now the man could walk through a mall and less than 75% of the people would know who he is (same could be said for the rest of the guys in +LIVE+, as well, but their ego's are more in check trust me).

Could there be a day that EK returns to front +LIVE+, sure it could happen, but honestly believe me there are many who don't want it to happen. I'll continue to support TGF and this new +LIVE+ project, I honestly gave EK a chance and even bought his new album, sorry not for me. I wish him the best in what he does, but I just can't bare to listen to what he has done to the +LIVE+ classics. His voice may be strong, but that band is dreadful to say the least. Here's to +LIVE+ moving on having success, not based on sales figures, but true success in fulfilling their desire to reconnect with the music, their fan base, and the passion that was founded in York,PA.

Good post. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[LiveRoCkS77]

sorry but i just see it as the only response he could have given to such a loaded question. Ed was trying to be neutral. I dont think he has any plans to work with those individuals again.

And nick wasnt the first person to foresee the breakup of live. it was me. except i guessed may 08. look up the thread i cant be fucked.

Screw you guys, I knew it way before you cob gobbling clusterfucks!

Actually, way back when I saw them at a show with Collective Soul, it was obvious it was over and everyone except Nick was telling me i was crazy. Except I already knew for 100% fact that there was dissention in the ranks....and it was well before 2008 dude.

On topic, the biggest reason I do not see Ed rejoining Live is that there was some bad blood between CG and Ed specifically on a few different levels. It came to the point where relatives became involved in the feuding and a LOT of harsh feelings exist there. I think CG'S wife hates Ed more than anything. I guess only people who know her personally could know the extent of it. But from what I was hearing, she was at DEFCON five with that guy and ready to blow. Don't know the specifics of it, but from what many of you probably noticed, CG was extremely harsh with Ed at the start of all this. Making angry Twitter comments and calling Ed music garbage, although in not as many words.

I think that CT has learned to forgive and try and forget, but I think the wounds run deeper with CG and his family. And from what I know of CG, he is one of the sweetest and most laid back people you will ever meet in your life. When you've taken a guy like that who has a fuse ten miles long, and find out it's down to ignition time, something pretty fucking bad happened to cause it. Speculation? A little I guess. But along with what I know to have happened for fact, along with putting two and two together? I see that wound to be pretty deep and not one that will heal for some time. But then again, I honestly know nothing of CG's capacity for forgiveness or any of that so who knows.

I'm not sure how I feel about new music either way, but I certainly hope they reconcile their differences for the sake of their lifelong friendship and love for one another.

This post has been edited by LiveRoCkS77: Aug 17 2011, 10:53 pm

[OutToDry]

Great post LR. Yeah, interesting to see how it goes from here, definately on the CG stuff. He's pretty quiet and reserved. I felt there was disharmony dating back to 2002...... but not to the levels that had been revealed.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

After digesting this for a bit, I think I'm more excited to hear Live with a new lead singer than I would be to have Ed come back.

Didn't expect to feel this way about it, but there you go!