Interview with Ed on Rock Bottom Options

[crazy1]

Interview with
Ed Kowalczyk of Live
by Tim Nydell - April 23, 2008



Your lyrics are filled with meaningful messages. What's the main message you're trying to say with each album you produce?

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Hey, it's an election year.

How much does religion or spirituality mean to the band? For you, how do you define religion and spirituality?

I can't really speak for the whole band, but it's something i've been interested in my whole life. I've always thought, "I'm missing something, there's got to be something more to this. And the spiritual traditions maintain just that, there IS something more to this than just getting by. There is a heaven, or enlightenment, and if you apply yourself you can have it."

Do you have a motto or anything special that keeps you going in life and your career?

"Build it and they will come." Field of Dreams

Tell me about "Radiant Sea", your latest release.

Radiant Sea was all about doing something cool and exclusive for the fans. You have to get it directly from us, either online or at a show. I would prefer people come to a show for it, but i'm not complaining as long as they get it.

What's the most personal song you've ever written?

I think they are all really personal in some way.

A lot of people don't know this, but I read that you were in "Fight Club".

I'm still waiting for my academy award nomination for "best waiter in a drama", they're really taking their time.

Rock music is really going down hill if you ask me... bands such as yourself are the only thing keeping the scene alive. But you can't always stick with the same outline, so how are you always changing and adapting to new situations when it comes to the band and the music scene?

We are just sticking to what we do most naturally, and that's just being the best we can be every night. People respond to that I think. People like it when they see you up there giving it your all. It's like Bob Dylan's "you got to serve somebody"...i try to remember that for every show, i'm up there to serve the audience with my best.

When it comes to playing a live show, how do you decide which songs to play? Especially since you've been around 19+ years? Do you ever get tired of playing a certain song or song?

We change the set pretty regularly these days, mostly right on stage! I guess if I didn't have any imagination I could find myself bored with this material, but i get off on watching the fans enjoy it and that keeps me in the moment with them, and their energy for the music never ceases to amaze me.

http://www.hitrockbottom.org/live.html