Former Live frontman feels reborn with new solo album, CNN (blog) Options

[Soxwsc]

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/23/f...new-solo-album/

[Infrequent Poster]

Oh lord.

[VoodooLady]

full text of article..

Former Live frontman feels reborn with new solo album
Ed Kowalczyk has had quite the spiritual journey in his life. Baptized as a Catholic, he went to Mass and received the sacraments as he grew up in Pennsylvania. But when he reached his late teens, the burgeoning musician needed to explore other paths of faith that included Zen Buddhism.

"I went through a whole seeker's life," Kowalczyk said recently by phone from his home in California.

Now 39, he's come full circle, and calls himself a Christian again. The past few years have also been a period of transition for him as a musician. After being in the band Live since middle school, he is now a solo act with new backing group and a new album.


When asked what he took with him from more than 20 years with Live, he said, "Incredible experiences from the very beginning of breaking into new areas, in what I felt were new moments in music and performance and community with people."

Kowalczyk, who wrote most of the songs for his former band, said the breakup of Live, which sold more than 20 million albums, came at a time when he had hit a wall.

"It wasn't what I'd call writer's block, it was more a block of purpose," he said. The block came as Live was on hiatus. Kowalczyk said when his inspiration returned, he also felt the desire to make the move to a solo career.

But there was still a painful breakup with the band, and harsh words on guitarist Chad Taylor's blog, indicating there was no chance the band could ever get back together.

In interviews neither party will address the other and each has moved on musically - Kowalczyk going solo and the other members of Live joining with two members of Candlebox to form The Gracious Few.

"I was just so thrilled to be inspired again, that that was all I could really focus on," Kowalczyk said when asked if it was difficult to work on a solo project as Live was dissolving.

The new album, "Alive," is scheduled to be released July 6 with the debut single "Grace."

Kowalczyk said it sets the tone for him as a solo artist and gives fans of Live, and potential new fans, a good look at the path he is headed down as a revived Christian and reborn artist.

One of the songs is "Drink (Everlasting Love)," a collaboration with his good friend Chris Daughtry. They shared dinner after a Daughtry concert in Ventura, California, and when the former American Idol contestant heard the song he chipped in some suggestions and the two bounced ideas off each other on that song and others.

"We grabbed some six strings and played each other our new ideas," Kowalczyk said. "It was very impromptu but it ended up being on the record."

Many of the songs sound like Live, which had two No. 1 albums including 1994's 8x platinum Throwing Copper, but a few represented a change for him. One of his favorite songs on the new CD is "The Great Beyond." He wasn't sure about the tune at first but as they worked on it at a studio in Austin, Texas, he grew more attached to it.

"It's a new groove for me, a new way of expressing myself," he said. "We've had a lot of fun playing it live."

Kowalczyk said he'll be touring both the United States and Europe this year with possible trips to Australia and South Africa.

He says fans will see a "rekindled Ed."

They'll also see an Ed who feels at peace as a Christian.

"I definitely feel the presence and continue to feel the presence of a higher power that I’m connected to in faith," he said. "That's God."


Posted by: Steve Almasy - Producer/Writer
Filed under: Buddhism • Christianity • Culture & Science • Faith Now • Music

[crazy1]

What the heck..one article says Roman Catholic and this one says Christian?! To me these are two different but similar religions....no?

[thefunkyredcaboose]

What the heck..one article says Roman Catholic and this one says Christian?! To me these are two different but similar religions....no?

Roman Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. So, the same religion.

[OutToDry]

Same religion, different branch.

this line is innacurate

In interviews neither party will address the other and each has moved on musically - Kowalczyk going solo and the other members of Live joining with two members of Candlebox to form The Gracious Few

Chad has addressed acknowledging Ed and his record and solo career over a month ago on the FOL communication.

This post has been edited by OutToDry: Jun 24 2010, 9:26 am

[Infrequent Poster]

What the heck..one article says Roman Catholic and this one says Christian?! To me these are two different but similar religions....no?

There's some minor differences between the two. Questions of idolatry being the old difference (though that's not so important anymore) but what most people think of when they think of catholic vs. protestant is a rigid, inflexible structured religious experience versus a more individual centered experience. That's, obviously not completely true (or even mostly true as there are many protestant sects that make Catholicism look like spring break) but that's probably the line of thought the EK comes from.

New age protestantism is a very individual affair. There's traditions and some structure, but where catholicism (as I'm sure it was preached to a young Ed) is you worship through your priest and your pope and it is only through them you find god, new age protestantism is very "find god on your own and once a week we'll talk about how you did."

[OutToDry]

So Ed's gonna hide behind Christianity to not look so guilty of financial impropriety.

Cue the TC cover!!!

[VoodooLady]

Roman Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. So, the same religion.

all roman catholics are Christian, not all Christians are roman catholic..

[Sakhmet2]

What the heck..one article says Roman Catholic and this one says Christian?! To me these are two different but similar religions....no?

In the U.S. and parts of Canada, the term "Christian" seems to have been appropriated by Protestant evangelical or fundamentalist sects - as if all other forms of Christianity were different religions. Pisses me off man, and I'm basically an atheist.

To everyone else, however, what Voodoo Lady and Infrequent Poster say are both true.
All Roman Catholics are Christians. Not all Christians are Catholics, Roman or otherwise. Doctrinal differences led first to the split between western Christianity and eastern (Orthodox) Christianity and then in the west between Catholic and Protestant. The splitting off of sub-groups has continued in both east and west for hundreds of years.

Some sects very similar, others radically different.
Most Protestant sects belive in direct communication with god - no saints; orthodox and catholics believe in intervention of saints and rigid religious hierarchy
However, as noted some Protestant sects just plain crazy - I mean, have extreme viewpoints and lifestyles.
Some have a religious leader who is also a messiah. That usually ends badly.

I suppose we should be grateful that Ed hasn't formed his own sect.


This post has been edited by Sakhmet2: Jun 24 2010, 10:09 am

[crazy1]

There's some minor differences between the two. Questions of idolatry being the old difference (though that's not so important anymore) but what most people think of when they think of catholic vs. protestant is a rigid, inflexible structured religious experience versus a more individual centered experience. That's, obviously not completely true (or even mostly true as there are many protestant sects that make Catholicism look like spring break) but that's probably the line of thought the EK comes from.

New age protestantism is a very individual affair. There's traditions and some structure, but where catholicism (as I'm sure it was preached to a young Ed) is you worship through your priest and your pope and it is only through them you find god, new age protestantism is very "find god on your own and once a week we'll talk about how you did."

Thanks for the info....I was raised Roman Catholic.

I just think...thanks to Gotigz and some friends ..that some Christians are very intense and pushey.

[crazy1]

full text of article..

Former Live frontman feels reborn with new solo album




"It wasn't what I'd call writer's block, it was more a block of purpose," he said. The block came as Live was on hiatus. Kowalczyk said when his inspiration returned, he also felt the desire to make the move to a solo career.

This is bullshit. He was working on his solo career before the hiatus

[Sakhmet2]

Thanks for the info....I was raised Roman Catholic.

I just think...thanks to Gotigz and some friends ..that some Christians are very intense and pushey.

See my reply too. I was busy retyping it while answering email in another window.
You are right about gotirgz and that ilk

[crazy1]

full text of article..






They'll also see an Ed who feels at peace as a Christian.

"I definitely feel the presence and continue to feel the presence of a higher power that I’m connected to in faith," he said. "That's God."

[Infrequent Poster]

In the U.S. and parts of Canada, the term "Christian" seems to have been appropriated by Protestant evangelical or fundamentalist sects - as if all other forms of Christianity were different religions. Pisses me off man, and I'm basically an atheist.

I agree completely, the arrogance of US protestants (not all, but the vocal idiots) is disgusting. To the more idiotic of them, being Catholic (or even a different sect of protestantism, depending on which it is) is no better in their eyes then being atheist.

Some have a religious leader who is also a messiah. That usually ends badly.

Just saw this comment and had to reply to it!

Isn't it amazing how it's always protestant sects that seem to make their leaders messiahs? I mean, isn't that the very reason they split from catholicism hundreds of years ago? Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I just think...thanks to Gotigz and some friends ..that some Christians are very intense and pushey.

Very true. Those who fear that they cannot enter heaven on their personal conduct alone often try and fool god by browbeating others with their religion.

This post has been edited by Infrequent Poster: Jun 24 2010, 10:21 am