The End of Live: Ed Kowalczyk/The Gracious Few

I cannot stop listening to this song.



Sounds a lot like Live, which is fine by me. I expected a really mellow solo album from Ed. Not that this is particularly heavy, of course, but I didn't expect it. Great album, too!

And the other dudes in Live have a new band, The Gracious Few, with the singer from Candlebox. They sound great, too.



Sucks that Live broke up, but it looks like these guys are still making solid music.

I listened to Ed Kowalczyk solo clip on FB link you had linked on your page this morning and liked it, it sucks LIVE has disbanded but Kowalczyk pulled some dickhead moves on the rest of the band and is now being sued.

Aside from the band drama this is a good song and I am sure the title of the CD 'Alive' is a dig at his former band mates.

I thought Live started going downhill a little while back and getting too, uh, hippie for me.....Kowalczyk pulled some brutal stuff from what I just read...

I marginally liked some Candlebox a long time ago, wonder if this new thing is any good.

I liked Throwing Copper but didn't keep up with Live after that. That song sounds like a natural progression of that.

The Gracious Few sound good there too. Too bad the last Candlebox didn't do very well. While lumped in the grunge catagory I always thought of them as just a rock band and Into The Sun is a good listen.

I didn't know Live officially broke up. I thought they were "on hiatus", which is industry talk for "we'll do some solo and side projects trying to get that lightning to strike twice and when it falls flat on it tits, we'll just pretend it never happened, regroup and say all is well".

So there was some bad blood between Ed and the boys? I was never much of a fan, but I made some sweet coin selling their original Public Affection demo tapes.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I didn't know Live officially broke up. I thought they were "on hiatus", which is industry talk for "we'll do some solo and side projects trying to get that lightning to strike twice and when it falls flat on it tits, we'll just pretend it never happened, regroup and say all is well".

So there was some bad blood between Ed and the boys? I was never much of a fan, but I made some sweet coin selling their original Public Affection demo tapes.

This about sums it up. Whether that's all true or not, I don't know.

Quote :

Chad Taylor has written 2 letters to fans, explaining that the 2 year hiatus is to become permanent.
The first letter was sent through the Friends of Live mailing list and a second more detailed version was posted to his blog site.
Both can be read below:

A personal message from Chad Taylor:

Dead Friend of Live,

Let me start by thanking you for your many years of devoted loyalty to our music. Bands are lucky if they have one hit and fade away but in the case of Live, you kept us relevant for more than 20 years. Today I am writing you as a fan of the band with sad news.

As many of you know, Live was having a hard time keeping things together. After many years of friendship, love and laughter it became clear that things had run their course. I was in denial. Our working relationship with Ed had grown cold and we were only on limited speaking terms for the last several months. We agreed for the sake of the bands future to take a break and announced the hiatus. During that time period we discovered a contract executed in 2005 that engaged the bands company into a legal obligation that did not have majority consent from the band. Ed’s signature was the only one required.

We were fast to try and open communication with Ed or his legal team but got no reply. Our hiatus had fast turned into a break up. Chad, Patrick and I have no plans to replace Ed at this point in time, however, he will no longer be a member of our band. We are excited by the opportunities ahead of us and will look to enjoin forces with vocalists and instrumentalists that will hold high the ideals set forth by the band and its fans. Yes, there may be future Live recording and tours but we are all very realistic that it will never be the same without Ed. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be great.

Like you, we are greatly saddened by the discoveries we made but as many of you know, life has a way of sorting things out. Ed will always be tied to Live and we will never make attempts to shadow his considerable lyrical and melodic contributions to our music.

Stay tuned to FOL for more details on our future plans. I would also ask that we all take the time to remember the positive energy Ed, Chad, Patrick and I spent so many years pushing forward. I’m trying hard myself to not be judgmental and let life flow freely around me.

Love,
Chad Taylor

On behalf of Chad Gracey and Patrick Dahlheimer
Link to FOL email


Monday, November 30, 2009
Not the ending I wished for

There have been tons of crazy rumors surrounding the hiatus of LIVE. I have read quite a few and laughed at the extremely creative imaginations of our fans. I’ve been reluctant to fan the flames but the rumors are getting further away from the truth and I will try to set the record straight from my standpoint.

First and foremost, Ed has every legal right to perform the songs he helped birth while being the front man for LIVE. The copyrights for these songs are owned by Chad Gracey, Patrick Dahlheimer, Ed Kowlalczyk and myself. Ed does not control the catalog but rather the bands publishing company, Black Coffee Publishing, Inc. Black Coffee is a majority rule corporation.

Yes, it is true, there was a hidden publishing contract singed in 2005. I personally discovered it via a communication breakdown. Ed is listed as the only signature. When I wrote him to find some resolution to the situation, he failed to respond. I have left these matters to our attorneys who will no doubt file a complaint. Honestly, I don’t care about the financial/legal outcome of these matters, the proof is on the page. Ed was able to stab his three best friends from middle school in the back. This act was far down the line from typical rock star ego. As you can imagine I am deeply hurt and wounded.

In light of these matter, I can’t ever see myself working with Ed, let alone ever being in the same room with him. LIVE was always about the band, when Ed lost sight of that in favor of his own ambitions and goals, our considerable fans base began to sigh a collective yawn.

As band mates and friends and despite the lack of fresh material we continued to support Ed with all of our integrity. The final blow was Ed’s request for a $100,000 “lead singer bonus” to perform as surprise guests at this years Pink Pop Festival. I was informed of his request by our management and politely told them to “fuck off.”

Ed will no longer be the vocalist for the band LIVE. At this point in time, we have made no official plans to replace him but it is clear that he is no friend of mine or the lifelong fans of LIVE.

I have focused my energy on creating new music with The Gracious Few. I look forward to seeing many LIVE fans in the audience at our shows. Patrick, Chad and I have made a pledge to honor our long shared history with the fans of LIVE. You will always be graciously welcome in our house.

Love

Chad Taylor

manny wrote:

Aside from the band drama this is a good song and I am sure the title of the CD 'Alive' is a dig at his former band mates.

Oh, no doubt. I even wondered if the song was about them.

Quote :

You were wrong
There was grace
You saw the enemy
I saw your face
People like you and I
Spinnin’ through space
You were wrong
I still have faith

Could be about them.

As an aside, I think Live put out great records throughout their existence. The last album was a bit mellow, though, and seemed more spiritual and stuff, which is why I attributed the style change to Ed and assumed his solo album would be like that. A good album, but not their best.

But everything else is great, especially Birds of Pray. I love that one!



My favorite from that album, and one of my favorite Live songs overall.

Wow, some pretty harsh words. Interesting that they are going with a new band name instead of just carrying on with Live. Eh, good luck to 'em.

Wow!!! I had no idea they broke up!!! Ed turned into a fraging ashhole!!!! Been a fan since the Mental Jewlery!!!

Ed was always a douchebag. He acted like he was the central Pa answer to Bono.

I liked Mental Jewelry and Throwing Copper but after that they started to remind me of an even whinier REM.

I like Throwing Copper and The Distance to Here. It's a shame when fame goes to someones head... LSD (lead singers disease).

Of the two new bands i like Ed's better despite his personality flaw.

Just got the Ed K cd today at walmart. It's a pretty good album.