traccia numero 29 e siamo ai Collective soul. Stranamente wiki ha la pagina in inglese e in altre poche lingue, ma non in italiano. Visto che, chi più chi meno, si mastica un po' tutti l'inglese riporto quanto ho trovato (e che vi aspettavate, pure la traduzione??
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Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with its first hit single "Shine", which came from its debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, published in 1993, and has enjoyed popularity in alternative rock, mainstream rock, and pop music through the 1990s and following decade. They have recorded seven Number One mainstream rock hits.
Early years
Before forming Collective Soul, Ed Roland had studied music composition and guitar playing at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Since the mid-80s Roland had been involved in underground music, either making unpublished demos or performing. He also worked at "Real 2 Reel Studios" in Stockbridge during the 1980s and early 1990s, which was owned by Will Turpin's father. Ed's main duties were producing, mixing and engineering work for local Atlanta artists. He also recorded his own demos and released his independent solo album "Ed-E Roland" in 1991. He had a pre-Collective Soul band in the late 80s and early 90s called Marching Two-Step which included Shane Evans, Michele Rhea Caplinger, and Grammy Award winning record producer/industry executive Matt Serletic.
Caplinger would go on to be a music industry publicist and she was appointed executive director of the Atlanta Chapter of the Recording Academy in 2000. Serletic would go on to produce albums for Collective Soul, Matchbox Twenty, Blessed Union of Souls, Edwin McCain and many others.
Marching Two-Step were a legitimate band for a few years. They never managed to grow beyond the club scene. Attempts to get signed by a record label produced no results. However, the core members have all stayed active in the music industry for many years.
Around 1992, Ed decided to shift focus as he was trying to secure contracts so he could publish his songs and compose for other artists. Marching Two-Step was no longer together, and Ed continued to jam and perform with other local musicians and friends. These early attempts to be signed and published ended in rejection.
That would change in 1993 when his song "Shine" from the Rising Storm label release of "Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid" became an underground hit on an influential college radio station in Orlando. It was around this time that Ed brought along Shane Evans, his brother Dean Roland, Will Turpin and Ross Childress. This would become the official line-up.
Ed Roland was reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead and came across the phrase "collective soul". Although author Ayn Rand actually uses the phrase in a negative connotation, using the "collective soul" as a threat to the main character's sense of individualism, Ed is quick to point out, "...we're not preaching Ayn Rand, objectivism, egoism, or anything...we just dug the name..." and "it [the band's name] could've come out of a Motorcycle Magazine." Atlantic Records took note of the popularity of "Shine" and subsequently signed the band.
Atlantic Records (1993–2001)
Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid (1993)
Collective Soul's notoriety grew from their hometown of Stockbridge, Georgia into international fame with 1993’s double-platinum Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid. The album, a collection of Ed Roland's early demos and re-released in 1994 by Atlantic Records, was highlighted by the #1 hit song "Shine". The band was then invited to perform at the Woodstock 1994 festival. They toured extensively all across North America. They went from playing very small pubs to large amphitheaters and small arenas.
Collective Soul (1995)
The group’s self-titled second album arrived the following year, was certified RIAA triple platinum, and logged a 76-week run on the Billboard 200. Notable singles from Collective Soul included US Rock Chart #1 hits "December," "Where The River Flows," and "The World I Know", #2 hit "Gel", and a top-ten hit "Smashing Young Man". They would go on to gain heavy rotation on MTV and Much Music. This album topped the success of the previous. The band had also gained widespread radio play across all mainstream formats, reaching beyond the conventional rock radio.
Collective Soul was headlining their own club tour, their two albums had sold a combined 5 million copies, and yet, they were reportedly receiving a meager $150 a week to cover food expenses on the road. The band had allegedly received no royalties because their manager had claimed the publishing rights. ("December", off the self-titled album, was written when all of this began.) Following a nasty split with him, Collective Soul found their tour dates canceled and were called into the courtroom to face a legal battle that would last well into 1996.
During this time, funds were frozen, and Collective Soul could not tour or record in a "real" studio. For a period, they weren't sure that they even owned the rights to their own band's name. While the legal battles continued, the band went to a tiny cabin, in the middle of 40 acres (160,000 m2) of cow pasture in Stockbridge, and began recording. They recorded into a computer their impromptu rehearsals of the songs Ed wrote during this time. These songs would become known as Disciplined Breakdown, chronicling the bleak period and "directed at the emotions" they were feeling at the time. The legal case was eventually settled and both parties have been instructed not to discuss the outcome.
Disciplined Breakdown (1997)
Their album, Disciplined Breakdown, published in 1997, was inspired by the break up between the band and its manager, and did not sell as well as the band's previous records, despite being its highest debut on the charts. This album eventually became a platinum album, and produced two more #1 singles: "Precious Declaration" and "Listen". This album reportedly contained a more progressive and melodic set of songs. Collective Soul continued its extensive world wide touring. However, this was a sharp decline in popularity of the band's record sales, radio airplay, and popularity.
Dosage (1999)
The band’s fourth album, 1999’s platinum-certified and critically acclaimed Dosage saw Collective Soul further its run as rock radio superstars. The first single "Heavy" set a new high mark for 15 weeks at #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Singles such as "Run", "Needs", and "Tremble For My Beloved" also gained notable positions on the rock charts. With these chart increases, Collective Soul became the most played band on the radio in the 1990s[citation needed]. The album displayed more of a pop-rock vibe, combining loops, electronic effects and a more polished and glossy sound, partially due to their first pairing with producer/omni-instrumentalist Anthony J. Resta, known for his work with Duran Duran and others. The band also performed at the Woodstock 1999 festival, where they performed "Heavy" and a cover of Ozzy Osbourne's song "Crazy Train"
Blender (2000)
The group released its fifth studio album, Blender in 2000. It did not fare as well as their other albums, although the first single "Why, Pt. 2" reached #2 on the mainstream rock chart. They also had additional radio hits with "Vent" and "Perfect Day," the latter being a duet between Ed Roland and Elton John. Eventually the album was RIAA certified Gold. Rolling Stone gave Blender a very positive review as did many other critics. This was their second effort with producer Anthony J. Resta. Similar to Dosage, the band decided to experiment with loops, electronic effects and computer based studio production, such as Digidesign's Pro Tools. Collective Soul was criticized, however, for the direction this album took, away from their rock roots and more toward adult-oriented pop. The song "You Speak My Language" is a remake of a song that was written by Mark Sandman, who formed the band "Morphine" in 1989. The song is on Morphine's 1992 CD titled "Good". Collective Soul did a remake of this song in memorial of Mark Sandman.
The title 'Blender' was chosen via a contest on their website inviting fans to submit title ideas. Blender was the winning title.
7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994–2001 (2001)
In 2001, Collective Soul released their greatest hits compilation, 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994-2001, which featured the new tracks "Next Homecoming" and "Energy". The record marked the end of the group's contract with Atlantic Records.
El Music Group (2004–2009)
After completing their contract with Atlantic Records, the band went on hiatus for 2 1/2 years (2002-2004), but still played several dozen shows. This also marked the departure of original lead guitarist Ross Childress. The band then promoted their longtime guitar-tech, Joel Kosche, to be the new lead guitarist. This marked the beginning of their independent label, El Music Group.
Youth (2004)
In November 2004, they released their long-awaited sixth studio album, Youth. It was re-recorded a couple of times over two years. The album debuted at #66 on the Billboard 200. "Counting the Days" became a Top 10 rock hit. The record was still along the lines of pop/rock, but was more balanced than Blender. The second single, "Better Now" received heavy airplay on Adult Top 40 radio and was used in commercials for the cereal Special K. The U.S. tour lasted nearly 2 years, including shows in Canada. The third single "How Do You Love" became a Top 20 hit on Adult Top 40 radio. The album sold over 225,000 copies in its first year of release, as a result of steady sales, which is considered a commercial success after a long hiatus.
From the Ground Up (2005)
In May 2005, they released an eight song acoustic EP compilation titled From the Ground Up, which had acoustic versions of past favorites, plus a new track, "Youth".
The original drummer Shane Evans left the band during this period. Session/studio drummer Ryan Hoyle has been the drummer during touring, and is credited with playing on eight of the 11 songs on "Youth". Later, Hoyle was officially named as the band's drummer on the Collective Soul website.
Home (2005)
Collective Soul performed two shows with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra on April 23 and 24, 2005. A DVD and CD of the performances, entitled Home: A Live Concert Recording With The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra was released in February 2006.
Afterwords (2007)
Collective Soul's seventh studio album, Afterwords was released on August 28, 2007. The album is co-produced by Anthony J. Resta, (Duran Duran, Shawn Mullins, Nuno Bettencourt, Satellite Party).
The band made a deal with Target stores, making it the "exclusive physical retailer" of Afterwords, for one year.[3] The album was immediately available in digital form on iTunes. The song "Hollywood" was released as the first single in May. The second single from the album, "All That I Know", was released in November.
Afterwords debuted at # 25 on the Billboard Comprehensive Albums Chart (as albums available only from a single retailer were ineligible for the Billboard 200 at the time) and # 5 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums Chart. The band made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 31 to promote the album and they performed "Hollywood". They were also the musical guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on March 4, 2008. "Hollywood" was also used as a theme on American Idol.
Roadrunner Records (2009-present)
Collective Soul (Rabbit) (2009)
Collective Soul released their eighth studio album, another self-titled, but designated by the band as Rabbit. It was released on August 25, 2009 by Roadrunner Records. The first single was "Staring Down" and the second single was "Welcome All Again". "Staring Down" peaked at #17 on the Mediabase Hot AC chart and also charted on Billboard's Adult Top 40. The album debuted at #24 on the Billboard Hot 200.
In September 2009, Collective Soul were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. In their induction speech, band leader Ed Roland thanked a long list of former members and collaborators who have been involved over the past 2 decades, including Ross Childress, Ryan Hoyle and Cheney Brannon. Ed invited founding member and longtime drummer Shane Evans to the stage to celebrate with the band.
Altre note sparse trovate qui e là...
I Collective Soul sono un prodotto di Stockbridge, nella Georgia, profondo Sud degli USA. Ed Roland e' l'autore delle loro canzoni: figlio di un predicatore battista, si e' laureato alla prestigiosa Berklee School Of Music di Boston. Non a caso i suoi testi sono zeppi di riferimenti religiosi e le sue musiche fanno un uso sofisticato del contrappunto. Il gruppo non finisce pero' con le sue canzoni. Il sound e' costruito da tre chitarre (Ross Childress e il ventunenne Dean Roland le altre due), secondo i piu' virili standard sudisti.
La storia del gruppo va annoverata fra le piu' tormentate della storia recente. Riassumo brevemente come me l'ha raccontata Dean Roland. Era da dodici anni che suonavano dal vivo quando decisero di sciogliersi. Il gruppo era passato attraverso diverse trasformazioni, finendo per assorbire Childress (nel 1991) e Dean Roland (nel 1992).
All'inizio del 1993 Ed Roland, convinto che la musica rimanesse il suo destino, decise di avviare un'attivita' di semplice scrittore di canzoni per altri musicisti. Ma Bill Richardson, ora loro manager, che si era costruito uno studio nella sua cantina, incoraggio' Roland a continuare a cantare e registrare. La cassetta del brano [Shane] li fece diventare una celebrita' locale in Georgia, grazie alla programmazione continuata da parte di una college-radio di Atlanta. Ed nel frattempo aveva messo su nastro una dozzina di canzoni, che stava facendo circolare fra i potenziali clienti. Richardson si offri' di pagare le spese per farne invece un CD dei Collective Soul. Ed rimise allora insieme il gruppo e quelle canzoni finirono nel novembre 1993 sull'album {Hints Allegations And Things Left Unsaid} (Rising Storm), stampato in mille copie dal suddetto Richardson. L'album fece furore anche in Florida e Richardson dovette presto ristamparlo. Vendette 16000 copie nel giro di tre mesi. La Atlantic, avvisata dai suoi talent scout, offri' un contratto al gruppo, che ancora non aveva ripreso a suonare dal vivo, e ristampo' il CD con un mastering piu' professionale. L'album ha gia' superato il milione di copie vendute nei soli USA e [Shine] e' stata per otto settimane in testa alle classifiche di Billboard.
Quando avete capito che stavate diventando delle star?
"Siamo delle star? Non ce ne siamo accorti! Secondo me essere delle star significa essere riconosciuti per strada dai ragazzini. Noi per adesso possiamo soltanto dire che un nostro singolo e' stato programmato da molte radio e il video e' diventato famoso grazie all'MTV. Ma temo che pochi ragazzi sappiano associare le nostre facce a quel singolo. Oggi siamo soltanto un "one-hit wonder", dobbiamo ancora lavorare duro prima di diventare davvero qualcuno. Ci rendiamo conto di godere di maggiore rispetto da parte dell'establishment musicale, questo si'. Fa indubbiamente piacere essere rispettati come musicisti, non essere soltanto considerati lo show della serata. Capita troppo spesso che un musicista debba rinunciare alla propria dignita' per continuare a fare il musicista. Quando hai un singolo in rotazione continua, cominciano tutti a prenderti sul serio. Se dici che preferisci suonare a Los Angeles invece che a New York, o che vorresti avere un violoncello invece del basso, ti stanno ad ascoltare. Non siamo ancora star, ma siamo diventati professionisti."
La virtu' di [Shine] (composta nel lontano 1987) e' molto semplice: una melodia orecchibaile, accordata al "re" basso del grunge e suonata con il vigore del boogie sudista. Il secondo singolo, [Breathe], tiene lo stesso accordo per tutta la canzone, ottenendo un effetto che e' al tempo stesso potente e sentimentale. La tradizione sudista si vede soprattutto nel calmo baccano delle chitarre sui brani piu' rock, da [Scream] a [Wasting Time], che potrebbe essere il brano migliore (riff di prima qualita', sonorita' bluesy, epos alla Soul Asylum). Ma indubbiamente il forte del quintetto sono le melodie intricate, e non stupisce che Ed citi anche Elton John fra le sue influenze: ascoltare [Reach] e [Goodnight Good Guy] (un commosso addio al nonno che sta morendo di leucemia). L'altra innegabile qualita' del disco sta nella sua varieta', che spazia dal country-rock di [Heaven's Already Here] alle armonie vocali in stile Beatles di [All], per finire nello strumentale [Pretty Donna].
Il loro e' un AOR di classe, come lo sono d'altronde Spin Doctors, Blind Melon, Black Crowes e Counting Crows e tanti altri dei nomi piu' in vista del momento.
Vi considerate un gruppo di AOR?
"Siamo un gruppo di rock and roll. Ognuno puo' aggiungerci cio' che vuole. Credo che sia diverso il modo in cui tu scrivi una canzone e il modo in cui viene ascoltata. Si passa da un fatto artistico a un fatto commerciale, su cui ovviamente l'artista non ha alcun controllo."
Comunque sia, con quel disco Ed Roland si mise in vista come uno dei principali scrittori di canzoni della sua generazione.
Come descriveresti il talento melodico di tuo fratello Ed?
"E' un fenomeno naturale. Da piccolo ascoltava molto Elton John. Passava giornate intere a suonare i suoi dischi. Ha una formazione classica, ma non sono sicuro quanto abbia influito. Gli ha certamente insegnato a comprendere la musica. Quando scriviamo o arrangiamo un brano viene fuori la sua dimestichezza con la teoria della musica."
E' lui a scrivere tutte le canzoni?
"Tutti i testi. Le musiche sono scritte un po' da tutti. E' vero che il piu' delle volte Ed arriva anche con un ritornello in testa, ma, per esempio, Ross e' il principale ideatore dei riff."
Nella colonna sonora del film dei Jerky Boys figura anche la loro [Gel], che e' gia' diventata un successo radiofonico. Adesso sta per uscire il nuovo album, senza titolo. Come mai?
"E' il primo album di questa line-up. E' il primo album fatto con questo nome da un gruppo. L'album precedente era una raccolta di canzoni di Ed, suonate piu' o meno casualmente da certe persone. Questa volta si tratta di un vero gruppo. Ed e' comunque davvero il primo album per la maggioranza delle persone che compongono i Collective Soul".
L'album contiene delizie melodiche in egual numero, ma e' sorprendentemente aperto da [Simple], un brano insolitamente rumoroso e fratturato che comprime funk, hip hop e heavymetal in una miscela armonica che piacera' ai fan dei Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"L'ordine dell'album e' basato su quello degli show dal vivo. Ci siamo abituati a cominciare con quella canzone, perche' vivacizza la serata, eccita il pubblico, rompe il ghiaccio. Per il resto abbiamo badato soprattutto a diversificare il piu' possibile il sound, e le canzoni sono disposte in maniera tale che non ce ne siano mai due simili una di seguito all'altra".
Si torna invece al loro marchio di fabbrica con [Smashing Your Man]: cadenza da shuffle leggero e ritornello soul degno di Stevie Wonder.
"L'abbiamo scritta in studio, usando un loop al computer. E' stata quasi improvvisata. Si', penso anch'io che sia il genere che ci viene piu' naturale".
Per non parlare di [The World I Know], un'elegia appassionata, con tanto di sezione d'archi, che fa pensare al vecchio Cat Stevens, o ai momenti di autentico pathos nel gospel sottovoce di [Reunion], straripante di nostalgia.
"Ed la scrisse mentre eravamo in tour in Europa. Siamo cresciuti in una famiglia molto unita e sentiamo facilmente la mancanza l'uno dell'altro. Anzi, tutta la band e' una grande famiglia. Quando eravamo in giro per l'Europa pensavamo spesso a casa, c'era sempre qualcosa che ci mancava. Questa canzone e' un po' rappresentativa di tutti quei momenti di nostalgia per la nostra vita quotidiana".
Ritornelli orecchiabili abbondano ovunque (citiamo ancora [Bleed]), ma non mancano saggi di buon southern-rock: [December] e' una ballad nella tradizione degli Allman Brothers, che sfuma in una marcetta folkrock, con le percussioni vagamente esotiche di Shane Evans in bella evidenza.
Quale considerate essere il vostro principale assett?
"Scriviamo buone canzoni, canzoni che rimangono nella mente della gente che le ascolta."
Le principali influenze, a parte Elton John?
"Ed direbbe: Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Jackson Browne. Lo so, lo so: veniamo dal Sud. Ma sfortunatamente nessuno di noi ascoltava i Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tutti e cinque siamo cresciuti ascoltando i Beatles"
I tuoi chitarristi preferiti?
"Andy Sumners dei Police e Malcom Young degli AC/DC. Non ho bisogno di aggiungere Keith Richards, vero?"
Dei complessi di oggi chi vi piace?
"Grant Lee Buffalo, Sugar e World Party."
Il nome del complesso a cosa si riferisce?
"Nel suo romanzo "Fountainhead" Ayn Rand parla dell'umanita' come di un'"anima collettiva"." "Non siamo stati a casa da due anni, sempre in giro a suonare, a registrare, a suonare, a registrare. La nostra casa e' stata un misto di autobus, motel e studio di registrazione."
1995, i
Collective soul, album
Collective soul, canzone
The world I know. Canzone tranquilla che mi garba parecchio.
