In the mid/late 90s, the only thing keeping Live from being the biggest alt-rock radio crossover band in the land was Collective Soul. Both bands put out a string of good albums during that era and had their share of hits. After the turn of the century, though, that flavor of rock fell out of favor, and consequently so did Live.
You’ll remember hits like “I Alone” and “Lightning Crashes” from when Live was at their peak in 1994. For my money, their fifth album “V” in 2001 is still a solid rocker with a number of songs that 15 years later retain their ability to get me amped up. (Most recently while mowing the lawn, so #YMMV.) The music that followed… meh.
So if your response to the news that Live is reuniting with lead singer Ed Kowalczyk is “I didn’t know they broke up,” it’s understandable. Neither the band nor the Ed’s solo work has caused as much as a blip on the radar in a pretty long time. But in honor of the 25th anniversary of their debut album “Mental Jewelry,” Live is indeed returning to their original lineup to release new music in 2017. Check out the band’s official website for the announcement and Q&A.
There’s nothing new to hear yet, but in the meantime, check out one of Live’s minor hits (it really only charted on modern rock radio) from 2001’s “V.” Maybe it will get you amped up to… shovel snow?
