the Collective Soul fan listing

The Band
Collective Soul's beginnings are found in the ending of Ed Rolands first band. Ed and his brother, Dean, were raised in a Christian home and grew up in Stockbridge, Georgia. After high school Ed went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. His first band, disbanded after 12 years of frustration, and Ed began focusing on songwriting. He later started the band, Collective Soul, a name taken from the Ayn Rand novel The Fountainhead, with his brother, Dean. In 1994, they released their first album through Atlantic, "Hints, Allegations, And things Left Unsaid." Ed was still working at the local Reel To Reel recording studio; Dean and bassist Will Turpin were taking classes at Georgia State University; guitarist Ross Childress was pulling shifts at the RevCo pharmacy; and Shane was winding out his unemployment since the lay-offs at nearby Fort Gilliam ended his maintenance job.

Then their first single, "Shine" took off and Collective Soul started what was to become a long legacy of hits even as the group itself became one of the most popular, under the radar bands around. "Shine," earned RIAA gold and was named Billboard's #1 Hot Album Rock Track of 1994, while winning the Billboard Music Award for "Album Rock Song of the Year." "We're grateful for what 'HINTS...' did," says Ed of what was essentially his songwriting demo. "We were very shocked. I'd been hoping to sell just enough to be able to make a real Collective Soul album."

Following "Hints . . . ," two hits ("shine" and "Breathe"), and an unanticipated year in the spotlight, the group polished off their first fully realized band effort, the 1995 release, "Collective Soul." The album had a 76-week run on the Billboard 200 and continued the major run of hits that began with "Hints . . . ." and the band embarked on an eight-week, sold-out opening stint on Van Halen's U.S. arena tour, followed quickly by their own headlining tour. They also were given the opportunity to contribute the track "Jealous Guy" to "Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon."

And the new album produced hits just like "Hints . . . " had before it. "December" set a rock radio record with nine weeks at #1, was named Billboard's #1 Hot Album Rock Track of 1995, and won the Billboard Music Award for "Album Rock Song of the Year" - making Collective Soul the only band to earn the award two years in a row. The album went triple platinum and produced four radio #1 rock hits:"The World I Know", "December", "Gel", and "Where The River Flows."

But the popularity also prompted some new struggles for the band. In mid-1995, a lawsuit was launched that ended up dragging on for the better part of 18 months. Neither party, Collective Soul and their now ex-manager, Bill Richardson, received any money and the band returned homea Stockbridge, Ga., living out of their parents' basements. they spent the time working on their third Atlantic album, "Disciplined Breakdown" (1997). Like its predecessors, the new album received airplay and spun the hits "Precious Declaration," "Listen," "Forgiveness," and "Blame" - both of the first two singles becoming #1 hits. That same year, they recorded an old song of theirs, "She Said," for the soundtrack of the movie "Scream 2". "Disciplined Breakdown" finally earned platinum status after 4 years.

1999 saw the release of their fourth album, "Dosage" and still more hits, including "Run" and "Heavy." "Heavy," the first release from the album, broke a long Metallica record for the most radio plays in one week and spent a record breaking 14 weeks at #1 on the rock charts, becoming Collective Soul's eighth #1 song and giving them more #1's than any other rock band in the 90's. "Dosage" was certified platinum the following year.

In 2000, "Blender" was released, named through a contest on the radio station, 99X, in Atlanta, Georgia. In October of 2000, the first single "Why Pt.2" was already getting airplay, and the album went gold a few months later. The album also featured musician Elton John on "Perfect Day."

In August of 2001, lead guitarist, Ross Childress left the band and Joel Kosche of the Atlanta band "Steep" replaced him to finish the tour. In September 2001, they followed up "Blender" with "7 Year Itch" - a greatest hits album that features 11 of their 19 different singles that reached the Billboard charts during their first 7 year span. With their obligation to Atlantic Records completed, they asked to be released from their contract and finally took a well deserved break.

Turns out rest wasn't on the menu for the band and they went through personal and professional rough times. Both Dean and Ed ended up going through divorces, the band experienced a creative block in the studio, there was a temporary dissolution of the band, and they formed El Music Group as a platform to produce their music. Through it all, they stayed the course and kept it together. In 2004, they released their first new album in four years and their first album for El, "Youth," which has already spun out its first hit, "Counting the Days."