Collective Soul- Ed Roland

The success of million-seller Collective Soul Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid thirty years ago,  a no-name shot in the dark literally from the basement of Stockbridge Georgia songwriter and preacher’s son Ed Roland’s parents’ house, was in no way a” lock” in 1994. True, it  wasn’t the first time that a song demo such as “Shine”, recorded at home by an aspiring songwriter, only to escape and then find itself in search of a band (think Tom Scholz and Boston twenty years earlier).

But after selling over a million copies of the album Hints, Allegations,& Things Left Unsaid  primarily on the phenomenon of “Shine” alone, the second album in March 1995 simply under the name Collective Soul,  and containing “Where the River Flows”, “Gel”, “December(Spit Me Out)”, and the gorgeous “The World I Know”, is one of the strongest sets of melodies and tasteful arrangements to come from the era. Ed Roland is my guest in this classic rock interview. Definitely recommended. –Redbeard

( The rare original “Vitamin P”-colored CD case below)