M2 - Collective Soul

It's been a bit since I last posted about music. I guess there's been so much going on in the world of rugby I have found myself distracted. But here it is...and rather than going with some new fresh squeeze of mine in the music world...I'm going to take you back to the early '90s and one of my first CD purchases (right along with Live: Throwing Copper). Collective Soul's Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid. Here was one of the singles and No. 1 hits off that album:

There were so many songs off that album that I loved...and maybe it was a mix of it being one of the first years where I started buying my own music and taking ownership of the "garbage" (that's what my mom called it atleast) that I listened to. Obviously I didn't see it as garbage...all of what I listened to are still considered classics - not like any of the new bands now that fade in and out of existence within a couple years. Bands from the 70's-90's have stuck around. And there's good reason for it too. Collective Soul put out 12 albums that were either EPs or full length LPs. The majority of the albums that were produced off of the Atlantis recording label really didn't do too well. And they were still even touring to minor stadiums (WHL arenas) even last year - they came to Red Deer in June. I worked security for it...I got a distinct impression of someone flogging a dead horse. Sometimes - "retirement" isn't such a bad thing...not when you have songs out there that will be around for decades to come. There are worse legacies to have. Here are some of their notable songs: Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid (1994): Shine, Wasting Time, Breathe Collective Soul (self-titled, 1995): December, Where the River Flows, The World I know, Gel, Smashing Young Man Disciplined Breakdown (1997): Precious Declaration, Listen Dosage (1999): Heavy, Run, Needs, Tremble for my Beloved Blender (2000): Why? Pt.2, Vent, Perfect Day

I think in the "Alternative" style of music that was becoming popular back then, Collective Soul was right in the middle of that pack. Their lyrics were welcoming enough that parents didn't group them with the worst of 'rock' bands and that made them okay. Kind of like a PG-rated rock band. I just found their guitar sound fun and singable. It was catchy and light - and maybe that`s what made it good. As they produced more albums - the guitar sound got a bit heavier...between Disciplined Breakdown and Dosage but then they lightened up again for Blender. I think they were trying to find the edge again as Punk and Industrial music started gaining momentum in the early 2000`s. I also wonder if it`s just me or if on Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid that there weren`t Christian undertones in the lyrics. Maybe somebody can clear that up for me...

Regardless of their demise (and I really hope they`ve given up on coming back...when I hear their music - I`m taken back to a time when the clothing styles were actually very much the same as now and new sounds were being created in the music world. Where there were paths yet untaken and music genres to be claimed. When you didn`t have 15 bands that sounded like Creed...you just had Creed. And when you turned on the radio - you could identify who was singing what because everybody was creative and they owned their sound. Those were the good ol`days.