Collective Soul, where do I begin? I guess I should start off by summing up the whole reason for doing this blog. Which by the way is my first blog ever. I joined this site just to post this blog. It is the same reason I joined Twitter last week to follow this band. It is the same reason I check their website everyday for news and new updates. (I'm not kidding EVERYDAY). Its the same reason I have all their sites bookmarked, and put on my toolbar for quick access. It is the same reason I have every album and DVD that they have put out. (Including the Music In High Places DVD which has some awesome acoustic performances on it) And it's the same reason whenever music is brought up in conversation I make sure I tell people who makes my most played list on my Ipod. I guess you are wondering what this reason is, even though I hope its obvious. I LOVE this band!
Corny as it may sound I feel like these guys are like family. Even though I have never met them. ( I did get a hand shake in passing from Ed at a show in Augusta, Ga if that counts) I have been listening to these guys since their first single dropped on 96.3 RXR here in Augusta.(which is no longer on air) I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in the 2nd grade and sitting in a movie gallery parking lot waiting for my dad to come back with hopefully some kid friendly movies. The D.J. comes on and says something like "This is a new song getting tons of request on the rock lines. Here is Collective Soul with SHINE". I remember the beginning riff coming across the airwaves and thinking this is gonna be awesome. Some of the lyrics really hit home with me, because I grew up in church and am a Christian. So though at the time I was too young to understand most lyrics but, "heaven let your light shine down" made plenty of sense to me. i was so excited to tell my dad when he got back in the car. That there was this ROCKING song on the radio and it was about heaven. ( Or at least it was to a 7 year old boy) From then on I was hooked. I asked my grandparents to buy me the tape. (I called them tapes not cassettes LOL) Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid, I had no idea what that meant. However, I loved every minute of that album. I remember listening to the song Breathe and waiting for the part so I could yell "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah". I remember just head banging as hard as I could to the bridge in Love Lifted Me. It makes me smile to think about it.
Then about a year or so later another song hit the radio. I'm pretty sure it came out in the summer because the first time I heard it was on a summer vacation. I was camping at the lake with my parents and I walked down to the community volleyball pit. I wanted to watch the big kids play (high schoolers) Mainly because there were cute girls in bikinis, but also because they would pull their cars around the pit and blast rock music. This song came on the radio and boy was it catchy. Once again I didn't really understand most of the song at the time, but something about "Uh Huh Uh Huh Uh Huh!" was all I needed. I was so afraid the "big kids" would see me, I hid behind a tree so I could dance in privacy. And once again the D.J. comes on and says something like " That's one we have been getting tons of request for. That was Collective Soul with GEL" HEY I KNOW THEM! So I hit up the grandparents again for their second album which was self titled, so i knew what that meant. Oh man I could go on and on about this album as well. Of course you have the classics; Gel, December, Where the River Flows, The World I Know. Then you have what I call the "hidden treasures" ; She Gathers Rain, Collection of Goods, Bleed.
I could go on forever talking about every album and every song and how it affected me growing up. I could tell you how the song "Run"( which is my favorite song of all time) got me through some tough times as a teenager. I could tell you about how growing up with this band and understanding more of their music and lyrics has made love them even more. Or I could even tell you about how 2 years ago my wife walked down the aisle to Pretty Donna,( an instrumental song off their first album) and how we lit our unity candle to Adored. ( a song off their latest album) I have only had the privilege to see them in concert twice. Once in Hilton Head at a place called Monkey Business. The Second was at The First Tee here in Augusta, Ga. Those were the best shows I have ever been to. They have a new tour coming up and a new album dropping August 25th. My wife is pregnant with my first child. He is due July 9th! So I hope that gives me enough time to make it to the Myrtle Beach show July 13th.
As I said before I could go on page after page telling you all the memories I have with this band. And Lord willing the first song song my son hears is going to be from Collective Soul. I hope you can look back relive some of the memories you might have shared with them as well. So now you know why I say they are like family.
