In this article by Sean O’Keefe originally published in Perimeter North Lifestyle Magazine, we take a look at Ed Rolland’s career with Collective Soul, his current Living Room Project and where he finds inspiration.
Everyone has a soundtrack for their life and Collective Soul front man, Ed Rolland has certainly contributed to many personal playlists heard throughout our world every day! With iconic songs like December, Heavy, Shine, and The World I know; platinum record selling Collective Soul with their alternative rock vibe and their guitar forward music, has been a constant in our lives for over the last quarter of a century! The songs are inspiring anthems for our life; Ed Rolland, the man behind the music, is a simple man who is steeped in family tradition, with a mind to the future, and a love for his home town of Sandy Springs.
The Living Room project.
Throughout history, the events of our lives have always had great impact on our work and how we relate to each other in the moment. It’s no surprise that Ed Rolland’s song writing and his music are very reflective of and inspired by the events of our world today. The Living Room, Ed’s current project; is a poetic response to the corona virus crisis, full of happiness and a belief in the fantastic that challenges us be hopeful. It was not surprising to learn that after being quarantined for a week in Florida, Ed, along with Jessie Triplett, a fellow member of Collective Soul, Shawn Grove, and Cheney Brannon started making music together.
“We looked at each other and I said why don’t we start a band. I mean we are stuck here,” said Rolland. And of the music, “if you read the lyrics, it’s kind of like what is happening in today’s times. It is of how I write sometimes.” The music from The Living Room serves as inspiration to us all. “It is very easy to get lost in the noise, it really is,” said Rolland, “I know that we will overcome this. We just have to do it correctly, respectively, and timely.”
Inspiration
Ed Rolland’s music has been influenced by many recording artists over the years and The Living Room was heavily influenced by Ric Ocasek and The Cars. Ed Rolland goes on to explain “my most favorite artist of all times, and everybody knows, is Elton John. He is the god father of song writing to me, he and Bernie Taupin.” Other influencers such as Jeff Lynne, ELO, and Michael Ronson, David Bowie’s guitar player, have also shown up from time to time in the music. “I think the next Collective Soul record that we are going to work on, I am going to try an incorporate a little more piano, a little more Elton style piano,” said Rolland. It is fair to say that from the beginning with Collective Soul, through The Sweet Tea Project and now with The Living Room that there is certainly much more incredible music that will be headed our way.
Ed Rolland has certainly been busy during this shelter at home state that we are all living under and he has been using his time to the fullest. From recording The Living Room, to revisiting classic albums, to an impromptu concert from this front lawn in Sandy Springs; Ed Rolland never seems to stop musically. He certainly has not let this global pandemic slow him down. Even in these difficult times Ed Rolland’s work and musical influences are literally everywhere. For Ed Rolland, even an old classic album can become new inspiration. “You know that it’s funny I went to Paul Simon, so crazy after all of these years. I actually called Johnny, our drummer, and I was like I got a couple of songs for the next Collective Soul record; can we get a little more percussion?”
The Music
Ed freely admits that he loves to experiment musically but that “you have to pay attention to your audience and what they want.” He said that “The Living Room could never have been released as a Collective Soul record because people would be disappointed. People want to hear what they believe Collective Soul is, and the audience deserves that because they have been around for twenty-seven years.” Having such incredible insight into their audience has been key to the amazing successes of Collective Soul. “You know,” said Rolland, “I think that if you want to expand in certain things that you need to rename it or rebrand it.” His dedication to the loyal Collective Soul audiences and the band’s unique recipe for success, has allowed Ed the opportunity to embark on other experimental projects. Like The Living Room or his earlier independent musical adventure, The Sweet Tea Project, Ed Rolland is always up for reinventing himself through his music. Different than Collective Soul, The Sweet Tea Project is a more American sounding band that includes a banjo and trumpet. These projects have basically allowed Ed Rolland and his friends to explore and perform different music.
One of the greatest keys to success is to love what you do and the old adage, “if you love what you do, you never work,” is an insight into the seemingly unstoppable success of Collective Soul and Ed Rolland. “This is going to sound weird,” stated Rolland, “but, we love each other.” “To be in a rock bank and to literally talk to each other every day, it is like being married four times over. Every night, before we go on, we are high-fiving each other, and it is just the joy, it is just that moment, to be with those guys, and to know that people will appreciate what we do.” One thing that that is most certain is that Ed Rolland knows his audience. “God bless the audience,” said Rolland, “we just walk out there, and I mean we are just as happy as can be, we are like school kids; it’s like we won the lottery.”
Being at Home
The life of a rock star can be as demanding as it is exhausting. For Ed Rolland, when it’s time to check out and relax, there is truly no place like home. “When I come home from traveling I really do not want to go that far from home. I have everything I need within three miles of my house. After renting in Sandy Springs for a year Ed and his wife Michaeline found their current house and began the process of personalizing their new home. You know (living in Sandy Springs) puts me at ease and I can actually enjoy my home.” Home and family are incredibly important; “a lot of our dear friends all live here and we are all neighbors,” said Rolland about his home, “and, my wife Michaeline created this for me, it is amazing.” “I just can’t say anything negative about Sandy Springs except maybe to get some more parking!”
New Traditions
“My wife called me a creature of habit,” said Rolland, and I have found my spots! When I am home very rarely will I venture outside of Sandy Springs. Just going to Chastain Park is fun for us and the one thing we love to do is to go to the farmer’s market as a family; it’s so much fun.” Ed Rolland has also certainly found his favorite restaurants in Sandy Springs as well. It is pretty obvious where Ed will be; “If I want my pie, I go to Hearths Pizza Tavern; I love Breadwinner; there is Brooklyn Café; and then there is Clay’s Sports Café for wings,” said Rolland. But, if there is something to celebrate, Kaiser’s Chophouse is at top of Ed Rolland’s list and there is some ceremony surrounding going out to dinner. Kaiser’s Chophouse on Roswell Road in Sandy Spring is not only a delicious a classic American Chophouse but a backdrop for Ed Rolland as he spends family time with his two sons. “When I am home I take my boys to Kaiser’s. We dress up in suits and we get to pretend like we are Al Capone and eat the big steaks and just have boy-time.”
With such a hectic travel schedule when Ed Rolland gets home you can just imagine how exhausted he must be but, he still has time for music. What’s on Ed’s playlist? Well, Ed Rolland is listening to two terrific Atlanta bands these days. “Chris Allen Yates from Sweet Tea Project is in a band called Grit and Grace and I really love him and then there is Like Machines which is like unadulterated rock,” said Rolland, “I am kinda big into those two.” And when he is not listening to music Ed and his family can also be found catching up on some episodes of WACO and PSYCH or maybe watching a favorite movie or out enjoying a bike ride.
Sandy Springs truly has everything that Ed Rolland needs, “why would I go anywhere else?”
