Ed Roland is the lead singer of the Collective Soul, the hard-rocking band from Atlanta, GA that’s gone on to become multi-platinum hit-makers playing all over the world. Collective Soul gained a special place in the hearts of music lovers when they burst onto the scene in 1993 with the rock anthem "Shine." It’s hard to imagine that the band has been making music for nearly two decades since then. Hard, that is, until you turn on the radio and find yourself singing along to "Staring Down," the new radio smash from the band’s upcoming album Collective Soul.
2009 finds the band releasing their eighth studio album on a new label, Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records. The album opens with "Welcome All Again," a rousing number about life in the studio (Roland’s lake house), and is a sure bet to be the concert opener on the new tour. "The lake house was extremely important to us," says Ed, "It enclosed us so we had to get up in the morning and work all day. It’s a home, so it gave us freedom with time and schedules. Everyone can wake up, have their coffee, do their morning routine …then when the vibe starts you let it go until the vibe ends. I truly believe the lake house helped bring Collective Soul together, better than ever."
