Collective Soul Tickets

About Collective Soul

Formed in Stockbridge, Georgia, USA, Collective Soul have earned their reputation with strong, hook-laden pop rock songs, the best example of which is "Shine', which topped Billboard’s Rock Album Tracks poll in May 1994. The band's history up to then, however, had been a tortuous one spanning more than a decade. Ed Roland (b. 3 August 1963; vocals/guitar) grew up in a strict family, with access to music and radio denied by his parents. Despite this, he left Stockbridge to study guitar at Boston's Berklee College Of Music. When he ran out of money he returned to Stockbridge to work in a 24-track recording studio, where he taught himself production technique and formed the band Collective Soul. (The only surviving member of that version of the band is the drummer Shane Evans.) After years of rejection from major labels, Roland disbanded the band in 1992.

A year later he was contacted after radio stations expressed interest in "Shine". This led to a contract with Atlantic Records and together with his brother Dean Roland (guitars), Ross Childress (lead guitar), Will Turpin (bass) and Evans, Collective Soul were re-formed. Although the follow-up single "Breathe" failed to replicate the success of "Shine", the band's debut album (now on Atlantic) was repackaged to become a million-seller by the year's end. The quintet began 1995 with "Gel", the first single from their second album. With strong rotation play from MTV, it was also featured on the soundtrack of the cult Jerky Boys movie. In March 1995, they embarked on a major tour supporting Van Halen. Since then their fan base has not grown and their recent recordings, although commercially successful, have been somewhat disappointing.