Will Turpin of Collective Soul and Will Turpin and the Way
The Atlanta Motor Speedway
Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities has selected musician Will Turpin, a
co-founding member of the rock group Collective Soul and front man for Will
Turpin and The Way, as an executive board member and celebrity spokesman for
the organization.
“Will Turpin has been a long-time supporter and friend to
Atlanta Motor Speedway and by becoming involved with Speedway Children’s
Charities it is just another way that Will can help us make a difference in the
lives of children in Georgia who are in need, at risk or require medical
programs,” said Ginger Moats, director of the Atlanta Chapter of Speedway
Children’s Charities.
Turpin will serve a three-year tenure in an effort to not
only raise the profile of the charity but also help to improve the lives of
local children.The multi-platinum
artist said his alliance with Speedway Children’s Charities was an easy choice,
and a decision he doesn’t take lightly.
“When Speedway Children’s Charities asked me to consider
taking a position on its Atlanta chapter executive board, I was a bit taken
aback because I had always thought of myself as someone who could help from the
sidelines,” Turpin said. “Then I really thought about it and made a conscious
decision that I don’t want to sit on the sidelines. I want to roll up my
sleeves and step up my involvement and help our community in a positive way.”
Turpin will help the chapter’s fundraising and marketing
efforts and will participate in the Aug. 29, 2013, Reed Sorenson Charity Golf
Tournament. For more information on Speedway Children’s Charities, call (770)
946-3960 or visit www.SpeedwayCharities.org. For more information on Atlanta
Motor Speedway, contact the ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or visit
www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com
"Unfiltered Live" will feature Michael Tolcher & The Pros and Musical Director Will Turpin
Michael Tolcher and the Pros
will headline a popular concert series and is bringing with him an all-star
cast of local and national talent to pay tribute to the Peach State’s rich
musical heritage.
Park Tavern at Piedmont Park has tapped Tolcher to headline
the “Unfiltered Live” series, a six-week concert series that starts every
Thursday from March 21 to April 25, from 8 to 11 p.m. The park is located at
500 Tenth St. in the heart of Atlanta.
“I’m rolling it out big because Atlanta is my hometown and I
want to bring everyone together and celebrate with music,” said Tolcher, a
pop/blues/urban groove artist who has toured with Maroon 5, Dave Matthews,
Collective Soul and Blues Traveler. “Part of the theme is spontaneous
surprises, and that won’t be limited to just music.”
No surprise to anyone is Tolcher’s musical director for the
six-week residency – Collective Soul member and multi-platinum artist Will
Turpin.
“This concert series is
something that live music lovers will want to attend,” said Turpin, who
produced Tolcher’s 2006 album Certified
Organic. Georgia
musicians and music will certainly be featured each
week and impromptu moments mixed in with guest performers will
make each Thursday night its own unique experience.”
Some of the Atlanta-area musicians, all
of who are national recording and touring artists, include Jeff Mosier,
Joe Gransden and Yonrico Scott.
“We’ll play some of their music as well as material from every
great Georgia artist including Little Richard, James Brown, Ray Charles, The
Allman Brothers, R.E.M. and of course, Collective Soul,” Tolcher said. “I want
there to be a sense of pride about the music that comes from our state and the
only way to do that is to play it.”
Park Tavern is located
in the heart of Midtown on the corner of 10th Street and Monroe overlooking
Piedmont Park and the Midtown skyline. Park Tavern combines the historic charm
of the site with the modern sophistication of Atlanta’s impressive skyline.
Will Turpin and the Way will host its first Stageit performance on Feb. 7
Multi-platinum artist Will Turpin is about to give his fans an intimate and
interactive concert performance where listeners can attend without having to
leave the confines of their homes.
Turpin is the latest rocker to utilize Stageit, an online concert venue
where performers can create a live broadcast while interacting with fans during
the show. Best of all, everyone who buys a ticket will get a free mp3 of the
song performances after the show.
The live show starts 9 p.m. EST
and will be broadcast from the historic Real 2 Reel Studios in Jonesboro,
Georgia. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at www.Stageit.com/WillTurpin.
“I’m looking forward to my
first ‘live on the web’ performance,” states Turpin.“I’m always trying to embrace the options
that technology brings, and Stageit has a style that makes the experience feel
more like a live show.”
Turpin will perform the
complete song list from The Lighthouse,
his 2011 piano-driven power pop statement as well as a “few surprises.”The broadcast is a great opportunity to
connect directly with his fans while showcasing his new band, Will Turpin and
The Way.In addition to Turpin
(keyboards and vocals) the quartet's lineup includes Jason Fowler (lead guitar
and vocals), Mark Wilson (bass and vocals) and Scott Davidson (drums).
The band is currently putting
the final touches on their first full-length CD, Serengeti Drivers, also recorded at Real 2 Reel Studios. Once Serengeti Drivers is released in spring
2013, Will Turpin and The Way will embark on a tour with dates to be announced
later this year.
With his other band, Collective
Soul, Turpin is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and has sold more
than 10 million albums worldwide.Collective Soul has attained seven No. 1 songs and 19 Top 40 singles,
making them one of the most successful bands of the 1990s.
Collective Soul’s
former drummer Shane Evans is “Better Now”
Shane Evans, the former drummer of Collective Soul and a member of the
Georgia Music Hall of Fame, will play a mini-concert and discuss with Phoenix-area
teens about the consequences of lifestyle choices, fame and his descent and
eventual recovery from drug addiction.
Evans, 42, will play a
handful of songs from Collective Soul and then address a group of youth at 7
p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 at The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32nd
St, Phoenix. The event is sponsored by Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation, a
Phoenix-based non-profit organization that allows teens to build confidence and
discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression and creativity.
Evans’ speech, “Rock,
Recovery and Redemption” will touch upon the meteoric rise of Collective Soul,
his departure from the group, his substance abuse problem and the long road to
recovery.
“I've been clean and sober
for three years and I'm finally at a point where I can discuss my triumphs and
tragedies in public,” Evans said. “So if I am to tell my story, I want to tell
it to someone who will listen and learn from my mistakes.”
Almost two decades ago,
Evans was riding high as the drummer for Collective Soul. The Stockbridge-based
quintet shot to international fame with their 1994 release “Hints, Allegations
and Things Left Unsaid”, and their mega-hit, “Shine.” In the span of seven
years, they tallied a total seven #1 radio hits, 19 Top 40 singles, and sold
more than 10 million albums and CDs worldwide. Evans says with fame came the spoils
of success and lifestyle choices that almost killed him.
“It's nothing short of a
miracle that I'm still alive. Drugs robbed me of almost everything including my
family, friends, my home, and my dignity,” Evans said. “Through sobriety I've
gained all of those things back and more. My life today is blessed and I want
to share my experiences to help others.”
Evans said he was
dismissed from the group in 2005 because of his excessive drug use. His
mother's demise from complications of diabetes, the accidental death of a
girlfriend and a pair of DUI arrests pushed him further into despair. Evans
said he hit rock bottom while living on the run from police at a run-down motel
in Atlanta, Ga. He says he was two days away from being homeless when he
finally made the decision to get clean and sober in August 2009. Weeks after
Evans’ sobriety anniversary, Collective Soul was inducted into the Georgia
Music Hall of Fame.
“I still love all of the
guys in Collective Soul because they are my brothers and we shared a lot of
wonderful and life-changing experiences,” Evans said. “Me getting kicked out of
the group was entirely my fault because of my addiction. It’s something I’ve
finally come to terms with and must own up to in order to remain sober.”
After completing a
yearlong recovery program at Waypoint Center in Dahlonega, Ga., Evans became a
substance abuse counselor, helping others to overcome their addictions.
###
Solid
Rock was founded in 1995 by long-time Arizona residents and devoted fathers
Alice Cooper and Chuck Savale who envisioned a faith-based organization
dedicated to make an everlasting difference in the lives of kids and teens in
the community. Originally, Solid Rock existed to raise money for other
organizations with like-minded missions, however, the dream went well beyond
its original fundraising foundation. With the opening of The Rock Teen Center
at 32nd Street in the Spring 2012, the dream has finally become a reality.
If you go:
What:
“Rock, Redemption and Recovery” by Shane Evans
When:
7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
Where:
The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32nd St., Phoenix
Rock
By The Sea, an
organization that raises money for worthwhile causes through music,
will present the star-studded holiday benefit concert at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, at The 567 Center For Renewal, 533 Cherry
St., in Macon.
A
portion of the proceeds ($10 a ticket) will benefit the Pediatric
Brain Tumor Program at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital in
Orlando, Fla.
Travis Denning,
an emerging country/rock singer/songwriter from Macon, contributed
the original song “Ballad Of Rudolph” to the October release of A
Rock By The Sea Christmas: Volume Three,
a charity CD series of Christmas classics and original tunes. The
song has already garnered interest from Country
Weekly, who noted the
track as a “wry highlight” and from CDX,
the world's most comprehensive delivery system of country music,
who included “Ballad Of Rudolph” on their holiday country music
sampler delivered to more than 2,000 country radio stations around
the world.
"My
grandmother struggled through cancer for 7 years, so I know firsthand
the effects of cancer on someone,” Denning said. “Any chance I
can take to raise money and support fighting cancer, I take it. And
there's going to be some great music being played, so what's not to
love?"
Adams,
originally from Mansfield, Ga., grew up rockin’ with artist like
Merle Haggard, Travis Tritt, Mark Chesnutt and Garth Brooks. “It’s
a great honor for me to be a part of the concert to raise money and
awareness for the Pediatric
Brain Tumor Program,” said Adams. “I
want to invite all my friends and fans in the Mid. Georgia area to
come out to The 567 to enjoy an evening of great music, and to lend
your support in the fight against cancer.”
The
bill also includes Marty
Evans and Lauren
St. Jane and the Dead Westerns.
All of the artists are available for interviews and appearances to
promote the show.
Rock
By The Sea is
dedicated to planning and producing music festivals, events and
products that raise money to financially assist deserving cancer
charities that provide direct services to those in need. For more
information visit www.RockByTheSea.org.
Tickets
for the concert are on sale now at
http://ticketalternative.com/Events/21174.aspx.
Shane Evans breaks silence to discuss highs and lows with students
Shane
Evans, the former drummer of Collective Soul and a member of the Georgia Music
Hall of Fame, is breaking a seven-year silence to warn teens about fame, the
consequences of lifestyle choices, and his descent and eventual recovery from
drug addiction.
Evans,
42, will address a group of students from Lumpkin County Middle School in
Dahlonega on Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. Evans’ speech titled, “Rock, Recovery and
Redemption” will touch upon the meteoric rise of Collective Soul, his departure
from the group, his substance abuse problem and the long road to recovery.
“I've
been clean and sober for three years and I'm finally at a point where I can
discuss my triumphs and tragedies in public,” Evans said. “So if I am to tell
my story, I want to tell it to someone who will listen and learn from my
mistakes. I want this to really count.”
Almost
two decades ago, Evans was riding high as the drummer for Collective Soul. The
Stockbridge-based quintet shot to international fame with their 1994 release
“Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid”, and their mega-hit, “Shine.” In
the span of seven years, they tallied a total seven #1 radio hits, 19 Top 40
singles, and sold more than 10 million albums and CDs worldwide. Evans says
with fame came the spoils of success and lifestyle choices that almost killed
him.
“It's
nothing short of a miracle that I'm still alive. Drugs robbed me of almost
everything including my family, friends, my home, and my dignity,” Evans said.
“Through sobriety I've gained all of those things back and more. My life today
is blessed and I want to share my experiences to help others.”
Evans
said he was dismissed from the group in 2005 because of his excessive drug use.
His mother's demise from complications of diabetes, the accidental death of a
girlfriend and a pair of DUI arrests pushed him further into despair. Evans
said he hit rock bottom while living on the run from police at a run-down motel
in Loganville. He says he was two days away from being homeless when he finally
made the decision to get clean and sober in August 2009. Weeks after his
decision to get sober, Collective Soul was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall
of Fame and Evans was on hand to celebrate the honor.
“I still
love all of the guys in Collective Soul because they are my brothers and we
shared a lot of wonderful and life-changing experiences,” Evans said. “Me
getting kicked out of the group was entirely my fault because of my addiction.
It’s something I’ve finally come to terms with and must own up to in order to
remain sober.”
After
completing a yearlong recovery program at Waypoint Center in Dahlonega, Evans
became a substance abuse counselor, helping others to overcome their
addictions. This year he celebrated three years of sobriety and plays drums in
the music choir at The Source Worship Center Church in Canton, Ga.
In
January 2013 Evans will be the musical headline at the 22nd annual
Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction hosted by MidAmerica Auctions, and will be
featured in Ken Mansfield’s “Rock and a Heart Place”, a book chronicling the
spiritual journeys of 20 famous musicians from the rock era.
Will Turpin and The Way to headline Steve’s Live Music on
November 2
Georgia music legend and
veteran rocker Will Turpin will showcase his new band, play songs from an
upcoming CD release and make his debut appearance at an intimate Sandy Springs
listening room next month.
Steve’s Live Music will present Will Turpin and The Way at 8
p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. The
recently opened music room is located at 234 Hilderbrand Drive in Sandy
Springs, Ga. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and available
online at www.StevesLiveMusic.com.
“I visited the club in September to hear Ed Roland’s Sweet
Tea Project and had a great time,” Turpin said. “The venue is built for real
music lovers and I felt it was perfect for us.”
Owner Steve Grossman opened Steve’s Live Music in June 2012
and offers an intimate listening room (120 seats), which features local and
national songwriters and musicians performing traditional music, including
Irish Folk, bluegrass, Dixieland jazz, polka and blues.
Turpin, who has been the bassist for the multi-platinum
group Collective Soul for the past 18 years, says his new band plays a diverse
selection of rock and pop.
“We have a different sound and identity from Collective
Soul,” Turpin said. “You’ll hear elements of a lot of
musical influences in our repertoire. Some Beatle-esque songs, some rockin’
songs and some real laid back stuff.”
In addition to Turpin (keyboards and vocals) the band lineup
includes Jason Fowler (lead guitar and vocals), Mark Wilson (bass and vocals)
and Scott Davidson (drums).For this
intimate listening room setting Turpin has recruited his friend, Calvin Kelley,
to play percussion in lieu of Davidson’s hard-pounding drums.
The band is currently recording their first full-length CD, Serengeti Drivers, at Real 2 ReelStudios in Jonesboro, Ga. Once Serengeti
Drivers is released in spring 2013, Will Turpin and The Way will embark on
a tour with dates to be announced next year.
With his band, Collective Soul, Turpin is a member of the
Georgia Music Hall of Fame and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide.
Collective Soul has attained seven No. 1 songs and 19 Top 40 singles, making
them one of the most successful bands of the 1990s.
If you go:
What: Will Turpin and The Way
When: 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2, 2012
Where: Steve’s Live Music, 234 Hilderbrand
Drive, Sandy Springs, Ga.
Hot on the heels of a national
tour with Collective Soul and a year after his debut solo EP, musician Will Turpin is headed into the studio
with a new band for his first full-length CD, Serengeti Drivers.
Beginning Oct. 8, Will
Turpin and The Way will enter Real 2 Reel Studios in Jonesboro, Ga., to
craft their first studio effort. Co-produced by Turpin and Jonathan Beckner,
the work will include almost a dozen new tunes.
“You’ll hear elements of a lot of different musical
influences,” Turpin said. “Some Beatle-esque songs, some rockin’ numbers, and
some real laid back stuff. The vocal mix of the three singers will be smooth
enough to savor with a glass of wine or kick up your heels with a beer.”
In addition to Turpin (keyboards and
vocals) the band lineup includes Jason Fowler (guitar and vocals), Mark Wilson
(bass and vocals) and Scott Davidson (drums).
Some of the lyrical themes focus on love, honesty, betrayal
and questions revolving around the universe. Turpin said seven of the songs
were co-written by Fowler, an Atlanta-based musician and friend.
“A lot of times I have an idea for a song that is not
finished or is halfway complete and Jason is able to help me out with a riff or
a vocal melody or theme,” Turpin said. “Then there are times when we can create
something right on the spot. We’re a good team.”
Turpin also received songwriting support from his wife Donna
on a tune called “On And On” which was inspired by her recent cancer scare; a
topic that Turpin went public with in June.
“It’s a song about the strength of love and how love never
really dies because it goes on and on,” Turpin said. “Donna actually helped me
finish the lyrics to the chorus and that was special for both of us.” Other song titles include “Either Side Of The
Sun”, “Let It Go”, “Belong”, “Tomorrow”, “Faith, Hope, Love”, “One And Done”
and “Nothing Without.”
Once Serengeti Drivers
is released in 2013, Will Turpin and The Way will embark on a tour with dates
to be announced next year.
This year, Turpin’s version of “What Child Is This?” will
appear on A Rock By The Sea Christmas:Volume Three, a charity CD series set for release on Oct. 16. Net proceeds
from the 13-song holiday compilation will benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Program in Orlando, Fla.
Turpin’s other
group, Collective Soul, is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and has
sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Collective Soul has attained seven
No. 1 songs and 19 Top 40 singles, making them one of the most successful bands
of the 1990s. They are planning a 20th anniversary tour and boxed
set CD package in 2014.
Among music producer Anthony J. Resta's dozen RIAA certified gold and platinum awards, are two releases by Collective Soul - Dosage (1999) and Blender (2000).
Most critics and fans agree that the platinum-selling Dosage is the group's best effort to date, which captures them at a blissful and creative time in their career. And while Blender doesn't engender the same warm response as its predecessor, it has aged well over time.
In the third portion of this epic five-part interview, Resta discusses his work on both releases, the group's ability to write and produce well-crafted rock tunes and his on-going admiration of the Georgia rockers.
Part III
Q: In addition to Duran Duran, one of
your most celebrated collaborations is with Collective Soul, who I think is one
of the most underrated American bands of all-time. Tell me in your own words
what is special about this group?
AR: I think Collective Soul writes really
honest and earthy rock songs that speak from the heart and shoot from the hip.
They also are a dying breed of band that isn’t afraid to push boundaries
sonically and try different treatments and styles all the while sounding
completely coherent as a unified personality regardless of those boundaries.
Publicity photo for Dosage, circa 1999
Q: Your first collaboration with CS was Dosage,
an album many fans and critics consider to be their best work because it took
them creatively to the next plateau. What do you remember about what they
wanted from the sessions, what you wanted from them, and how you got to the end
result?
AR: I drove to Miami with a van full of
toys not knowing what to expect. I had been working on Suze Demarchi’s solo
record Telelove at Long View Farm in North Brookfield, Massachusetts,
for a couple of months. At that stage we were going into mixing and they were
cool with Bob St. John riding solo during the mix and off I went. Turns out Ed
Roland was a fan of Nuno Bettencourt's solo record Schizophonic, which I had co-written
and co-produced a bunch of songs. Bob St. John put him in touch with me at
Longview. Ed wanted to see if my quirky “Dr. Rhythm Freak” treatment might gel
(no pun intended) with the band. So they sent me raw tracks for “I’m Not
the One”. I did a sonic treatment of synth textures, then sequenced and
programmed drums and a bunch of Mellotron stuff. Ed called me up and
said, “It’s super cool but man, where the heck is the one?” He said, “Can you
make the rhythmic end of this A LOT more user friendly? And that began
our long years of collaboration. I set up in a little room next to the control
room and began doing my thing, often dancing around like a cartoon character
hence my nickname ‘Dr. Freak.’ I had large racks filled with modules and Akai
samplers and FX processors. It was really a mad scientist looking lab for sure.
Dosage (Atlantic Records, 1999)
Q: Dosage was recorded over a
four-month period in Miami at Criteria Studios. Who made the decision to record
in Miami and do you think ambiance or a setting can influence the outcome of a
record?
AR: The band made the decision to work
there. It was an awesome studio and being right on the beach (I stayed in
Aventura) was really cool. There was this weird bar in the hotel open
till like 6 a.m. or something. The main form of entertainment was “Play-ooki
Karaoke” where people were not only singing, but playing real instruments
along. Every night it was like a scene out of a David Lynch movie. I brought Ed
once, and he just kept shaking his head saying, “Wow, this is quite the freak
show” or something to that effect. I can’t really describe how
odd it was, but my memories of it (clouded in rum and coke) was in that sort of
faded super 8mm film look. I’m not sure if being in the Caribbean or Alaska or
Switzerland really influences anyone’s playing, but it sure does set up a
mood.
Q: We’ve touched on this subject in the
past, but I think we’re both in agreement that Ed Roland is one of the greatest
songwriters to come along in the last 20 years, and certainly in my opinion,
he’s one of the Top 5 of all-time. What do you like about his lyrics and songs?
AR: I love how they speak to the listener
and touch them all at once in a million different ways. It’s an awesome gift
and I’ve learned more about songwriting from Ed Roland than anyone. He’s beyond
gifted. All the number one songs that people didn’t even know were Collective
Soul can attest to this. He is a fabulous producer as well. I learned from
getting more inside his ELO, Cars, AC/DC influences to find the roots of what
he eventually turned into something 100 percent Collective Soul. The band as a
team puts together the sonic fingerprint and makes it complete.
Singer-songwriter Ed Roland
Q: It should also be noted that CS’s
arrangements are amazing. They have been criticized for their overtly
commercial sound but I contend that not many artists are gifted in this
way…certainly the Beatles and the Stones were commercial. Your thoughts on
this?
AR: Selling ten million records as a rock
band doesn’t happen very often. People forget that success and being commercial
need to meet somewhere for music to appeal to millions of people….if that makes
any sense at all. Critics love to hate successful artists unless they are
Radiohead or Sigor Ross or whatever they deem “critically acclaimed and hip” at
that given moment. It has nothing to do with the music.
Q: Let’s discuss some of tracks on Dosage.
“Tremble for My Beloved” is just so out there. It’s unlike any other song they’ve recorded before or
since. What do you specifically recall about the making of that tune?
AR: I tend to put long intros and outros
on songs as a rule and then they can either become concept records like Pink
Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or get trimmed down to a few seconds
during the mix. I think all of the songs on Dosage have this treatment,
some more subtle than others. I remember special moments where Ed would be
listening to the four ADAT’s I was overdubbing onto with my own mixer and Aux
sends of FX that were most often printed. He would be so thrilled about some
things and just as many times he’d shake his head and say, “Nope, not a
chance.” I love working with artists that KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE. It’s the best
way to work. I can be relentless and will try a zillion things until a few
special ones connect. Ed helped me learn what was special enough to be in a
song and what was just me having too much fun with all my toys. It was a
period of growth and experimentation. I was lucky to be given wonderful
opportunities like this. I am grateful to this day for that wonderful
opportunity.
"Tremble For My Beloved" by Collective Soul
Q: The intro to “Tremble” is a perfect
example of your 'soundscaping' technique that Will Turpin, their bassist,
pointed out in a recent interview. How did you come up with the intro sound for
“Tremble” and merge it with the music?
AR: I would always put down way more
crazy things that didn’t really fit the music… just for my own head and for me
to come up with the right stuff. Lots of wrong stuff needs to happen during and
before you get to the right stuff. Ed would often filter and still does filter
what fits and what doesn’t. I think he was really open for experimentation at
that time and it shows not just in my parts but the bands parts, the guitar
tones, the vocals, etc. Bob St. John and Shawn Grove and Tom Lorde Alge all had
amazing sonic input on the record as well.
Guitarist Dean Roland
Q: The next track, “Heavy”, was a No. 1
hit for 15 weeks straight. In the case of songs that become big hits, can you
recognize when a song is going to be big or is that an art form in which no one
can predict?
AR: Honestly, no. One never really can be
sure with what will connect with the masses. It’s an equation that has never
been solved. I hear of record companies spending millions to promote what they
thought was a “one listen, no brainer, home run, bona-fide smash hit” only to
have it fall flat. And other things that were not even supposed to be singles
ROCKET to #1.
Q: There’s supposedly a very
off the wall version of “Heavy” that was different from the released version.
Do you remember anything about that alternative version, which Ed once said,
“Needed to come back down to Planet Earth.”
AJ: I don’t recall a version
like that. I remember Bob St. John doing an earlier mix of it and some of the
stems he used got printed and used by other mixers. I don’t think he got credit
for coming up with that gated guitar intro… Bob and I had been doing that sort
of stuff for years before "Heavy."
"Heavy" by Collective Soul
Q: “Needs” sounds like it was
a big production. Tell me your memories in putting that song together?
AJ: I don’t hear it as the
“biggest” production. Just because it has a lot of strings doesn’t really make
it the biggest. I love the video to that song. A bunch of the later songs we
worked on at Tree Sound and Bopnique Studios (BTW we definitely cut “Dandy Life” at Bopnique) are a little cloudy in my memory. We were passing around
2-inch tapes, hard drives and ADAT’s. Lots of overdubs were done in Ed’s basement
in Atlanta. It was a really nice cozy place and we had some of our best
creativity flowing on post-production stuff there. I guess I can’t really
answer that properly…
Q: “Generate” is one of my
favorite songs because of the drum track. I remember in a past interview with ModernDrummer where Shane Evans mentioned that Dosage really pushed his
abilities because he was introduced to electronic drums, loops and percussion
textures. At first he saw it as a threat, but then realized it could be used as
a tool to expand his drummingabilities.
This must have been an interesting process to witness?
AR: I think Shane was super
open and cool to me, coming aboard and introducing electronica into the mix. I
think he added some things like the broken glass loop in one of the songs. He
was really open to playing to my sequences, and it's way more fun than playing
to a click! I love Shane...he has a great pocket.
Drummer Shane Evans
Q: The other single, “Run”, is considered
one of CS’s greatest hits and a concert staple of theirs. What do you recall
about this track?
AR: Ed introduces me as the co-writer of
the song occasionally and that is very kind of him. We had just finished reworking “She Said” at the very end of
the project at Tree Sound Studios. I was playing with beats and sounds and Ed was
walking around playing an acoustic. I asked, “What’s that? He said, “I don’t
know.” I said, “It sounds like the Beatles...keep going. I put all the beats
together and began putting downs some raw orchestral loops and stuff and it
just fell into place. The band had to come back at a latter set of sessions to
play on it and turn it into what you hear now. I love Tom Lorde Alges treatment
of my programming and beats on that track. He’s a master mixer and moves things
around and reinvents things in a creative way that makes you excited. He’s not
lazy just throwing up the faders and mixing…that’s been my experience. Bob St
John and Karyadi Sutedja and Paul David Hager are the same way. I love mix
engineers who roll up their sleeves and dive in to their elbows and ELEVATE the
music to the next level.
"Run" by Collective Soul
Q: You’ve mentioned before that “Crown”
is your favorite song on Dosage. Why does this song resonate with you?
AR: People that know my history and
influences realize how much of a Pink Floyd freak I am, and on that track Ed
just let go and let me run free. I took his scratch acoustic and ran it through
a lexicon vortex and some other stuff and built the track on top of it. The
synth bass alone is made up of something like twelve different sounds. Shawn
Grove and Ed watched me record the drums with maybe two or three mics and VERY
expensive vintage U47 VERY CLOSE to my head to capture the drummer perspective.
I played through the song about three times and cut up the pieces in my rack of
Akai S3000’s. I sequenced it as stereo mix blend, so that is what you hear on
the record. There is one fill in the outro that’s based on a triplet
displacement to the pulse that I literally fell off the drums playing. It’s in the
outro. We laughed and laughed, so I used it. It’s a cool moment. There is a
constant push and pull to the various sections because of how the various parts
fit together. We had Pro Tools but I did things in this sort of OBLIQUE
strategy way, trying to think like my heroes of the time. Mainly Brian Eno at
that particular moment. I love the vocal and the lyrics to crown and my synth
solo is so Pink Floyd. Something in the message connects to my dad, who I lost
in ‘97. It will always be one of my favorite collaborations of all time.
Bassist Will Turpin
Q: “She Said” was released on the Scream
2 soundtrack and ended up as a bonus track on the album. What’s your
recollection on the recording of that song?
AR: That song was a technical nightmare
because the time code for the orchestra was at a different rate or drop frame
or something, so much trouble syncing the new stuff. I added to the old master
it was a very long three-day mix session at Tree Sound Studios and Bob St. John and I
were pulling out our hair. It was really stressful. We eventually got it all
working. I like the version on Dosage a lot. It’s a great song.
The lyrics are so uplifting. I put some weird Mellotron guitar in the pre-chorus that I still can’t figure out why sounds like a Wurlitzer piano.
Guitarist Ross Childress
Q: Collective Soul recently finished a
tour where they sang Dosage in its entirety. How does this make you feel
and looking back, what was special about that record?
AR: I’m so honored and proud to have been
a part of Dosage, and they have been so kind and gracious to mention me
in press about it. I think it sounds more
contemporary now than when we made it. It’s a classic for sure.
Dosage Tour 2012 commemorative poster and VIP pass
Q: If Dosage was pushing the band
in a new creative direction, then it could be said that Blender pushed
them further into a more modernized and electronic sound that started with Dosage.
Despite the fact that it wasn’t the most popular CS album, it does have a very
strong personality. As a whole, what do you think of Blender today?
AR: I love Blender and so do most
fans of Dosage. It’s a great record. I wish songs like “After All” and
“Turn Around” had been released as singles. I think that might have made it a
platinum album instead of a gold record.
Blender (Atlantic Records, 2000)
Q: “Vent” is certainly a highlight for
me. What’s your memory of that song?
AR: To be honest, I don’t really remember
all that much about it. I did have fun making the djembe and conga loops and
some goofy turntable work here and there. I was just getting into using two
turntables and messing with white label vinyl from shops in little five points. In retrospect, I’m not so
sure it really fit Collective Soul’s sound of the time but we loved trying new
things and it was fairly tasteful. I like the scratching at the very end of
“Turn Around” into that little classical piano bit I did. I added some weird
robot sounds from a contraption that used to be at Boston’s Logan Airport and
it became a segue way into “Boast.”
Q: “Why Pt. 2” has an opening sound that
has your unmistakably signature. I’ve tried to figure out for years what it
is…what the hell is that noise?
AR: It’s a drum sequence from an Akai
S3000 through a Lexicon Fireworx unit. Ed bought two and gifted me one. He’s
very generous like that. It’s all over that record and Dosage as well.
The "Why Pt. 2" video was filmed at publisher Larry Flynt's estate in Los Angeles
Q: “Why Pt. 2” features a blistering
guitar solo by Ross Childress. He has a very individualized style of playing
and was interesting to watch. What was he like to work with and what did he
lend to the group?
AR: Ross kept to himself a lot. He was
always very quiet. He was set up in a different room and we only saw him when
he unveiled one of his massive solo textures. Ed used a ‘50s white Les Paul
that looked like an SG 3 gold pickup and PAF’s on that song. That guitar has a
sound like nothing else. We were shaking the electrical room that we used as an
amp booth. I coached Shane to do one of my signature over the barline
outro fills. Ed kept it in, which is usually not his favorite thing. I think he
threw me a bone on that one. Thanks E!
Ross Childress working on a track in Anthony J. Resta's Bopnique Studios
Q: “10 Years Later” is one of the group’s
most interesting songs, though I can’t tell you why other than the sound and
tempo is so different. There’s also a sad quality to the song. What do you
recall about the session?
AR: “Ten Years Later” is sort of the
“Crown” of Blender for me. I really heard something very clear and
psychedelic Beatles on it. There are tons of crazy textures like cymbals
swelling in tape echos and walls of Mellotron flutes play re-harmonized chords
to the song. I also played the slowest drum track I’ve ever recorded on that
song, giving it the best ‘Ringo’ I could muster up. That track moves along at
55 bpm. Very hard to play. I can’t remember why Shane didn’t play on it. I
think it was pre-production that we just got attached to and left alone.
Ed Roland and Anthony J. Resta at Tree Sound Studios in Georgia
Q: “Perfect Day” is really cool. I love that
squawky circular guitar riff. How did you get that sound?
AR: That was all done with turntable bits through FX. That song
was a nightmare. I think we recorded it at three different tempos it was very
hard to put together. It all started with the main drum loop that was actually
recorded by Paul David Hager in Nashville at East IRIS when I was playing drums
on a Megadeth remix to “Crush ‘em”. The guitar mics were left on and it created
this wild Jeff Lynn sounding drum room. I cut it up and it became the
foundation for “Perfect Day” in pre-production. It remained in for the duration
and had a really odd swing to it. That was hard to overdub, too.
Q: Of course, “Perfect Day” features
Elton John on piano. What do you recall of that session and what was he like to
worth with?
AR: Elton was brilliant and his parts
were done in an hour. We were told by some Nashville folks that it would be
tough going on the piano. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? He nailed it in two or three
takes. I’m sure a lot of it was from the second take. Elton was funny, telling
a lot of jokes and we all had a “perfect day”. OMG – that’s so corny but you
might leave it in:)
Anthony J. Resta with Sir Elton John
The best story was about us going to
dinner with Elton that night. After he
left, someone came up to us and said, “Not half an our ago Elton john was
sitting at this very table.” We were obviously completely invisible. Ed said,
“NO WAY! Don’t you know they have lookalikes for everybody these days?” The guy
walked away mad muttering, “No, no… it was him.” HYSTERICAL!
Q: “Over Tokyo” was a song written and
recorded by Ed in the early ‘90s. He dusted it off again for Blender.
Both versions are good but it shines a light on the issue that there are a
hundred different approaches and ways to do a song. How do you personally decide
which is the right one?
AR: You just try stuff and trust your
instincts. You could do “Over Tokyo” as a bossanova and it would still be
a great song. That’s another one that the tempo was just impossible to get
right. We had to speed up the analog half-inch to speed it up even after it was
all done. Crazy. I love the Japanese girls in the break, which was also Ed’s
idea. I love that song!
Q: Collective Soul had some personnel changes
when they returned for Youth. What was your role on that album?
AR: For Youth they hired Dexter
Green to produce. Ed had me come in and add some of my flavor during the final
stages. I was not present for the tracking.
Youth (El Music, 2004)
Q: Any other interesting stories
regarding songs from that album or those sessions?
A: I remember at one point I was supposed
to fly home for the weekend and I was feeling behind. So I said to Ed, “There
is some party that I don’t want to go to” and he said “GO!” I’m so glad I did
because it ended up being a massive event with all Bopnique artists. It was all
day and all night, and I was to be the MC. I did it on maybe two hours sleep. I
slept at the board that night.
Q: Afterwords is the last record
you did with Collective Soul. I thought it showed a new maturity and depth in
their songwriting. I find myself listening to that album more than any other CS
record.
AR: I think because the drums were
recorded at Bopnique by Karyadi Sutedja with Ryan Hoyle (a real master session
player) and we built INCREDIBLE foundations for the songs. Its so organic and warm
and phat. I LOVE the sound of that record. It was also the first time I added
any guitar stuff on a CS record. Like the George Harrison sounding signature
lead line on “Bearing Witness.” It was a really quick little idea that ended up
getting used. I to this day can’t figure out how I got that sound. Everyone
asks if it’s a slide but it was just a Les Paul direct into an API mic pre. Not
sure what was going on with the compression but I think it was a dbx 160 and a
Joe Meek SC2 fighting each other for supremacy.
Anthony J. Resta with master session drummer Ryan Hoyle
Q: “Hollywood” was a great single that
emerged from the album. Ed said he wanted to write a “summer song” with an ‘80s
feel. It truly hit the mark.
AR: We tracked most of that at Bopnique
as well. We wanted a last '70s new wave flavor and we got it I think. Some of the stuff Ed had me remove at the mix
(we mixed that track at Bopnique) because it was T00 much of a Cars ripoff. In
retrospect he was right in toning that aspect down a bit. A couple of the parts
I added I’m really proud of like the harmony arpeggio sid station bit that goes
with Joel’s guitar in the chorus. And my Baritone guitar that does contrary
motion to the rest of the band in the outro. I love the sound of that record. I
got chills seeing the ads for “American Idol” where it was featured.
"Hollywood" by Collective Soul
Q: “All That I Know” is another great
tune and seemingly another surefire single.
A: We used the worlds only known Solid
Walnut Optigan and a homemade drum loop to build the song. I love all of Ryan’s
drum parts – he really orchestrated some amazing grooves on that record. We had
a great Boston Pops player but down a clarinet solo over the whole outro that I
just LOVED. But it wasn’t kept. I don’t remember why.
"All That I Know" by Collective Soul
Q: You haven’t recorded with Collective
Soul since 2007. Any plans to work together again?
AR: You never know! I really would love
to do another one. It would mark the 15th year anniversary when I
first started with them. I think I would be out to top everything. I’ve learned
so much and am so much more into “space” and simplicity. I think we would craft
another platinum record.
In part IV of this interview, Anthony J. Resta will discuss his other artistic collaborations such as Blondie, Perry Farrell and Missing Persons.
For more information about Anthony J. Resta, visit his website at http://bopnique.com
