Hailing from York, Pennsylvania, the group is comprised of Ed Kowalczyk (lead vocals & guitar), Chad Taylor (lead guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums). Since approximately 1999, Live has toured with Ed’s younger brother, Adam Kowalczyk as a rhythm guitarist, and, previously, British keyboardist Michael “Railo” Railton.
Kowalczyk, Taylor, Dahlheimer, and Gracey first came together for a middle-school talent show in the Pennsylvania blue-collar town of York. The group remained together throughout high school, going through a handful of band names and new-wave covers before settling on the moniker Public Affection and recording a self-released cassette of originals, The Death of a Dictionary, in 1989. Frequent trips into New York to play at CBGB helped net the band a deal with Radioactive Records in 1991. With the new name Live, the band entered the studio with former Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison that year and began recording the EP Four Songs. The single “Operation spirit (the tyranny of tradition)” went to #9 on the Modern Rock chart, and paved the way for the band’s Harrison-produced, full-length debut, 1991’s Mental Jewelry (#73). The album lyrics, penned by Kowalczyk, were heavily inspired by Indian guru Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Fueled by heavy touring (including billing at Woodstock ‘94 and Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD tour) and a string of hit singles (“I Alone”, “All Over You” and the #1 Modern Rock hits “Selling the drama” and “Lightning crashes”), their next album, Throwing Copper, went to #1 in 1994. It is their best-selling, and often most highly regarded by fans and critics, album to date. The band was even asked to perform on Saturday Night Live where they performed their hits “I Alone” and “Selling the Drama” and to this day, they are the only band to receive a standing ovation at the party after the broadcast.[citation needed]
The momentum continued long enough to help 1997’s Secret Samadhi (coproduced by the band and Jay Healey) debut at #1. Deriving its name from a state of Hindu meditation, the album spawned four Modern Rock hit singles, but failed to match its predecessor’s success, with sales topping off at 2 million. The band performed “lakini’s juice” and “Heropsychodreamer” from this album on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
Harrison came back on board as coproducer for 1999’s The Distance to Here, which debuted at #4 and featured the minor US hit single “The Dolphin’s Cry.”
In September 2001, the more experimental V (originally scheduled to be titled “Ecstatic Fanatic”) was issued to mixed reviews, preceded by “Simple creed” as the first single. However, with the events of 9/11—which occurred a week before V ‘s release—the melancholic “Overcome” began receiving significant airplay, superseding “Simple Creed” and becoming V’s selling point. Unfortunately, Live’s commercial stock—compounded by their petering radio airplay—had fallen further since The Distance to Here, with V merely reaching #22 at home, failing to reach gold status.
Birds of Pray appeared in May 2003, bolstered by the unexpected success of “Heaven”, Live’s first US Hot 100-placing since “The Dolphin’s Cry.” Reaching #28, Birds of Pray ultimately outsold V, although it too received mixed reviews and failed to reach gold status.
In November 2004, Live released Awake: The Best of Live, a career-spanning compilation that included “We deal in dreams”, a previously unreleased song from the Throwing Copper sessions, and a cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line”, as well as Birds of Pray’s “Run Away”, re-imagined with Shelby Lynne on co-lead vocals.
In 2005, Live signed with Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s Epic label, and released a new album entitled Songs From Black Mountain in June 2006, preceded by “The river” as lead single. Thus far, while the album has achieved international success, it has proven Live’s lowest-seller yet domestically, only reaching #52 in the US before quickly disappearing from the charts.
While Live remain only moderately popular in terms of record sales in the United States, much of their current sales come from places in Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Ed Kowalczyk has said that “Holland is the center of the Live universe” [citation needed].
The group made news in January 2006 as three band members (Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and touring rhythm guitar Adam Kowalczyk) and two members of the band’s road crew were on a United Airlines flight when smoke filled the cabin, requiring the pilot to make an emergency landing.
On season 5 of American Idol, finalist Chris Daughtry was accused of performing Live’s rendition of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” and calling it his own. This angered some Live fans, but one week later Daughtry acknowledged it was not his own rendition, even saying Live was one of his favorite bands. In May 2006, Live appeared on The Howard Stern Show and addressed this issue.
On May 24, 2006, the band and Chris Daughtry performed “Mystery” on the season finale of American Idol, and on June 7, a new version of “Mystery” was released on the Friends of Live website featuring Chris Daughtry on guest vocals.
The members of Live announced in June 2009 that the band would be taking a two-year hiatus as they work on other projects. On November 30, 2009, guitarist Chad Taylor confirmed that the hiatus of the band was most likely a permanent rift. See the Wikipedia page for more. During the first European tour of the new band of Taylor, Gracey and Dahlheimer (The Gracious Few), Taylor commented both on stage and in post-show discussions that he believes Live may still come back together, though he also stated that the chances of Kowalczyk joining them in this effort may be very small. In an exclusive blogpost[1] on website The Comet, Taylor confirmed that the remaining members of the band would be working on new material for Live in Nashville early July 2011.
The band returned from their nearly three-year hiatus on March 12, 2012, with Chris Shinn, formerly of Unified Theory, as their new lead singer. The new line-up performed before an invited audience at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center in York. The band performed as a six-piece with The Gracious Few's Sean Hennesy on guitar and Alexander Lefever on keyboards
[1]: http://thecomet.com/posts/exclusive_blog_chad_taylor_talks_the_gracious_few_and_live
There's another band with the same name:
2. Live was a 70s-era Progressive Rock group from Germany. Formed in 1971, the outfit appeared to be a strangely named band indeed.
In October 1972 their guitarist Martin Knaden went to Curly Curve. Throughout their history only one member has remained, the multi-talented keyboards and flute player Norbert Aufmhof. Although in existence for a decade Live never got to record a proper studio album, or gain a contract, which surely they should have. Maybe the band name was a bit of a jinx?!
Their earlier history was originally just documented by a single. Only more recently did an LP surface collecting 1974 recordings. Quite obviously a collection of rehearsal session tapes, the LP reveals a band with promise albeit rather grottily recorded with often barely understandable muffled lyrics in English. Musically, there are nods to early Satin Whale and Jane, but with lots of classical touches, notably Grieg and Bach, and a penchant to meander rather nicely during the instrumentals.
Based on the ROCK OFFERS track "Sea Fever", they had blossomed and changed focus somewhat, as a much more sophisticated symphonic progressive of the Pancake and Jane type, typical of the mid/late-1970's.
In all, during their history, three different versions of Live existed, but eventually the band split in 1976. A full history of the band is included in the GEVELSBERG CD, which documents other oddments, sessions, and a live recording!
Love Shines
Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is a peace that only you can know
It is truth and love and it is always there
Even if you fall down
Even if you fall down
Love shines
Oh, it shines
Oh, love shines
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Think of gentle Jesus
Think of the buddha underneath his tree
They taught the world about love and how we all can be
How we can all be free
Open our hearts and see
Love shines
Oh, it shines
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Oh, love shines
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Oh, it shines
Like an eternal sun, love shines
It shines
Like a revolution in your mind
Like a revolution in your mind
Like a revolution in your mind
On a crystal clear blue morning
There is a peace that only you can know
It is truth and love and it is always there
Even if you fall down
Even if you fall down
Love shines
Oh, it shines
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Oh, love shines
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Oh, it shines, baby
Like an eternal sun, love shines
It shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Love, it shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Love, it shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Love shines
The lyrics to Live's song Love Shines convey the powerful message of love and peace that exists within every human being, and the importance of opening oneself up to this energy to experience true happiness and freedom. The song begins by describing the beauty of a clear blue morning, and the peace that one can feel within themselves when they connect with the truth and love that is always present, even in difficult times. The chorus emphasizes the power of love, comparing it to an "eternal sun" that shines forever, never fading or losing its brightness.
The second verse of the song references two spiritual leaders, Jesus and Buddha, who taught the world about the power of love and how it can set us free. The lyrics encourage listeners to open their hearts and see this truth for themselves, and to experience the shining power of love firsthand. The bridge of the song repeats the phrase "like a revolution in your mind," underscoring the transformative nature of love and the positive impact it can have on one's entire being.
Overall, Love Shines is a song that celebrates the greatness and beauty of the human spirit, and the power of love to connect us all in a way that transcends race, religion, and other divisions that often separate us. Through its uplifting message and catchy melody, the song encourages listeners to tap into this universal energy and let it guide them to a more peaceful, fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
On a crystal clear blue morning
In the clear and tranquil environment of a morning characterized by the color blue, there lies a serene state that is only perceptible by you.
There is a peace that only you can know
This peaceful state is unique to you and you alone.
It is truth and love and it is always there
This peace is founded on truth and love, and it remains present at all times.
Even if you fall down
Despite the challenges and difficulties you face,
Even if you fall down
Even if you experience failure,
Love shines
Love continues to radiate and remain steadfast.
Oh, it shines
Indeed, love shines brilliantly and brightly.
Like an eternal sun, it shines
Love has the quality of an everlasting sun, with its radiance and warmth enduring perpetually.
Think of gentle Jesus
Reflect on the kind and compassionate figure of Jesus,
Think of the buddha underneath his tree
Consider the Buddha, who sat under a tree in deep contemplation,
They taught the world about love and how we all can be
These enlightened beings imparted a message of love and taught us the ways in which we can all embody it.
How we can all be free
Through the power of love, we can free ourselves from the constraints that bind us.
Open our hearts and see
To fully comprehend this message, we must open our hearts and be receptive to it.
It shines
Love shines constantly.
Like a revolution in your mind
Love has the ability to transform the way we think and process information, like a revolutionary force in our minds.
On a crystal clear blue morning
Returning to the serene environment described earlier,
There is a peace that only you can know
this unique sense of peace persists.
It is truth and love and it is always there
This peace is, as always, grounded in truth and love.
Oh, it shines
The radiance of love perseveres.
Like an eternal sun, it shines
It remains a perennial source of light and warmth for all.
Oh, it shines, baby
Love's brilliance is so great, that even terms like 'baby' cannot subdue its intensity.
It shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Love is a truly inexhaustible, consistent source of light and brightness, shining constantly.
Love, it shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Note how the focus has now shifted to emphasize how love shines, underscoring its importance.
Love, it shines, shines, shines, shines, shines
Love shines transcendentally and unconditionally.
Love shines
As it was in the beginning, so it shall remain, throughout time and eternity - love shines.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maria Pratiwi
Think of gentle Jesus
Think of the buddha underneath his tree
They taught the world about love and how we all can be
How we can all be free
Open our hearts and see
Love shines
Colin Stenning
Such an inspiring song this.Love it and as for Live , they are superb.
Mark Hudson
From the worlds most underrated band! Live are the greatest!
Chris Bame
Great song, thank you for posting! Want you to know it was posted in the Facebook group Songs of Strength where we share songs that help us stay strong, overcome and inspire. This one is perfect for Sunday. Hope you'll join us - all are welcome. Thanks again - Live is such a great band.
Brian Golden
Their best. Love shines forever
Jolanda de Wit
Heavenly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Will Destro
Keep us inspired to help each other
Brian Golden
I love you
Tammy Rose
Thank you
It is my daughters Birth day this mo. so I share Thank you I do not have the Money too go see them Thank you So I have A little Hope Some how I will Thank for the Hope Love-N-Light Blessed be