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!
Night of Nights
Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But well I don't care at all
In the line to get inside it's a Saturday night
I hear a louder bass
And the black light in the club
And a freaky guy is moving alone behind
So many people are tonight in the club
The smoke machine is about to explode now
He smiles at me and he talks
I must tell her what she wants
In a few words
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
If you like me
Don't frack me
I'm not one on the list
I'm tired and the lights make me see more than there is
My brain just needs a break
She needs to stay inside
For now the best thing is to go for a drink
If you don't like
Stop pick me
It's not the way to ruin this night
I like this place and this has just begun
I'm not one on the list
He smiles at me and he talks
I must tell her what she wants
In a few words
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
I'm not one on the list
He smiles at me and he talks
I must tell her what she wants
In a few words
She needs to stay inside
And my brain just needs a break
And I hear a louder bass
And the black light in the club
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Give me money money money money
Hold me honey
Hold me in the disco night
The song "Night of Nights" by Live depicts a typical Saturday night at a club where the singer is trying to navigate his way through the crowd to get inside. The lyrics suggest a sense of confusion as the singer is still guessing what the people around him want, but he doesn't care about it. As he gets in, he is welcomed with loud music and black lights in the club, and a freaky guy dancing alone behind. As the night goes on, he meets a girl and tries to impress her by telling her what she wants to hear.
The song's lyrics also suggest a desire for companionship and a sense of longing for someone to hold him tight in the midst of the chaos of the club. The singer urges his potential partner to hold him tightly in the "disco night" and give him money. However, he also declares that he is not just one on the list and hopes to be recognized as an individual. Despite his tiredness from the flashing lights and thumping music, he wants to keep exploring and enjoying the night.
Overall, "Night of Nights" portrays the excitement, confusion, and desire for connection that a typical night at a club brings forth.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still guessing what you want
I am unsure of your desires
But well I don't care at all
However, I am indifferent
In the line to get inside it's a Saturday night
It is a busy Saturday evening outside the club
I hear a louder bass
I can hear the music getting louder
And the black light in the club
There is a distinct lighting scheme inside
And a freaky guy is moving alone behind
A peculiar man is dancing by himself nearby
So many people are tonight in the club
There is a large crowd gathered inside
The smoke machine is about to explode now
The smoke machine is going to activate soon
I have met a girl
I have encountered a female
He smiles at me and he talks
I am engaged in conversation by a gentleman
I must tell her what she wants
I need to understand her desires
In a few words
I must be brief
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
If you like me
If you find me appealing
Don't frack me
Do not harm me
I'm not one on the list
I am not on any roster
I'm tired and the lights make me see more than there is
I am exhausted and the lights are distorting my perception
My brain just needs a break
I require a respite from thinking
She needs to stay inside
She should remain indoors
For now the best thing is to go for a drink
Currently, the optimal decision is to have a beverage
If you don't like
If you are not fond of me
Stop pick me
Desist from selecting me
It's not the way to ruin this night
That is not the method to spoil this evening
I like this place and this has just begun
I enjoy this location and the night is just beginning
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
I'm not one on the list
I am not on any roster
He smiles at me and he talks
I am engaged in conversation by a gentleman
I must tell her what she wants
I need to understand her desires
In a few words
I must be brief
She needs to stay inside
She should remain indoors
And my brain just needs a break
And I require a respite from thinking
And I hear a louder bass
And I can hear the music getting louder
And the black light in the club
And there is a distinct lighting scheme inside
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
Hold me honey honey honey honey
Embrace me, my love
Give me money money money money
Provide me with funds
Hold me honey
Keep me close
Hold me in the disco night
Embrace me in this club setting
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Eduardo Elichiribehety
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Everton
great closing song. The album itself wasnt great, but this was a quality track.
MuteZ
Why Is this not even popular this song is amazing
rather be glamping
love it
lostdrewid
I have to agree. Ed had already gone off the deep end by this point in their career, so the jewels among the crap were getting few and far between. This song of one of my favorite Live songs of all time, but it's the only one I even liked at all from this album.