Band to perform at Golden Nugget on Friday, July 3
For many rock fans, hearing the opening chords of “Shine” instantly transports them back to the 1990s. But for members of Collective Soul, the song is more than a signature hit – it’s the beginning of a career that has spanned more than 30 years with no signs of slowing down.
Some bands chase trends. Others create a sound so distinctive that it remains relevant for decades. Collective Soul has done just that.
With more than 15 million albums sold and seven No. 7 singles including “December,” “The World I Know,” “Shine” and “Heavy,” the band returns to the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Friday, July 3, at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets ($59-$77) can be purchased online at goldennugget.com.
At the heart of that sound are brothers Ed and Dean Roland, founding members who have been with the band since its earliest days. Bassist Will Turpin joined shortly after the group’s formation and has become an essential part of Collective Soul’s identity through his musicianship, songwriting and soaring harmonies. Lead guitarist Jesse Triplett, who joined in 2015, has added fresh creativity to the band’s live performances, while drummer Johnny Rabb provides the powerful rhythm section that drives the band’s energetic concerts.
Taking a nostalgic trip back to the 1980s, Collective Soul is set to release a “New Wave side” on their new record, “Touch and Go,” set to be released July 31on their label, Fuzze-Flex Records distributed physically by AMPED Distribution and digitally by Virgin Music Group. It will be available on all digital outlets, CD, and 180-gram teal-marble colored vinyl.
The Examiner chatted with Turpin about all things Collective Soul. Scroll down to listen to the entire interview.
Pre-order “Touch and Go” click HERE.
Q. How’d the idea for this new album come about?
A. It really started with the song ‘Fun.’ We thought we wanted to have a little more of that lighthearted New Wave sound. When we say, ‘New Wave,’ I’ve just been telling everybody, really, the biggest influence on the band that was part of that kind of 1980s New Wave thing was like the band – The Cars. So, we tried to use a lot of elements of The Cars. It’s obviously Collective Soul, but, uh, we were just trying to throw some of those elements in there.
Q: Do you prefer to be on stage or studio?
A: With Collective Soul, I love the stage. We are not robots. We’re not doing the same thing every night. Me and Johnny are playing around in the rhythm section. I’m looking at Jesse and he’s trying something new on a song. I’m giving him a grin like that worked out or a, or maybe a look that’s like, ‘Ha Ha, that didn’t work out,’ you know. But we have fun together, and when we do our thing, man, you can literally feel the magic start to takeover, and it makes you feel great.
Q: How do you come up with a setlist with all this music?
A: Yeah, it’s, a great problem to have. And then on top of that, we’re not really known for fillers on our records. So, we could probably pull out any song from any record, and our fan base would know the song. But, in the end, you only got a certain number of minutes, and we just try to make sure the flow feels like everything’s connected and everybody’s going to get the high moments and the, the somber moments, and we try to surf that wave through a 60 minute or 90-minute show.
Q: What does it mean for fans to tell you that Collective Soul has been a soundtrack to their life?
A: That’s a great question. When we were young, you would take that sentiment like that lightly. You’d be like, ‘oh, okay, sure, it, sure, it, it’s changed your life.’ But as the years go by, you understand that it’s real, because you think about how music is with your, your own life and what those songs and artists mean to you as an individual. It’s a serious thing to try to comprehend, but it’s everything. That’s why music can mean everything. That’s why we have had a 32-year career. I can’t tell you what it exactly is when you talk about a combination of frequencies, rhythm, and lyrics, but they can heal, they can make you feel a different way. People use the term ‘save my life.’ That’s an intense statement. I don’t know what it is that humans find in music. I can’t write a book and tell you how to do it. But I know that it’s one of the most super serious, super magical things that we have as humans. We are just fortunate to be able to live in this land where that’s what we do.
Chad Cooper is the Entertainment Editor. Email cooper@theexaminer.com