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MSN.com
Chat with Ed Kowalczyk
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| Transcribed
by Susan Cutillo of Hamden, Connecticut... |
The following is a transcription of
the chat that took place on MSN.com with Ed Kowalczyk on Monday, November 8th, 2004...
DishDiva: Welcome Ed, how are you tonight?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: Hey everybody! It's good to be here. Fire away!
Scotty11382: Why is the album called "Awake"?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: As we were putting together the videos for the DVD, 22
videos from the first video from "Spirit" to "Heaven" and watching
it as a linear experience from front to back was an experience. What I realized as
a creative person, you're so devoted to the present moment because you know that's
where the music is and you have to stay in that feeling and present moment, that
watching it as a linear event was an awakening. I realized that I rarely left that
present moment and it reminded me of the Dirvishes that spin or the dancing practice
where you lose yourself in the music and dance. I realized that in a way I was practicing
that and it came to me to call it "Awake" because it was an awakening for
me because it was an eternal awakening to that present practice of writing music.
SCutillo: Ed, last year you said you were catching your own turkey for Thanksgiving
from your property.You doing that again this year?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: Thanks for reminding me. I'm working on it. Just kidding.
Not a hunter, I'm going to buy a free range turkey.
rumbled_doll: Hi, Ed... you guys have inspired me so much, to love, to think
and exist outside of the "norm", i wanted to say Thank You! Have you ever
considered writing on a different level, be it fiction or philosophy or whatever?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I have considered it, probably more over the last year.
This last year I have been keeping a regular journal for the first time in my life.
It's something I'm getting more comfortable with the idea. I was waiting for a time
that it became more interesting than the music and I don't think it's that interesting
yet. So once I come up with something as interesting as what I'm doing musically,
I'll do it.
BethwiththeLiveTat: Thank you for online Journal. Are you the techie of the
band? Jimmy keeps telling us one of you is into PC's.
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I wouldn't call myself a techie. I just started to blog
at integralnaked.org just recently. I used to be more of the original diary type
entry person like photo entries. I backed off of that and entered the Blog-o-sphere
and do a diary and it's been fun.
VoodooNikki1: How do you feel about major fans that come to a lot of your
shows from all over the place? Do you recognize peopleís faces, or do you remember
things into detail like names and experiences?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I definitely remember people, especially if they've seen
100 shows, you can't help it! (laughs) It's wonderful and it's such an amazing thing
to make music and art that moves people to want to experience it over and over again.
It's a great blessing.
Sandiegoandbust1: Thanks for providing myself and others with a lifetime full
of meaningful & incomparable music. My question: Your performance Overcome w/
Stuart Davis was out of control. Any chance of you collaborating with other Integral
artists?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I would say that is probably definite! What is happening
at IntegralNaked.org and what Ken Wilber is working on, from Billy Corigan to Stuart
Davis to me, so many great people that are being brought together in this space that
I think is very promising as far as future collaborations.
MOOSE92054: Ed, "Awake" is awesome. I finally get to see the video's
I have always wanted to see. "We Deal In Dreams" is an awesome song. Your
interview is amazing and inspiring. What can we, your fans, expect from Live in the
coming year or years?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: We're shooting to have a new record the first part of next
year. I'm always writing music and what I'm writing right now is pretty great I think.
Century_Child-1: In the video on Awake for I Alone, why doesn't Chad Gracey
have his drums? What is he doing?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: That was the "Beavis & Butthead" moment in
our career because Chad was not behind the drum kit and that made it all worth it
and we're all honored by our inclusion on Beavis & Butthead. He didn't use his
drums because we were filming at double speed to give it a good effect and every
time he sat down to play it looked dumb. We will never know what would have looked
dumber, him playing drums at that speed or not playing drums at all. Either way Chad
got his chance to shine as a dancer.
SCutillo: Hey Ed, is there any specific direction to the album you have alluding
to recording this winter? Any plans for US tour dates?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: The direction is GOOD!! That's all I'm going to say about
it, it's very cool. We'll definitely do dates next year. How that raps up will remain
to be seen. How that works is mid to late spring is when we usually get out and I
don't see it being different being that we'll have a new record.
coagulant_ballaganDsH: Hey will u come on tour to Sweden?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I would almost bet we'll be all over Europe next year,
including Sweden.
MOOSE92054: Where do you see yourselves in the next 5 years with regard to
music? What are your goals now?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: The goals, if you can call it a goal, because it's something
I try not to do, I try not to look into the future too much. As a song writer it's
fatal to look too far ahead as to what you're going to do because you get locked
up in your brain and music comes from the heart. I am continually trying to get out
of the way of the creative spirit and just let it flow. Whatever that flower looks
and smells like will be what it will be and there's not much more to say about it
other than it will be what it is.
Framandilish: Hi Ed - Are you still growing your own pistachios?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: Yes. Love 'um!
Century_Child-1: Who is your biggest hero?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: That's a really good question. I think that all of the
enlightened beings who exist now and will exist represent my hero. In other words,
it's my deep belief that God is one and the matter whether you believe in Christ
or Buddah or Christian, they represent the One devine person and that is my hero.
Via these masters, that is my hero.
VoodooNikki1: If you could tell everyone one thing about life and what you
have learned, what would you say?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: If there's anything I've learned and would say about life
is "Happiness is reality." And we are addicted to the ego that moves us
away from the natural state that is happiness.
SellingLakini: There are so many Live songs, is there ever a time when a fans
asks about the inspiration to a song and it takes a few seconds to remember it?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: Oh yeah! Totally! I have to remember the song and the lyrics.
We've been doing this so long someone breaks out and asks me a song about the 8th
track on "Mental Jewelry" and it takes me a minute. There are a few songs
that have risen to the songs and easily talked about like "Lightning Crashes"
but there are tracks on old records I would really have to work on remembering where
that inspiration came from.
KACY0: Hi Ed, Congrats on the Best of Album. I've been a fan since I saw you
play on tour with B.A.D, PIL and Blind Melon. Mental Jewelry is still my favorite
album. Any chance you'll pull "Brothers Unaware" out of the vault and play
it on tour?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: There is a chance, a lot of people request that song. If
there was a chance, there's more of a chance now because you said it.
DishDiva: You guys have been together 16 years. How has the band changed in
this amount of time?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: I think artistically there's been a massive progression.
It's had it's ups and downs and sideways moves but generally speaking it's been an
arc of growth. We are the best band we've ever been today. With the huge success
of "Throwing Copper" there's a tendency to look at the band as being the
best they were back then. From my point of view, that's laughable and those that
have kept up with our live performances I think I'm a better performer than back
then. I think that's the point, to continue to grow and always work on the next thing.
lindamw1220: Hi Ed! Thank you for coming on to chat with us tonight. Can you
tell me who would you say inspired you to become a lyricist.
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: That's a tough one. It's really a few people. I would say
probably number 1 John Lennon. Followed pretty closely by Bono and next tied with
Peter Gabrielle and Michael Stipe, of course. I was always attracted to lyrics and
lyricists that pointed me in the direction of spirit, in the direction of a bigger
direction of life than typical pop music and they remain inspirations to me today.
SellingLakini: How does it feel to be on stage and have a crowd going wild
for your music, what is that energy like?
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: The energy is amazing, even though the music is happening,
hopefully at a deep level, it's also very physical and it completes the picture.
The lyrics are a message about spirit and having depth, and back and forth with the
audience makes LIVE unique.
DishDiva: Thank you for joining this evening, your fans have had a great time
with you.
Ed_Kowalczyk_Live: See you soon on tour, God bless you.
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