Ed Kowalczyk of LIVE on the story behind Lightning Crashes & the most influential bands of the 90s!

On this episode of Lipps Service, Scott sits down with Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk. The two begin the conversation by discussing Ed’s childhood, including his early musical influences and the formation of Live. Next, they dive into the band’s early success, from its first performances at CBGB, to its eventual record deal and debut album. Throughout the interview, Ed also discusses some of his fondest musical memories, including connecting with Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, hearing Nirvana for the first time, and meeting Metallica. Ed also shares his opinions on the current state of rock music and discusses Live’s upcoming tour. Finally, the interview concludes with some of Ed’s top 5’s, including his top 5 sushi restaurants, top 5 most underrated bands of the ‘90s, and top 5 most influential songs of the ‘90s.

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CREDITS (Instagram handles)
Host @ScottLipps
Edited by @toastycakes
Music by @Robby_hoff
Recorded at Melrose Podcasts NY

00:25 – Meeting Jerry Harrison
01:32 – Growing up
04:30 – Early influences
09:32 – Ed’s first job
10:02 – Getting a record deal
14:42 – Selling junk bonds
15:40 – Debut album
17:23 – Hearing Nirvana for the first time
18:03 – Band name origins
19:42 – Connecting with Jerry Harrison
20:27 – Writing iconic songs
24:50 – Seeing Nirvana at a festival
26:58 – Getting a role in Fight Club
31:30 – Playing Woodstock ‘94 and ‘99
32:59 – 1994 in music / The state of rock music today
35:37 – Stories behind Live’s biggest hits
39:20 – Meeting Metallica
41:00 – Touring memories
42:30 – “The mac ‘n’ cheese incident”
45:40 – Upcoming tour
46:40 – Top 5 sushi restaurants
49:45 – Top 5 most underrated ‘90s bands
53:56 – Top 5 most influential songs of the ‘90s