Ed Kowalczyk of Live

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. This episode is sponsored by Magic Mind! They have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code LIPPS at checkout. You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/lipps CREDITS (Instagram handles) Host @ScottLipps Edited by @toastycakes Music by @Robby_hoff Recorded at Melrose Podcasts NY 00:25 – Meeting Jerry Harrison01:32 – Growing up04:30 – Early influences 09:32 – Ed’s first job10:02 – Getting a record deal 14:42 – Selling junk bonds 15:40 – Debut album17:23 – Hearing Nirvana for the first time18:03 – Band name origins19:42 – Connecting with Jerry Harrison20:27 – Writing iconic songs24:50 – Seeing Nirvana at a festival26:58 – Getting a role in Fight Club31:30 – Playing Woodstock ‘94 and ‘9932:59 – 1994 in music/the state of rock music today35:37 – Stories behind Live’s biggest hits39:20 – Meeting Metallica41:00 – Touring memories42:30 – “The mac ‘n cheese incident” 45:40 – Upcoming tour46:40 – Top 5 sushi restaurants 49:45 – Top 5 most underrated ‘90s bands53:56 – Top 5 most influential songs of the ‘90s