RTL Talks: Collective Soul

Rock the Lake will shake Prospera Place from Aug. 11 to 13.

Ahead of the show, 104.7 The LIZARD, 103.1 Beach Radio, and Kelowna10 will be the place to be for all things RTL - from exclusive interviews to ticket giveaways!

Among the bands taking the stage is Collective Soul on the Saturday night.

The American rock band formed in the early 1990s, hails from Georgia. Led by the vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ed Roland, they gained widespread fame with their 1993 debut album "Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid," featuring the hit single "Shine."

Known for their infectious hooks, soulful vocals, and dynamic live shows, Collective Soul has maintained a successful career with numerous chart-topping albums and a dedicated fan base.

Roach, from 104.7 The LIZARD, sat down and spoke with bassist Will Turpin.

Below is a condensed and edited version of the interview.

Roach: Is it your first time playing in Kelowna?

Will Turpin: No, we’ve been to Kelowna, we’ve even seen Ogopogo a couple times.

R: No way! You spotted them in the wild. I've lived here two years, no luck myself. Last year you guys put out your eleventh studio album, ‘Vibrating’. When you put out new music like that and you’re putting together a set list with all your old hits and the new stuff, is there sort of a science that goes into that set list?

WT: It kind of just boils down to the ups and downs, making sure everything’s smooth. You’re going to hear the hits, you’re going to hear some new stuff, maybe a couple deeper cuts.

R: There's a website people are using now where you can look up a band's setlists every single night and see what they're going to play. How do you feel about that?

WT: I, personally, I like to look it up and just see, I don't know why. I mean for me, if I’m in the crowd watching one of my favourites, it doesn’t really take away any surprises or anything.

R: Do you remember the first time you ever heard yourself on a radio station?

WT: There was a college radio station in Atlanta, Album 88, and that wasn’t necessarily a commercial station, but the first time we heard it on a commercial station, it was on the way down to a gig in Florida. And we kind of had a moment where we were all in the van and I was like ... wow

R: Do you find that when you play shows like Rock the Lake with such a wicked lineup and such awesome talents with you, that you kind of still get those moments when you’re going to play these sets where you’re like ‘Damn, wait a minute, we’re playing on stage with Burton Cummings’ or with whoever it is?

WT: Yeah, we love that, and it makes everybody step up a little bit too. It's not a competition. We can only do what we do, you know? But it definitely makes everybody step up and want to do their best.

R: Who is the coolest artist you’ve ever toured with or played a show with?

WT: We always reference the Van Halen tour in 1995, and then we still get to play a decent amount of shows with Sammy and The Circle. Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, every time we see those guys it’s like a little bit of a reunion. We had a great tour with them in '95 and I tell everybody, they were like uncles. It wasn't father-son, it was like a cool uncle.

R: They weren’t punishing you, but they were having fun with you?

WT: Man, they were having so much fun with us, and they didn’t have to be that way. They absolutely helped us and they made Collective Soul a better band.

R: Just to wrap up, do you have anything you want to say to Kelowna, anything you think Kelowna should look forward to for the show?

WT: Let’s celebrate together the music that people allowed to become part of the soundtrack of their lives. And, you know, we’re excited to get back up in there, man, and have fun.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the Rock The Lake website, www.selectyourtickets.com, or by calling 250-762-5050.