Bassist Will Turpin describes the 25th anniversary of Collective Soul with one word in particular: “surreal.”
Turpin helped found the Georgia rock band in 1993 with vocalist and songwriter Ed Roland and guitarist Dean Roland, whom he had initially met through his father’s recording studio, Real 2 Reel Studio, in Stockbridge, Ga. At the time, Ed’s first demo, “Shine,” was growing into a radio hit in their home state, and he needed musicians for live performances.
Since then, Collective Soul, which now also includes drummer Johnny Rabb and guitarist Jesse Triplett, has become a multi-platinum-selling band with nine studio albums, two live records and seven No. 1 singles in its repertoire.
“You never think about 25 years when you’re 22 years old, and finding success or whatever, especially in the rock-and-roll industry,” Turpin says. “But we’re looking forward to it. We’ve got lots of plans.”
The band will perform for City Hall Live in Brandon on Oct. 23 in between dates on the “Rock & Roll Express Tour,” a co-headlining run with 3 Doors Down. Even with a major tour still underway, Turpin says Collective Soul is busy working on those anniversary plans, including a national tour and a new double album, which the musicians began recording in February.
While he says their latest recording project will be different in terms of the planning and release strategy, the process of making new music is much the same for he and his band mates.
“Man, when we step in the studio and create, it’s still in our blood,” Turpin says. “We have to do that, right? But it’s still the same process and the same feeling. That’s what’s kind of surprising and good about being able to create 25 years later. A lot of bands don’t even care about creating new stuff, but it’s still really what makes our blood flow. We like playing live a lot, too, but creating’s a big deal.”
