Treating ED with Collective Soul

“NOTE: Ed Roland now wants to be addressed as E Roland. So please write out his name as such in any coverage. Thanks.”

That is a direct quote from the official press release announcing the impending release of Collective Soul’s latest album, Blood.

Being that the group’s lead vocalist once fronted a Flock of Seagulls wannabe combo called The Eddie Band in his misspent youth, released a solo CD under the name Ed-E Roland in 1991 and goes by Edgar on Facebook, it would seem he’s never been able to settle on a variation he prefers. So this new edict could be interpreted as inherent discontent, another reminder of the guy’s self-importance, or a gigantic joke just to see which suckers fall for it. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but I get the impression he’s serious.

In any event, the album comes out June 21, Tommy Shaw (Styx) and Atlanta’s Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow) play on it, and if you’re jonesin’ for another dependable dose of E and co.’s middle-of-the-road rock music and vaguely Christian lyrics, then you will not be disappointed.