Interview and Photo by Paul Salfen (The Pavilion at Toyotal Music Factory, Irving TX August 2025)
As Collective Soul marks over three decades in the rock world, the Atlanta-based band shows no signs of slowing down. With multi-platinum albums, seven No. 1 singles like “Shine,” “December,” and “The World I Know,” and more than 15 million records sold worldwide, the group—fronted by brothers Ed Roland (vocals/guitar) and Dean Roland (rhythm guitar), alongside Will Turpin (bass/background vocals), Jesse Triplett (lead guitar/background vocals), and Johnny Rabb (drums/background vocals)—has cemented its place in alternative rock history. Their 30th anniversary celebrations kicked off in 2024 and spilled into 2025 with a packed tour schedule, a revealing documentary, and a ambitious double album.
Fresh off the “Summer Unity Tour” co-headlining with +LIVE+ and featuring special guests Our Lady Peace and Greylin James Rue, which wrapped up dates including a high-energy stop in Irving, TX on August 13 at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, guitarist Dean Roland sat down with Paul Salfen of AMFM Magazine for a candid chat. Speaking from Bangor, Maine, amid the tour’s northeastern leg, Roland reflected on the band’s enduring passion, creative freedom, and the surreal experience of recording at Elvis Presley’s Palm Springs estate.
“It’s still so much fun,” Roland shared, emphasizing that the joy of performing keeps them going. “As soon as I fall asleep, as soon as it’s not fun, we probably should stop. But we’re still enjoying it, so we keep going.” This sentiment echoes the band’s resilience, especially with newer members like Triplett and Rabb injecting fresh energy about 15 years ago. “It helps when Jesse and Johnny joined the band… that put some new energy in Ed, Will, and myself.”
A highlight of their recent output is the double album Here to Eternity, released on May 17, 2024, via Fuzze-Flex Records. Spanning 20 tracks, it’s a testament to their independence, produced by Ed Roland and co-produced by Shawn Grove. The album debuted strongly, hitting No. 14 on Billboard’s Top Current Album chart and topping several Luminate categories, including No. 2 on Current Hard Music Albums.
What makes Here to Eternity unique? It was recorded at Elvis’s honeymoon estate in Palm Springs—the only band besides the King himself to do so. “It certainly was super cool,” Roland recalled. “You can’t help but feel [the presence]… especially those first few days. Knowing that he was the dude’s house and he was the only one that had recorded there. There was some kind of reverence.” Yet, after settling in, the band found their groove amid the preserved 1960s decor: “The bathroom tiles and the kitchen appliances all were the same… it was like stepping into a time warp.”
Standout tracks include “Mother’s Love,” featuring Paul McCartney guitarist Brian Ray on slide guitar and an appearance by the Roland brothers’ mother, Nette, in the lyric video. Roland highlighted favorites like “Bluer Than So Blue” and “Scope Therapy,” noting the album’s creative liberty: “We’ve had the good fortune throughout our career… to basically self-produce, follow our own vision without too much interference.” Guests like Sheryl Crow’s Peter Stroud and Jefferson Starship’s Mickey Thomas add layers to the rock-solid sound.
Complementing the album is the band’s first documentary, Give Me A Word: The Collective Soul Story, released on July 8, 2025, via Trinity Content Partners. Directed by Joseph Rubinstein and produced by Greg Richling and Jonathan Sheldon of Pfonetic, it’s available on DVD, Blu-ray, and various VOD platforms like Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu. Filmed during the Here to Eternity sessions, it weaves archival footage with intimate interviews, exploring family ties, creativity, and hard-won wisdom.
Roland described the screening experience as “weird” but rewarding: “It was our first version of seeing what it was… hearing our story through Will’s lens or Ed’s or Johnny’s or Jesse’s.” The film peels back the curtain on the band’s humor and dynamics, something fans have glimpsed over years but now see in full. As Roland put it in a statement, “We’ve never been a band that looks in the rearview mirror often, so making this documentary was a fun chance to reflect on the successes, failures, and all the moments that brought us here.”
Bassist Will Turpin added in his own words: “Filming for the documentary was a lot of good times… I’m really proud of the legacy Collective Soul has created.” Frontman Ed Roland summed it up exuberantly: “What a ride… To be with this band for over 30 years is such a blessing. Hopefully you see the love, the process, and the gratitude we have for our fans.”
Touring remains a core thrill, with the “Summer Unity Tour” blending nostalgia and new material. Whittling down a 30-year catalog is a “good problem,” Roland admitted, balancing hits with fresh tracks to keep things exciting. “It’s fun to play ‘Shine’… but on a personal level, doing a couple of new songs, even some that haven’t been released yet… just to have fun for ourselves.”
The band’s “Hail Mary” moment? Going independent after leaving Atlantic Records amid the digital shift. “We saw the landscape changing… we jumped off the ledge,” Roland said, crediting perseverance through ups and downs. Advice for aspiring musicians? “If you feel like it’s your purpose, you got to be willing to jump all in… be tolerant to endure the downs… be as authentic as you can.”
Looking ahead, Collective Soul isn’t done creating. They recorded another album last year after touring with Hootie & the Blowfish, set for a limited release on Record Store Day in November 2025. As Roland noted, “We just keep it… we’re having fun with it… we’ll keep doing it.”
With family roots in Texas—where their father studied at a Fort Worth seminary—and stops like Irving evoking nostalgia, the band cherishes connections with fans old and new. Generations now attend shows, inspired by their infectious energy. As Roland observed, hearing their songs in random spots remains a trip, underscoring their balanced fame: recognizable yet approachable.
In an era of fleeting trends, Collective Soul’s secret sauce—brotherhood, authenticity, and unrelenting fun—keeps them eternal. Catch the documentary, spin Here to Eternity, and stay tuned for what’s next from these rock stalwarts.
