MUSIC Rock band Live tries to correct its 'errors'

The band has yet to recover from its unsuccessful second album.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Roughly a decade has passed since Live was seemingly atop the alt-rock world with the promise of tomorrow as bright as any band could hope to experience.
Coming off the platinum success of "Throwing Copper," the York, Pa., band channeled earnest R.E.M. and U2 influences into rock anthems -- "Selling the Drama," "Lighting Crashes" and "I Alone" -- that continue to stand the test of time. However, what seemed like a fast-track career to the Rock Hall quickly derailed.
What happened was "Secret Samadhi," the quartet's hyped 1997 follow-up album that was too artsy for the mainstream and too creatively obtuse for the underground set. Commercially speaking, the album failed to live up to its ubiquitous antecedent. But was it a mistake?
"It depends on your interpretation of it and your perspective," said Ed Kowalczyk, calling from his home in Los Angeles. "I think as an artist, you have to be willing to make huge, huge errors that are almost like moments that clarify what you want to do next. It would be unfair to 'Secret Samadhi' to say that was a big mistake, because a lot of people love that album. I love that album."
Shift
Whereas plenty of bands have weathered album blemishes -- U2's "Rattle and Hum" and the last few R.E.M. releases come to mind -- "Secret Samadhi" is easily traceable as the point where Live went from contemporary act to one-album wonder.
"As much as your errors are taken too seriously, your successes can get so crazy that there is really no middle ground," said Kowalczyk. "And I think that middle ground is where we have been in the last five years, which has actually been kind of nice. It's not necessarily the way that anybody would have known it was going to go, but you live and you learn."
Seemingly swimming uphill since the release of "Secret Samadhi," Live has released three albums with notable moments of alt-rock magic, including "The Dolphin's Cry" from 1999's "The Distance From Here" and "Heaven" from 2003's "Birds of Pray."
Comeback
Today, there's a sense that Live is on the rebound, having left Geffen Records, its longtime label, following last year's greatest hits release, to find a new home at Epic Records.
With a new album completely finished and awaiting an early 2006 release date, the foursome is keeping its chops by touring intermittently this fall. Live plays Friday at the House of Blues. Fans attending the show can look forward to roughly a half-dozen new tracks, including the lead single "The River" and "Mystery."
Saying it's the band's best work to date, the singer is very excited about the album's commercial possibilities. But you have to wonder, if fate smiled upon the band once again, would this artist take his own advice and be willing to make huge, huge errors?
"I would hope so," Kowalczyk said. "When you really allow yourself to go wherever it is the wind is blowing -- and it took me a little while to really learn that and not just with 'Secret Samadhi' but just life in general -- [you find it] does take you kind of where it needs to. And the problem is you get into fighting it and that's when I think you get into trouble. We just feel so good about where we are at now. But yeah, I'm sure I have a few huge errors yet to make. Hopefully I do."