Live

Main article: Live (band)

Ed Kowalczyk was the lead singer, lyricist and main songwriter for the band Live.

In 2009, he left the band and the other three members issued a statement detailing what they felt were inappropriate actions by Kowalczyk. Kowalczyk is being sued by the band, seeking damages and an injunction against using the name "Live".

Solo career

Following his departure from Live, Kowalczyk recorded his first solo album, Alive, which was released in 2010. In 2012 he recorded The Garden and in 2013 The Flood and the Mercy.

Collaboration with other musicians

Kowalczyk has worked with musicians Stuart Davis and Glen Ballard and singers Anouk, Neneh Cherry, Adam Duritz of Counting Crows and Shelby Lynne. He featured on the song "Evolution Revolution Love," from the 2001 Tricky album Blowback. He collaborated with Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth (ex-Talking Heads, then performing as The Heads) on the song "Indie Hair" from their 1996 album No Talking, Just Head.

Political activities

Kowalczyk performed John Lennon's "Imagine" with Slash in 2003 at "Peace on the Beach," a rally to protest the coming War in Iraq. In 2008 he appeared in a video with will.i.am from The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Scarlett Johansson and Nick Cannon, supporting US Presidential candidate Barack Obama and appeared at campaign rallies for Obama with will.i.am.

Acting

He appeared in the David Fincher film Fight Club as a waiter who serves the characters of Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter, his only film acting credit to date.

Personal life

Kowalczyk was born to a family of Polish descent. He grew up in York, Pennsylvania and attended William Penn Senior High School in the York City School District, where he met the other three members of what would become Live. His father was a teacher at the local Northeastern High School.

Kowalczyk is married and has three daughters and one son. He announced the birth of his third daughter, Cecilia, on April 14, 2011, and his son, Paul, on August 5, 2013. His younger brother Adam Kowalczyk, who is also a musician, toured with Live from 1999 to 2009, playing rhythm guitar and providing backing vocals.

He had long hair until the release date of Throwing Copper, when he shaved his head except for a single braid. He grew it back out around the The Distance to Here/V transitional era, appearing with hair in the video to "Simple Creed", but has since returned to shaving.

Discography

See also: Live discography

Solo studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US	AUS	BEL (FL)	NED
2010	Alive Released: July 6, 2010 Label: Sony / V2 Format: CD	166	42	27	4
2013	The Flood and The Mercy Released: October 29, 2013 Label: Sony / V2 Format: CD	—	—	136	—

Solo extended plays

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US	AUS	BEL (FL)	NED
2012	The Garden (EP) Released: November 2012 Label: Harbour Records, Inc. Format:downloadable	—	—	—	—

Solo singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions			Album
		US Alt.	AUS	NED
2001	"Evolution Revolution Love" (Tricky featuring Ed Kowalczyk & Hawkman)	35	—	79	Blowback
2010	"Grace"	—	100	—	Alive
	"Stand"	—	—	—
2013	"Seven"	—	—	—	The Flood and the Mercy

Songs in TV

• "Evolution Revolution Love" (Tricky featuring Ed Kowalczyk) was used in the NBC series The West Wing in the episode "Manchester (Part 1)".
• "The Great Beyond" was included on the soundtrack of the 2011 film Killing Bono.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]