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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 30 > Entry
Collective Soul men keep it real
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Earlier this summer, the members of Collective Soul donned designer duds and succumbed to hair and makeup before a daylong photo shoot for their new album “Afterwords.” Buckhead hair salon owner and budding shutterbug Richie Arpino, a friend of the Stockbridge-birthed act, was assigned to photograph brothers Ed and Dean Roland, Will Turpin, Joel Kosche and Ryan Hoyle.
Afterward, the hungry band changed into street clothes and headed to MetroFresh in Midtown for some grub. The eatery is owned by Arpino’s partner, Mitchell Anderson. For laughs, Arpino fired off a few shots of the boys downing their soup.
Guess which image Ed Roland selected for the cover of “Afterwords,” the album that hit Target stores nationwide this week?
“I must have submitted 567 images to him and he picks the shot with them looking as un-glam as possible!” Arpino told Buzz laughing. “At the time, I thought, ‘Maybe they’ll use these on their Web site or something.’”
The charming image is so unposed, a MetroFresh receipt and a pen to sign the tab remains on the table in the center of the shot.
With lunch patrons whizzing past him Wednesday, Anderson recalled the late afternoon visit in June: “They were hungry. We scooped up some Mitchili [the eatery’s trademark bowl named for the owner] and opened some wine for them and the boys were happy. They were just being themselves, having fun. I think that’s what Ed picked up on in that photograph.”
A framed, signed copy of the album cover photo now sits in a window at MetroFresh since Target and Apple’s iTunes have the exclusive rights to sell the actual music. A detail we noted? The food photography on the wall in the shot was also taken by Arpino.
In addition to the CD exposure, a MetroFresh entry was recently added into the prestigious Zagat restaurant guide. And to celebrate all this?
MetroFresh is closed today through Tuesday for an interior spruce-up.
“Great timing, right?” conceded Anderson. “Our work had already been scheduled, though. But now, we might use eBay to auction off the old seat cushions the band sat on!”
And those more formal images of the band shot that day weren’t completely wasted. One of Arpino’s photos was featured in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times with a profile of Collective Soul.
The rockers will debut their new single, “Hollywood” on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” Friday night.
Overscene
NBA player Shandon Anderson, who most recently played for the Miami Heat, had a new venture to fill us in on when we ran into him the other night. The Atlanta native and former University Georgia Bulldog is readying Nani Spa and Hair Salon for a mid-September opening at Atlantic Station.
“I looked around and realized there really wasn’t another concept like what we wanted to do over at Atlantic Station. It seemed like the perfect fit.”
We’re told that Anderson personally flew to Italy to hand-select the salon’s fixtures and furniture.
Breakfast with Fitty
Thrive nightclub and restaurant got an early start Wednesday. The downtown hotspot was selected to host a live radio interview with rapper 50 Cent and a private breakfast with Hot 107.9 FM listeners.
“He was really cool and humble,” related Thrive general manager A.D. Allushi. “I was expecting him to be intimidating but he was very polite.” Between bites of eggs, bacon and Danish, Hot 107.9 listeners happily posed for pictures with Fitty as he went table to table to greet fans.
As always, the ever-efficient Allushi had all his bases covered. A sushi chef was positioned at the ready.
“I felt bad because our chef just stood there,” Allushi told us. “I know 50 Cent works out and eats healthy. The sushi was there in case he wanted it.”
Nealon takes Paris
Kevin Nealon, the stoner accountant on Showtime’s “Weeds,” got to show off his bum in the third season premiere of the show earlier this month.
“That was tough to watch,” said Nealon, who spoke to Buzz to promote the “World’s Funniest Commercials” on Atlanta’s TBS at 9 tonight. “I thought my shirt covered it, but it didn’t. My agent called the next day and asked if I needed a nudity clause. I said, Nahh, if it’s OK with him, it’s OK with me.”
Last season, Nealon’s character Doug cheated on his wife with Elizabeth Perkins’ character Nancy. This year, he has to deal with the ramifications.
“He’s devolved,” Nealon said. “He’s become more of a kid in a bigger candy store.”
Other characters on the show will show off their bums, too. “There’s a ton of skin on ‘Weeds’ this year. Nobody goes unscathed.”
As for hosting the “Funniest Commercial” gig, he said he actually asked the producers half-seriously about shooting in Paris this time and shockingly, TBS said fine.
Plus, it’s a job that Ryan Seacrest didn’t take.
“I’m beginning to think that guy’s a workaholic,” Nealon cracked.
ON MY iPOD
Travis Tritt , country singer and Marietta native: “I love Rob Thomas’ stuff and I’m a big Nickelback fan,” Tritt told us. “I even recorded a cover of theirs [“Should’ve Listened”] for the new album [“The Storm”]. I’ve also got entire libraries of Ray Charles, Bob Seger, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash that I take everywhere. Oh, and Alison Krauss. I got all her stuff. She’s amazing.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Bill Daily (“I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Bob Newhart Show”) is 80. Actor-turned-politician Ben Jones (“The Dukes of Hazzard”) is 66. Comedian Lewis Black (“The Daily Show”) is 59. Actor Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) is 44. Actress Cameron Diaz is 35. Guitarist Ryan Ross of Panic! At the Disco is 21.
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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