“That Les Paul became my thing. Its neck has broken three different times! That’s why I call it my workhorse – it just keeps going”: Collective Soul’s Dean Roland on his long-serving gear – and why he’s never rested on the band’s ’90s success

Dean Roland plays live with Collective Soul.

Since Collective Soul got started, Georgia-born brothers Ed and Dean Roland have held it down, delivering hits like Shine, December and The World I Know, and performing iconic sets at Woodstock ’94 and ’99.

The band have released 11 studio records labeled everything from grunge to alt to – gasp – classic rock. But rhythm guitarist Dean Roland believes it doesn’t matter much. “It’s always been about melody, honest lyrics and having some fun sounds around it,” he tells Guitar World.