Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting
In 2003 they abated the long-time creative partnership while Evans played with The Daybirds. Over two years with the KC Pop outfit Evans played multiple instruments and engineered/co-produced the bands' passed-on demo submission to the Celine Dion Agency.
"When you watch what music can do to the people who make it, it's hard not to get really pissed off and jaded about it." explains Evans. "The Daybirds' would-be 'deal' [air quotes] fell through and right about that time a very good friend, who is a sort of musical mentor to me [Alejandro Escovedo], nearly died. People dream of a life in music and those dreams have a way of turning into a truth or reality that can be pretty hurtful." But callings have a way of calling.
"I kept running into Dan and he'd nonchalantly ask me to get together and play. I was reluctant, but Dan's a very grounding influence, so it made sense." The two re-entered the practice space, sketching from ideas they'd accumulated over the past five years. But the emerging musical project remained non-committal. No band, no plans to perform, no plans to record. "There were lots of excuses, and that was about it."
Cue Chris Wagner and Bob Parks.
"I knew Chris and Bob were both great bass players. I'd seen them play a lot over the years. But you can't re-create the 1993 Cher UK at the Grand Emporium thing can you?" So Evans and Dumit hatched a plan.
"Having seen him in Jackie Carol, and Hundred Years War I knew Chris has a very tasteful sense for counter melody and makes it work in a rock band. So we asked him to play guitar. Sure, it's a third more difficult than bass, but Chris has guitars, Vox amps the whole deal." Itching to play his Fenders on stage, Wagner took the bait.
Parks, long time KC bassist in notable acts like Secular Theme and The Broken Onlys, had caught Evans' ear over the years. "Bob is another very melodic musician with an affinity for the noise. He can play trumpet, bass, etc.. He really understands music theory and playing in the bands he's been in over the years, he knows how to apply that to rock music. Not a lot of people have that."
With the lineup intact, the next step was writing new material. For most new bands, that's the easy part. "We're hard on new material. We'll be working on a new idea and I'll look at the guys and you can tell by their faces if a song is working or not. If they don't look enthused, that songs gets punted. That can make for some slow going and it can also take the air out of the new project real quickly."
Then one day Evans' mentor gave him some clarity. "I'd been afraid of writing and struggling with it. So I called Alejandro. He's always had simple and profound words for me all along this process, whether it's about song writing, keeping a band together, anything. We talked about a lot of things, and one of the things he said to me is 'Keep it simple and mean it. You just have to put the songs first. It's why were' here, brother.'" That put an end to Evans' excuses and about ten new songs came in a week. "Of course we only kept six of them. [laughs]"