The BIG Über Rock Interview – Dave Evans

Written by Linzi A
Saturday, 06 October 2018 04:00

Dave Evans was born in Wales, and was AC/DC’s original front man between 1973-1974, appearing on their debut single, ‘Can I Sit Next To You Girl?’, which peaked at #50 in the Australian charts. The song was later re-recorded with Bon Scott, who replaced Evans in October 1974.

After AC/DC, Evans joined Rabbit, replacing original singer Greg Douglas. The band released six singles and two albums between 1975 and 1977. Over the years, his other bands have included Dave Evans & Hot Cockerel and Dave Evans’ Thunder Down Under, which released one self-titled album through Reaction Records. In 2000, he released a live album, ‘A Hell of a Night’ which was a recording of a memorial gig held on the 20th anniversary of Bon Scott’s death, with Melbourne AC/DC tribute band Thunderstruck. Most recently, he has since been touring almost incessangly with his Badasses, ensuring that, despite recent attempts by his former bandmates to distance themselves from earlier incarnations of the ‘DC machine, the name Dave Evans is not going quietly into the night (not that he’d let it anyway) but is still out there being heard by the masses.

With his hectic schedule, I was able to pin him down for a brief chat, on the back of the announcement that he would be appearing at the Woodstock 50th Anniversary Festival in 2019! It must be a huge honour for Dave and his band, given the role that Woodstock played in the development of both modern festivals and rock music as a whole…

It is amazing to think that Woodstock was so long ago and is still iconic and so much a part of music folklore. I was so excited when asked to perform next year at the 50th Anniversary Festival and the boys in my American Badasses were too when I told them. It will be fantastic to be a part of this historic event.

It’s been 45 years since you sang alongside Angus Young in AC/DC. Even after all this time you have kept your sound and image the same as it was all those years ago, not changing with the times, but keeping it very traditional classic rock ‘n’ roll, old school. There aren’t many bands/artists out there that do that now. Do you think that’s to do with all the big corporations making bands change their images to keep up with the modern day image of how they perceive the people on the rock scene to look?

Not really. I am one of the few originals from back then who are still recording and performing the classic hard rock sound that is still the most popular around the world. AC/DC still pull the biggest rock crowds all around the world even with the different lineup changes. There is a certain formula to writing this kind of rock music, which has become mostly a lost art but the crowds still go nuts and sing the big and compelling catchy choruses whenever they come to rock out to the headbanging sound of old and even the new songs of the “old school” rock genre.

You have a stint of tour dates coming up across South America: what can the fans there expect from you guys on this tour? Any special guest appearances?

I will be touring Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and maybe one or two more countries to be tacked on.I will be performing with local South American musicians who are hard at work right now in rehearsals. I never know what wonderful surprises are in store during tours and am looking forward to enjoying my time there.

You have been doing some amazing things outside of music too… back in April you were awarded with the key to the city in Tenaha, Texas. On top of becoming an honorary officer of the Tenaha Police Department also! Do you want to tell us a little bit about how these amazing opportunities came about?

I was based in Texas for ten years or so, performed with local musicians and made many close friends there. One of my badass musicians is now a Texas lawman and was attached to the newly formed Tenaha Police Dept. The Police Chief became aware of our friendship and as the officers are all great AC/DC fans I was invited to Tenaha in appreciation of my contribution to local and international music to be made an honorary police officer to the Tenaha Police Dept and to receive my official police badge and official title of Officer Dave Evans. Also, the mayor of Tenaha heard I was coming and so presented me with the Key To The City of Tenaha as well. I am the only non-American citizen in history to be made an honorary American lawman so it is and extraordinary honour and I am so proud of that and of course to receive the Key To The City of Tenaha as well.

Is there anything else coming up for Dave Evans in the New Year? A new album/video maybe that you can tell us about?

I am flat out touring until right up to Christmas and then will take a break in Australia into the New Year. There are a lot of tours being discussed already for 2019, and I may have a new recording on the horizon too.

As one of the founding members of AC/DC, I’d like to get your thoughts on what happened when Brian Johnson was forced to retire due to ill health and the band brought in Axl Rose: do you feel that Axl was a suitable replacement, or do you think it was more a money making exercise?

The band wanted to fulfil the dates already scheduled after Brian had departed the band during the last tour and it was the band’s decision to find a replacement singer to finish the tour. Axl might have been a controversial choice to some but the crowds came anyway and from all accounts the shows were a great success.

As a frontman, did you find it hard watching Brian being forced to quit on doctor’s orders?

You gotta do what the doc says and take care of the most important thing in life – our health.

Do you feel any resentment/jealousy when AC/DC gained such a high profile status within music after you left, or is it more to do with them not giving the previous band members the recognition they so rightly deserve?

My rockin’ life never stopped and I have had a wonderful Australian rock ‘n’ roll career and now an internationally successful career – and it still gets better and better. With the advent of the internet many years ago, the full history of the band has become public knowledge and taken out of the hands of the fake publicity and image making spin doctors, and the fans can easily find the full facts and see the truths therein and enjoy the amazing and colourful full story.

Last question: in your personal opinion, following the tragic death of Malcolm Young, do you think Angus should retire AC/DC?

As long as Angus wants to perform then the AC/DC brand will still be current, which is a good thing for the fans and for hard rock in general. There are so many AC/DC tribute bands around the world making a living from the brand so there is every reason and right for an original member to also enjoy the same privilege of the brand they themselves created.