About John Evans
composer, songwriter, lyricist & writer
photograph: Stuart McClymont (2012)
One of my great loves is rock and roll. I started my career as a singer songwriter and guitarist and I played the folk circuits around the UK, playing both acoustic and electric guitar. I toured extensively in Europe, living in Amsterdam and Paris, and played in many bands. On my return to England I formed the J Evans Band and I released three albums called “In the Wild Years,” “Survivor,” and “A Better Man.”
"Evans righteous fury wouldn't be worth a damn if he didn't have the musical muscle to ram it home... tracks like Are you Ready and City of Lights show his real strength, hard-edged boogie blues, that get men drinking and nodding - offset by stunning Springsteen-esque ballads like No Smoke without Fire and Shadowlands Evans hasn't just survived, he is flourishing."
From the album "Survivor" by Henry Yates, Classic Rock, July 2009
I’ve always enjoyed orchestral music, particularly Shostakovich. The possibilities that an orchestra gives a composer - particularly the dynamic range and the huge majestic sound of the string section are quite simply incomparable to what can be achieved with a rock band.
When I stopped touring I stopped writing songs, this was not a conscious decision, it just happened that way. Around about the same time I discovered orchestral samples and a new way to express myself creatively.
Around about this time I met Derek Williams and I became a student of his online as he is based in Edinburgh and I am in London. With his help and guidance I created the Symphony “Awakening”.
Other projects I’m working on include poetry, short stories, and a new string quartet. Who knows, I might even start writing songs again…