Ex-AC/DC singer Dave Evans ready to step in and thinks Angus Young is the band
Ex-AC/DC singer Dave Evans ready to step in and thinks Angus Young is the band
Most people are familiar with AC/DC‘s lead vocalists, Bon Scott (who passed away in 1980) and Brian Johnson.
However, prior to Scott being AC/DC‘s singer, Dave Evans handled the lead vocalist duties including on the group’s debut single “Can I Sit Next To You, Girl?” that was released in Australia and New Zealand in on or about July 1974. Evans was reportedly fired from the band in September 1974 and replaced by Scott in October 1974.
It was recently announced that AC/DC would have to cancel or postpone their 10 date North American tour due to Johnson facing the risk of “total hearing loss” if he participated in that tour. AC/DC stated that they were considering touring with a guest singer and at least two sources reported that Johnson had subsequently quit the band.
In an interview with Australia’s The Sydney Morning Herald published on March 9, 2016, Evans professed his interest to sing again in AC/DC and that the band would only be finished if and when guitarist Angus Young retired. The following are excerpts from the article in The Sydney Morning Herald:
“When I perform around the world the fans love my music and my performances and I hear what they tell me,” the 62-year-old says.
Presumably that he is still the man to take the mic again for the rock giants?
“That’s what they all tell me. They’re pretty appreciative of my vocals and performances,” says Evans, whom rock legend has it refused to go on stage 10 months after joining and was duly replaced with a scruffy chauffeur by the name of Bon Scott.
Evans says he feels for Johnson, who was forced to quit on doctor’s orders or risk going totally deaf, because being a lead singer himself, he shares the same mentality and motivation.
“A lot of people make jokes about going deaf from listening to loud music,” Evans shrugs, then just in case Angus is reading, adds: “It’s never been a problem for me.”
“I just thought it was sad news. It’s your lifeblood as a singer, live performances are so personal, without the crowd and the adrenalin it’s going to be hard for him. Performances are the big highs in our lives.”
…According to Evans, he departed AC/DC after a series of jealous rows, some possibly over girls but mainly personalities, and because the band was so poor they didn’t make enough money to pay for dinner…
Approved histories of the band have seldom been kind to Evans, frequently failing to acknowledge his part in the first line-up that included bass player Larry Von Kriedt and drummer Colin Burgess way back in 1973. Neither do they note Evans‘ patchy post-AC/DC career that went from the band Rabbit to unsuccessful projects like Dave Evans & Hot Cockerel to The King of Badasses to fronting AC/DC cover bands.
His name and photo don’t appear on AC/DC‘s official website, although Bon Scott‘s does, something that has grated on Evans in the past. In 2012, he told Sweden’s NRK: “It annoys me and it annoys the fans too [that only Bon Scott and Brian Johnson are thought to have sung for AC/DC]. Without me there would have been no AC/DC.”
Maybe that’s why Evans is not counting on a call from Angus Young. “It’ll never happen, he says, before quickly adding: “But it would be nice to do one guest performance. [Former members] were all part of the band no matters what era they were from.”
Evans‘ gut response to hearing of Johnson‘s withdrawal from touring was that AC/DC can continue: “So long as Angus is there in his uniform … it’s a branding thing now, the name AC/DC is almost bigger than the [members of the] band itself. It’s a massive thing all over the world.”
He doubts Angus will be listening to early fan reactions to Johnson‘s withdrawal, many of whom called on the band to retire.
“He’s his own man, it’s hard to tell someone to stop performing. A lot perform until they die – Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, all the greats.”
Plus Evans believes the demand for AC/DC to play live will continue.
“How many AC/DC cover bands are there? Millions, and as long as they play uncompromising hard rock and have someone dressed in a schoolboy uniform they pack in the people. Angus is the real deal… [he] will be thinking to keep the band going.
“The day Angus retires is the day AC/DC finishes.”
You can read the entire article / interview at The Sydney Morning Herald‘s website.
AC/DC before Bon Scott
Very Rare Dave Evans lead singer of AC/DC before Bon.Very,Very young Angus.