I Want It - a Dave Evans original song

War and hate have been around since the dawn of mankind, that I am sure of. I am equally sure that the birth of the "protest" song came along very early in the evolution of music. I don't know when the first protest song was written or what it was about but it has it's place in popular culture, no matter where you are in the world. When I think of the protest song my first thought goes to folk music and people like Woody Guthrie (Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)) and Pete Seeger (We Shall Overcome); I think most people would do the same. I also think of rock and roll and artists like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Ohio), Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fortunate Son), and my favorite, John Lennon (Imagine). I would add Harry Chapin (What Made America Famous) to the list somewhere between folk and rock. I am adding another name to the list - Dave Evans - and the song, I Want It. I have written about Dave, his music and even how his music has influenced my photography and writing; now I am introducing you to his "protest" song. I'm sure that if you were to ask him, he wouldn't necessarily think of himself as a singer of protest songs and he would be correct. He may not even consider I Want It to be in that category but I think it is and, since I am writing this, it is....

The following is what Dave told me about the song when he first wrote it:

"One day I was sitting in my chair thinking about all the things I wanted out of life... The more I thought about it the more I realized I really only wanted LOVE. For some reason I picked up one of my guitars and started playing a chord progression I had never played before and the song was born."

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I want the world to survive.
I want the lovers in my life still alive
I want the world to be the place I know that it can be.
I want the wars to conclude.
We'll grant the parents of the world solitude.
We'll make the world a place of love and peace and harmony
Then you'll see

So, the only thing you have left is to listen to I Want It on BandCamp and then come back here to let me know what you think in the comments below.

For more information about Dave and his music you can read my blog post - Dave Evans: Songwriter, Performer and Friend
Check out his Facebook page - Dave Evans Solo
Follow him on Twitter - @Dave2ta
You can email him at DaveEvansSolo@gmail.com

Dave Evans: Songwriter, Performer and Friend

I met Dave at a job interview; he was looking to hire a programmer and I was looking to be hired. I had been on many interviews in my life but this one was different. We had just met but I was very comfortable and it seemed like we had known each other for a long time. I ultimately got the job and we quickly became good friends. We found that we had a common bond with music; we both play guitar and are more than casual fans of The Beatles. He is also a songwriter and a very good one at that. That was just over 10 years ago and I have had the privilege of watching his songwriting, performing and recording mature in leaps and bounds.

I mentioned earlier that we both play guitar but that is a little misleading. I played a long time ago - classical guitar mostly - and just fool around every once in a while. There have been a few times when I have gone to Dave's and we play some of his songs together but my playing isn't quite up to snuff. His playing gets better all the time. We have a long-distance writer-collaborator relationship that has been a lot of fun and rather productive. Dave will write a song - sometimes he just get a melody or chord progression he likes, sometimes just lyrics - and send a rough recording to me. I listen to it a number of times - usually 2 or 3 in a row and then come back to it a little later for a few more listens - and give him my thoughts. I almost never have a comment about the lyric but will offer some feedback about the accompaniment. He is the artist and, ultimately, it is his voice that comes through.

Dave's biggest influence is The Beatles and, in particular, John Lennon. You can feel this in his lyrics - he often writes of love or the social ills of this world. It is my opinion that his songs of love are his best work and I know they are his most personal. There is a geniuneness to his music that I feel sets him apart from a lot of other singer/songwriters out there today. He considers his style to be "classic rock" but he throws in a little bit of jazz, blues and country from time-to-time. Like most singer-songwriters the guitar is center stage for most songs but don't be surprised to hear piano, strings and horns show up from time-to-time.

Dave is currently putting the finishing touches on a few of his songs and looking forward to putting out his third album. You're going to hear a lot about Dave in the coming months - I plan on writing more about his music and specific songs. I also suspect you will be hearing about him from others, too. He is too talented not to be "out there" and it won't be long before he is. The video of "Mary's Song" is one that was done a few years ago and it has changed a little in the intervening time but it is my favorite song and I want to share it with you.

Mary's Song on YouTube

I recently interviewed Dave for this blog - you can read that interview here, Interview with Songwriter Dave Evans.

Dave has an Artist page on BandCamp where you can listen to more of his music, as well as purchase songs. His page is https://daveevanssolo.bandcamp.com and I encourage you to check it out as soon as you finish reading this post. If you are interested in publishing or recording some of his songs - his contact information is on his BandCamp page.

I would love to hear what you think of his music - check out his page, listen to some songs and come back to leave a comment below. I'm sure you will become a fan, just like me! Thanks for stopping by.

Remember When the Music

I have seen many live performances over the years in many different venues - from small halls like The Bottom Line to outdoors in Giants Stadium. I've seen upcoming, unknown bands as opening acts. I've seen superstars like Ringo Starr, The Eagles, Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen and The Who. I've enjoyed them all but aside from Ringo, it was Harry Chapin that I most enjoyed seeing. I saw him five (5) times - the last was in late 1980 at the State Theatre in New Brunswick and John Lennon was still alive. I had seen him earlier in the year at the Garden State Arts Center (now PNC Art Center) and was looking forward to a rare twice-in-a-year treat. I had a seat near the aisle, we got there early and hung out waiting for the show to begin. The time came for the show to begin but the stage was dark. It remained dark for quite some time - what was going on? It wasn't like Harry to start late. Suddenly I see someone run past me - just a blur - and jump up on the stage. Harry has arrived at last! He explained that his van broke down on Rt 18 just after he left the New Jersey Turnpike and he actually got a ride from an elderly couple who had stopped to see if he was okay. They offered to drive him to the show; in return he offered them tickets to the show. They looked at him and asked if he played "rock and roll". He smiled when he told us he wished he could have said "Yeah, I'm Bruce Springsteen." I was glad he got to the theater but really disappointed when I learned how. You see, about an hour or so earlier I drove right past where he broke down! If the timing had been better it may have been ME who drove him to the show.... It was, of course, another great Chapin show but sadly, it was the last time I saw him perform. I had tickets to see him perform at the Garden State Arts Center in July 1981 but he died on July 7th in an accident on the Long Island Expressway. I still have the ticket....

Remember When the Music - Live at The Bottom Line

You may have wondered why I mentioned earlier that John Lennon was still alive when I saw Harry last. If you listen to the recording at the top of this post it will explain everything. I, like millions of others, was crushed when I heard of John's murder and I remember playing this song, thinking about John. The song helped me. Then Harry was killed seven months later. The song brought with it a whole new meaning, as did some of his other songs. It was years before I heard this version recorded at the Bottom Line in New York City. It is difficult to listen to the introduction knowing what was to happen only months later.

I miss Harry and his shows. The banter between him and the band - especially Big John - was priceless. I'm glad for the live albums because they do a good job of conveying the experience and YouTube has been great because I can find recordings that weren't released on disk. There is a full concert video of the benefit that Harry did in October 1978 for the Bill Bradley campaign. It was only Harry - no band - but he did sing a duet with Chevy Chase! The show is priceless and I was there! Here is a link - Harry at Capitol Theatre. If you aren't familiar with Harry's music I encourage you to check it out. I'm sure you know Cat's In The Cradle and Taxi but there are so many others. Corey's Coming has got to be one of my all-time favorites, especially the live version on Legends of the Lost and Found.

I hope you Chapin fans out there enjoyed this little homage to Harry. If you have any memories to share, please do so in the comments below. If there is one thing that I learned from Harry is that no matter how bad things may be or how bad you may feel "you can ALWAYS count on the cheap seats!"

Interview with Songwriter Dave Evans

Dave is a friend of more than 10 years and, with this interview, we have come full circle. You see, we met when Dave called me in for a job interview in 2006 for a programming job he was looking to fill. It was a strange interview because it was more like a couple friends having coffee than a job interview and it turned out we became good friends. We held many of the same beliefs, professionally, which led to my being hired but it was music that we most talked about.

We are both fans of the music of the 1960’s – The Beatles, in particular – and we had many discussions during the day and at lunch. While we both lived through Beatlemania and have our memories, Dave is older than I so he has more vivid memories and from a different perspective. It is always interesting to talk to someone who remembers what it was like and when Dave talks about those days you can see the excitement is almost as fresh as it was more than 50 years ago.

Despite all of the talk of music, it was months before I discovered that Dave wrote music. If memory serves me my introduction to Dave’s music was “Mary’s Song”. I instantly connected with the song and it remains my favorite Dave Evans original. I have heard the song come from rough, fast song to a love ballad that really captivates you. I have been fortunate to experience the songwriting process through the last 10 years – sometimes I get an excited text message about song that is nothing but a new chord progression and a few minutes later I am listening to a rough recording. There are other times when the lyrics come and I get a recording of his working through the melody. I am always impressed by the end result – he has a talent that many of us would love to have – but I think what is really interesting, for me, is his enthusiasm throughout the process. His songs are his children (though he has more than a few) and he nurtures them as such, always worried if he is doing them justice or if he could have done something better. If you ask me, he has served his children well – both human and music – and they represent him well.

Personal questions

What is your favorite childhood memory?

Wow, that's a tough one because there were a few... I'd have to say the first time I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. I was with my dad and we lived on the fifth floor. As soon as the show was over I ran to the window and saw three of my friends down on the corner yelling up to me to come down and join them... I was not allowed to go out on Sundays nights at that time so I just turned around and gave my dad that sad look you give when you really want something... He seemed to realize that this was a special time and told me to go down and see my friend BUT to only stay right on the corner so he could see me from the window... It was awesome cause as soon as I got to the corner the four of us formed our Band and spent the rest of the night (1 hour) thinking of names for the band. Every car that passed from Mustang to Montego was considered... The funny thing is I don't remember what name we decided on but I'll never forget the experience... And yes, we did play a few gigs...

What are the five foods you can’t live without?

I love so many foods it's scary BUT I have to admit I'm addicted to Potato Chips... I can give up cookies, Chocolate and Ice Cream but I just can't seem to give up the Chips... I LOVE Prime Rib when I go out to eat and Veal Parmesan when in an Italian restaurant but I can do without them...
(Joe: I think potato chips are the downfall for most of us – I don’t think there is ever a bag that is “big enough”)

What’s the best advice anyone has given you and who gave it to you?

My Dad always gave me good advice. He would tell me to judge people by what they do and not by what they say and boy has that proven to be true... He would also tell me that money wasn't everything but to remember I had to pay the bills and Shoprite didn't accept Titles or job descriptions, only money.
(Joe: that’s great advice, all of it.)

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't making music?

Another good question... I love reading, playing on the computer, learning new things and meeting new people... In the summer I LOVE being on the beach. I keep my umbrella and beach chair in the car all summer so I'm ready to go at a moment’s notice... I like getting there early in the morning and staying till at least 1 or 2 in the afternoon, then I walk the boardwalk at night. It is fascinating to me all the different people and couples you see when you walk the boardwalk.

If you could spend an hour with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?

Only ONE!!! Musically I guess it would be John Lennon because I always liked his music and songwriting... I would LOVE to have both John AND Paul in the same room and talk about each of their songs and what they were thinking when they wrote them... I would also love to compare my songwriting process with theirs and see if we do it the same way... History wise I would love to sit down with Abraham Lincoln and talk about what he was feeling during the Civil War and how he arrived at some of the decisions he made during those times. I would also like to ask the "Founding Fathers" how they feel about where our country is going and if it's where they thought it would be when they first formed it... I know, I cheated...
(Joe: interesting choices – not sure we are ready to hear from our “Founding Fathers”, though)

Professional questions

Why music?

I love music and can't picture my life without it. The funny thing is I always wrote words, I guess you would call them poems, with a musical idea in my head BUT I never actually put real music to them. When my late wife Mary passed away I started playing the guitar again (after stopping when I was 13), probably to take my mind off of her passing. One of the first songs I wrote was Mary's Song which I still have trouble performing live without getting emotional. Over time my music changed from sad to less sad to sometimes happy... It's been 13 years now and hopefully my music has evolved enough where it has many moods and generates many different feelings.
(Joe: I can tell you; YES, your music (and recording) has evolved many-fold over the intervening years and continues to evolve. Dave & I collaborated on a video for "Mary's Song" that you can view on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLCSDKycY10)

Can you explain your music in 10 words or less?

I can do it in one, FEELINGS... I write songs to either generate feelings or express my feelings. It is my way of saying things I have trouble saying without music. Every song I write is saying something, either explicitly or buried somewhere within it. They are not all heavy messages or statements BUT if they are not saying something I won't write them.

What is your greatest musical achievement?

Every song I write... I always considered myself a songwriter and not a performer so to me it's the song that's important, not my performance of it. I just hope I do them justice when I record them. Every song I write has something to say, I just hope I say it in a way that other people hear the message.

If you could open up for any artist, past or present, who would it be?

Obviously The Beatles but we all know that can't happen so maybe Elton John or Bob Seger. How about Tom Petty or Train...? The Eagles would be cool too. Can I throw in Elvis and Buddy Holly???

Where do you draw inspiration from when you write/play/sing songs and what’s your favorite part about the process?

I usually start off by writing about a situation I'm experiencing or feeling. Sometimes I stay with that throughout the entire song or I stray into other things to expand the experience. Other times I picture myself in a different situation and write about how I would feel being there. An example of the latter is "Life Wasted" where I was writing about a man who only cared about money and not his family. I was trying to write about how he would feel when he was older and had no family around him. I was putting myself in that situation because I have a very close relationship with my family and had to guess how I would feel. Yes, it's all about feelings for me.

Bonus question:

What are your Top 5 "Deserted Island" albums?

WOW only 5!!! OK, Bod Seger's Live Bullet, Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman, Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin II, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and The Beatle's White Album... The reason I picked the White Album instead of Abbey Road, Revolver or Rubber Soul is because there are more songs on it... hahaha

Dave has an Artist page on BandCamp where you can listen to more of his music, as well as purchase songs. His page is https://daveevanssolo.bandcamp.com/ and I encourage you to check it out as soon as you finish reading this post.

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All photos are copyright Alexander DiMauro All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at ajdimauro@gmail.com

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The Power of Music

I love music! Whether I am listening to classic rock, classical guitar, bluegrass, jazz, folk, etc…. or playing it myself, I love music. I learned to play guitar when I was in the fourth grade and in sixth grade began playing classical guitar. I took lessons until sometime in high school when I got too busy to continue. I must admit, I got to be pretty good. I don’t play much anymore, I bought a guitar a while back when my kids wanted me to teach them and then bought a classical guitar in 2009 but usually only play when I get together with my friend, Dave. Dave writes songs and we get together every once-in-a-while and play some of his stuff - stay tuned, I will be writing about Dave in the coming weeks. I had learned a great finger-style version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and got to be competent with it a couple years back. Most of the time, though, my indulgence in music is as a spectator. My first choice would be The Beatles or maybe one of their solo efforts. I grew up listening to The Beatles and then to John, Paul, George and Ringo as solo artists. Just about every song has some memory attached to it. When I was growing up my siblings and I would spend two (2) weeks every summer in Flanders, New Jersey visiting our Great-Aunt Inez. These two weeks were always the highlight of my summer. There were some summers when we would go camping with my Great-Aunt Viola and her husband and I seem to remember my grandmother being on at least one of the trips. You see, Viola and her husband had a Winnebago that they traveled all over the country in and a few times we took a short trip with them. It is one such trip that comes to mind whenever I hear “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” One of our favorite games to play was Hangman and we were playing one afternoon at the campsite, listening to the radio. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” came on the radio while we were playing. Shortly afterward it was my turn to guess the phrase that Inez was thinking of. I failed…. When time came to unveil the answer it was “I Wanna Hole Your Han.” I told her that wasn’t right but she insisted that is what they were saying. All these years later and I can remember it almost like it was yesterday and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. That is the power of music.

There was a pizzeria in Little Silver that my friend, Lenny, and I would go to that had a jukebox. I remember listening to “Helen Wheels” by Wings while having a few slices of pizza. “Mind Games” brings me back to a friend’s birthday party when I was 16 years old. She had asked me to bring some records with me and “Mind Games”, the album, was one of them. We were outside listening to music, laughing and having a good time. The song was playing and I heard something like “watch this” and the next thing I know one of the girls pulls me over and plants a big kiss on my cheek as someone takes a picture. It was a year or so later that we dated for a while and are friends to this day. George Harrison’s “Crackerbox Palace” brings me back to high school and a varsity basketball game but I honestly don’t know why. I vaguely remember helping a friend, Jeff, with something and he bought me “Thirty Three & 1/3” to thank me but that might not be right. “Las Brisas” by Ringo Starr also brings me back to high school but I think of a friend, Andy. Details, once again, are a bit sketchy but I remember singing it and when I got to “yo te amo” he turned to me and said that he liked me too but not that way. Andy later became employed by WPLJ-FM in New York but sadly died of cancer while still a young man.

Of course “In My Life” is the song that my wife and I danced to at our wedding and so that brings a whole bunch of memories; after nearly 25 years we are still making memories together. Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is the song that I proposed to her to while we were dancing at my bowling banquet at The Squires Pub. She is a fan, as am I to a lesser degree, and the song just seemed like the appropriate time to ask her to marry me. I also remember having to speak with her father the next day but that is a different story. It’s funny how things work out.

There are so many more songs and memories, not all of them Beatles-related either. The songs of the Who, Eagles, Simon & Garfunkel, Turtles, Box Tops, Platters, Harry Chapin, etc… the list goes on and on and on. There are some songs that I really like but have a difficult time listening to. “Circle” by Harry Chapin is one of them. I love the song but cannot listen to it anymore. I also have a hard time listening to “Photograph” by Ringo Starr. Ringo sang it at the “Concert for George” and said that the song has taken on new meaning since George’s death and ever since it is difficult for me to listen to. Both songs induce great memories but also make me miss those with whom the memories were made. I would, however, like to have everyone sing “Circle” at my gravesite service when the time comes.

On that note I think it is time to say good-bye for now. I hope you enjoyed reading this installment of my rant-fest and hopefully it brought a smile or two to your face. If you have any song memories you would like to share, please feel free to comment below. I would love to hear from you!