spacer

Press Releases & Mailings

 Press Releases & Mailings
Exit Smeezer: Enter Evans
Last modified: 07 Apr 2008

Artist: Delirious?
Label: Furious? Records
Date: 07 Apr 2008

With Stew Smith stepping back from the drums with Delirious?, there was only ever going to be one choice for a replacement: Mr Paul Evans.

Having stepped in for Stew on the band's Easter tour of the US back in 2006, Evans has already got history with the Littlehampton five-piece. But that history goes back even further, as the man himself explains:

'My earliest memory of Delirious? was back in the days before they were even Delirious?. They used to do their Cutting Edge events in my school hall. I grew up in Littlehampton, and on my 11th birthday I got a drum kit from my parents. I learnt how to play in church and then as a teenager joined a few bands. I left school and I decided I wanted to be a musician, so did a number of mcjobs while doing gigs at the weekend. It wasn't until 2004 that I went full time with music.'

It might only have been a few years that he's been full time, but Evans has notched up a pretty decent cv: Tim Hughes, Ben Cantelon, Matt Redman, Graham Kendrick, One Hundred Hours, Brenton Brown and Cathy Burton have all received Evans Beats. Some say that Dusty Springfield even got in on the action too, but it sounds like a wind-up to me.

'It's a real privilege taking over from Stew,' Evans says. 'He was a very big influence on me as I was learning; at one point I played exactly like him: the same fills and even buying the same Pearl piccolo snare! I'm going to have to get in shape to play with the same energy that Stew plays with, but I'll probably stop short of the triathlons though!'

As for Stew, 'I have known Paul for probably 20 years. I joined the church when Paul was about 8 years old. I remember him starting to play the drums, I remember the years when he was away at college spending hours practicing and learning how to not only be a drummer, but a 'musician'. Paul is in my opinion one of, if not the, best drummer in our scene. He has passion, sensitivity, finesse and power. Most of all I love Paul for his heart, and that is the thing that will be evident when you meet him. He always has time for you, always has time to laugh and joke and these are the qualities you need to survive on the road.

I'm so proud of the things that Paul has already achieved but I'm more excited about the fresh new dynamic he will bring to Delirious? Bless you Paul on the next leg of life's beautiful journey.'

What is known for sure is the fact that becoming the drummer in Delirious? is a big deal - not just for the guy with the sticks but for Martin, Stu G, Tim and Jon.

'There's nobody else we'd have covering our backs and beats,' says Stu G. 'Evans has the skills, the passion and the heart to take us on. We're looking forward to our future together.'





Related Pages: