Dik Evans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dik Evans
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Evans performing in November 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard G. Evans |
| Born | 1957 (age 67–68) Barking, England |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Art rock, post-punk, gothic rock, alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Associated acts | The Screech Owls |
Richard G. "Dik" Evans (born in 1957) is a musician from Ireland. He helped start the band Virgin Prunes and played guitar for them. He also helped create the famous band U2 and was one of their first guitarists. Dik is the older brother of U2's guitarist, the Edge.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Richard G. Evans was born in Barking, England, in 1957. His parents were from Wales. His younger brother, David, is also a guitarist. David is famously known as The Edge from U2.
When Dik was young, his family moved to Ireland. He started learning guitar with an acoustic guitar. He and his brother shared this first instrument.
Starting a Band: The Early Days of U2
The band that would later become U2 started in Dublin. This was on September 25, 1976. Dik and his brother Dave were among six people who answered a note. Larry Mullen Jr. had put this note on a school notice board. He was looking for musicians for a new band.
The group first met in Larry Mullen's kitchen. The Evans brothers played guitar together. At their first meeting, they even shared one homemade guitar. Soon, the group became a five-piece band. They decided to call themselves "Feedback." This was one of the few music words they knew.
Most of their first songs were cover songs. These are songs originally by other artists. The band admitted they were not very good at playing covers. Early influences on the band included punk rock groups. Bands like the Jam and the Clash inspired them. The popularity of punk rock showed them that being a perfect musician was not always needed to succeed.
From The Hype to U2
In April 1977, Feedback played their first paid concert. It was at St. Fintan's High School. Soon after, the band changed its name to "The Hype." Dik was older than the other band members. He was also attending college at this time. The rest of the band started thinking about being a four-person group.
In March 1978, the band changed their name again to "U2." That same month, U2, now as a four-piece band without Dik, won a talent contest. This contest was in Limerick. Winning was a big step for the new band.
A few days later, Dik officially left the band. They held a special farewell concert for him. It took place at the Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth. During the show, the group played cover songs as The Hype. Dik then walked off stage in a special way. The remaining four band members returned later. They played their original songs as U2.
Other Music Projects
After leaving U2, Dik Evans became a founding member of another band. This was the Dublin-based band The Virgin Prunes. He was their guitarist from 1977 to 1984.
He also helped start a band called The Kid Sisters. This band later became known as The Screech Owls. He formed this group with an American musician named Deborah "Debbie" Schow.
More recently, Dik has worked on solo music. He contributed to a music festival called Snakes & Ladders – A Festival of New Irish Music. This event was put together by Daniel Figgis. Daniel Figgis is a composer and a former member of The Virgin Prunes.
