From out of Feilding, Evermore are

By GRAHAM REID

It would be wrong to suggest the young rock band Evermore came out of nowhere - but even they admit Feilding is hardly a hotbed of rock'n'roll.

The three implausibly young Hume brothers - singer/songwriter and guitarist Jon (19), bassist Peter (17) and drummer Dann (15) - grew up surrounded by cows and lifestyle blocks and acknowledge they hardly saw any live music when growing up.

When Dann went to the bank to open an account he was asked, "Are you that guy in the band from Feilding?"

Jon laughs: "People don't actually know our name. We're just 'the band from Feilding' because there are no other bands in Feilding. We are the band from Feilding."

They may not have much of a hometown reputation ("It's just the classic thing where people know you too well and think you can't be any good because you went to their school") but they are starting to make ripples off-shore.

Like the Datsuns from Cambridge, the D4 (nominally from the North Shore), Steriogram of West Auckland, P-Money from Papakura, and Wash of Tauranga, Evermore are rising past their humble roots and making it out in the world where their origins are a curiosity for some.

At the South by South West music showcase in Austin, Texas where Evermore joined the New Zealand contingent of the D4, betchadupa, 8 Foot Sativa and others, people were asking if they lived in barn. Not the smartest of questions, but at least they were interested.

And this past year more and more have been paying attention to this rocking three-piece who write and record their own material and seem to owe allegiance to no particular school.

They aren't on the garage axis like the Datsuns/D4, are slightly softer than the hard rockers, don't assimilate rap into the mix and just seem content, as Jon says, to write strong songs people remember.

They grew up on their parents' record collection of 60s and 70s rock and "we didn't really listen to radio, a band was out called Nirvana and we never really heard them," laughs Dann.

They effortlessly cite influences: "the Who" says Peter nursing the DVD of the making of the Who's classic Who's Next album, and Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Kinks then later Britpop like Oasis. "And Supergrass," they say simultaneously.

Inevitably they started playing together "although if you live in the same house it's hard to tell when it became A Band," says Jon.

Five years ago, however, Jon started writing songs and, right from the start, they recorded, largely because there were few places to play aside from at their school and the local hall.

"On our home PC we had a cheap music program and from there I bought a ProTools system and now it's pretty much turned into a studio," says Jon.

"I've recorded some bands from Palmerston North there. And from Wellington. I don't have time to do that any more but it was quite an enjoyable experience."

In 1999 they entered the smokefreerockquest and won it the following year, and $2000 worth of recording equipment.

"After the rockquest we did a tour then we just went home and did loads of song-writing and developed the sound we've got now.

"For me a good song is a good lyric that people can relate to and means something. And sounds different," says Jon.

"And dynamic," adds drummer Dann, as drummers do.

Their steps up the ladder were incremental: their set impressed many of the international guests flown in for the World Series last November and many happily went home with Evermore demos. The programme director of Sydney's Triple J was so impressed he burned a copy of the song Slipping Away and playlisted it even before their impressive five song Oil and Water EP - which features that as the lead-off track - was released.

The EP received favourable reviews here and in Sydney, the band played dates around Sydney pubs and supported US rockers Brad, and had a slot at the Big Day Out. They signed to Warners NZ and a licensing deal with Warners Australia, then in March took off for a showcase in Austin.

It all seems to have happened quickly, which explains why they aren't well known on hometurf.

"We've been a bit isolated," says Jon, "and haven't been in people's faces up in Auckland. But now that we are getting some recognition overseas, I guess people are a bit more interested. We did the goodshirt tour and have played a couple of times at the Kings Arms supporting people, but it is quite difficult to find gigs like supports if you are not with the right people."

Some of those right people came to see them in Austin, although with seasoned scepticism they are reluctant to talk it up.

"It was mainly record company executives and music industry people who came," says Peter.

Jon: "Will anything come of it? It's hard to say right now but give it a month or two and we'll know. We're still talking to people. Everyone in America is so enthusiastic it's a little hard to tell if they are actually for real. It's just the way they relate. It's in their interest to appear keen because if they suddenly later decide they are keen ... "

Dann: "And they can say, 'I was interested in that band before they were signed', even if they weren't."

Jon: "We don't want to have unrealistic expectations of what's going to happen."

They consider their two shows in New York and gigs in Canada successful - aside from picking up a US$100 ($175) parking ticket outside the Rockefeller Centre when they were unloading gear.

"There's not that many parking meters in Feilding," observes Dann.

Their hometown looms large for them - it keeps you honest after playing New York, LA's Viper Room and Montreal to go back to Feilding - and they speak about it with humour and confidence.

Peter laughs about the weariness and surrealism of touring but it's clear they've loved it. Next week they are back to Australia then return for the True Colours Festival at the St James on May 31 with Blindspott, The Have and others in a celebration of new New Zealand music.

But their sights are on overseas. Dann, who loved Canada, has even learned to say in French, "Je m'appelle Dann, avec deux 'n"'.

There's a vibe for New Zealand music in Australia and Austin, and they want to get Evermore out there: "New Zealand is best suited to exporting things," says Jon. "And it's the same with music."

Truly spoken like someone who lives in a town surrounded by cows.

* Evermore's Oil and Water EP is available now.