My Evolution - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

History

My Evolution's very first "jam" took place in January 2004 with *M. Lopez*
on guitar, Micah on drums, Vandemon on bass and no vocalist - the trio also had
no name at the time. After *M. Lopez* dissolved his
prior band Funktion, which also included Vandemon on the bass, he met
Micah through a classified ad that he had placed in [Music Connection]http://musicconnection.com/.
Micah answered the "drummer wanted" ad the very same day he arrived in
California from New York. Micah was previously the drummer in a NY band
called Unbroken, with Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson is a singer/songwriter and the singer/guitarist for the band Tomorrows Ghost.He also is the lead vocalist/guitarist for the band BlackGates, as well as being the former lead vocalist of American thrash metal band Anthrax from 2007-2009.Dan Nelson has also worked with the Long Island...

(now lead vocalist of famed NY Hardcore
Metal icons Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

.) After a few weeks of playing together, the unnamed
trio agreed to become a band, write songs and look for a vocalist. Coming up
with a band name that everyone felt could represent the band well proved difficult.
The three members finally agreed on Evolution, though *M. Lopez* felt the name
Evolution might make people think of the San Fran arena rock heroes, Journey

Journey (band)

Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...

.
The trio agreed to personalize the name and add “MY” to it, officially making the name
MY EVOLUTION.

Searching For A Vocalist

Immediately after agreeing to become a band the trio now known as
My Evolution set out on what would be nearly a year long search for a
vocalist. Posting ads on many online classifieds with links to a detailed
description of their front-man requirements on their own website [myevolutionmusic.com]http://myevolutionmusic.com/, a number of
potential vocalists answered the ad. A careful screening took place and
would be vocalists were asked to come to *M. Lopez's* home and audition
over demo tapes recorded by the trio. In August 2004 a vocalist named David
Burgos, originally from AZ. answered My Evolution's online ad. Burgos had
moved to CA from Chicago where he was the lead vocalist of a band called
Garbo Swag. He actually answered the bands ad twice, the first time not being
able to hear the online demos due to a server error. After the 2nd time
contacting *M. Lopez*, Burgos was able to hear the online demos and
asked to audition. Like the others before him he was asked to come to

M. Lopez's* for a screening audition. Burgos sang words and melody for a

song penned by *M. Lopez* entitled, 'Girlfriend'. Enthralled by Burgos'
vocal tone, range and ability to sing with melody, *M. Lopez* immediately
contacted Micah to notify him that the band would be auditioning its
first vocalist. A week later the band played together for the very first
time. It was also the first time ANY vocalist had sung with the band
making Burgos the only actual live vocalist audition the band ever had!

Getting Close To Something

After a month or so of Burgos adding vocals to already existing
instrumentals that the band had penned over the year, the band set out to
book its first live show. MY EVOLUTION debuted 7 songs live at the world
famous Viper Room

Viper Room

The Viper Room is a nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. It was opened in 1993 and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004. The club became known for being a hangout of Hollywood elite, and was the site where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on...

in late November 2004. After a triumphant first show, the
band continued to rehearse more material and book more shows at Viper Room

Viper Room

for early 2005. After a run of successful shows in the Hollywood area the
band began recording its first demo, which would be called ‘Getting Close
To Something’. Produced and engineered by Micah at the band’s rehearsal
studio, the sound of the demo had a melodic, more youthful, classic hard rock tone to it . 'Getting Close to Something' was released on August 6, 2005
at a CD release show at the Viper Room

Viper Room

. A little less than a year later original bassist Vandemon would leave the band for family obligations.

McJunkins & Lady Ransom

The month following Vandemon's departure ME performed live with friend and
fill-in LA session bassist, Matt McJunkins http://www.allaccessmagazine.com/vol4/issue12/my_evolution_int.html. The band continued playing
live with Matt filling in on such notable shows as openers for Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

,
Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...

/Godsmack

Godsmack

Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...

(at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Not to be confused with amphitheatres in Georgia, Missouri, or Virginia.Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine is a 16,085-capacity amphitheater, located in Irvine, California...

and local Hollywood shows. My Evolution also continued writing
material for its first official full length CD during this period. In addition, the band
shot a video for the song ‘You're All Mine’ from the forthcoming
new album with McJunkins in it. The video was produced by [Lady Ransom]http://www.ladyransom.com/flash/index.swf. Matt
McJunkins has gone on to perform with such notable acts as Ashes Divide

Ashes Divide

Ashes Divide is an American rock band formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel, who had also formed A Perfect Circle. Howerdel is the primary songwriter, musician, producer, and vocalist for the band....

(formed by A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

guitarist Billy Howerdel

Billy Howerdel

Billy Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...

and Puscifer

Puscifer

Puscifer is a side project of Maynard James Keenan from the bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. As Keenan is the only permanent member and he considers the project to be his "creative subconscious", Puscifer could also be considered a pseudonym for his solo work....

(side
project of Maynard James Keenan

Maynard James Keenan

Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...

of Tool

Tool (band)

Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...

and A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle

mO, SiTV, and All Eyes On Me

In October 2006, My Evolution added new bassist Marshall McQuown, nicknamed
mO. mO's first show took place at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Not to be confused with amphitheatres in Georgia, Missouri, or Virginia.Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine is a 16,085-capacity amphitheater, located in Irvine, California...

with
the band opening for rock/metal Gods, Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

. Quickly following mO's first show
with the band, they were contacted by [Jef Hickey]http://www.laweekly.com/2004-03-11/news/too-old-to-rock-too-young-to-die – to meet with
[Wildcard Productions]http://www.wildcardproductions.net/ about a new music based reality TV series entitled Jammin

Jammin

Jammin was an original reality television series created by Sí TV that documents the attempts of six Latino bands to win a $10,000 cash prize and a Gibson sponsorship. Out of hundreds of bands that submitted entries, only the top fifteen bands, selected by online polling, advanced to the next round...

.
The new show was to air on the English based Latin cable station, [SiTV]http://sitv.com/.
The show Jammin

Jammin

, originally airing in January 2007, was a look
into the lives of an up and coming rock act with Latino members in it and
finished with a live performance finale that paired them with an
iconic rock star mentor. The mentor in the My Evolution
episode was bassist/vocalist John Doe

John Doe

The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...

of the LA seminal punk band, X. A follow up entitled ['Jammin Rewind']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvo7khzsWwA was filmed a year later in Jan. 2008 and was a catch-up piece with the band to check on its progress. In March 2007, My Evolution released its first full length CD ‘All Eyes On Me’.
The CD was once again produced and engineered by Micah but this time
the eight song CD was mixed by Brian Yaskulka at [7th Level Productions]http://www.7thlevelproductions.com/ in
Hollywood, CA. This CD had a much more aggressive tone and vibe to it.
Melodic like its predecessor, it featured more modern originality than the
‘Getting Close To Something’ demo showed. The band incorporated a more
frenetic approach at times due to influence by bands such as
System Of A Down

System of a Down

System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...

and early Incubus

Incubus (band)

Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...

. However, the CD still featured a
couple of STP

STP

- Commercial :* Straight Through Processing, banking term where a financial transaction is automatically completed without manual intervention* Segment, Target and Position, a marketing acronym...

- like holdovers from the 'Getting Close' demo. ME
played such notable shows to showcase the new CD as openers for Godsmack

Godsmack

,
Within Temptation

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...

and a slot on 2007 San Diego Street Scene concert festival. In late '07 M.E. recorded a cover version of the Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...

song ‘Everything Counts’. In
December 2007, mO left the band citing “a lack of ability to give the
proper effort needed on his part to the band.”

Juzwick & Truth Be Told

In January 2008, Rich Juzwick joined MY EVOLUTION. Using Juzwick as his
stage name and originally hailing from Cincinnati Ohio, his first show
with the band took place at House of Blues

House of Blues

House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...

- sunset strip in Hollywood, in March.
A month later on April 5 ME performed at the first Bamboozle Left

Bamboozle Left

-2006:*October 15 and October 16.*Dashboard Confessional and Brand New headlined.*Held at the Cal Poly Pomona Athletic Field in Pomona, CA.*Hosted 68 Bands on 5 stages.*Bands performed include:-October 15:...

festival Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Irvine)

Not to be confused with amphitheatres in Georgia, Missouri, or Virginia.Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine is a 16,085-capacity amphitheater, located in Irvine, California...

.
The band continued to play a number of shows and continued writing new
material for their next CD originally to be titled 'Real Life'. Quickly
changing gears the band put together a five song acoustic EP entitled, ‘Truth
Be Told’. Produced, engineered and mixed by Micah, the EP focused on the
softer side of the band. It featured three new songs (eventually released on
This Is Real Life) and two renditions of previously recorded songs. They
performed an acoustic CD release show for Truth Be Told in November 2008 at On The Rox above the world famous Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood). The band then regained focus on recording their forthcoming full length, full production CD.

This Is Real Life

In January 2009, the new CD began full production. After completion of the
drum tracks by Micah, guitar and bass tracks were recorded by *M. Lopez*
and Juzwick with vocals to follow. Burgos' lead tracks were finished with
Micah's harmonies and programming finishing out the recording process.
With the CD mostly finished Micah called upon friend and former band-mate
Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson

- now lead vocalist for Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

. Dan contributed his voice to the
song ‘Solid 15’ during a visit to LA (from NY) in March. A few days later Dan
performed live with ME at the [Key Club]http://www.keyclub.com opening for Steel Panther

Steel Panther

Steel Panther is a glam metal band from Los Angeles, California mostly known for their profane and humorous lyrics as well as their exaggerated on-stage personas...

(formerly Metal Skool). That night Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson

performed the Wayne Static

Wayne Static

Wayne Static is an American musician, and the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and programmer for the industrial metal band Static-X. He released his first solo studio album Pighammer on October 4, 2011.- Early life :Static grew up in Shelby, Michigan before moving to Chicago and eventually...

parts from the song ‘So Happy’. ME was also joined at that show by vocalist Tommy Vext formerly of Divine Heresy

Divine Heresy

Divine Heresy is an American metal band formed by founder of Fear Factory, guitarist Dino Cazares and Devolved, drummer John Sankey. Although the band's origins trace back to 2002, Divine Heresy was officially formed in 2006...

and Snot), performing a cover of the Slipknot

Slipknot (band)

Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...

hit 'Duality'. With the recording finished the band sought out the services of producer Jay Baumgardner

Jay Baumgardner

Jay Baumgardner is an American record producer, engineer and mixer. He has worked on albums by Ugly Kid Joe, Helmet, Papa Roach, Endwell, Coal Chamber, Godsmack, Three Days Grace, New Found Glory, Spineshank, Alien Ant Farm and Orgy....

, of [NRG Studios]http://www.nrgrecording.com/. Jay Baumgardner

Jay Baumgardner

had already mixed the first single ‘So Happy’ featuring Wayne Static

Wayne Static

and now the band looked for him to mix the rest of the
CD, which would now be called ‘This Is Real Life’. Jay agreed to work with the band again and mixing began in early April 2009. Mixing was completed in late April and the CD was released May 11, 2009. The CD is the bands most professional work to date and it shows a truly solidified “My Evolution sound”. ‘This Is Real Life’ captures the high-energy, aggressive sound the band is known for live and features strong, emotional vocal performances that make the songs memorable on first listen. Highlights on the album include the guest vocals of Wayne Static

Wayne Static

(Static-X

Static-X

Static-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....

) and Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson

(Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

) as well as an amazing cover version of the hugely popular 80’s band Duran Duran

Duran Duran

Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...

hit, ‘Ordinary World

Ordinary World

"Ordinary World" is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, better known as The Wedding Album. The song peaked at No. 3 in the American charts and No. 6 in the British charts...

’.

Playboy TV

In September 2005, a friend of the band named [Jef Hickey]http://www.laweekly.com/2004-03-11/news/too-old-to-rock-too-young-to-die contacted

M. Lopez* on behalf of Playboy TV
Playboy TV
Playboy TV is a premium monthly subscription television channel. Since its launch in 1982 in partnership with Cablevision which eventually sold their share back to Playboy, Playboy TV has become a leading entertainment channel for adult entertainment...

producer Derek Harvie
Derek Harvie
Derek Kevin Harvie is a Canadian entertainment writer and producer. Harvie grew up in Ottawa, and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in film and literature....

, to write a theme song

for an upcoming reality TV series entitled, Jenna's American Sex Star

Jenna's American Sex Star

Jenna's American Sex Star is an adult pay-per-view reality television series hosted by Jenna Jameson on Playboy TV.In each episode, four contestants compete in a series of sexual performances for the judges and viewers then vote for their favorite performer on Playboy.com...

. The
show was a reality based vehicle for porn super star Jenna Jameson

Jenna Jameson

Jenna Jameson is an American entrepreneur and former pornographic actress, who has been called the world's most famous adult-entertainment performer and "The Queen of Porn."...

to find her next contract
girl for her company, Club Jenna. ME penned the tune
American Sex Star for the show and Playboy TV

Playboy TV

Playboy TV is a premium monthly subscription television channel. Since its launch in 1982 in partnership with Cablevision which eventually sold their share back to Playboy, Playboy TV has become a leading entertainment channel for adult entertainment...

loved it, making it the theme song for
the show. The show ran for two seasons with Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...

of Kiss

KISS (band)

Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...

as special guest
judge on season one. ASS as the theme song become known, was used as the
theme song for the show for both seasons as well.
In January 2006, Derek Harvey, still of Playboy TV

Playboy TV

, once again
contacted the band to write yet another theme song. This time for the revamped
Playboy TV

Playboy TV

show, Night Calls

Night Calls

Night Calls is an American sexuality-oriented television series on Playboy TV that was broadcasted from 1995 to 2007.-Premise:Night Calls is a live phone-in program where listeners are invited to call in and discuss sexual issues—usually fantasies...

. Night Calls

Night Calls

- which featured adult stars
sitting on a couch "misbehaving" while taking calls from viewers - had just
parted ways with long time hosts Tiffany Granath

Tiffany Granath

Tiffany Granath is an actress and satellite radio personality. She currently has her own afternoon talk show three days a week on Playboy Radio Sirius/XM radio channel 102.-External links:**...

and Julie Ashton.
The new host of Night Calls

Night Calls

was Digital Playground’s Jesse Jane

Jesse Jane

Jesse Jane is an American pornographic actress and model.-Early life:Jane was a military brat who grew up on various military bases in the Midwestern United States. She did extensive dance training and was a varsity cheerleader at her high school in Rose Hill, Kansas...

and co-host
Kirsten Price of Wicked Pictures. ME was asked to write a "sleazy" rock
tune to open the show. The band put together the song and once again Playboy TV

Playboy TV

loved it and made it the theme song for their show. The show ran for nearly two years with the band performing live as house band five times including the very first episode where they performed the ‘Night
Calls’ theme song live.

Wayne Static

In November 2008, Micah asked friend Wayne Static

Wayne Static

of Static-X

Static-X

to lend his voice
to the bands new CD This Is Real Life. The two decided that the song 'So Happy' would be a good
fit for his vocal approach and the Wayne Static

Wayne Static

vocals for the song were
recorded in Dec. '08 with his wife Tera Wray

Tera Wray

Tera Wray is a pornographic actress. Her stage name is derived from her real first name, Tera, and her best friend's middle name, Wray....

Static holding the lyric sheet for him.
‘So Happy’ was mixed by legendary producer Jay Baumgardner

Jay Baumgardner

(Papa Roach

Papa Roach

Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...

, Godsmack

Godsmack

, Drowning Pool

Drowning Pool

Drowning Pool is a four-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas.-Early days :Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album, Sinner was certified platinum within six weeks...

) at NRG Studios – North Hollywood and released in January 2009 as the first single from the forthcoming CD. Later that month, Wayne Static

Wayne Static

joined the band on stage at House Of Blues

House of Blues

– Sunset Strip to perform ‘So Happy’ as well as an ME rendition of the Static-X

Static-X

hit song ‘Cold’. On May 4, 2009 M.E. returned to House of Blues

House of Blues

– Sunset Strip to perform with Static-X

Static-X

, and Burn Halo

Burn Halo

Burn Halo is a hard rock band, originating from Orange County, California and Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was formed by James Hart, former lead singer of Orange County metalcore band Eighteen Visions.-Formation and self-titled debut album :...

on the LA date of the SnoCore 2009 Tour. The following week My Evolution toured the mid-west with Static-X

Static-X

, Seventh Void

Seventh Void

Seventh Void is a doom metal band composed of Type O Negative members Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly; Matt Brown of Uranium 235 and Supermassiv; and Hank Hell of Inhuman. Originally conceived in 2003 by Kenny and Johnny, the band's personnel was not solidified until 2005 and songwriting began in...

and Skumlove

Discography

Getting Close To Something (demo) - 2005
All Eyes On ME - 2007
Truth Be Told (acoustic EP) - 2008
This Is Real Life - 2009

Former members

Steve Vandemon - Bass - '04 to April '06
Matt McJunkins - Bass - May'06 to Sept.'06
mO - Bass - Oct. '06 to Dec. '07

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.