Pete Evick Interview
Guitarist Evick, Bret Michaels Band
February 2012
By Joseph Suto
Rock Show Critique: What is the Bret Michaels Band currently up to?
Pete Evick: Currently we are just finishing up our touches on “Get Your Rock On” record, which the new single “Get Your Rock On” has alternative lyrics called “Get Your Ride On” and is the theme for the Speed Channels Supercross show this season. It’s the first time they’ve ever used a song as their theme. Every Saturday when it kicks on it starts off with a video with all of us in it.. The record also includes some guest appearances. That song has Phil Collen from Def Leppard playing guitar it has Sal Costa from My Darkest Days playing guitar. We also reworked our cover of “What I Got” we have Jaret the lead singer from Bowling For Soup singing on it. There’s actually a version of Margaritaville Live with Bret and Jimmy Buffett together. So a lot of the songs on the record are Bret Michaels and Friends type of stuff. I’m finishing that up today and tomorrow, then back out on the road.
RSC: Speaking of the road are there any plans to record a live DVD in the near future?
Evick: You know what Me and Bret talk back and forth on it a lot We would certainly love to do it yes. When the moment is right and we’re at the right venue. We archive everything, we have video and audio we could put it out when its time and we will eventually.
RSC: Getting off the Bret Michaels Band and getting onto what has turned into your “Side Project” known as Evick. What are you guys up to?
Evick: I just released a single called “Big Rock Guitars”. It’s a song I actually wrote about ten years ago. I wrote it when Sammy Hagar rejoined Van Halen I was so excited. I wanted to write a song about how the guitar influenced me as a child. The chorus of the song is “I didn’t do it for the wine, the women, the money or fancy cars. From the moment that I heard that sound I fell in love”. I wanted to let everyone know I play guitar for the right reasons and I was such a huge Van Halen fan and I kind of put the song on the back-burner. With Van Halen releasing their new album and as a tribute to Eddie and his return to the top why don’t I put the song out. We’ve been doing some local shows as well selling out every night. I’ll probably go out on a run when Poison goes out with Def Leppard this summer.
RSC: What is your take on the current state of the music industry. Do you see the CD vanishing in the near future as some have predicted?
Evick: I hope so. I am a big advocator of digital download and being environmental. Anything we do making CD’s the paper used and as far as that goes toss it away buddy. I’m a big apple guy, big gadget guy. I had the first I-Pod that ever came out, I have three Macs in my house, an Apple TV, I’ve had every version of the I-pod. You’ve been with me before Joe, you sat right with me if I hear a song, I hit a button, I download it and I own the song like that. I don’t have to waste the gas to go to the CD store. It makes more sense to me. The music’s right there you can have it.
RSC: How often are you at home these days? With all the travel you do, it must be hard living out of a suitcase.
Evick: You know I’ve been home for about three weeks and I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m still living out of my suitcase, I haven’t put my clothes away, their sitting up in my room. I’m treating it like I’m still on a bus and in a hotel. I think its just the way my life’s gonna be (laughs). I’m sitting here doing an interview from my own kitchen and it feels weird.
RSC: It always appears you have something going on between writing, recording, producing and playing shows. What does Pete Evick do for fun non music related. Are there times when you feel burned out?
Evick: You know it’s weird, because it’s a passion, its like breathing its what I do. But it’s my life, if I get burned out on one aspect of it maybe I’ll do the other aspect. If I burn out on touring and have a little time off I’ll record or produce somebody else’s record. I’ll switch it up and do some acoustic gigs to get away from electric gigs. I’m through and through a musician there’s nothing else I can do. I don’t really have a hobby or anything. I love to ride my mountain bike but that’s more exercise than anything.
RSC: It’s a known fact that you are a huge Van Halen fan, So now that you had some time to digest the new album, what is your overall opinion? What songs do you like the best? Will any of these songs still be remembered in ten years or so?
Evick: Boy that’s long man. I’ve never hidden the fact that I like the Hagar era Van Halen better as far as songs go. I love “Why Can’t This Be Love”, I love “Right Now”. I like the pop sense that came along with that version of Van Halen. But I will tell you at the same time probably since 0U812 came out in 1988. I put those records on and I’m waiting to feel like I did when I was a child. I’m waiting to go wow, How does Eddie do that? Don’t get me wrong some of his playing has been incredible over the years. He’s done some amazing things. But this new record you put it on and it feels like when I first heard Fair Warning. It feels like I’m going Holy Shit! I have no idea what’s happening here, I don’t think I can ever play that. With that in mind, I understand why “Tattoo” is the single, a lot of people didn’t think it was great choice but its the only song that can be played on the radio. Its the only song with a pop hook, the rest of it is a very very mature adult version of the Van Halen we left off with. It is mind-blowing but there’s no pop songs on there like “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love” or “Jump”. I can’t get over it, there’s a track on there called Outta Space, that record is Eddie Van Halen rock n roll like we haven’t heard since 1982.
RSC: What else do you wish to accomplish in the future? Goals, dreams?
Evick: I will always be haunted by the fact that I’m not a big U2 or REM guy. I’m not a political guy so to speak. I’m not trying to send a message but I also have always hoped that one day I would write that song that changes the world. I know that’s a pretty powerful statement. It’s like that old coke song around xmas, “I’d like to teach the world to sing (In Perfect Harmony).” One day I hope I write some song that says something to the whole world. That just speaks to all of us universally. They say music is the universal language. I hope something hits me one day and i’m inspired to write something that makes everybody in the whole world feel like we’re one. That’s my goal buddy.
Thanks to Pete Evick for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview for us.
You can check Pete and Evick out at www.evick.com
Also check out Pete with Bret Michaels at www.bretmichaels.com
