Evan Jones

Evan Alan Jones (Born July 7, 1994) is an English Musician best known for being the former lead vocalist of Heavy Metal band Shotgun Syndrome & now the lead vocalist of Heavy Metal band You're Next

Evan Jones is one of the founding members of the band Shotgun Syndrome and has released one demo with the band. He is one of the found Members of the band You're Next which has an E.P in the work. He has been in several bands ranging from genres such as Death Metal to Hard Rock.

Personal Life
Evan Jones was born in Bishop Aukland, County Durham on July 7, 1994. He lives in Chilton, County Durham. Though Evan lived with his mother and step-father he was raised by his granparents as well as his mother and step-father. He has a English and Welsh background.

Evan was raised by his Mother and Step-Father. He was never really into music until the age of 14. He originally wanted to become a movie actor as his influence for this was Johnny Depp. He also went to many film clubs and drama schools to persue his dream of becoming an actor. He was later introduced to the film An American Werewolf In London and developed a facination for Horror films. At a young age he began developing a taste for Pop Rock music such as Busted and Mcfly but it wasnt until he became 14 he would dicover his true passion. At the age of 14 he was introduced to the bands Green Day, My Chemical Romance and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. After hearing these bands he then found out about the music channels Kerrang! and Scuzz and began watching them one day and came across Slipknot, Marliyn Manson and Evanescence.

Evan never really knew his father as the last time he saw him was at the age of 3 he stated "I never really knew him, I dont know his name, I dont know what he looks like... the last thing he said to my Mam was its either me or him and luckily my Mam chose me... all i know about him is he lives in Ferryhill, County Durham as a bouncer at one of the pubs and was a former cage fighter".

In secondary school he began guitar lessons aspiring to be the next Slash. He formed a short lived Hard Rock band where he played guitar. He later quit guitar lessons as his Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and his Step-Father putting him down. He then formed the Comedy Death Metal band Satans Sex Toys but nothing happened. Towards the end of school he became more interested with the 'Emo' scene of music and formed the Post-Hardcore band Anoceanbetween but the band members proved unreliable.

At the end of his school years he was fed up with the fact everyone was unreliable in bands he had been in so he decided to go back to his original dream of film but instead of acting he persued Directing. He went to Darlington Technology College for a year on a Media course, there he became friends with Sam Taylor and began a habbit of binge drinking. He eventually started slacking off at college and was failing his exams.

After a year doing Media Evan decided to focus on music again by enrolling in a the music course Access To Music. Towards the end of 2011 he went through months of depression and began drinking excessively and experimenting with drugs. He is now out of the depression but still drinks and smokes pott but doesnt do it to an extent where he is killing himself.

After successfully passing the Acces To Music course, Evan decided to focus on Shotgun Syndrome for a year and got a Job working at a Factory building Wardrobes to help his work in Shotgun Syndrome.

Evan Announced onstage at his own Charity Festival The Broken Heart Festival 2014 that Shotgun Syndrome was breaking up and this was the last show.

Evan then went onto University to have a fresh start and learn more about what its like behind the recording desk.

He then Met Guitarist David Turner and formed the band You're Next

You're Next
After the break up of Shotgun Syndrome, Evan did several attempts at forming a band but it wasnt until he went on a night out in Middlesborogh he met guitarist David Turner. They both formed the band You're Next. They are currently demoing for there upcoming E.P with Evan on Vocals and Drum Programming & David on Guitar and Bass. The band has announced on there facebook page that they would be looking for members after the demoing is complete.

Shotgun Syndrome
After enrolling in the music course Access To Music he befriended Will Crawford and Mitchell Staples after a conversation on 'who is the best 'modern' Metal band' all three said Five Finger Death Punch. Will and Evan soon came to the idea of forming the band Shotgun Syndrome as Evan came up with the name. the band remained to do nothing for a year but when they finally got a chance to record a song in the studio at The Forum, Darlington they took the chance after 'Am I Dead Yet' was released Evan was finally proud of some work he had done in music as he had finally released a song. the first phew gigs the band did where in little pubs for little or no money and Evan didnt like performing in pubs he states "Metal bands should never perform in pubs unless its got an actual stage or room to have the crowd move around it just didnt feel right". It was during his time in Shotgun Syndrome where Evan was given the nickname "Pissypants Jones". When the band finally got the chance to perform at The Forum, Darlington for the event Sound@Seen 2013 they where just one of the supporting bands but they drue the biggest crowd and the biggest audiance reaction, Evan states "when I was walking onstage to help the guys set up I looked into the audiance and there wasnt many people there like there wasnt many for the other bands before us either but it felt nice to be on an actual stage for once. Then my friends in the audiance started chanting 'Pissypants, Pissypants, Pissypants! ' a old nickname i got from when i was in college. I couldnt help but smile it felt great i was finally getting some recognision in my life and seeing people wear Shotgun t-shirts i just couldnt believe it, self made ones as well!.'

Evan has been in the band since the start and writes most of the lyrics for the band alongside Drummer Will Crawford.

While writing and recording the Debut Album evan claims to have felt that the music wasnt as fullfilling as it was a year ago and that it felt rushed.

The band then announced there break up at the charity festival The Broken Heart Festival 2014.

Code Name Pineapple Express
several years after being in Shotgun Syndrome he was asked to be a part of a project with his fellow bassist of Shotgun Syndrome Brian Lockey and We Rise Tomorrow's lead guitarist Michael Linsley. He joined the band and was expected to do vocals he decided he would do secondary vocals behind Brian and play bass. They released one demo track "Rise Up" but then the band dispanded.

Hybridz
Before Shotgun Syndrome Evan Jones, Sam Taylor and Connor West (now the bassist of Beneath a Liar) formed the band Hybridz with a couple of friends but after a couple of rehearsals some band members proved unreliable so it was just Evan, Sam and Connor. The band managed to write one song which was a Power Ballad but unfortunatly never recorded the song as Sam and Connor phoned up Evan one night and told him they where leaving the band. Evan didnt want to give up on he idea of playing music again so he kept the Facebook page active and tried looking for new members but no one would get back to him so he eventually just let the band fade out.

Other Work
He has also released one solo track that was originally suppost to be a side-project named Trash City to Shotgun Syndrome but was eventually turned into a Solo track. He stated 'There is a possibility i could do a Solo album but right now i want to focus on Shotgun'.

Beginning
Evan is also a small time Actor/Director in film. He first wanted to be involved in film ever since he saw the film Van Helsing as a child but he didnt persue his dream of becoming an actor until he saw several Johnny Depp films. He would audition for adverts and small film roles but would never succeed in gettin a part.

First few roles
In 2005 he saw a oppertunite to be involved in a small independant film for local Primary Schools, A kids safety film called Alien Safety. He got a part in the film as the character 'Rhyse'. The biggest scene involving Evan is when he gets ran over by a car after being called over the road by his friends. He stated in 2013 'I still watch the film. Although i cant really watch the hole thing anymore as i destroyed the disk and it crashes half way through it. I find it to be aweful film all together, The Acting, Directing is awefull infact there is one scene where all the cast is sat around a table and half way through the scene the lighting and everyones clothing change but it is hilarious to watch".

He then signed a contract to by a part of a independant charity company called 'SYTG' He then got a part in the Psychological Thriller 'My Life Through Many Minds' where he played the role of 'Seth' the main characters best friend who dies in a car accident and comes back to give the main character messages to kill his Lover. This film was soon shut down as the investors of the film where not interested in the movie no longer. Evan states "That is probably the most fun i have had on a movie set yet! I do wish it got finished and released as i never got to see the finished product maybe one day I can rewrite the script, direct it and act as Seth again one day and actually finish the film'. Evan soon stopped his film career to persue theatre.

Shotgun Productions
Several years later in 2012 he came back to film and set up his own independant company 'Shotgun Productions' (Named after his band Shotgun Syndrome). Under the companies name he released the music video 'Disease' from his band Shotgun Syndrome in 2012. He is now in the works of a 'Making of' DVD for Shotgun Syndromes upcoming E.P.

Beggining
After his film career began to fail he persued theatre and still remainin contracted to 'SYTG' theatre roles would come easily to him. He didnt know much about theatre at the time so he decided to work backstage at first to see how the shows worked. He became a behind the scenes cameraman for STYG's 2006 version of Annie. After doing so he begun to understand how theatre worked so he auditioned for Seussical in 2007 and got the part of a Hunter and an Extra.

Bigger Roles & Final Show
He then auditioned for the show ENCORE! in 2007 hopeing for a larger role than his predicecor Seussical. ENCORE! is a show which is filled with many different scenes from other musicals and theatre productions such as Rent and Mama Mia. Evan got his first large role as Mr. Green a teacher dating a student at the schools prom. Evan would perform 3 nights in a row and all 3 nights he would forget his lines onstage as he was interacting with the audiance. He then tried to audition for main roles but him forgeting his lines onstage for ENCORE! would only get in extra parts in plays or small time character roles. A year and a half later he auditioned for Cinderella for the part of one of the Ugly Sisters it would be his final role in theatre. Although the show never came to any theatres. He states "The reason it didnt get into theatres is because noone knew there lines, SYTG was treating everyone badly and as fun as it was to get dressed up as a woman and wear face boobs, The atmosphere was fucking awefull so i quit" He quit SYTG ending his 3 years contracted to that company.

Style and Influences
Evan used to singing lessons as he originally wanted to sing like bands such as Green Day and My Chemical Romance but as his voice broke he lost his singing ability. One good thing that came out of the singing lessons where that he has learned how to control his voice. He began to learn screaming techniques after hearing bands such as Slipknot and Bring Me The Horizon.

He has said his Influences are these, Slipknot, Machine Head, Bring Me The Horizon, As I Lay Dying, My Chemical Romance, Emmure, Korn, Suicide Silence, Motorhead, Devildriver, Killswitch Engage, Cannibal Corpse, My Chemical Romance and Megadeth.

You're Next

 * Untitled E.P (2015)

Shotgun Syndrome

 * Demo (2013)

Anoceanbetween

 * Bedroom Sessions (2008)

Solo

 * Burn Them Streets Down (Single) (2012)
 * Illuminate Confirmed (2014)

Filmography

 * Alien Safety - Rhyse (2005)
 * My Life Through Many Minds - Seth (2006/Unreleased)
 * A Day In The Life Of Ghostface - Ghostface/Director (2007)
 * Shotgun Syndrome - Disease - Himself/Director/Camera Man (2012)

Theatre

 * Annie - Cameraman (2006)
 * Seussical - Extra/Hunter (2007)
 * ENCORE! - Mr Green/Riff Raff/Extra (2008)
 * Once On This Island - Extra (2008)
 * STYG Christmas Special - Dancing Transvestite/Extra (2008)
 * Fame - Extra (2009)
 * Cinderella - Ugly Sister #1 - (2009/Unreleased)