Richard G. "Dik" (also "Dick") Evans (born 1957) is an English-born Irish musician best known as a founder of the band Virgin Prunes and an early member of the band that would become U2. Dik and his younger brother David "the Edge" Evans, U2's guitarist, were among U2's co-founders.

Early life

Evans was born in England to Welsh parents. At a young age, the family moved to Ireland. He first began to learn how to play guitar with an acoustic guitar bought by his brother, which the two shared.

Career

The band that would eventually be named U2 formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976. Dik and his brother Dave were two of six people to respond to a note that

Larry Mullen Jr. Laurence Joseph Mullen Jr. (; born 31 October 1961) is an Irish musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band U2. Mullen was born in Dublin, where he attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. In 1976, he co-founded U2 ...

posted on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in search of musicians for a new band. The group set up in Mullen's kitchen, with the Evans brothers on guitar; at the first meeting, the duo shared a single home-made instrument between them. They soon whittled down the lineup to a five-piece and settled on the name "Feedback" because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), p. 30 Most of their initial material consisted of cover songs, which the band admitted was not their forte. Some of the earliest influences on the band were emerging punk rock acts, such as

the Jam The Jam were an English mod revival/ punk rock band formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, Surrey. They released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1 ...

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the indepen ...

, and

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

. The popularity of punk rock convinced the group that musical proficiency was not a prerequisite to success. In April 1977, Feedback played their first gig for a paying audience at

St. Fintan's High School St. Fintans High School ( ga, Ard Scoil Naomh Fhionntán) is an all-boys Roman Catholic voluntary-aided secondary school located between Sutton, Dublin, Sutton and Baldoyle, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. History Background A school ori ...

. Shortly after, the band changed their name to "The Hype". Dik, who was older than the other band members and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out. The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble.McCormick (2006), pp. 46–48 In March 1978, the group changed their name to "U2".McGee (2008), p. 14 That same month, U2, as a four-piece without Dik, won a talent contest in

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...

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Harp Lager ''Harp Lager'' is an Irish lager created in 1959. Formerly produced at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, it is now brewed in Dublin. It is a major lager brand throughout most of Northern Ireland, but is now rarely available in the Republi ...

and the '' Evening Press''.McGee (2008), p. 16–18 The win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. Within a few days, Dik was officially phased out of the band with a farewell concert at the Presbyterian Church Hall in

Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and include ...

. During the show, which featured the group playing cover songs as the Hype, Dik ceremonially walked offstage. The remaining four band members returned later in the concert to play original material as U2. Evans was later a founding member of Dublin-based band The Virgin Prunes and their guitarist from 1977 to 1984. He co-founded the band The Kid Sisters, later known as The Screech Owls, along with the American musician Deborah "Debbie" Schow. Recent solo work includes contributions to ''Snakes & Ladders – A Festival of New Irish Music'', curated by composer and former Virgin Prunes' band member, Daniel Figgis.

References

Footnotes Bibliography * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Dik 1957 births People educated at Mount Temple Comprehensive School Alternative rock guitarists British alternative rock musicians British people of Irish descent British rock guitarists British male guitarists British post-punk musicians Irish people of Welsh descent Irish rock guitarists Irish male guitarists Living people Musicians from County Dublin People from Barking, London U2 members Virgin Prunes members