Dec 14

Don Evans

Under Appreciated

DON EVANS

 
Homer was a popular band in the San Antonio area and hung in there until 1974; by that time, the line-up was Don Evans (vocals and drums), Chet Himes (bass), Van Wilks (guitar) and Galen Niles (guitar).  Niles recalls:  “Man, that was a smokin’ band then – the fact was, the only reason we had a vocalist was to take up some space between the guitar solos.” 
 
Don Evans had earlier been in a band called the Water Brothers; fellow bandmember Robert Galindo (whose brother, Dan Galindo was the bass player for the 13th Floor Elevators) describes their music as “freestyle psychedelic blues/raga/fusion”.  
 
Ultra was formed out of the ashes of Homer when remaining members Galen Niles and Don Evans (who was strictly the vocalist in the new band) added Larry McGuffin (guitar), Scott Stephens (bass), and Tom Schleuning (drums).  As a departure from the Homer sound, Ultra was an old-fashioned hard rock band with twin lead guitars trading solos and playing in harmony.  Some might describe it as heavy metal, but I wouldn’t.  Their sole release was a 5-song promotional EP with just 100 copies and a plain white cover.
 
(September 2011)
 
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Phil Bepko came up with an ambitious rock opera called Hieronymus, but he would leave the band along with Gene Coleman; Don Evans and Van Wilks, respectively, took their places before Homer took this new music on the road.  Galen Niles recalls:  “Man, [Homer] was a smokin’ band then – the fact was, the only reason we had a vocalist was to take up some space between the guitar solos.” 

 

Past UARB Ultra was every bit as different from Homer as the Outcasts; this hard rock band grew out of the final line-up of Homer, with Galen Niles and Don Evans joining the new band.  Chet Himes continued his career as a recording engineer, working with Ted Nugent, Carole King, Christopher Cross, and others.  Van Wilks left to start a solo career. 

 

(April 2014)

 

Last edited: March 22, 2021