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Country Little Rock, AR, USA
Years active 1996–present
Genre(s) Rock
Label(s) Wind-Up Records
Members Amy Lee
Terry Balsamo
John LeCompt
William Boyd
Rocky Gray
Evanescence is a Gothic rock band from Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

History
Evanescence was founded by Amy Lee and former lead guitarist Ben Moody. The two met at a youth camp in Arkansas, where Moody heard Lee playing "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf on the piano.

The pair discovered they shared a love of Jimi Hendrix and Björk, and they began to write songs together (the first was "Solitude" by Amy Lee, followed by "Understanding" by Ben Moody, "Give Unto Me" by Amy Lee, the fourth song written by them was "My Immortal"). The songs were altered lyrically and musically by Ashley Hincher, which is the reason for having the names of both of them in the credits for writing them.

For some time they were unable to find other musicians to play with, and did not have the funds to pay for professional assistance, thus they were unable to play live shows. However, two songs of theirs, "Understanding" and "Give Unto Me", found their way onto local music charts, and demand for a live show increased. When the band finally made an appearance, they became one of the most popular acts in the area. They went through several names, including Childish Intentions and Stricken, before deciding on the name Evanescence (meaning to fade away or dissipate like vapor). Amy said she loves the name because it is mysterious and dark, and it puts a picture in your mind, which is what she wanted to do.

[edit]
Early Work
Their first full length album, Origin (released in 2000), is relatively unknown. The band also released two EPs, which are highly sought after by collectors due to their scarcity: the self-titled Evanescence EP (1998) of which about 100 copies were made, and the Sound Asleep EP, also known as the Whisper EP (1999), limited to 50 copies.

Not atypically, Origin and the EPs contain demo versions of some of the songs on their first major label debut album. In fact, the recording of "My Immortal" found on Fallen can also be found on Origin, minus a handful of additional instrumental accompaniments. However, Lee herself does not consider the record to be an actual album; rather, she considers it merely a bundle of demo songs (some of which she says are not done properly) that was sent to record companies. Only 2500 copies of this record were ever made, limiting its availability to the handful lucky enough to obtain one in the early years, or to those who are willing to pay the hundreds of dollars the discs now fetch. In response, Lee encouraged fans to download the band's older songs from the Internet during an interview. (Strangely, none of their post-Origin music is currently available for legal download.)

Not surprisingly, enterprising bootleggers have been selling fake copies of Origin, usually as a "Russian re-release," for high prices. It is highly encouraged that fans not risk money on a copy of Origin as it is likely not an original copy, nor does it benefit the band any longer.

Fallen

Cover to FallenTheir first major album Fallen has been certified 6x Platinum, spent 43 weeks in the Billboard Top 10 and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. As of March 2004 (others may have joined the list since then) Fallen is one of only three albums in the history of the chart to spend a full year (52 weeks) in the Billboard Top 50 (Spice by the Spice Girls, and E. 1999 Eternal by Bone Thugs N Harmony being the others). [citation needed]. Later, in 2005, Breakaway from Kelly Clarkson joined the group.

Evanescence's major label debut single "Bring Me to Life" was a global hit for the band and reached #5 on the American Billboard Hot 100, while the equally popular "My Immortal" peaked at #7 in the U.S. Their inclusion in the soundtrack for the action movie Daredevil helped propel both songs into widespread popularity and firmly cemented Evanescence within the music scene. "Bring Me to Life" garnered recognition for the band at the Grammy Awards of 2004, where the band was given the Best Hard Rock Performance award. At the same time, Evanescence was awarded Best New Artist.

The two other singles off Fallen include "Going Under" and "Everybody's Fool", both of which include a music video.

The previously unreleased "Breathe No More" was featured in the 2005 soundtrack of the movie Elektra.

Ben's Departure
On October 22, 2003, Moody left the band abruptly in the middle of a European tour. The reasons for his departure were reportedly "creative differences." In an interview several months later [1], Amy Lee said: "We'd gotten to a point that if something didn't change, we wouldn't have been able to make a second record."

Since then, Lee has said it was almost a relief that he left because of tensions created within the band. Terry Balsamo from Cold joined the band, replacing Moody. Recently, Moody confessed in an interview that not only does he suffer from bipolar disorder, but that he's kicked a drug and alcohol habit that he was entrenched in during the strife within Evanescence. He's also said that the song he wrote about his abrupt departure, titled "10/22," was originally penned with him essentially pointing out Lee's flaws. However, introspection later revealed he was speaking about himself, not her, Moody said.

Anywhere But Home
Released in 2004, Evanescence's new lineup released a DVD/CD compilation entitled "Anywhere But Home". The DVD is their live-from-Paris show with several behind-the-scenes features, including shots of the band backstage, signing autographs, and warming up. The CD included contains a song entitled "Missing" which was previously unreleased. Also on the CD are the songs "Breathe No More" (from the Elektra movie soundtrack) and "Farther Away". They also included their cover of Korn's "Thoughtless" which they have played at several live shows.

The Chronicles of Narnia
Amy Lee was asked to write a theme song for the 2005 movie version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but it was rejected by producers due to it being "too dark and epic." Lee briefly considered altering the song, but ultimately decided that she would "never compromise [her] art for anything."

Lee has hinted that fans may get to hear her unused Narnia music in some capacity in the future. In a post on EvBoard, the official message board of the band, she claimed no love was lost, saying it was just more great material for the new album.

Current Projects
Evanescence is currently working on their second album, the title of which isn't yet known. The album has progressed slowly for a number of reasons, but perhaps chiefly because of Amy Lee's desire to allow the creative process to fully take its course and not rush production. Besides that, other distractions have included other band members' side projects, health problems concerning guitarist Terry Balsamo and the controversy revolving around the dismissal of their former manager. Lee stated on EvBoard that Evanescence's new album will be wrapping up in March 2006. It should be on store shelves in late summer, with the tentative release date rumored to be August 22nd. However, recently the wife of Rocky Gray (the band's drummer) has posted news on another fan board, stating that the release will be pushed back to sometime in September, allegedly because "Wind-Up [the band's current record label] wants to make a few changes to the upcoming single."

After a long period of stasis, the Evanescence website was updated with a short piece of news. The news read "Evanescence is in the studio working on new music. Check back to the site for more info as it becomes available."

Wrestling
Although not a prominent mark on Evanescence's career, some of their work has been featured in the world of wrestling. Just prior to its US release, "Bring Me To Life" was the pay-per-view theme music for WWE No Way Out 2003. Wrestler Christian Cage also uses a remodeled version of "My Last Breath" as his entrance theme.

Christian Controversy
Originally considered by many to be part of the Christian rock scene – and for a short time promoted in Christian stores – the band made it clear that they did not want to be considered a Christian rock band, especially after controversy when Moody swore during an interview. Shortly thereafter, Christian stores removed Evanescence from their shelves. Since then Lee has been quoted as saying that they are not a Christian band and would appreciate it if the rumor was terminated.

Comparisons
The band is often compared to nu-metal bands such as Linkin Park, P.O.D. and Papa Roach, but many fans find this comparison inaccurate because it is based solely on "Bring Me to Life," which featured lead singer Paul McCoy of 12 Stones playing rap-style counterparts over a short section of the music. This is not reflective of most of their other music, both on Fallen and in their earlier work. Evanescence has also been compared to bands such as In Winter, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and Within Temptation, all of which incorporate female vocalists and dark lyrical themes, but these bands are considered to be symphonic metal/gothic metal rather than rock.

During live shows, Evanescence often performs cover songs from contemporary bands, such as A Perfect Circle, The Offspring, Garbage, Metallica, and Korn. They have also covered material by defunct alternative rock bands such as Soundgarden and The Smashing Pumpkins.

Band members

Current Line-up
Amy Lee - vocals and piano
John LeCompt - guitar
Rocky Gray - drums
William Boyd - bass
Terry Balsamo - guitar

Past band members
Ben Moody - lead guitar (co-founder - left October 2003)
David Hodges - keyboards (left December 2002)

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Link To Us	Evanescence Biography Discography Links Contact Galleries Date of birth: Birth Place: Biography From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Country Little Rock, AR, USA Years active 1996–present Genre(s) Rock Label(s) Wind-Up Records Members Amy Lee Terry Balsamo John LeCompt William Boyd Rocky Gray Evanescence is a Gothic rock band from Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. History Evanescence was founded by Amy Lee and former lead guitarist Ben Moody. The two met at a youth camp in Arkansas, where Moody heard Lee playing "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf on the piano. The pair discovered they shared a love of Jimi Hendrix and Björk, and they began to write songs together (the first was "Solitude" by Amy Lee, followed by "Understanding" by Ben Moody, "Give Unto Me" by Amy Lee, the fourth song written by them was "My Immortal"). The songs were altered lyrically and musically by Ashley Hincher, which is the reason for having the names of both of them in the credits for writing them. For some time they were unable to find other musicians to play with, and did not have the funds to pay for professional assistance, thus they were unable to play live shows. However, two songs of theirs, "Understanding" and "Give Unto Me", found their way onto local music charts, and demand for a live show increased. When the band finally made an appearance, they became one of the most popular acts in the area. They went through several names, including Childish Intentions and Stricken, before deciding on the name Evanescence (meaning to fade away or dissipate like vapor). Amy said she loves the name because it is mysterious and dark, and it puts a picture in your mind, which is what she wanted to do. [edit] Early Work Their first full length album, Origin (released in 2000), is relatively unknown. The band also released two EPs, which are highly sought after by collectors due to their scarcity: the self-titled Evanescence EP (1998) of which about 100 copies were made, and the Sound Asleep EP, also known as the Whisper EP (1999), limited to 50 copies. Not atypically, Origin and the EPs contain demo versions of some of the songs on their first major label debut album. In fact, the recording of "My Immortal" found on Fallen can also be found on Origin, minus a handful of additional instrumental accompaniments. However, Lee herself does not consider the record to be an actual album; rather, she considers it merely a bundle of demo songs (some of which she says are not done properly) that was sent to record companies. Only 2500 copies of this record were ever made, limiting its availability to the handful lucky enough to obtain one in the early years, or to those who are willing to pay the hundreds of dollars the discs now fetch. In response, Lee encouraged fans to download the band's older songs from the Internet during an interview. (Strangely, none of their post-Origin music is currently available for legal download.) Not surprisingly, enterprising bootleggers have been selling fake copies of Origin, usually as a "Russian re-release," for high prices. It is highly encouraged that fans not risk money on a copy of Origin as it is likely not an original copy, nor does it benefit the band any longer. Fallen Cover to FallenTheir first major album Fallen has been certified 6x Platinum, spent 43 weeks in the Billboard Top 10 and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. As of March 2004 (others may have joined the list since then) Fallen is one of only three albums in the history of the chart to spend a full year (52 weeks) in the Billboard Top 50 (Spice by the Spice Girls, and E. 1999 Eternal by Bone Thugs N Harmony being the others). [citation needed]. Later, in 2005, Breakaway from Kelly Clarkson joined the group. Evanescence's major label debut single "Bring Me to Life" was a global hit for the band and reached #5 on the American Billboard Hot 100, while the equally popular "My Immortal" peaked at #7 in the U.S. Their inclusion in the soundtrack for the action movie Daredevil helped propel both songs into widespread popularity and firmly cemented Evanescence within the music scene. "Bring Me to Life" garnered recognition for the band at the Grammy Awards of 2004, where the band was given the Best Hard Rock Performance award. At the same time, Evanescence was awarded Best New Artist. The two other singles off Fallen include "Going Under" and "Everybody's Fool", both of which include a music video. The previously unreleased "Breathe No More" was featured in the 2005 soundtrack of the movie Elektra. Ben's Departure On October 22, 2003, Moody left the band abruptly in the middle of a European tour. The reasons for his departure were reportedly "creative differences." In an interview several months later [1], Amy Lee said: "We'd gotten to a point that if something didn't change, we wouldn't have been able to make a second record." Since then, Lee has said it was almost a relief that he left because of tensions created within the band. Terry Balsamo from Cold joined the band, replacing Moody. Recently, Moody confessed in an interview that not only does he suffer from bipolar disorder, but that he's kicked a drug and alcohol habit that he was entrenched in during the strife within Evanescence. He's also said that the song he wrote about his abrupt departure, titled "10/22," was originally penned with him essentially pointing out Lee's flaws. However, introspection later revealed he was speaking about himself, not her, Moody said. Anywhere But Home Released in 2004, Evanescence's new lineup released a DVD/CD compilation entitled "Anywhere But Home". The DVD is their live-from-Paris show with several behind-the-scenes features, including shots of the band backstage, signing autographs, and warming up. The CD included contains a song entitled "Missing" which was previously unreleased. Also on the CD are the songs "Breathe No More" (from the Elektra movie soundtrack) and "Farther Away". They also included their cover of Korn's "Thoughtless" which they have played at several live shows. The Chronicles of Narnia Amy Lee was asked to write a theme song for the 2005 movie version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but it was rejected by producers due to it being "too dark and epic." Lee briefly considered altering the song, but ultimately decided that she would "never compromise [her] art for anything." Lee has hinted that fans may get to hear her unused Narnia music in some capacity in the future. In a post on EvBoard, the official message board of the band, she claimed no love was lost, saying it was just more great material for the new album. Current Projects Evanescence is currently working on their second album, the title of which isn't yet known. The album has progressed slowly for a number of reasons, but perhaps chiefly because of Amy Lee's desire to allow the creative process to fully take its course and not rush production. Besides that, other distractions have included other band members' side projects, health problems concerning guitarist Terry Balsamo and the controversy revolving around the dismissal of their former manager. Lee stated on EvBoard that Evanescence's new album will be wrapping up in March 2006. It should be on store shelves in late summer, with the tentative release date rumored to be August 22nd. However, recently the wife of Rocky Gray (the band's drummer) has posted news on another fan board, stating that the release will be pushed back to sometime in September, allegedly because "Wind-Up [the band's current record label] wants to make a few changes to the upcoming single." After a long period of stasis, the Evanescence website was updated with a short piece of news. The news read "Evanescence is in the studio working on new music. Check back to the site for more info as it becomes available." Wrestling Although not a prominent mark on Evanescence's career, some of their work has been featured in the world of wrestling. Just prior to its US release, "Bring Me To Life" was the pay-per-view theme music for WWE No Way Out 2003. Wrestler Christian Cage also uses a remodeled version of "My Last Breath" as his entrance theme. Christian Controversy Originally considered by many to be part of the Christian rock scene – and for a short time promoted in Christian stores – the band made it clear that they did not want to be considered a Christian rock band, especially after controversy when Moody swore during an interview. Shortly thereafter, Christian stores removed Evanescence from their shelves. Since then Lee has been quoted as saying that they are not a Christian band and would appreciate it if the rumor was terminated. Comparisons The band is often compared to nu-metal bands such as Linkin Park, P.O.D. and Papa Roach, but many fans find this comparison inaccurate because it is based solely on "Bring Me to Life," which featured lead singer Paul McCoy of 12 Stones playing rap-style counterparts over a short section of the music. This is not reflective of most of their other music, both on Fallen and in their earlier work. Evanescence has also been compared to bands such as In Winter, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and Within Temptation, all of which incorporate female vocalists and dark lyrical themes, but these bands are considered to be symphonic metal/gothic metal rather than rock. During live shows, Evanescence often performs cover songs from contemporary bands, such as A Perfect Circle, The Offspring, Garbage, Metallica, and Korn. They have also covered material by defunct alternative rock bands such as Soundgarden and The Smashing Pumpkins. Band members Current Line-up Amy Lee - vocals and piano John LeCompt - guitar Rocky Gray - drums William Boyd - bass Terry Balsamo - guitar Past band members Ben Moody - lead guitar (co-founder - left October 2003) David Hodges - keyboards (left December 2002) Discography Album information Fallen Released: March 2003 (North America) Chart positions: #1 UK, #3 U.S., #1 CAN, #1 AUS Certifications: 6x platinum (RIAA — U.S.) U.S. sales: Over 6 million Worldwide sales: 12 million [edit]EPs 1998: Evanescence EP 1999: Sound Asleep EP 2000: Origin Live album 2004: Anywhere but Home — #6 (U.S. Multiplatinum Certified DVD) Live in Paris; includes DVD of concert, music videos, behind-the-scenes footage, etc Links Contact