Collective Soul’s
former drummer Shane Evans is “Better Now”
Shane Evans, the former drummer of Collective Soul and a member of the
Georgia Music Hall of Fame, will play a mini-concert and discuss with Phoenix-area
teens about the consequences of lifestyle choices, fame and his descent and
eventual recovery from drug addiction.
Evans, 42, will play a
handful of songs from Collective Soul and then address a group of youth at 7
p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 at The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32nd
St, Phoenix. The event is sponsored by Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation, a
Phoenix-based non-profit organization that allows teens to build confidence and
discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression and creativity.
Evans’ speech, “Rock,
Recovery and Redemption” will touch upon the meteoric rise of Collective Soul,
his departure from the group, his substance abuse problem and the long road to
recovery.
“I've been clean and sober
for three years and I'm finally at a point where I can discuss my triumphs and
tragedies in public,” Evans said. “So if I am to tell my story, I want to tell
it to someone who will listen and learn from my mistakes.”
Almost two decades ago,
Evans was riding high as the drummer for Collective Soul. The Stockbridge-based
quintet shot to international fame with their 1994 release “Hints, Allegations
and Things Left Unsaid”, and their mega-hit, “Shine.” In the span of seven
years, they tallied a total seven #1 radio hits, 19 Top 40 singles, and sold
more than 10 million albums and CDs worldwide. Evans says with fame came the spoils
of success and lifestyle choices that almost killed him.
“It's nothing short of a
miracle that I'm still alive. Drugs robbed me of almost everything including my
family, friends, my home, and my dignity,” Evans said. “Through sobriety I've
gained all of those things back and more. My life today is blessed and I want
to share my experiences to help others.”
Evans said he was
dismissed from the group in 2005 because of his excessive drug use. His
mother's demise from complications of diabetes, the accidental death of a
girlfriend and a pair of DUI arrests pushed him further into despair. Evans
said he hit rock bottom while living on the run from police at a run-down motel
in Atlanta, Ga. He says he was two days away from being homeless when he
finally made the decision to get clean and sober in August 2009. Weeks after
Evans’ sobriety anniversary, Collective Soul was inducted into the Georgia
Music Hall of Fame.
“I still love all of the
guys in Collective Soul because they are my brothers and we shared a lot of
wonderful and life-changing experiences,” Evans said. “Me getting kicked out of
the group was entirely my fault because of my addiction. It’s something I’ve
finally come to terms with and must own up to in order to remain sober.”
After completing a
yearlong recovery program at Waypoint Center in Dahlonega, Ga., Evans became a
substance abuse counselor, helping others to overcome their addictions.
###
Solid
Rock was founded in 1995 by long-time Arizona residents and devoted fathers
Alice Cooper and Chuck Savale who envisioned a faith-based organization
dedicated to make an everlasting difference in the lives of kids and teens in
the community. Originally, Solid Rock existed to raise money for other
organizations with like-minded missions, however, the dream went well beyond
its original fundraising foundation. With the opening of The Rock Teen Center
at 32nd Street in the Spring 2012, the dream has finally become a reality.
If you go:
What:
“Rock, Redemption and Recovery” by Shane Evans
When:
7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
Where:
The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32nd St., Phoenix
Cost:
Free to all local area teens
