Evermore were a rock band formed in Feilding, New Zealand, in 1999, made up of three brothers Jon (guitar, vocals), Peter (keyboards, bass guitar, vocals) and Dann Hume (drums, guitar, vocals). The band was based in Sydney from 2004 to 2007 and then Melbourne until they became inactive in 2014. Evermore released four studio albums: Dreams (2004), Real Life (2006), Truth of the World: Welcome to the Show (2009), and Follow the Sun (2012), as well as a self-titled compilation album (2010). Real Life and Truth of the World were their highest-charting studio albums in New Zealand and Australia, while Dreams and Real Life received platinum certifications from Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

Evermore's most successful singles were "Running", "Light Surrounding You" (both 2006) and "Hey Boys and Girls (Truth of the World pt.2)" (2009) – "Light Surrounding You" peaked at number one in Australia. They were nominated for seven ARIA Music Awards and won two New Zealand Music Awards. The group's members won an APRA Silver Scroll song writing award and the Channel V Oz Artist of the Year Award. Evermore have not performed publicly since late 2014 and each of the members has undertaken a solo career.

History

Background

Evermore were formed in Feilding, Manawatu, New Zealand in 1999 as Electro by three brothers Jon Cobbe Hume (born Jonathan Daniel Cobbe, Lismore, Australia) on guitar and vocals, Peter Elisha Hume (born Peter Elisha Cobbe, One of their ancestors John Cobbe (1859–1944) owned a general store in Feilding, became a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Oroua and later a sheep farmer. The brothers were introduced to music at a young age by their parents' record collection. They were inspired by the Who, Led Zeppelin and Crowded House to pursue a music career. Electro entered the Rockquest competition for school groups in 1999. They changed their name to "Evermore", which references Led Zeppelin's song "The Battle of Evermore" (1971). Jon has said the trio's parents were supportive: "they always wanted us to do something creative... Nothing was too risky."

Rise to fame (2000–2003)

In 2000 as Evermore with Richard Higham on bass guitar, the four-piece group won Rockquest. They used the prize money to help fund their home studio, Red Sky Studio. The title track and "Into the Ocean" were co-written by Jon with Martyn Hume Cobbe. After a year Higham left the band to become a farmer. was released independently on 1 December 2002, with only 300 copies pressed. Dann reflected, "[that's] the size of Feilding". My Own Way EP, the band's five-track next EP, was released on 15 September 2003 via East West and Warner, which reached No. 11 on the ARIA Hitseekers Singles chart.

Dreams (2004–2006)

left|thumb|[[Jon Hume playing at the Australian Open in 2005|alt=Jon is seated, strumming his acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone]]

Dreams, Evermore's debut studio album, was released on 27 September 2004 in Australia via East West and Warner. It peaked at No. 15 on the ARIA albums chart and No. 30 on the RIANZ albums chart. Three singles were issued from the album; "It's Too Late" (August), "For One Day" (February 2005), and "Come to Nothing" (May); with "It's Too Late" reaching the top 20 in Australia. It included a re-recorded version of "Into the Ocean". Initially they wanted to use their home studio, however Red Sky Studio and parts of Feilding were flooded in February 2004, so they travelled to Jones' Seattle-based studio.

After recording Dream the trio relocated to Sydney in mid-2004. All three singles were used in New Zealand and Australian promotion of American TV show The O.C., with "It's Too Late" ultimately appearing on the show.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2005, held in October, Evermore received five nominations and performed at the ceremony. The title track is a 45-minute documentary on the history of the group, followed by a 70-minute live performance recorded at The Metro Theatre, Sydney and a selection of their music videos.

Real Life (2006–2008)

thumb|alt=At left Jon looks down at the stage, while holding his guitar. Dann stands over his drum kit, Peter plays his bass guitar and stands near a keyboard.|Evermore supporting [[Split Enz, Melbourne, June 2006 Four singles were issued from the album; "Running" (June 2006), "Light Surrounding You" (October), "Unbreakable" (March 2007), and "Never Let You Go" . Of these, "Light Surrounding You" charted highest and is Evermore's only number-one single. Production moved to Easton, Maryland for an additional three months, Following recording and production, it was mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (blink-182).

Despite its favourable charting the album was negatively received by music critics. Michael Dwyer of The Age was unimpressed with Real Life, "a roller-coaster of intense gestures and hollow sentiments spiralling on an updraft of crashing cymbals and synthetic harmonies" which provides "sheer, overwrought drama... [that] aims for U2 but ends up Big Country." Sputnikmusic's DaveyBoy rated it at 2.0 and declared, "Three hit singles and pretty much nothing else on this lazy, uninspired & disappointing follow-up." Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald found it lacked ambition and "you suspect this is exactly what it was meant to sound like". The album's release was followed by a tour of New Zealand and Australia in September and October 2005 with support acts Bob Evans and the Vagrant City Scandal.

The trio opened for a reformed Split Enz on their tour of Australian state capitals in June 2006 starting at Brisbane Entertainment Centre (BEC) and included Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne and ended at Burswood Dome, Perth. Jack Langridge and Brett Collingwood of Rave Magazine caught their performance at BEC, "[their] affinity with Coldplay's stadium-friendly, atmospheric rock is instantly recognisable in this cavernous setting..." and found Dann's drumming to be a "major highlight". On 17 November 2006 Evermore performed at a charity concert: the Make Poverty History Concert, in Melbourne, covering Ben E. King's "Stand by Me". Early in 2007, the band played at the Big Day Out, as well as at the 21st Australian Scout Jamboree and on 29 April they appeared at the 2007 MTV Australia Video Music Awards to perform "Light Surrounding You". In mid-2007 the group relocated from Sydney to Melbourne. The second single, "Hey Boys and Girls (Truth of the World pt.2)", appeared on 3 February 2009, which peaked at No. 5 on the New Zealand charts and No. 4 on the Australian charts. Their single "Can You Hear Me?" was released to radio on 11 May, but did not reach the top 100 in New Zealand or Australia.

Truth of the World is a concept album about trash media, political propaganda, advertising and infotainment. It was recorded at the band's own Dragonfly Studio, Melbourne over a period of 18 months from July 2007 to January 2009. The studio had been built via the proceeds of their previous work.

In July and August 2009 Evermore supported Pink during the Funhouse Tour on the second half of the Australian leg. After the group's Australian tours in support of Truth of the World: Welcome to the Show and supporting Pink, the singer invited them as main support act for her subsequent European tour, from October to December.

Follow the Sun (2010–2014)

thumb|left|alt=Upper body shot, Jon wears a black leather jacket and black and white striped T-shirt, Peter has stubble and wears a blue shirt with white polka dots|Jon and Peter Hume, July 2013

Upon return to Australia in early 2010, Evermore took time off from touring, to start writing and recording their next studio album. Jon Hume built a new recording studio, The Stables Recording Studio, in 2011 in Macedon Ranges, Victoria. Early that year they took a portable recording studio on a round-the-world song writing trip. Two Australia headline tours followed in 2012 and 2013, as well as support for Maroon 5's Australian leg of their worldwide Overexposed Tour and Matchbox Twenty's Australian North Tour with INXS. The group's last single, "One Love<!-- not at DAB page -->", appeared in August 2013 as a charity single supporting that year's Global Citizen Festival. In October 2014 Evermore performed as a duo of Jon and Peter Hume at the Precinct Hotel, Melbourne.

Afterwards

thumb|alt=Peter plays a guitar in a room, another man is adjusting a camera on a tripod stand|Peter Hume (centre), 2015

Outside of their Evermore work each of the Hume brothers has pursued their own careers. Mitchell declared that working with Dann provided "versions [that] had more energy and were a lot lighter – they were positive and uplifting".

Dann is also credited on Matt Corby's debut album, Telluric (producer, engineer, co-writer, March 2016), Troye Sivan's debut album, Blue Neighbourhood (December 2015) and Kita Alexander's single "Hotel" (September 2017). In the following year he won Producer of the Year again for his work on Corby's second studio album, Rainbow Valley (November 2018).

Jon worked on E^ST's third EP, Get Money! (July 2016) as producer, mixer and composer. He followed with Bliss n Eso's sixth studio album, Off the Grid (producer, April 2017), Starley's single "Arms Around Me" (producer, recording engineer, 2020) and Sheppard's EP Highest of Highs (engineer, mixer, producer, 2021). Jon co-wrote "Be Alright" (June 2018) with the singer Dean Lewis, which appeared on APRA billion streams list in 2019.

Besides being a mult-instrumentalist and singer Peter provides artwork, photography, graphic design, music video direction, cinematography and other promotional material. At the 2022 ARIA Music Awards Peter was nominated for Best Video as director for Luude's cover version of "Down Under" featuring original singer Colin Hay.

Members

  • Jon Hume&nbsp;– vocals, guitars, percussion, piano, ukulele, drums

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Nominated work

! Category

! Result

!

|-

|rowspan="5"| 2005

| Dreams

| Album of the Year

|

|rowspan="5"|

|-

| Dreams

| Breakthrough Artist&nbsp;– Album

|

|-

| Evermore

| Best Group

|

|-

| Dreams

| Best Rock Album

|

|-

| "For One Day"

| Single of the Year

|

|-

| 2007

| "Light Surrounding You"

| Best Pop Release

|

|

|-

| 2009

| "Hey Boys and Girls"

| Highest Selling Single

|

|

|-

|}

New Zealand Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards have been presented since 1965 under various names including New Zealand Music Awards.

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Nominated work

! Category

! Result

!

|-

|rowspan="6"| 2007

| Real Life

| Album of the Year

|

| rowspan="6"|

|-

| "Light Surrounding You"

| Single of the Year

|

|-

| Evermore

| People's Choice Award

|

|-

| Real Life

| Best Group

|

|-

| Real Life

| Best Rock Album

|

|-

| Evermore

| International Achievement

|

|-

|}

Other awards

Won

  • 2005 MTV Australia Awards, Supernova Breakthrough Act for Dreams
  • 2005 APRA Silver Scroll Award for "It's Too Late"
  • 2007 Channel V Oz Artist of the Year

Nominated

  • 2005 Jack Awards, Best Live Newcomer
  • 2006 APRA Silver Scroll Award for "Running"
  • 2013 APRA Rock Work of the Year for "Follow the Sun" by Dann, Peter and Jon Hume.

References

  • AudioCulture profile