Ask Chris Buck whether he agrees with BBC Radio 2’s assessment that Buck & Evans are “unquestionably major talents” and it’ll inevitably draw a mischievous giggle. His surprise at the broadcaster's effusive statement is hardly surprising. After all, it was only 2 years ago that he played his first gig with vocalist Sally Ann Evans - a "one off pairing" to accommodate an eleventh hour offer to support Sandi Thom in Soho. “We quickly threw together a 45 minute set to get us both through that one show” laughs Sally Ann.
Buck. And Evans, literally.
Fast forward 2 years and the "one off pairing" (soon cemented by AC/DC stand-in drummer Bob Richards and bassist Dominic Hill) can count Bernie Marsden, Adrian Smith and Slash among their fast-growing fanbase. Indeed, it was only 4 months after that innocuous first gig that Buck & Evans were Arizona-bound to play an open-air fundraiser before closing the event as the Guns N’ Roses legend's backing band, prompting Slash to dub Chris “a fu*king awesome guitar player”.
With a brace of critically acclaimed EPs in their armoury and industry veteran Alan Niven at the rock and soul quartet’s helm, the meteoric progression of those first few months was to be a sign of things to come; play-listed on the countries’ biggest radio stations (Planet Rock, TeamRock, BBC Radio 2 etc), sold out shows and festival slots covering the length and breadth of the UK and fulsome reviews flooding in from both sides of the Atlantic, (“Fleetwood Mac-esque reverie - pulsating groove, swirling guitars and soaring harmonies” - Blabbermouth) Buck & Evans are set to take their exciting brand of “ exquisite rock and soul” (Classic Rock Magazine) to the next level. And as they prepare to open Download Festival’s revered second stage this summer ahead of Jane’s Addiction, it may finally be time to accept that this “one off” is here to stay...
