Evan Dando to open a new solo exhibition ‘Paintings and Drawings’ at the Farsight Gallery on October 6th running through to 12th October coinciding with Frieze Week London.
Evan Dando, ‘Paintings and Drawings’ 6th – 12th October Farsight Gallery
About the artist
Evan Griffith Dando (born March 4, 1967) is an American musician and the frontman of the rock band the Lemonheads. He has also embarked on a solo career and collaborated on songs with various artists. In December 2015, Dando was inducted into the Boston Music Awards Hall of Fame.
Evan Dando formed The Lemonheads with Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz in 1986 after meeting at Commonwealth. Originally called the Whelps, they soon changed their name, inspired by the Ferrara Pan candy. The band debuted in Cambridge on July 18, 1986, and recorded an EP, Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners, which caught the attention of local label Taang! Records. Their first three albums—Hate Your Friends, Creator, and Lick—were released under Taang!.
After their third album, Dando briefly left the band, joining Juliana Hatfield’s Blake Babies, but returned when their cover of Suzanne Vega’s “Luka” gained attention, giving them the opportunity to tour Europe. Deily quit just before the tour, and Dando took over as guitarist and lead vocalist, recruiting David Ryan on drums. The band then signed with Atlantic Records and released Lovey in 1990.
Dando spent time in Australia writing songs with Nic Dalton and Tom Morgan, which became the basis for It’s a Shame About Ray. In 1992, The Lemonheads recorded a punk cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” for the 25th anniversary release of The Graduate. Although Dando initially resisted including the track on the album, it became a hit, reaching No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart. His rising fame landed him on magazine covers, and People named him one of the “50 Most Beautiful People.” In 1993, they released Come on Feel the Lemonheads, featuring hits like “It’s About Time,” “Big Gay Heart,” and “Into Your Arms.” Dando’s friendship with Oasis during their 1994 tour led to guest appearances at their shows, and he also made a cameo in the film Reality Bites.
The band reformed with John Strohm on guitar, Bill Gibson on bass, and Patrick Murphy on drums, releasing Car Button Cloth in 1996. After a final show at the 1997 Reading Festival, The Lemonheads went on hiatus.
In 2005, Dando revived the band with a new lineup, including Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson of the Descendents. They signed with Vagrant Records and released a self-titled album in 2006, touring extensively. In 2008, they re-released It’s a Shame About Ray, and Dando received a Classic Album award at the NME US Awards, though he controversially discarded the trophy offstage.
The Lemonheads released Varshons in 2009, a collection of cover songs featuring guest vocals from Liv Tyler and Kate Moss. Since 2010, they’ve often performed It’s a Shame About Ray in full during live sets.
Solo Career and Collaborations
Throughout his career, Dando has collaborated frequently with Australian musicians Nic Dalton and Tom Morgan. He worked with the band Sneeze, joined the Givegoods with Paul Dempsey, and maintained a long musical partnership with Juliana Hatfield, contributing to both Blake Babies and her solo projects. Their collaborations inspired the Barenaked Ladies’ lyric: “No promises as vague as heaven. No Juliana next to my Evan.”
Dando appeared in James Mangold’s 1995 indie film Heavy, contributing two cover songs to the soundtrack. In 2003, he released his first solo album, Baby I’m Bored, which charted in the UK. He also toured with MC5 in 2004 and collaborated with The Dandy Warhols.
In recent years, Dando has continued to tour, performing solo shows in the U.S. and Europe.
