Lineup Changes Only Making Evanescence A Tighter Band

After starting Evanescence in 1998 with Ben Moody, Amy Lee has certainly seen the band become a worldwide success and with multiple Grammy Awards, followed by multiple lineup changes, she also feels the band is becoming a stronger and tighter unit because they finally have passionate musicians in the band. After the success of the band's debut album 'Fallen' which spent 43 weeks on the Billboard Top 10 and has since been certified 6x Platinum with more than 15 million copies sold worldwide, the band saw Moody depart due to creative differences and he was replaced by Terry Balsamo, formerly of the band Cold.

Video clip :

We caught up with Amy Lee to get her thoughts on all the lineup changes actually being best for the band as they've become a stronger unit with their latest release 'The Open Door.'

Watch video: Amy Lee On Evanescence Lineup Changes

"Oh god, I think it's made it so much better. It's hard, of course when you start a band you don't think about people being expendable or like they're going to leave or whatever but that's not really the way it is. You want to be a family and you want to stay together forever but it's not realistic most of the time. I've actually met very, very few bands that have their original line up that have been around for more than a year."

The most recent additions to the band have been Tim McCord, Troy McLawhorn and Will Hunt who all bring a new energy and sense of commitment the band didn't have in the past. We also talked with Amy and Terry about how refreshing it is for Evanescence to have passionate musicians dedicated to the cause in the band now.

Watch video: Amy On Having Passionate Musicians In The Band Now

"Yeah we've been through a lot of changes, but so far every change we've made ends up being a good thing. If it wasn't for Ben leaving I don't think this band would exist anymore. Let alone the fact that we got Terry in his place and we wouldn't have got 'The Open Door' if it wasn't for him. And then more recently John and Rocky leaving, that was a really difficult one that had been coming on for a long time. They just weren't into it. I don't think they were totally into the music." (Balsamo) "It was a job for them." "Yeah, in the first place it was really like they were wanting to go do their own thing and they were just doing it as a job. So, it's really cool to have guys in the band now that are passionate about the music, passionate about the way they play and they put their own spin on it and the solos are different every night and it's beautiful. It's a different experience on stage and we're all really happy."

Evanescence is still currently touring in support of 'The Open Door' with dates extending in The U.S. until December 8th in Rhode Island. No further tour dates are booked in 2008 as the band looks to take a well deserved break after their extensive 2007 tour which saw the band perform for over a million fans in more than 25 countries around the world including Israel, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, and Spain.

Comments

[Mass_debator]

"It's hard, of course when you start a band you don't think about people being expendable". Geez, what a bitch! Expendable is a pretty shite attitude towards the other people in your band. Fucking musical gold digger.

[sevenchurches]

lol, calm down you, time out

[Comeback Kiddd]

Mass_debator wrote:

"It's hard, of course when you start a band you don't think about people being expendable". Geez, what a bitch! Expendable is a pretty shite attitude towards the other people in your band. Fucking musical gold digger.

she gives me moneyyyyy. when im in neeeddd

[demonhunter2]

she must be a difficult person to work with, since so many people have left the band

[sucay]

I think they all left because of the direction the music was taking, they weren't in it just for the money, she is.

[Ramco]

She should just go solo, since Evanscence is now just her. If there can be a revolving door of professional musicians during the entire run of the band as well as having her as the real "face" of the band then it seems more like she's a solo act with a backing band. The band Evanescence ended when Ben left, since it was the Lee/Moody duo that was the backbone.

Also, Ben was such a kickass guitarist compared to the other hacks they've had.

[SmileOfHavok]

Amy Lee Band. Kind of like Axl Rose Band aka the new Guns N' Roses. =/ Fallen was definitely a lot better than The Open Door. Open Door isn't awful by all means though...

[skyillusion]

Amy Lee is a bitch, plain and simple. I've thought that ever since Ben left. I agree with you Ramco, she should go solo. Or even maybe something like Creed? The members should leave, get Ben back, and then find a new singer. They'd be much better off.

[areese82]

I don't like Evanescense. Hard rock for wussies. They performed at a show I saw in May and they were pretty good though.

[icekold23]

I really like Evanescence. I met Amy once she was pretty cool. I don't know now, but you gotta admit she's a pretty kick ass singer. besides look what ben's stooped down to. he works with kelly clarkson for god's sake.

[Preid]

"Oh god, I think it's made it so much better''

You cant polish a turd ffs...

[not_dead_enough]

Ramco wrote:

She should just go solo, since Evanscence is now just her. If there can be a revolving door of professional musicians during the entire run of the band as well as having her as the real "face" of the band then it seems more like she's a solo act with a backing band. The band Evanescence ended when Ben left, since it was the Lee/Moody duo that was the backbone.

Also, Ben was such a kickass guitarist compared to the other hacks they've had.

I'm not a huge Evanescence fan, but John LeCompt was/is no hack.

[Bristlehead]

^ no he isn't. but he was basically "hired" by Ben and Amy, as well as Rocky (and Will). I guess you could say "recruited" but to be a full member. Ben was a phenomonal guitarist though, even though all of them were a great part of the band... which isn't amounting to much these days. I'm glad John and Rocky left her bitch ass though.

[tim311mahoney]

Will Hunt and Troy McLawhorn are awesome. Check out Dark New Day if you haven't already, they're nothing short of amazing.

[ready2breakdown]

Well all those guys that have left that band are doing much more respectable music, so I'm glad they've been "let go." (Machina, Dark New Day, and Ben doing studio and commerical sessions behind the scenes)

Terry Balsamo is cool and all but he's definitely nothing next to Ben, sorry to say it. Been was a much better songwriter , better playing abilities and drove the songs more. All that Terry does is hold out chords while Amy Lee plays piano over it pretty much.

I wasn't never really crazy about them, but I definitely would listen to fallen before open door would even be in possession. It would be awesome to see Ben Moody get back on the scene. It would be a dream come true to seem him and phucking Mark Tremonti get together and do something! Picture that shit.

[dark_falco3000]

Evanescence started going downhill since the release of Fallen. Everything that was released before Fallen was great, fallen wasn't bad but nothing compared to "Origin" and their EPs, and the Open Door is just another step back.

When I got into Evanescence I never thought that Amy Lee was... you know, a bitch. But with all that's happened with her lately, I can clearly see that although she's an amazing vocalist, she's a supreme bitch and she's running Evanescence into the ground.

[emo-elmo1313]

oh SHUT UP. EVERYONE WHO DISSES EVANESCENCE ARE STUPID MORONS WITH THEIR HEADS UP THEIR ASSES. none of you have any right to make shitty remarks about the band, cuz none of you have ever met them. except for you icekold23. you rock. for others who don't know the band: think about it. ben moody left at one in the morning on tour. thats ****ing bullshit! who leaves on tour? john got fired for who knows what reason, and rocky quit. tough shit. get over it litte fanboys and girls, cuz evanescence is a lot better live.

[emoelmoisafag]

even though i think it's very adorable and special how you crawl out of your cave to defend your goddess to the death, newsflash, fag, amy lee is not only a bitch, but a fat bitch who's also a hack. we are right, and you are wrong. evanescence is not a horrible band, amy's got a decent voice, but SHE IS A BITCH. a lot like you, only instead of a crying bitch, she's an evil bitch. remember that as you have the right to defend your goddess *****, i have the right to crush your soul into the ground. get over it, little fanboy/girl. amy's a bitch and so are you.

xo emoelmoisafag

[dechant7]

emoelmoisafag wrote:

even though i think it's very adorable and special how you crawl out of your cave to defend your goddess to the death, newsflash, fag, amy lee is not only a bitch, but a fat bitch who's also a hack. we are right, and you are wrong. evanescence is not a horrible band, amy's got a decent voice, but SHE IS A BITCH. a lot like you, only instead of a crying bitch, she's an evil bitch. remember that as you have the right to defend your goddess *****, i have the right to crush your soul into the ground. get over it, little fanboy/girl. amy's a bitch and so are you.

xo emoelmoisafag

Please grow up! What's with the name calling? Sound like you enjoy being a school bully.
Ev is a really good band with a lot of talent. Each band member who has left already have opportunities to go in directions they clearly desired. John and Rocky to Machina. However, I believe Rocky has already left that band. Ben to individuals like Kelly Clarkson so that he can write more, not perform.
Amy has not sold out. If she had then she would sound something like Avril. Instead, she is taking a stand and going after what she believes.
Why is it that so often females who go after what they want are seen as bithces while men who do the same are seen as kick ass!?!

[seekmetal]

the open doos goodbut her and tery should just go it together

[brutal_concept]

I think some people really need to take into consideration that Ben Moody was the main stream part of that band. He is the one who is now producing for Celine Dion. So Amy Lee comes off as a bitch for kicking some people out of the band? Mind you those people really didn't even want to be there. So she did what they where merely too lazy to do. And for that we have these little smart ass kids talking like they know where its at. The only thing pouring out of your mouth's is useless insults. "fat bitch" "fag", what is that? The only thing you are managing to do is make yourself look like a childish fool. If you actually took the time to listen to the Open Door you would notice that it is pretty much everything but "crappy", as some of you very mature people have put it. Its a solid album, lyricly, musicly and vocaly, solid. You can, at the very least, repect them as musicians.

[basclefrules]

You have to remember that sometimes a gig becomes almost an obligation after an album or two. Obviously, thats where John and Rocky were. As far as im concerned, the band is still makin music, Terry still kicks ass, and thats that. as long as the music still comes, which is the reason real fans follow bands, real fans ought to be content with that.

[metallee923]

dechant7 wrote:

emoelmoisafag wrote:

even though i think it's very adorable and special how you crawl out of your cave to defend your goddess to the death, newsflash, fag, amy lee is not only a bitch, but a fat bitch who's also a hack. we are right, and you are wrong. evanescence is not a horrible band, amy's got a decent voice, but SHE IS A BITCH. a lot like you, only instead of a crying bitch, she's an evil bitch. remember that as you have the right to defend your goddess *****, i have the right to crush your soul into the ground. get over it, little fanboy/girl. amy's a bitch and so are you.

xo emoelmoisafag

Please grow up! What's with the name calling? Sound like you enjoy being a school bully.
Ev is a really good band with a lot of talent. Each band member who has left already have opportunities to go in directions they clearly desired. John and Rocky to Machina. However, I believe Rocky has already left that band. Ben to individuals like Kelly Clarkson so that he can write more, not perform.
Amy has not sold out. If she had then she would sound something like Avril. Instead, she is taking a stand and going after what she believes.
Why is it that so often females who go after what they want are seen as bithces while men who do the same are seen as kick ass!?!

yeah!...rock on Evanescence!!!

[marianoarnaiz]

FUCK SAKE, BEN MOODY WAS THIS BAND AMY LEE IN NOT EVEN THAT GREAT SINGER, SHE GOOD, BUT MOODY IS AN AWSOME SONG WRITER. I WISH HE GETS A BAN DWE A NEW LEAD SINGER; NOT A POUSER LAKE AMY LEE

[ShredderOmega]

Uh... since no-one's got this... Rocky left.. because John was FIRED... (and that he had no say in the band)