I sat down with Melissa from the band June Divided recently. We chatted about being on the road, and their new music.
Q: How did the band form?
Chris and I met in college studying music tech and production. June Divided was a senior project. After we graduated, we didn’t really plan on continuing it seriously, but we (semi-jokingly) put an ad out on Craigslist for a drummer. We found Keith, something clicked and things for the band started rolling- probably sooner than we had expected. Lenny stepped in as our manager but ended up playing bass for us when things got pretty busy. It’s been the four of us ever since.
Q: What is your favorite song that you’ve written and why?
That is a tough one! “I Didn’t Mind” is a contender because it was a blast to write and produce. I think my favorite song I wrote is an unreleased one called “Sparks”. It’s minimal and it’s about some heavy stuff. It’s my most honest song to date and it took me a long time to get the courage to write it. I’ll most likely put it on the next record.
Q: What is the hardest part of being on the road?
Moving around all the time and living out of a suitcase is really hard. Van breakdowns are the worst part for sure.
Q: What makes June Divided different from all the other bands out there?
Our upcoming EP, Body Wars, is a new direction for us and it’s definitely a little different sounding. There are a lot of indie-pop elements there but there’s still some heavy rocking parts too. We do some cool instrumental stuff and we do some really fun jams/dance parties live. We have more surprises up our sleeves, but that should give you an idea of what we’re all about.
Q: How have you grown from your first EP to now?
We’ve grown in a lot of ways- as writers, as players, as producers. Our influences have shifted and grown. Our first EP was back in 2011 and it was before we even really knew ourselves as musicians (although we are still proud of our earlier releases for sure). Body Wars is definitely our band recognizing who we are and what we want.
Q: Who influences you musically?
We all have tons of influences. A lot of us grew up on classic rock, but our current influences can be found in bands like Mutemath, Jimmy Eat World, Metric, The 1975, Atlas Genius, Cold War Kids, Chvrches, Brand New, Foals.
Q: What is your song “I Didn’t Mind” about?
Human beings have a tendency to lie to themselves for self-preservation. We like to tell ourselves that we’re fine with things, and “I Didn’t Mind” is about that moment when you realize you are not fine. Writing this song helped me realize that it’s okay to not be okay.
Q: Are you excited about your show here in Baltimore?
Of course! See you Nov. 9th at the Otto Bar!
The band opens for Lydia November 9th at Ottobar!
Follow June Divided on Twitter
Audio: “I Didn’t Mind”
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