Divided Heaven
What is the strangest trend you see in modern music (music-wise or industry-wise)?
The strangest trend I see in modern music is the return of the cassette tape. Who would've thought? I know, I know...there are cassette tape purists that will claim the media format never really went away and that's true. But one cannot deny their severe decline in popularity when CDs came around. It's not that I am not into the idea of cassette tapes, I simply don't get it. I don't understand the resurgence. Personally, I am a CD guy. I love collecting CDs. I also love collecting vinyl. Side note: I find it quite annoying when I read about how popular vinyl is now because it has always been popular in punk and hardcore. It never stopped being popular in punk and hardcore and I suspect it never will.
Sonically, tapes can't compare to other formats (especially vinyl) and maintaining their quality can be difficult. How many times have you had to stop the tape deck, open it and very carefully pull out the tape while trying not to tear the delicate tape ribbon after it was half-eaten and chewed up by your increasingly insufficient (and hungry) tape deck? If you're a kid born in the ‘70s or ‘80s then you know what I'm talking about.
Now, I should clarify that our previous album, Youngblood, was released in all formats including cassette tape. But before you rush to judgement and acuse me of eating my words please allow me to indulge you with a story.... I played the Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival in 2013 and met a young couple, Brian and Kristen Burdzy. These two lovebirds were newlyweds, just married in Vegas that morning, and liked my music. I was the first band they saw live since tying the knot that day. We became fast friends and then they offered to put out our next record on cassette. It would be their first release as a couple on their label Music Is None Of Our Business Records and stands as a token of rememberance for their wedding day and subsequent anniversaries. Well, I'm happy to say the release came to fruition (and they've since gone out of print) and the happy couple now live in Connecticut with their daughter, Sheena.
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Divided Heaven has a new record, Cold War, out now on Wiretap Records/Paper+Plastick Records. Stream it via Spotify or buy it from the band.
Pictured: Sheena
