The history of DIVIDE goes all the way back to the spring of '97.
Thom Keller (drums) and Jimmy Dow (bass) were looking to start a new band
after another project went sour. They first started looking for a
singer by hanging up flyers around the Salisbury State University campus
advertising that there was a band in need of a singer. Low and behold
the ad was responded to by Lamont Robinson who from now on we will refer
to as L.A. After L.A. responded to the ad Thom and Jimmy set up a
time to audition him for the band. He showed up, blew Thom and Jimmy
away, and fifteen minutes later DIVIDE was almost complete.
A few weeks later Thom showed up at the door of Jim Tehan to deliver a
message to his roommate. Jim's roommate Geoff had been setting up
a show on campus and wanted the band to play but as it turned out they
didn't have a guitar player. Thom wanted to tell Geoff that they
couldn't do the show because they had no guitar player and that's where
Jim came in. He said "I'll do it" jokingly but Thom didn't think
it was all that funny, he thought it was a good idea and DIVIDE was born.
The show that Geoff was planning never did happen but the four decided
to give it a go as a band. They started practicing on campus in a
studio that Jim had access to and began writing right away. Soon
they had enough material to play a show so they decided to do just that.
The first DIVIDE show ever was on May 11, 1997 at Parallel's art studio
in Downtown Salisbury, MD. The band was nervous but they were able
to make it through the night and they were glad that they got to pop their
cherry. Next it was on to Don's Belladonna, a local redneck hangout
near the college. The whole thing almost didn't happen due to poor
planning on the other bands who set the whole thing up but DIVIDE was able
to rock the house and at least one woman in the crowd wanted to "stroke
it".
After summer break the band came back to Salisbury and began to practice
in Jim's attic. It was a small, extremely hot practice space but
it was now home for DIVIDE. After one incident with the Salisbury
Police the band kept on practicing there for their upcoming show at the
newly opened Crossroads Club on campus. Here the band really took
off. After free beer all night and about three hundred people showing
up to see DIVIDE they played their hearts out all night. The show
was a huge success and two people were sent to the hospital, DIVIDE was
pleased.
DIVIDE continued to play the Crossroads and ended up winning the battle
of the bands there but not all was well. Drummer Thom Keller was
graduating and informed the band that he would be leaving. A confused
DIVIDE worked towards the future. . .
Let's skip ahead to the present day. After finding a new talent in
drummer Jeff Potter DIVIDE began writing new material and playing more
shows. The band grew closer and the drive towards the future was
there. Then comes Taylor, a chubby kid from Long Island who just
happened to have some turntables handy. He jammed with the band one
night and a week later he and the rest of DIVIDE were recording their first
CD.
Right now DIVIDE is still going strong. After a few run ins with
the law they keep on making the music that they believe in and press on
towards the future. So keep a look out for DIVIDE coming to your
town. Hide the malt liquor and lock up your daughters 'cause DIVIDE
is taking over!
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