Interview with Divided Minds: Sean & Devon

Divided Minds is a band that hails from Phoenix, Arizona.  The three young artists’ sound has evolved over the years culminating in a distinct vibe that sets them apart from others in their genre.  The band, currently signed to We Are Triumphant, has recently released a new music video for their song “Bad Bitch,” which you can watch here! We hopped on the phone with Sean Collins (lead vocals/guitar), and Devon Palay (drums); unfortunately, Josh Peters (lead guitar/backing vocals) was unavailable at the time of the call.

WCBG: How did you become a band?
Sean: We all went to this local music store and they had a sort of rock camp where they would randomly put people in a band together.  We were about 14 years old at the tome and we stayed together.
 
WCBG: What’s the local scene like?
Devon: There are definitely passionate people, people are always into it.  All the fans really dig it and there’s this nice community aspect.
 
WCBG: How did you pick your respective instruments?
Devon: Rockband for PlayStation 2—I originally played the guitar and then I found the drums and I was like this is what’s up.
Sean: I would have to say it started with Guitar Hero.  I was about 8 years old and I was pretty good at the game.  My mom bought me a Fender [guitar] when I was 10; it’s the same one I use today.
 
WCBG: Describe your sound in 3 words.
Devon: Alternative Trash Pop
Sean: Hardcore Pop Alt
 
WCBG: What music are you currently listening to?
Devon: I’ve been into discovering new music recently.  I do have some staples like Post Malone, but I’ve been listening to a lot of little pop punk bands.  Anti-rock is also pretty cool.
Sean: Tyler the Creator, and Poppy’s new album was really good too.
Devon (to Sean): You’ve been listening to Poppy?
Sean (to Devon): Yeah, because it’s good.
Devon: The boys in Telltale every time they drop a single.
Sean: Billie Eilish, can’t forget her.
 
WCBG: What artists inspire you to be a better musician?
Sean: 5 Seconds of Summer.  We were stuck in a creative rut and we were driving to California bumping Youngblood.  The album is a banger.  It flipped a switch in my mind, so I started to listen to more of their music.  Previously, I listened to a lot of metal and their [5SOS] album helped me to write more stuff.
 
WCBG: IF you could perform with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be?
Devon: 5SOS, Chase Atlantic…or Stand Atlantic, both are great.  Oh, and Harry Styles.

WCBG: What is your opinion of releasing an artist’s unreleased music after they’ve passed away, should it be released or should it not?
Sean: I thoroughly dislike it.  It’s like you’re dragging their corpse out and using them for money.  We have demos that we’ve made that I would never want released.  They’re rough and just not good.  I don’t like it enough for me to release it.  It makes me angry that this happens.  Maybe if it was a backlogged release that’s okay.
Devon: If it wasn’t there in the first place and they found someone who sounds like the artist that’s not okay.  Take Mac Miller for example, they released Circles, and it sounded rush.  They should have left what he done as it was.
 
WCBG: What is one thing you would change about the music industry as it is today?
Devon: The amount bands are paid from streaming services.  We make about a quarter of a cent per stream on Spotify.
Sean: The accessibility of music comes with music being worth less.  I do love the fact that our music can be spread indefinitely.
Devon: I’m not a big fan of local versus national band distinctions.  The [name] national band makes it feel more like they’re worth more.  The perception of size to music quality. 
 
WCBG: What’s your writing process like?
Divided Minds: Josh normally writes a hook and then we slam on some drums and guitars.  Now we create chord progressions on piano or guitar and loop it.  Then we hum some melodies and start with the chorus.  The melody comes next and then the lyrics.  Then the verses and the bridge is last.  We now focus more on the lyrics than we did in the past.  When we first started it was more so I’m angry, but now it’s I’m angry because…

WCBG: What’s your favorite lyric that you’ve ever written?
Devon: Josh isn’t here but his favorite lyric is “I feel it in my head to my bones.”  Mine would have to be “I left my heart where my home is.”
Sean: We were travelling to California to record for about one to two weeks.  Devon wrote the line because we were leaving home to do what we need to do to follow our dreams and we left our hearts there [home].
 
WCBG: What’s your favorite venue that you’ve played in?
Divided Minds: We tend to travel towards the West Coast.  We played at this venue in Boise, Idaho—it was a coffee shop with a venue space about the size of a marquee.  It’s called Death Proof Coffee.
 
WCBG: What’s your favorite song to play live?
Sean: “Let You Down” it’s always the first song we play and the lead up with the bass drop.  It’s a big song.
Devon: Big and full.  Even though my part is easy to plan I can vibe with the song, and the drums are in your face.
 
WCBG: What are your top three songs for a road trip?
Divided Minds: “Circles” by Post Malone
                             Podcasts/ John Mulaney specials
                             “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala
 
WCBG: What are your plans for 2020?
Sean: New music is on the backlog.  We have some shows lines up, hopefully lots of touring.  We miss the connection with our fans.  Devon and I will be moving in together.  And we just released a music video for our song “Bad Bitch”

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Check out their music on Spotify