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FeedSpree Music with J. DiDomizio: The Sheila Divine
Courtesy of The Sheila Divine
A couple of years ago, I was in a car skirting around Wrigley Field, having a "getting to know you conversation" with a friend. At that age, "getting to know you” really means “what music do you like." This conversation sticks in my mind because we talked about The Sheila Divine. We discussed their discography, bootlegs, updates, favorite songs, and it looked as if we were going to get along famously.
Unfortunately, this friend and I disagreed bitterly about everything, except how much we liked this particular band with its powerful guitars, and insightful screamed/sung vocals. The Sheila Divine’s first album, The New Parade, was released in 1999, and from that came some modest college radio hits (“Hum” and “Like a Criminal”), both of which found rotation on at least one FM station in our area. I thought this album was important and poignant in 1999—my past self would have called it “awesome”—and even today, I think The New Parade still stands up.
The Sheila Divine released Where Have My Countrymen Gone in 2001, followed by the Secret Society EP in 2002, before ultimately breaking up in 2003. After a few years and a few reunion shows, TSD announced their Kickstarter page to fund a new record, an effort in which they stated they would try to capture “that lightning in a bottle” from the first recording sessions of The New Parade. The band’s original line-up was on board to boot.
After securing funding, TSD began recording and. The full record will be released soon, but in the meantime, you can catch them August 5th, when they will play Thursday at the Square with fan favorite Tokyo Police Club. In a recent interview with TSD’s lead singer Aaron Perrino, I asked him to reflect on what the future may hold for him and the band, as well as what to expect from their upcoming show.
Joseph DiDomizio: What led the band to use Kickstarter for the latest release?
Aaron Perrino: I had seen a few friends use Kickstarter with success, and was curious to try it out myself. It all came about after I reconnected with Brian Charles, who recorded the first two TSD records. Over beers we thought it'd be fun to record together again.
JD: How does it feel, playing with The Sheila Divine after such a long break?
AP: It doesn't really feel that strange. We remained amicable after we stopped playing.
It feels nice to do this again in the original line-up. It's like nothing and everything has changed at the same time.
JD: How will the reformation of The Sheila Divine impact Dear Leader (Perrino’s other band)?
AP: It doesn't really impact Dear Leader. Both bands can exist at the same time. I have put all my effort into the Sheila Project, but as it winds down, I am currently writing for the next round of Dear Leader. I'm not trying to make it as a musician anymore, so for me the joy I get is from writing and recording songs with my friends.
I am all about the creative process and couldn't care less about the business or touring aspects of playing music.
JD: The Sheila Divine is famously popular in the “3B’s” (Boston, Buffalo, Belgium) and Buffalo is referenced in a number of your songs. What connection do you have to the city? Are you looking forward to playing here again?
AP: I lived in Hamburg, NY until I was 18. Buffalo defined who I became as a person, and in many ways I feel it has always been the primary driving force in all of my music. Being from Buffalo you are ingrained with this underdog mentality. Driving Route 5 and looking at miles of abandoned steel plants does something to your psyche. Four Superbowl losses might also have something to do with it [laughs]. Even though it’s been years since I've lived there, all of the emotion and passion I feel about music is directly influenced by my childhood in Buffalo. So yeah, I'm psyched to play there. Plus, my 20 year high school reunion is the next night.
JD: What should audiences expect from The Sheila Divine’s first performance in Buffalo in close to a decade?
AP: Older, fatter, more tired looking men playing songs for older and fatter people reliving their youth, I guess!
JD: Are you planning any other shows through the year?
AP: Currently there are no plans to take this circus act on the road. Kids, crazy jobs, and house payments don't really jive with a rock-n-roll lifestyle. We are weekend warriors at this point and usually shows sort of happen magically without much planning or forethought.
JD: Are there more releases on the horizon? Would you release them in a similar way?
AP: Honestly it's taken us so long to put this album out, I'm not sure they'll be another TSD record anytime soon. We are finishing up the mastering and artwork for this release and then I'm going to do another record with the DL guys. Who knows if TSD will ever record again. But if we do I imagine some other technology or way of making music will exist that will dictate how we record and release the music.
