DEAD AND DIVINE call it quits

After being together for ten years, DEAD AND DIVINE have decided to call it quits.

They explain:

After nearly 10 years of playing music together, touring the world and making some of the best friends we could have ever asked for, we’re very regretfully closing this chapter of our lives. It chokes me up to be writing this letter, and I really can’t express how genuine and sincere I am when I say thank you all for everything you’ve done to help us live our dream.

Matty started Dead and Divine in highschool when he was 16 years old. It was never anything more than an excuse to play some music with his pals, and I’m sure I can speak for him when I say nobody ever expected this to turn into what it is. Almost 10 years later and we’ve toured nearly 20 countries with some of our favorite bands, released two EP’s and three full length records that have all (to our amazement) landed themselves on Billboard and iTunes charts. We’ve created music with producers who have made records that we grew up listening to; guys that truly shaped us musically both as individuals and as a band. We’re so blessed to say we have incredible friends around the world, from coast to coast in Canada and the United States, the UK, Ireland, and all over Europe, Japan, Australia and South America. You’ve helped us leave the Burlington Music Center and play to hundreds of thousands of people at festivals and venues around the globe. Trust me when I say we NEVER thought we’d be doing this. I remember leaving for our first tour with our friends in The Holly Springs Disaster and Straight Reads The Line, and not once did it cross my mind that I’d be repeating that process continually for the next seven years of my life. It just wasn’t a realistic expectation. We weren’t one of THOSE bands and I wasn’t one of THOSE dudes. We didn’t get lucky like that. Touring in a rock band was a pipe dream and we all knew that first tour was nothing more than a dry hump. We’d go home, go back to school/work, and continue playing random shows on weekends. We couldn’t be more thankful for all of this. This band has defined our adult lives, and it’s a product of your dedication and commitment to supporting us as musicians. Like I keep saying, Dead and Divine has turned into something much larger than we ever anticipated and we’re so happy that we got to share something we love so much with all of you. We do, however, need to step away from this for an indefinite amount of time and focus on other things. With all the touring comes a lot of sacrifice, and it slowly but surely takes it’s toll. We’ve been so lucky to have this opportunity and we’ve never once forgotten that, but the music industry has it’s way of very gently weaseling it’s hands down your throat when you’re sleeping and squeezing the life out of you in the kindest way possible. Smiling, of course. 

At the end of the day, we want to leave this on a good note and we can’t help but feel like this is the right time. But rest assured, when one door closes a new one always opens. 

Our final hometown show will take place on May 5th at the Burlington YMCA, and we couldn’t think of a better way to make it something memorable than to let you pick our setlist. For the first and last time ever, we’ll be playing songs from What Really Happened At Lovers Lane, The Fanciful, The Machines We Are and Antimacy. 

We love you all and thank you for your continued support. With every t-shirt and record, like and follow, you’ve paved the way for us to build this into something incredible.

Oh, and stay tuned for some other BIG announcements.

Your pals,

Chris, Matt, Kellan, Sebastian and Kelly.

Dead and Divine

DEAD AND DIVINE videos: