Based in Raleigh, Hi-Dive is an indie rock band made up of guitarist and vocalist, Jack O’Brien, guitarist, Wade Padilla and drummer, Parker Stanley. Hi-Dive talked to Technician to discuss their goals as a group, their creative process and their inspirations.

Can you describe your sound and genre?

O’Brien: First and foremost, we’re just a fun band. The goal is just to be fun. I guess we’re in the indie rock vein though.

As a group, who would you say is your inspiration?

O’Brien: I would say definitely Cage the Elephant and the [Rolling] Stones or Arctic Monkeys.

Padilla: Mick Ronson is a huge influence of mine as well and David Bowie.

Stanley: I was also going to say Cage the Elephant, but I’m trying to think. I’d definitely say Bowie.

What makes Hi-Dive unique?

Stanley: We’re pretty high energy.

O’Brien: Like Parker just said, we’re pretty high energy. I think right now we’re just trying to be fun for everybody. We’re trying to put together a sound that’s very much cohesive in itself, so that all of our songs sound similar to one another. However, there’s such a wide variety of what we’re trying to draw on and put together that all of our songs will have something for everybody. I think a lot of music can definitely fall in together in a way that is niche, and what we’re trying to do is reach out to everybody and make something for everybody to enjoy.

Can you explain your process of creating music? 

Padilla: A lot of times it will be sitting in my bedroom playing guitar. I’ll come up with a riff and try to put a lead line on it and send it over to Jack because he writes most of the lyrics for everything. Once we get together as a band, we really mold that into what we’re wanting to make it as a completed song.

Stanley: It just starts with an idea and then just goes from there. I pretty much try to play the most solid and not be too fancy but play what’s right for the music and what feels best.

O’Brien: Wade and I will generally come up with riffs and bounce ideas off of each other, and a lot of the music is a whole band effort until it comes out how we want it.

What is the future for Hi-Dive?

O’Brien: As of right now, I know we have a bunch of shows in the works around Raleigh and all of North Carolina. In November, we’re planning to go out of town and play a few shows. We’re planning to go to Baltimore to play some shows, which is really cool. In the new year, we’re planning on putting out a full-length [album].

Is there a story behind the name Hi-Dive?

O’Brien: It’s supposed to just be like taking a big leap and doing something new. I think all of us came from different musical backgrounds and came together, and in that way we’re all taking a musical high dive together. Personally, I am from Boston. I’ve always lived there, so it’s kind of new for me to be down here. Coming down here and playing with new people and doing something very different has been kind of a high dive into the great unknown. I think, too, we want our music to be a diving point for people in what we’re writing about and how we want to interact with fans and whatnot. The name is symbolic of all of our situations, and all of what we want to do together, and what we want to give to people and bring people into that and taking a step together and doing something new and unique.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why?

O’Brien: I, personally, would love to work with Reeves Gabrels for sure.

Stanley: That’s a tough one for me. There’s too many to list, really.

Padilla: I would like to collab with Pete Doherty, nowadays. Just to see what he would do and what’s going on in his mind. That would be cool. I would love to do a split album with Twin Peaks.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Padilla: We’re just a fun indie-rock and rock and roll kind of band, definitely harkening to the rebellious youth attitude and a way to represent yourself if you feel like a misfit or you don’t belong in certain areas. You always belong here with Hi-Dive. No judgement.

For more information about Hi-Dive, check out their pages on Bandcamp, Facebook and Instagram.