Credit: Rachel Turner; From Left: Stephen Lin, Alex Goldberg, Meghan Kelleher, Sean Seaver, Chris Southiere

Boston hitmakers Divine Sweater are back with another single and music video off of their second album, Divine Sweater Presents: The Ten Year Plan released last March. “What if They Find Me Out?” is another delectable bop from the quintet brought to life with a colorful, ’80s-inspired workout montage where the band contends with a bully hell bent on ruining their good groove. With the new music video out today, we had the pleasure of chatting with the band last week about bullies, being chill and having a certain respect for Monster Trucks…

Allston Pudding: What is the song “What if They Find Me Out?” about and how does it relate to the video? 

Meghan Kelleher: It’s about the instinct to want to act cool when in reality that’s not actually what’s going on. It’s a lot about bullies and not acting authentic in the face of people who are being mean to you… In the music video Alex is the bully.

Stephen Lin: And in real life. 

Alex Goldberg: That’s typically how I approach things. 

MK: Basically we wanted an ’80s type workout video but we had the bully (Alex), trying to ruin everyone else’s good time. The rest of us stick through it and in the end he joins us.

AG: I think my character is meant to be a manifestation of all the negative traits that we feel. Just actualized in a human being. I think the performance really lends itself, like obviously there’s a villain character in there, but also an introspective element that I was trying to go for.

Sean Seaver: You also went rogue. You pantsed me. I did not sign off on that and it ended up in the video. 

AG: Again, I was really making a spur of the moment read. I consider myself a practicing method actor. 

SL: Alex actually attended my classes as a Middle Schooler for four straight weeks. 

AG: That’s true. Just to get into character. 

MK: On that note, I do think that the perspective of the song is really in the past. Like a middle school mindset. You’re acting cool, chill, badass, but the chorus is saying what if they figure out who I actually am?

AP: What is your best advice for dealing with bullies both in school and adulthood? 

Chris Southiere: Well in the video we punch Alex in the face…

AP: That’s always a route you can take. 

SL: Just being able to recognize and accept that all of our feelings are valid, and how we express them. [Feeling “different”], you’re kind of limiting yourself and not being your authentic self. You shouldn’t be ashamed of how you feel. 

AG: The bully character I’m playing, he’s definitely a poser. He’s just being a dick for the sake of being a dick. And to Steve’s authentic self point, [the bully] is not being his authentic self until the end of the video when he embraces the joy of the 80s workout montage. Although he’s also not embracing himself by doing some conformist thing, so there’s layers and nuances there. Maybe through conforming he is his authentic self, who knows. 

SS: You’re killing it Alex. 

Credit: Rachel Turner

AP: Where and when did you shoot the video? 

MK: In Providence, RI over the summer. We shot it with Mark Allison of 401 films. He’s amazing. He has so much direction, knew exactly what to do. It was very efficient.

AG: If you are an indie band looking to get a good music video [in or around] Rhode Island, you should certainly hit up Mark.

AP: Who epitomizes “Cool” for you?

MK: It’s the people who don’t do what we’re talking about in this song. The people who don’t change themselves. People who genuinely are just being themselves.

CS: Yeah, like Kanye. [laughs]

AG: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics starting point guard. That’s a guy who is organically cool. I encountered him walking around in Back Bay, in a Versace robe that cost more than I make in a year, just grabbing coffee. That’s the epitome of a cool guy. That’s a guy who just doesn’t care.

CS: You just described rich people…

AG: Yeah, so?

SS: David Byrne is cool. That man is cool.

SL: Some of my Middle Schoolers. It is a tough time to be a Middle Schooler now more than ever. But those students that are still very proud despite all of the judgment they receive, and they stick with it. It gives me a lot of hope.

AP: Who is the most chill out of all of you? Least chill?

SS: It depends. 

All: Yeah…

MK: Steve is the most chill. 

SS: Steve will just go with it. 

MK: Good, calming energy when we’re all in a panic. 

AG: It really does depend on the day, I would say the ceiling for least chill, like when we are all at our least chill, the person who is the least of the least chill… is Chris. [all laugh]

CS: Whoa whoa… I feel like I have to address the allegations. Sometimes we get a little kooky, a little crazy. Wacky, I don’t know. It just kind of happens. [laughs]

AP: Who is your workout/fitness icon?

CS: Arnold… Richard Simmons…

AG: Simmons is the G.O.A.T. 

MK: We can’t not say Jane Fonda. Like, Jane Fonda can get it.

SL: I’m gonna go with Mr. Miyagi. 

CS: Mine’s also just Monster Trucks in general. 

AG: Monster Trucks are your fitness icon??

CS: I really aspire to be one some day. 

AP: What’s your go-to workout music?

SL: I’m gonna go with Little Simz. It makes me feel much cooler than I really am and much better at basketball than I really am.

MK: Kendrick Lamar.

SS: A Tribe Called Quest. The man who runs the gym that I go to was playing them one day and I said I liked it, now every day I’m there he immediately puts Tribe on. I guess I am like the “Tribe Guy” now.

CS: I think I’ve worked out four times in my life, so instead I’m just gonna go with anything that makes me dance in my kitchen.

AG: I am a big fan of 50 Cent, honestly. 

AP: Dodgeball, Kickball, Wiffle Ball or Capture the Flag?

SS: Wiffle Ball. 

MK: I say Wiffle ball too. 

CS: Dodgeball, but I am a menace on a Kickball field. 

AG: Got to be Capture the Flag for me, there’s something about the strategy element, the fact that if you wait it out for like an hour in a ditch, you can win nine times out of 10.

SL: Between Kickball or Capture the Flag. I’ve embarrassed some eighth graders out there. Makes me feel good about myself. 

Watch the new music video for “What if They Find Me Out?” below! Follow Divine Sweater on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more!