Smart, thought provoking lyrics and a solid hard Melodic sound is how i 

would describe Cross the Divide! They Kick Some major arse and are 

Definatly a band i would love to see if they came closer. So check them out 

by clicking the links at the bottom of the page. You will not regret it. Lets 

What Chase Paquette has to share with us. 

 

TRA: When did you start playing?

CP: I started around the time I entered my sophomore year of high school - so 

about 15 or 16 years old.

 

TRA: Why the Bass?

CP: Well, over the years I'd dabbled in a few things - trumpet in the school band, 

a little guitar here and there - but overall nothing serious. A couple of times my 

brother had shown me some bass lines to play with him so he could do some talent 

shows. Eventually I just decided I wanted to play some music again for real, and 

bass seemed like a good choice since my brother played guitar and bass. I figured 

he could teach me and we could play together.

 

TRA: When was your first show and how did it go?

CP: My first show was actually before I really learned to play bass. It was a talent 

show type thing at a school that my brother and sister were attending. They played

 guitar and sang, and they showed me exactly what notes to play. I didn't even know

 what I was doing. It actually went very well considering I couldn't have told you 

what notes I was playing or in what time signature.

 

TRA: Do you believe you have a style of playing if so how would you describe it? 

CP: I have a very technical and aggressive style of playing. I like my playing to be 

assertive and energetic, as well as challenging, while still remaining musical 

and tight.

 

TRA: Do you play any other instruments?

CP: I can play guitar and ukulele, and can, but rarely do, sing. I played trumpet 

when I was young, but I don't remember much now. I can get around on most 

things with strings, they feel natural in my hands and make sense to my brain.

 

TRA: What Inspires you?

CP: Other music, nature, family, my emotions, and God.

 

TRA: What do you think you bring to the band?

CP: I think I bring some heaviness, technicality, and precision.  

 

TRA: What are you most passionate about, being a musician?

CP: Playing music!

 

TRA: Who are your influences?

CP: Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne has got to be my favorite rock or metal bassist, 

and the biggest individual influence on my style. I find influence and inspiration 

from all sorts of bassists though. Marcus Miller is another of my biggest inspirations. 

Paul McCartney, Victor Wooten, Brian Marshall, Michael 'Kalel' Wittig. The list 

goes on for days!

 

TRA: Is there something you tried and tried to do but you never quite got or it was 

tough but you finally got it? musically?

Sweep arpeggios are a hard one for me. I don't play with a pick which means I have

to thumb rake them. I can do them but not as quickly or as smoothly as I'd like. 

That said, as a bassist, I'm not sure that is a career ending shortcoming!

 

TRA: If you could have a dream band, I mean besides your own, who you would put 

in it and what kind of music would you play?

CP: I've never really thought that hard about this one honestly. There are so many 

tremendous guitarists and drummers. But for grins and giggles, I'd say I'd take 

Noah Henson of Pillar for guitar, Matthew McDonough of Mudvayne for drums, 

and Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage, Blood Has Been Shed, and Devil You Know 

for vocals. We'd play some hardcore, metal, hard rock crossover stuff. It would be 

great. 

 

TRA: What was your first concert?

CP: My first concert as a bassist was that talent show. I didn't even play then! But 

my first concert as a gigging musician was with Cross the Divide. We played for a 

youth group in August, Maine. It was pretty fun actually.

 

TRA: What are you listening to?

CP: I'm always listening to new things, and there's always stuff I default back to, 

but I've really been digging Sevendust and Killswitch Engage recently. Van Halen 

has been spinning a lot in my player too.

 

TRA: was there a changing moment in your life when you realized that this was for

 you, that bass was your passion and you needed to learn it? If so, what was that?

CP: There wasn't a changing moment really. At some point I wanted to dabble in 

music and had my brother teach me some bass. I just never really stopped. Over 

time it went from a little learning each week to something that really dominated 

my life and defined who I am.

 

TRA: What are you plans for the future?

CP: Well with Cross the Divide we plan to spend a lot of this year touring while

 writing more fresh material behind the scenes. We'd like to start recording again

 soon to get another album out in the next year or so. As for me, I have some

 interest in teaching some bass. So, I may launch a youtube channel and a website

 for that, but I have no definite plans. It's really just something I've been scheming 

about for a while. Time and resources are a big factor there, but I'd really like to do

 it someday.

 

TRA: What is your favorite song to play and why?

CP: Well, we are writing some cool stuff right now, and we have a lot of songs. It's 

hard to pick a favorite song out of your own material, and it's the same with cover 

songs. I mean, you learn what you like, right? But currently I really enjoy playing 

'The Perfect Storm' and 'Hostage' which we haven't recorded yet, but we do 

perform them live. I get to do some cool tapping parts in them both, and they are 

high energy songs.

 

TRA: Tell us about your band: 

CP: We started out just with me and my brother Zac. He's our guitarist, lead 

vocalist, and primary composer. Currently we are a three piece with our drummer

 Jake French. We combine elements of progressive rock, metal, classic rock, 

alternative, and modern rock into our own genre that we call 'storm rock.' It's 

aggressive and energetic, while still remaining very melodic and musical. We 

strive to have compelling lyrics that deliver a message of strength and hope.

 

               Cross the Divides Website