Divergent: From High School Garage Band to Timeless Rock Storytellers, Proving It’s Never Too Late to Chase the Dream
Divergent is a tale of dormancy and revival—living proof of what can happen when creative minds reconnect with the passions of their past and fully commit to their craft. It all began in Iowa, where James Richards (guitar, keys, and vocals) and Mike McAlister (bass and vocals) forged a creative partnership as young teenagers, cultivating a love for music and performing that endured throughout their high school years, forming the four-member cover band, Chautauqua Road Band. When they went to separate universities, the band faded, and the reality of adult life took hold, pushing their music to the back burner. But they couldn’t shake the “what ifs” lingering in the back of their minds, and nearly 40 years later, they reunited the Chautauqua Road Band, bringing in James’ brother, Paul Richards, on drums and vocals. After an eight-year run of playing classic rock covers, the reunited Chautauqua Road Band came to an end, and James, Mike, and Paul decided to continue on and focus exclusively on original music. As a trio, they knew they had harnessed something special—so they took a leap of faith, deciding once and for all to chase the dreams of their youth.
In a way, their new name, Divergent, tells fans everything they need to know—they’re not afraid to be different . Rooted in a shared sense of sonic curiosity, boundless creativity, and a knack for universal storytelling, they embody a true democratic culture that fosters equal parts individuality and collaboration—an ideal foundation for blending genres with ease and exploring unique musical terrains without missing a beat. With their debut album already under their belt, they’re shedding inhibitions and shooting for the stars on their latest project, on a mission to make the next great timeless track destined to stick around long after the band has taken its final bow. After years of ruminating on what could have been, they’re finally becoming the band they’ve always wanted to be: professional, fresh, and full of enthusiasm—proving it’s never too late to pivot, reinvent, and uncover the voice that was there all along.
A track nearly 20 years in the making, “Runnin’ Free” lived many lives before reaching its final form. What started as a simple chord progression and syncopated rhythm was molded, shelved, remolded, and built upon over many years, until James finally developed the chords for the chorus and everything else fell into place. Paul’s keen ear gave the track the drive it needed to flourish—injecting it with a touch of honed rock edge, perfect for an anthem of resilient, rebellious young love.
Like many powerful classic rock anthems of the ’70s and ’80s, each word drips with escalating anticipation, all-consuming longing, and pure adrenaline, capturing the indescribable feeling of reclaiming one’s story without looking back. Their harmonies soar like a car flying down an open road with the windows down, enveloping listeners in the warm embrace of freedom—a world where nothing can keep these two lovers apart. It all culminates in a ripping guitar solo, bolstered by a crescendo of angelic voices, solidifying the sense that if the night goes just right, there’s a good chance true love will prevail, and change everything for the better.
Sweetwater Studios in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the perfect place to record Divergent’s first two records. The studio is equipped with some of the industry’s best gear, not to mention its sprawling sister megastore, a hidden musical haven for gearheads like James, Mike, and Paul. So it’s only natural that the “Runnin’ Free” music video invites viewers into this secret sanctuary, offering a level of intimacy usually reserved for the lucky few who help make the magic happen.
Divergent knows precisely how to channel the raw hunger for escape—even in the studio—emulating the feel of a live radio station performance. Viewers paying close attention will feel the palpable enthusiasm in the room and might even detect Divergent’s secret weapon: they’re seasoned professionals, taking their craft more seriously than ever, virtually guaranteeing excellent music every time they step into the spotlight. “Runnin’ Free” is one piece of the fully stocked Divergent experience yet to come, a bold statement that they’re going all in, and music lovers of all kinds should come along for the ride.
Can you tell us about your early days as the Chatauqua Road Band?
JAMES:
The band was formed back in 1975 in our hometown of Red Oak, Iowa. We were all teenagers at the time, and the founding members included James Richards on guitar and organ, Mike McAlister on bass, Gregg Messer on guitar, and Pat Lewis on drums. We played covers of all the popular rock songs of that era, now considered to be classic rock. Red Oak has a well-known park that sits at the top of a big hill called Chatauqua Park. We thought the name Chautauqua sounded cool, so we first named the band Chautauqua Band. After a while, our drummer, Pat Lewis thought the name Chautauqua Band was missing something, so he suggested adding the word “Road” to the name. We thought that was a great idea, so then we became Chautauqua Road Band, and the name stuck. We were also known as CRB, for short. Our very first gig was playing for the winter dance at Sidney High School in Sidney, Iowa. I remember being so nervous as we drove over to Sidney from Red Oak for the gig. We calmed our nerves by blasting “Dream On” by Aerosmith as we drove into Sidney. The gig ended up going really well and we were off and running after that. For the next two years, we had an absolute blast playing a very steady schedule of high school proms and homecoming dances, college dances, county fairs, and corporate and charity events. Our original drummer, Pat Lewis, dropped out after the first year, and then Neil “Nasty” Johnson joined us as drummer for the second year. Neil was from Stanton, the next town over from Red Oak. Founding CRB member Gregg Messer was also from Stanton. As a result, we had a great following from Stanton and still do. Chautauqua Road Band came to an end when it was time for all of us to leave for college. Our lives went in different directions, and we never played again until Mike was the catalyst that brought us back together in 2016.
MIKE:
The early days were what you might expect from four 16-year-old kids who were figuring out they could actually make music together that people enjoyed. We were pretty fearless, as it turns out. Learning 30-35 songs was a lot of work getting the first set lists together, but thankfully, most songs were pretty basic from a music perspective; we just had to figure out the words and who was going to sing lead. We practiced in various places, but I think we made the most progress when we actually rented a garage in downtown Red Oak. We were a true garage band!
What does the name “Divergent” represent for you? What made this the perfect name for the band?
JAMES:
After we got home from recording our first album, we sat down and said What are we going to call ourselves? We were so focused on recording the album that we hadn’t spent any time on thinking about a name. Mike set up a spreadsheet, and we all started submitting name ideas with the thought that a name would eventually rise to the top. This went on for four months with no success. We couldn’t settle on anything that really defined an identity for us. At that point, I said we need to wrap this up somehow. Then Paul said What about Divergent? It was near the bottom of Mike’s spreadsheet. It clicked, and we all said that would work. To this day, we still don’t know which one of us submitted the name Divergent on Mike’s spreadsheet or even how it got there. It must have been meant to be. The name Divergent works for us because we don’t like to be constrained musically into one style box. We all have open minds and are well-schooled across different genres of music. As brothers, Paul and I grew up in a household soaked in Beatles music, and we love the eclectic nature of their music. My goal is to write iconic songs that come to me in whatever form. The fact that I also play keyboards opens up more versatility in our music. Make no mistake, we love to rock loud and hard. But we like to supplement that with more progressive and alternative styles of rock where we can stretch out musically.
MIKE:
To me, Divergent means we are moving on to new vistas of music that diverge from the ‘cover band’ music we used to play. We had a lot of fun playing cover tunes, but over the last few years, we knew we needed to do something original and different if we were going to grow musically.
PAUL:
To me the name represents our decision to do something different musically at this point in our lives. It’s also the feeling of not being defined by musical genre. All three of us bring different musical tastes and styles we like into our sound. It’s so unique.
What kept you coming back to “Runnin’ Free” over many years? When did you know the song was finally finished?
JAMES:
I came up with the initial chord progression for “Runnin’ Free” during the middle part of my life, when I wasn’t really finishing a lot of my song ideas. I wasn’t in a band or recording at the time, so I did not need to completely finish songs. But I had a strong passion and desire to create, so new song ideas were constantly bubbling up. I played the chord progression a lot as it was just fun to play and it was a good practice warm-up. When I write, I usually write the music first and the lyrics after that. It’s easier for me to write lyrics that resonate with the music rather than the other way around. With “Runnin’ Free” I made the mistake of trying to write the lyrics before the music was finished. As a result, I wasn’t happy with any of the lyrics I was coming up with, so I set it aside for the longest time. But I still kept coming back to that chord progression because I loved it so much. Then one day, out of the blue, I extended the chord progression into a chorus and started scatting the words “runnin’ free.” A lightbulb immediately went off in my head and I knew I had found a winning chorus and the missing link to the song. The words “runnin’ free” provided the vibe the song needed, and I wrote the rest of the lyrics around that theme. After it was finished, I knew it would be the first song I would professionally record one day.
What was your recording process like for this song? How do you all work together in the studio?
JAMES:
We all had butterflies when we arrived for our first day of recording at Sweetwater Studios. We didn’t know what to expect or what the result would sound like. Our producer, Jason Peets, did a great job of making us feel comfortable and right at home. He had a vintage Gretsch drum kit all set up and ready to go for Paul. The first thing Jason does is to dial in the drums with Paul on the kit. I was sitting in the control room when this was going on, and I couldn’t believe the sound of Paul’s playing coming through the control room monitors. It was glorious! I couldn’t believe it. I knew right then and there that we were in the right studio. After that, we were all pumped up and ready to go record music. The first song we tracked was “Runnin’ Free.” Jason had us all playing the bed rhythm track at the same time, and we were arranged in the studio so we could all see each other. We like that because it gives the track a more dynamic and organic feel. We did three takes and then chose the best one to build on. After that, each one of us punched in on our respective parts to make certain things better. Then I recorded my lead vocal, and we recorded the chorus harmonies with all three of us singing separately. To finish the song out, I recorded multiple layers of rhythm guitars using a Martin acoustic and my Les Paul. Then I recorded the main guitar solo that’s in the middle of the song with my Les Paul on the neck pickup to give the solo a more legato feel. Lastly, I recorded multiple guitar fills and the outro guitar solo using my Stratocaster. Jason suggested using the Strat for those parts as it added a lighter feel that the song needed. Jason is really great at making the right calls. All in all, we have a blast in the studio and really enjoy working with each other and Jason to get the results we’re looking for.
MIKE:
We all three played together on the bed track, which was James on guitar, me on bass, and Paul on drums. Once we felt like we had all the bugs worked out of the bed track, James started working out the other guitar parts and layered them on top of the bed track. He already had the parts worked out and the tone he was going to use for the solo parts, etc., so this took a little while to get where James wanted it. We all agreed it was amazing. Then we started working on the vocals. James knew, for example, where my part would be in the harmonies, and that’s what he sang. James and Paul had worked out the higher harmonies, and they sang all of them one at a time. We actually did each vocal line twice, so there are lots of layers and voices in the choruses.
PAUL:
James and I initially rehearsed the tune, and then once we felt it was good enough to do a demo then we recorded it and introduced it to Mike to do his thing. Mike would send some rough demos back to us with the bass lines added. This was actually how we demoed all the songs that made it onto the first album. Sometimes we’d have calls to discuss the songs and their structure, and that would help us immensely. We actually didn’t have any idea what to expect when we got to the studio. So, we set up, rehearsed the tune a bit, then tracked it, I think three times. Then we’d go and do any reworks if there were sections that we felt we wanted to do something different or adjust a drum fill or something.
What was it like filming the “Runnin’ Free” video in a studio setting? What’s your favorite part about working in a professional studio?
JAMES:
Since this was our first professional video, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience! I was saying to myself, “Are we really here doing this?” I could tell Mike and Paul were feeling the same way. However, once we got going, it started to feel more natural, and I decided just to have as much fun with it as I could. All in all, it was a great experience. One of my favorite parts about being in a pro studio is double-tracking my lead vocals. I love hearing the instrument track that we just recorded in my headphones as I’m singing over it. I like reverb on my vocals while I’m laying them down, as it makes my voice sound a lot bigger. I really love singing the second track over the first because by then, with all the reverb, my vocals sound huge in my headphone,s which for me makes my singing feel effortless. I find it to be a very satisfying and empowering experience.
MIKE:
Personally, I thought filming ‘Runnin’ Free’ was a hoot. I had never done anything like that, and seeing the process take place was cool. We did three takes of the song with various camera angles, etc. I was really wondering how the final product would turn out. The best part of working in a professional studio was working with professional-grade equipment and leveraging the expertise and advice of our sound engineer and producer, Jason Peets. He made us feel comfortable right away, even though I knew I was very nervous about it. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I made mistakes, but we soon learned that we get more than one try to ‘punch in’ the correct notes and make it flawless.
PAUL:
I’m pretty comfortable in front of the camera, so for me it wasn’t a huge thing. For me, it was trying to keep the smile off my face, because I was beaming ear-to-ear that this was “actually” happening. My favorite part about the professional studio is hearing the music come to life. The producer is such a huge part of how the album sounds. That was amazing.
Do you think audiences will resonate with the messages and story in “Runnin’ Free?” Do the messages resonate with you personally?
JAMES:
I sure do. The underlying message of the song is about attaining personal freedom to become your true self. Who doesn’t want that? That’s a big part of living a fulfilling life. We all face pressures and obstacles that try to prevent us from being our true selves. As the song says, it won’t be easy. But in the end, it’s worth the sacrifices to get there. The song definitely resonates with me personally. I never became my true self until I met and fell in love with my wife, Jacque. Before then, I thought I was living my true life, but I really wasn’t. I was denying and burying my true self deep inside me. I don’t think I even knew it. Then when I met Jacque, my true self broke out in full freedom. We were married almost 30 years ago and we’ve been runnin’ free ever since!
MIKE:
I have always thought James had a knack for writing a hook that worked both musically and lyrically. The story is easy to understand, and we all have been in situations where we were able to ‘run free’ from or wish we could run from and be free. For me personally, I relate to this song as the first song we recorded together as Divergent and it truly allowed us to believe in ourselves as musicians and be free to create our own music. Hearing the first run-throughs of the song when we went to the control room will always be an amazing memory for me… Did we do that?
PAUL:
I do. To me, it’s about if not now, then when? You don’t get a second chance. I think whether that’s love, a job, or whatever. It’s a love story, but it can be applied to many facets of life. To me, it’s about being free to express your love, running from those who try and oppress it.
How important is it for you as a band to share music and visuals that feel authentic?
JAMES:
It’s so important. That’s what we’re all about. It’s a big reason why we’re doing this now, later in life. We don’t need to be doing this. We’re doing it because we have a passion and a strong desire to create our own music. That’s why we’re Divergent. We want freedom to be authentic and diverge in any direction we want. For us, that’s very exciting!
MIKE:
I think Divergent is so authentic that we’ve never had to talk about it. We are what we are. We knew that what we came up with together would be unique and authentic because it was from our hearts.
PAUL:
Our music is an extension of who we are. Same with how we represent our brand visually. We’re three musicians who have a wonderful musical connection. Mike and I are sci-fi buffs, and that always kind of omnipresent in our music and look too.
What advice would you give to others thinking about chasing their creative dreams later in life?
JAMES:
That’s a great question. My advice would be to face your fears and just stop holding back and go for it. Just do it. I had to talk to myself for about a year to convince myself to take the risk and record my original music in a professional studio. Before that, I held back for so many years that I now wish I could have them back. But I’m making up for it now. It’s late, but not too late. One advantage of being older is that you have lived and have more experience and perspective to share with the world. When you’re older, there’s no time to waste, so just get going now!
MIKE:
Never give up on your dreams. In my case, I felt like I needed to improve my overall bass playing skills and understanding of some basic music theory to be able to expand my contribution to the music. So I watched videos and subscribed to a service that allowed me to learn a lot more. My advice is to find some good friends, thankfully, that I’ve always had, who are like-minded about music and make it happen. If you don’t think you are good enough, get your butt in the shed and get better.
PAUL:
Whether you’re 22 or 52, I don’t think it matters. Do it or you’ll always regret it. Go for it and be aggressive!
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