Divorce have begun a new era as a two-piece band, with two members departing to focus on their “personal lives”.
The Nottingham alt-country band and former NME Cover stars released their debut album ‘Drive To Goldenhammer’ in March last year, and it went on to be named as one of NME’s favourite debut records of 2025. They spent the year playing live shows across Europe and North America, a headline tour in the UK and filling several big festival stages.
Earlier today (May 12), however, drummer Kasper Sandstrom and lead guitarist Adam Peter Smith shared a statement on social media revealing that they had taken the decision to leave the band.
“This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, but as time has gone on, we’ve both realised that we need to prioritise our personal lives more and it feels like now is the right moment for us to step away,” they wrote.
“The past five years have been some of the most fulfilling and memorable of our lives,” they continued. “From our first practice together in Spring 2021, to our last show together in Massachusetts, the road has been a surprising, exciting, and joyful one.”
They added: “We’re so grateful for each moment we have created together. We have so many incredible memories with the band, making music that has reached thousands of people across the globe. We couldn’t be prouder of everything we have achieved as four friends setting out on this road together.”
“The irony is not lost on us, but we are not calling this a “divorce”, it’s simply a new era for the band. We are excited for what the future holds for Felix and Tiger in this next chapter for Divorce, there is a lot still to come and we can’t wait for you to hear and experience it with them.”
Singer/guitarist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow and singer/bassist Tiger Cohen-Towell will continue as a two-piece.
Last spring, the band spoke to NME for The Cover and opened up about their time starting out in Nottingham’s grassroots music scene with a “self-sustaining” community of artists.
“When you don’t get a lot of outside interest, you don’t have much choice but to make it yourself,” Mackenzie-Barrow said. “Sitting in the van on your way to a show and looking around at these friends that you have, sitting in the garden in the house where we wrote the songs, having dinner together. Those are the moments that feel like success.”
In December, Divorce released a new version of their single ‘Antarctica’, featuring Mumford & Sons’ Marcus Mumford.
The following month, Mackenzie-Barrow launched a new solo project, under the name Book Of Churches, with the first album having been released in March.
