Interview with the band Hidden Cabins

Hidden Cabins will release a full-length album called Two Sides, Two Stories at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. So let's get to know this duo and their work.
Alan – Hi. Where are you from? And how long have you been around?
Craig - Hello. Craig here, singer of Hidden Cabins. Currently, we reside between two states, stretching between New Jersey and North Carolina, USA. 11 hours apart by car, or 2 via plane. Guitarist//co-songwriter Brian and I originated in New Jersey in 2013, gigging both locally and touring in multiple countries within a 5 year span. Then in 2018, Brian moved his family to North Carolina, in which we considered keeping it alive, yet didn’t connect those dots. Finally in 2024, we did again. 

Alan – How many records do you have under your belt? And what is the difference between them?
Craig - Unsure if by record, you mean full albums or simply mean, released physical records. We just released our first full-length record, which at that, the B-Side is the EP we left off on, while the A-side is a new EPs worth. It felt ‘fair’ in doing so to a complete 12-inch vinyl album for both efficiency, plus to sew together the stop and start of what became a hiatus. The record is titled Two Sides, Two Stories, applicably. That aside, we have three split EPs with other musicians. Two are on 10-inch vinyl records from 2014/2015, while the other was on a split CD which is our debut. I consider the earliest recording us figuring out our approach, while the latter two splits find us more confident in who we are. After these earlier recordings, we added a drummer (Rich Perry), then bassist (Jason DelGuidice) and gigged both as a duo as well as full band, eventually recording the band sound. In between all of the above, there is a basement studio 2-song session which turned into a flexi-7-inch, which is more fun looking aesthetically than it is practically.

Alan – It says that the album was released at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. How are we to understand that?
Craig - Hmm, to be fair, I haven’t see where that statement was picked up, yet I presume from the wonderful little steam engine that is Engineer Records helping us get awareness out of our new record after our timeline took a turn. Basically, a severe health issue for a family member of one of us in the band arose, which resulted unanimously in us curbing our planned trips and anything foreseeable at the time. Though we opted to stick with the November 2025 street date of the record (and video single) to ensure we didn’t botch it getting out there, there wasn’t much we could do to support it physically. Here we are in 2026, and though we’re still unable to re-connect live just yet, we may be seeing some light in that equation at some point.

Alan – The album Two Sides, Two Stories. So, who did you release it for? And how did you get to David (Engineer records)?
Craig - Two Sides, Two Stories was released via the tried-and-true Engineer Records in the UK/EU as well as the longstanding Creep Records, and newcomer Hidden Tracks Records, in the USA. We’re fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with David of Engineer, who assisted in a few of our other releases, as well as provided assistance while on tour. For me personally, the Engineer connection stems decades deep. Engineer Records has released multiple near and dear releases I’ve been involved in, from my early days in  the band Elemae, when Engineer went under their former, still ultra-cool Ignition Records days through the re-branding, then (Damn) This Desert Air, and eventually The Atlantic Union Project.

Alan – Have you ever thought about making a melodic post-hardcore band, based on electric music?
Craig - The answer would be—we have—each of us in Hidden Cabins had previously stemmed from punk, post-punk and post-hardcore. A lot of  loud drummers and loud guitars from our 20s into 30s.

Alan – Did you plan to make this album as a full-length? Or a mini album again? Because you have new songs on side A and older songs on side B.
Craig - Our plan was to record a ‘comeback’ EP, to close the gap of what turned not a hiatus. The combined EP idea to make the 12” happen developed during the process and seemed to make perfect sense.

Alan – And anyway. Which mini-albums do you have side B from?
Craig - The Hidden Cabins Band - EP (2018). Though out digitally, physically we never toured behind it, just a few shows as we were ending at the time. Physically, the EP was released by both Engineer and a U.S. label called Pyrrhic Victory Recordings on a limited run, pre-sold lathe cut 12”, yet also a CD version which is available via Pyrrhic Victory.

Alan – If we take your work, what do you rely on? Both musically and lyrically? Do you also have some punk vibes there?
Craig - Our exuberance would like to tell you we do have punk vibes. It would be safe to say we’ll always be a product of our roots in the underground scene across multiple lands. It gives us life. The sense of community, the watching one another’s backs, general care for those out there putting in the work to keep their creativity alive, that is a fabric we’re based on. We write what we feel, not what’s trendy, no matter the style. We don’t aim for a sound, we personalize what we take in, we pour back out in a way that feels genuine. I don’t think we could keep dong this as convicted as we do, on as thin margin as we do, if we didn’t feel the personal integrity we’re holding ourselves to.

Alan – You are a well-known, unknown band. Have you played outside the USA before? Where have you been?
Craig - It’s a predicament to be in, the spot we’re in. Realism of that makes it OK. Denial would suffocate the fun to keep doing it. Yes, we’ve performed on short 8-10 day tours across England three times, reaching Spain once, then Scotland once on another trip. We’ve also gigged in Canada on two different Northeastern long-weekenders out of the states.

Alan – Let’s lighten things up a bit now. I won’t ask if you know any bands from the Czech Republic or Slovakia. The only performer here who would be similar to you would probably be Stará puška. So I’ll ask if you know the Czech Republic or Slovakia. Our readers are mainly from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Craig - Interesting question. You are correct, I am not in touch with bands/music from your region. Yet aware OF the region, sure. You might find it interesting that 25% of my genealogy stems from Czech Republic or Slovakia. Growing up, I’d state to be 25% Czechoslovakian (I realize that’s not proper to say anymore); 25% Polish; 50% Italian. I did a genealogy report that my mother didn’t desire to do a few years back, which confirmed the above with a slight exception that I may contain 6% Romanian DNA in my blood. I haven’t visited any of these countries yet.

Alan – Let’s get back to touring. Do you have a comparison (since you’ve already played) of the audience and atmosphere between the USA, Canada, and Europe? What are your findings?
Craig - I don’t have any genuine comparison that results in a big difference of reception within the areas we’ve visited. Good people were part of these nurturing environments in all of them, near and far. The combination of music, art, coupled with hanging with friends, often puts people in a good space, a safe environment to be emotional, a sort of release whether it is external or internal.

Alan – Speaking of playing outside the US. Have you tried any of the foods in these countries that are regional and eaten for the first time? Canada – Spain – England – Scotland - Haggis, Paella?
Craig - We sure ate the local fare wherever we were. I remember a wonderful meal in Vidreres, Spain. Sitting outside, off to the side of where we were playing with new friends made. It’s sad that we only visited their coast once (doubling with a Barcelona gig) as the memories and fondness of that trip are strong. English dishes, of course yet I don’t think we dug too deep as we’d have eaten economically or via friends as we most frequented the country. I have never had Haggis, Paella, yet I just looked up what it s and I’m shooting over a text to my great Scottish friend that lives in my town, to see if he s familiar with the combo trad-dish(?)!

Alan – Do you have any funny experiences from your travels? Even from the plane.
Craig - Funny experiences…this would be better told by my guitarist, yet I did walk into a street sign (I believe the slap of the metal was heard when I did so) on the road during the day of strolling around town on one of our English trips. Not too out of the ordinary, I must say, haha.  Anther amusing one was after a gig at Bannerman’s in Edinburgh, our gig promoter who was well connected there, whisked us up the street to hop on a second gig/late night gig. I recall being fully alert and anticipating, while Brian was losing steam as the hours were tacking on and him asking if we should still eat to do it. I’m much more of a night guy than he is, haha. I think we finally were called to hop up onto the sizable stage at Stramash at 1am. Thankfully both of us had an extra tank of energy, playing a short, maybe 25 minute set they allowed to close things off. Then we stayed at a room upstairs from Bannerman’s, back down the road. Great impromptu memory of a gig gained.

Alan – Your work is more of an auditory experience. Doesn’t that limit the number of visitors? After all, there are people who, when they want to have fun, want to dance.
Craig - I’d say though you may hear less of a revved up experience on recording, you’d more tan likely lave a lie show with a much different experience. We move around, I get into people’s comfort zone a bit more than your average singer in this style (helps that I don’t hold an instrument in my and and can wander. All in all, I love that you called our sound auditory—thank you. Reviews that have come in say our sound is something to comb through, so-to-speak, not one to put a finger specifically on. Your comment hits that sentiment.  We’re fine if we’re a little less understood, all the while welcoming when in the room, especially now that you know we sweat a lot.

Alan – Are you going to make a documentary about your travels? Or is there one already? I couldn’t find it on YouTube or the internet.
Craig - To be honest,  don’t believe there would be a desire for it. If someone out there feels otherwise, namely a videographer with some extra money to spare, please give them our number, ha ha.

Alan – There are rumors that you will fly to Europe again this year, 2026. Is there any truth to that? And if so, where will you be?
Craig - Has there been? There isn’t any truth to back that, merely because of the health issue described early in the interview. It’s one that wound’t allow that form of longer, distant travel.

Alan – Thanks for the interview. Maybe we’ll see each other in Britain sometime.
Craig - I’d honestly love to do that again. I’d bet I speak for Brian on that note too. We remain so fond of our humble little tours over there and the friends made. Interestingly, we have two newer committed bandmates with us since we reformed, Brian Leahy (drums) and Tom Conti (bass), which I bet would love to be asked as well.  
Thank you sincerely for the interview, Alan. It was a pleasure.

https://hiddencabins.net
https://www.instagram.com/hiddencabinsmusic
https://www.facebook.com/hiddencabins
https://www.engineerrecords.com