Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the band?
I’m Ned and I play guitar in Dissociates – a Punk Rock band based out of North/East London
You’ve just released your debut album (which you can read here). How does that feel?
It feels good to have just released our album, it’s taken us so long to get here, at first I think we were all a little frustrated about how long it took us – especially when you hear about other bands forming, recording and releasing albums all in one year, but on reflection I think if we had put out an album in our first year or two then it would have been total pony, a rush job to prove a point that no-one would ever listen to again, something you only pretend to love, like a ginger stepchild. The fact that we took extra time in the songwriting and recording process has resulted in a far better album in my opinion
Any stories from the writing/recording process?
The song that finishes the album – Radio Galway – was a weird one to record. We were in the absolute middle of the countryside in deep deep devon and there was this terrific thunderstorm. We were recording at midnight and BANG a cloudburst directly above us fried the electrics for the whole building complex. The extreme difference between incredible noisy punk rock to absolute dead silence in a split second was really memorable. When we got power again and continued recording my telecaster began picking up radio signals from either Russia or China, we got a meteorological report broadcast from thousands of miles away to the studio control room via my guitar strings. If you listen very carefully at the end of the song you can hear it coming through on the outtro
Have you got any more plans for the rest of this year?
We’ve actually just played the last 2017 show at a festival down at T-Chances, a community/punk centre down in Tottenham. It’s a weird joint, one time we played there and the Mayor of Tottenham was walking past the venue so we grabbed him for a photo. He was wearing his chain and everything!
We’re heading fast into 2018, what can we expect from you next year?
New single in the first half of the year with a tour, then writing and recording album two, so basically another busy year!
Back to this year, what has been the highlight for you in 2017?
Without a doubt the French tour we did in November with our buddies Sweet Empire from Netherlands. Touring is always fun, and this one was a particular laugh, we made a load of new friends, got to road test the album tracks, play new cities and countries, and drink a lot of calvados. Touring and live shows is kind of why we all do this, so when you come off a tour with new experiences, friends and contacts it gives you a real buzz.
Have you picked up any albums released this year that you think are really special?
Yes actually, from a punk side we’re all digging the new Bronx album, but wider styles I really loved the new Sadies album, but I think my album of the year has gotta be Drunk by Thundercat – that is one nuts album! Although I’m really looking forward to the ‘Secret Hardcore’ album that Superchunk are about to release, I suspect that might be a late contender…
Finally, what’s the big aim for The Dissociates? World domination I assume?
The big aim for Dissociates is to not take so long to write album two, and to tour Europe in the Summer for once, rather than late Autumn like we always seem to do! I want to play Athens in July, not just Lille in November….
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Best of luck for the future.