Hellfest 2022: an unforgettable experience for Disconnected!

The Distrolution / Distrolution Merch team had the chance to go to the Hellfest festival from June 19th to 26th 2022. Between concerts and meetings, we also did several interviews, which you can find every week in FR version on Distrolution Merch and in EN version on Distrolution! Discover without further delay our interview with Jelly and Flo from the band Disconnected!
Picture: Emmanuel Rousselle

To start, would it be please possible to introduce yourselves and then your band?

Jelly: I'm Jelly, I'm the drummer of Disconnected since 2018 and studio sound engineer. Flo: And I'm Flo, I've been the rhythm guitarist of Disconnected since I think 2018 as well, but a few months before.

How was the band formed?

Flo: So basically, Adrian started the band a while ago. Jelly: Yeah, a while ago! Flo: He spent a lot of time looking for the line up. Jelly: Yeah, the band has been around since 2013 or 2015, something like that. But it's been inactive, actually. The band, it really was born, it really came out of the egg in 2017/2018 with the release of the first album. So the band really emerged in 2017/20

18. Flo : Well, when he found Ivan, he found, really, the singer who was a perfect fit. It was the trigger that really made things move forward!

Thanks for the presentations! You launched, back in February, a crowdfunding campaign on your socials. Who had the idea of this crowdfunding and what are or were the donations used for?

Jelly: The idea came from Adrian and Ivan, the two leaders of the band. Why did they come up with it? Well, because we've been through two years of f*ckng pandemic and the last 6 months, we haven't done much, it's just starting again! We were on the production of the second album and we simply needed help, we needed money for the production, for the promotion, the release of music videos, the Spotify, Deezer playlists and so on. We were really in financial need, we needed help, that's why. It's mainly for the production and for the promotion of the album! And it was an unexpected big success! Flo : Yeah!

Which is gratifying!

Jelly: That's for sure. We have largely exceeded the objectives, even though it was not the first crowdfunding, huh? Flo: We did one at the start of the tour! Jelly: We did one for the tour with Tremonti. We did a second one 2 and a half years, three years later. So unexpected! Big success, we are really happy!

Speaking of albums, in April 2022, you released your new album “We Are Disconnected”. How long did you work on it?

Flo: Oh well, a moment, as it was supposed to come out much earlier, but there is always this Covid thing! (laughs) Jelly: When did “Unstoppable” come out? Flo: “Unstoppable” came out during the first... Jelly: Yeah… 2019! Flo: Yeah, that's it. Jelly: 2019, we released the single “Unstoppable” which was supposed to be on the second album and ended up not being there, because we changed producers in the meantime. We had difficulties, disagreements with the producer we had at the time. The producer of the album… the sound engineer, rather, since we are the ones producing the album! Which means that “Unstoppable”, in the end, did not end up on the album because we don't have the same sound, the same production. So in the end, if we take it from one end to the other, we did the album in two years. Basically! Flo: Yeah that's it. Because Adrian started composing the album basically after our tour. Jelly: It took two years! We should never have taken two years, but with the pandemic, the change of sound engineer and all that, it took two years! Flo: Yeah and then well, the idea was not to release it in the middle of a pandemic when you can't do anything about it, you see? Jelly: That too!
Artwork : Chromatorium Music

How do you usually split the roles within the band? Does everyone have a predefined role or is it a real team work?

Flo: So, it's really Adrian who composes, basically. Jelly: Yeah! Well, so far, that's how it is. So far it's like that, it's basically Adrian who composes the music and Ivan who writes the lyrics. But once again, this album was made in such a particular context, it's not necessarily the will of Adrian and Ivan, I think. I think it happened like that because there was the pandemic and we couldn't see each other etc. But I think in the future, if you (addressing Flo) come up with riffs, there's no reason they shouldn't be there, you know? Flo: Yeah, yeah. Definitely! Jelly: So I think it's really... We're working more and more as a team, but in this case, the pandemic has, once again, meant that Adrian had to write on his own.

Yes, afterwards, it was a very special period.

Flo: Yeah, of course! Jelly: But Adrian had, for example, ideas for drum plans and when we arrived in the studio, I suggested things. When they liked it, when it worked, we kept it and if it wasn't, we were modifying. It's still teamwork! Flo: Yeah that's it. He really did the compositions and we did the arrangements! Jelly: That's it!

Do you have a favorite track on this album?

Flo: I would say “Primal Rage”, because it's heavy and I like it! (Laughs) Jelly: This is the most violent song. Flo: Yeah, it's heavy and violent! Jelly: For me, it would be “Life Will Always Find Its Way”. First single, first track. I'm the one who mixed the album, so I have a perspective on the album which is a little different from the rest of the band. I think it's the best track, I think it's the best chorus, I think it's the best produced track... It's my favorite track for all these reasons! I like the chorus, it's catchy, it's the intro of our shows, every time we play it, it's powerful, it's my favorite track!

Whether we like rock, metal or other styles, we will always find at least one song that will really please us on this album. Was it wanted during the composition?

Jelly: So, yes. It's Adrian who composes, but we all have the same tastes overall, otherwise it wouldn't work. And besides, it can be heard on this album, anyway. Which is still very different from the first, even if we stay the same band, it is still quite different from the first. Flo: It's just that now, we know each other! Jelly: Now, we know each other and even though it was Adrian who wrote it, he still wrote a lot more in the spirit of what happened on tour, the albums we listened to, what we loved together etc. He wrote a lot more with that in mind, which makes us much more rock and less metal. Even in the sound... Flo: It's not, not metal, it's... natural! Jelly: It's not, not metal, it's more yeah, it's more natural, a little more natural, a little more rock, all the same in spirit. More melodic, more rock, more catchy… more what we love! We also like brutal and technical stuff, but we also like musical and catchy stuff, so there you go! That's why after “Primal Rage”, which is a rather violent track and “Your Way to Kill” which is downright a ballad, here it is. “Life”, with big choruses…

I personally find that it is an album accessible to all, because it combines several musical styles. We are at Hellfest, we are still going to talk about this experience, which is quite crazy. How does it feel to be here?

Flo: Yeah! Jelly: Well it's nice! Flo: Yeah and it was crazy! Jelly: It was crazy, it's nice. This is the culmination of many months and many years of work! It's the culmination, the reward of everything we've done so far! It's something we've wanted to do since... We've been talking about it forever! Flo: I think we all hoped one day to play at Hellfest. Jelly: Yeah, yeah and on mainstage too! Flo: Yeah, that's it! Jelly: We're going to do other mainstages, we're going to do Rock Fest, we're going to do Wacken... Wacken isn't the mainstage, isn't it? Flo: No, it's not the mainstage. Jelly: But we're super happy to do that! But Hellfest... Flo: It's Hellfest! Jelly: It's ours!

And how was your show?

Jelly: Well great! Flo: Great! Honestly, it was huge! It was unusual, of course... Jelly: It was unusual! Flo: It was still really big! Jelly: Yeah, we felt so small! Flo: Well, you don't have the same feelings on stage, we were talking about it earlier, you only hear the sound but you can't hear the audience! Jelly: Can't hear the audience, can't hear... Flo: Then there's not much in the end, in there... (pointing to his chest) Jelly: No, there are no sensations, since everything is so big! Flo: In terms of sound! Jelly: Yeah, in terms of sound! We don't have feelings, so that's... On the first song, it was... It was very disturbing, because I had no feelings from the audience, I had no feelings from the sound, and it's very weird! Flo: No, but it's still super cool, don't worry (laughs)! Jelly: It was very cool, but it's the first time we've done such a big scene and it's unusual! Video by Duke Tv

We can't imagine that on the other side of the stage...

Flo: Yeah, because in front, there is a lot of sound! But it's true that it was funny, I was thinking: “I can hear everything perfectly, but it's missing...”. Jelly: There is no feeling! But then, we looked at the videos, the hundreds of stories of everyone who tagged us and we said: “Oh yeah! It's good! It's cool!” In two years, the same at 1pm!

I hope you will!

Jelly: Well, why not! Anyway, we're working for it!

You were telling me about the upcoming concerts, Wacken etc. Of all the concerts you've done in your career, is there one that particularly marked you, apart from Hellfest?

Flo: (Laughs) I was going to say, easy question! Jelly: Hellfest, that's a big deal of course, but for me personally, the Zenith was an important date when we opened for Judas Priest, because it was the first big set I did, the first big set we did. But I will say that the last date of the Tremonti tour was really emotionally intense! Flo: Yes it is! That's really it! It's not the one where we played the best, but it was something! Jelly: It was very intense emotionally! Flo: We had just spent a month and a half with the same guys. At the end of the show, well, during our show, they came on stage to make us a little joke of... They came behind the stage, they removed the cymbals, they left with them! Jelly: They started taking the drums apart, they were there on the set, Tremonti was there... Flo: Something really happened, you know! Jelly: It was an incredible date emotionally! Flo: And when you have Tremonti coming and taking cymbals away from you! (Laughs) Jelly: Oh that's great, that's great! For me! For you I don't know what your favorite date is! (to Flo) Flo: I want to say a bit like you (laughs). No, in fact, the Zenith was a bit crazy, because it was our first big date like that, there were people everywhere, and it's not like the Hellfest. There at the Zenith, you have the impression that there are just people everywhere! During the tour, there is this one, and I also enjoyed Denmark! Jelly: Oh yeah, I don't remember! Flo: In Denmark I had a great time, yeah! But there wasn't the emotional side like you say. In Amsterdam, there was something about the whole thing, you know, about the general atmosphere, not just the show!

It's already great to be able to play in several countries. Even though I know that you don't have time to visit...

Jelly: No! Flo: We're doing a little bit of driving! (Laughs) Jelly: We visit as soon as we can but no, it's very complicated, we don't see much. It goes too fast! It goes too fast, we are tired, we have to unload the truck, we have to assemble the tray, we have to reload the truck... In reality... Flo: Yeah, and then the dates come and go, you have to be on time... Jelly: One date after another, yeah... Flo: In fact, the moments you have, it's one hour in the afternoon when you've done your soundcheck. One hour, sometimes two, three... You're going to walk around the neighborhood! (Laughs) Jelly: I used this time to sleep! The free time, I used it to sleep most of the time! That's cool! It's true that in people's minds, a tour is cool, and it is! But it's not a big party! Flo: It's not simple, it's not simple! There is a big contrast between: every night, you play shows, you party until the morning and everything. And then, you go back to your little... in your little van, you have no shower, no toilets, you eat when you can, what you find... Well, I'm exaggerating a bit but... Jelly: But we like it! Anyway, if a band doesn't like it, it doesn't succeed! Flo: Ah, but that's for sure! It's impossible! Jelly: But we like it! To find ourselves in our small rotten truck and to shower on the freeway stations... We loved it! We laughed for a month and a half! And I think that even at 45-50, we will still do it! I think... Flo: If we have the opportunity, sure! Jelly: We loved it! We hope to be in a Dreamliner one day, but yeah! (Laughs)

To end this interview, tell me about your future projects with Disconnected. What's in store for you in the next few months?

Flo: What's next... Jelly: What's next... Well... Flo: There's nothing set but... Jelly: No, there's nothing set, but there's a lot of things going on! Now that we've signed with booking companies... The next step will be to find a label. We have some leads! I was going to say nothing concrete, but yes, concrete things that we can't talk about! The next step is a label and more and more concerts. We're talking about a tour this winter, I think? A French tour? Flo: Yeah! Jelly: That's it! So the next step is a label, the French tour of Disconnected as a headliner, so it's the same... Flo: Yeah, combine big opening acts with... Start to really headline shows! Jelly: It's going to be a first big experience, intense, for the band! First headlining tour... Flo: Yeah, definitely! Jelly: It's gonna be intense, it's gonna be big, it's gonna be full of stress, full of pressure...

You're gonna be fine!

Jelly : Of course, of course! We have in mind to do about twenty dates in big cities. So we'll try to do... Flo: A little tour! Jelly: Yeah right!

That was my last question, I'm leaving you the final word to our readers! If you have a message to share, now is the time!

Jelly: The message is... Flo: Same thing as always... Keep coming! (Laughs) Jelly: The best way to support a band you like is to buy the CDs, the t-shirts, to come to see them in concerts... It's the best way to support a band you like, to support the French scene, because it's difficult in France... Well, it's difficult everywhere, but France has a particular context, because we don't have the culture, so yeah! Keep on supporting the bands, buy the CDs, buy the t-shirts, come to the shows. We are always happy to see people, that's the most important thing! Flo: Definitely!

Thanks a lot!

Jelly: Thank you! Flo: Our pleasure!

Interview by Valentine KLIPFEL for Distrolution / Distrolution Merch. Thanks to Jelly & Flo from Disconnected for their time. Thanks to Roger WESSIER from Replica Promotion for the opportunity, as well as to the press team of the Hellfest Festival (Elo, Romain…).