EMQs with DISCONNECTED
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with French Modern New Metal band, Disconnected. Huge thanks to their vocalist, Ivan Pavlakovic, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Ivan Pavlakovic and I’m the vocalist of Disconnected. I also write the vocal melodies and lyrics of the band with the help of Adrian. I got contacted by Adrian back at the end of 2016. Fell in love with his music, and since then Disconnected became my main focus in my artistic life.
How did you come up with your band name?
Adrian is the founder of the band, he really liked the word Disconnected, that sounded perfect to his ear, and as he likes to do things his way which is not always following the trends, he was pretty sure that this would be a perfect name for his own band! In Disconnected we definitely do the music we want to hear, and like, whatever people think about us. We are always 100% honest with what we create.
What country are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We’re a French band, and the scene here is pretty tricky. I’ll say that there are some opportunities, but more related to the more agressive genres of Metal. However, we can still be very proud of one thing : Hellfest is one of, or even the best festival in the world for Hard Rock and Metal. But as a French band that sings in English we definitely have to succeed outside of France if we wanna make a career with our music.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)
Our latest release is the single ‘Life Will Always Find Its Way’ (19th of November 2021) And I highly recommend to any Metal fan to go and check it out! In my opinion it’s a real banger!
Who have been your greatest influences?
Aouch, there are so many…. Let’s say that, as a singer, my biggest influences fromthe past (but still active nowadays for some of them) would be Metallica, Pantera, and Faith No More. And from nowadays probably Avenged Sevenfold, Killswitch Engage and Five Finger Death Punch, and Stone Sour (can’t forget Corey Taylor! He’s awesome).
What first got you into music?
When I was 13/14, I met a metal head (without knowing what it meant ahahah). We became friends, and he made me a cassette of the album of “Crazy world” from Scorpions and a melting pot of songs from AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth. I fell in love right away and became a metal head myself almost instantly!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?
I would love to do a featuring with Spirit box. I fell in love with the voice of Courtney LaPlante. I haven’t heard such an amazing new vocalist like that in years and years.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I would have picked Hellfest in France but we’ve been book on the Main Stage for June 2022 ahahah. Other than that, Rock in Rio would be quite awesome!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Nothing weird, always cool stuff and sweet attention. We’ve got awesome and well grounded fans!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Stay who you are, don’t ever change, and stay honest with us. It ’s ok not to like something that your favourite band does.
If you could bring one Metal/Rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Dimebag
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love everything about it! I was put on this earth to be a musician! What I hate is the situation of these past two years. Being fucked with Covid and not being able to plan things…. But there’s absolutely nothing that I hate about being a musician.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would stop the buy on system. When you’re an up and coming band and you open for big acts on tour you have to pay a certain amount of money to play before that main act (not all the time, but we’ve experienced it so many times). You’re not paid and you have to pay for your transportation costs, which already represents a big investment in itself, which is often hard to recoup. So on top of that, if there’s a buy on, it can become quite impossible to end up on those tours.
This is definitely something that is burying loads of promising bands, and stopping them from developing like they deserve to.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Vulgar Display of power” (Pantera)
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
Everything is good as long as you listen to good music!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Opening for Judas Priest at the Zenith of Paris back in January 2019 was certainly the highlight of our career to this day. But so far as the most energetic, self satisfying gig, I would pick the last gig of the Tremonti tour, Melkweg in Amsterdam, in December 2018. Very particular and intense vibe!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably managing metal bands!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
If you meant five personalities in the metal industry, it would be Lars Ulrich, Corey Taylor, Robb Flynn, Adam Dutkiewicz, and Dave Grohl!!!! I’m sure we could have such a big fucking party!!!!!
What’s next for the band?
We are going to shoot a new music video in January, as we plan on releasing a new single at the beginning of 2022. We are right now booking gigs to tour and promote our upcoming second album (to be released around April/Mai 2022). We are just very excited to go back on stage, we can’t wait for this spring and Summer 2022 to happen. And of course we pray everyday for Covid not to fuck with our plans for a third year in a row (like probably all artists in the world right now).
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
All of the streaming platforms, and mainly Instagram and Facebook for socials.
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Don’t know about this… first time I’ve heard about em!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for having us! It was a pleasure answering those questions!
Stream the fuck out of our music and when we hit the road, make sure you book a ticket to come and see us play! We never disappoint!!!!!
Much love to y’all! Stay safe!
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