Although work on the Dissociatives' self-titled debut didn't commence until 2003, the band's two core members -- Australian producer Paul Mac and Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns -- have worked together since 1997, when Mac was enlisted to remix a song from Silverchair's Freak Show. A creative friendship formed between the two musicians, and Mac continued to work with Silverchair by contributing keyboards to subsequent albums Neon Ballroom and Diorama. An experimental project titled I Can't Believe It's Not Rock! gave Johns and Mac the opportunity to collaborate outside of the Silverchair moniker, but it wasn't until Silverchair embarked on an indefinite hiatus in 2003 that Johns turned his full attention to the partnership that would soon become the Dissociatives. Embracing a quirky blend of electronics and pop melodies, the duo convened in London to record basic tracks for its self-produced debut before completing the process in Australia. The Dissociatives' eponymous album was released to much anticipation in spring 2004, eventually going gold on the strength of the leadoff single, Somewhere Down the Barrel. After completing a limited tour, Johns reconvened with his Silverchair bandmates for the band's fifth release, Young Modern. Mac temporarily joined the band's lineup as a touring keyboardist, leaving the Dissociatives' fate undecided but nevertheless continuing his musical connection with Johns. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi