As gigs are on pause, Home is the new Backstage. Get behind the scenes with The Dirty Nil this week.

Gearing up for the release of their new record, Fuck Art, out on January 1st, we caught up with The Dirty Nil‘s drummer Kyle Fisher to chat about the most challenging part of lockdown, the recording process of the band’s new album, and the importance of live music.

What advice would you give to your pre-lockdown self?

Be kinder to yourself. You can trust in yourself that you’re doing the right thing or know what you need to do.

How, if at all, did lockdown impact your music making and producing process?

Well John (Goodmanson), our producer had to fly home to Seattle before they closed the US/Canadian border, so it immediately affected how our record ended up being finished. Luke had to do all his parts when John had already gone home, so we changed the studio and they had to communicate via Zoom and email to get the guitar and vocals down. Not a desirable scenario but the record got done. We’re all very proud of the record and getting it completed. We also all lived together during most of the pandemic so it was easy to still work on things together and practice. I’m thankful for that.

What has been the most unexpected/challenging part of lockdown, whether pleasant or unpleasant?

The challenging part was learning to make new boundaries for myself. It’s always an ongoing process but this year was a big year for learning that. I unexpectedly really got into playing basketball (or the idea of it) this summer and I can’t seem to figure out why? (The Last Dance)

How would you sum up your 2020 in one sentence?

It was like the Breakfast Club but detention was for a year.

Name 5 things that got you through lockdown.

Learning to cook.
Exercise.
Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Reading a lot.
Making a routine for myself.

What’s the most interesting thing you discovered over lockdown (could be a revelation about yourself, a new TV show, a new hobby)?

I discovered that I am actually a pretty decent cook, and that I find the process of cooking extremely rewarding. Some of my favourite moments of lockdown were making food for the guys and everybody enjoying it together.

What lockdown trend do you think we should take into the future, and which ones should we ditch?

I can’t think of anything I want to keep, but we can definitely ditch Zoom calls.

What are your hopes and dreams for 2021?

In 2021, the dream is to go and drink some beers at a show and jump in the mosh pit.

What does music mean to you?

Music is what I do to make a living, so it’s been a tough year without being able to perform music for our fans because that’s been such a cornerstone of my life for quite a while now. Without music, I feel like I’ve had the rug pulled out from under me.