BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

Broken Social Scene is an ensemble indie rock band from Canada. 

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE: "Art has no need to be explained."

[Interview by Aldy Kusumah / Photos by Esplanade & Aldy Kusumah]

How do you describe your new album Forgiveness Rock Record?  And how do you compare it with your previous efforts?

"Dr. Phil's over the counter sonic elixer."  This one is like Jasper Johns, whereas our other records are waaay more Jackson Pollock - all abstract expressionist kids.

So how is it an ensemble-cast like your band when it comes to writing new music?

Well, we have to jam for a week or so in a very relaxed free form kinda way before we come up with a crop of new material. Add the few songs that Kevin or Charlie or Brendan or I  actually bring in - rough changes or ideas.  Then we got a record or three and a series of b-sides comes out of it.

What if everybody has their heart in a song and is committed to chasing down these ideas on their own? Conflict of interest?

No ideas are disrespected until proven not useful for the particular song.  And even then they are not really disrespected.  Just filed away for later.
Is each BSS member very open-minded about their own musical differences and influences? What if some of the members are not "in tune" with the other members?

We as a group are all over the map stylistically and emotionally.  We truly are like a family: unwoundedness is tolerated. Take yesterday at Glastonbury, UK: 4 peeps at Stevie Wonder, 2 at lcd sound system, 3 so drunk they did not even know where they were.

Your songs, like Safety Bricks, Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day) and Almost Crimes (Radio Kills Remix) have obscure lyrics. Is it all very personal and open to free-interpretations?

Oui, bien sur. Art has no need to be explained.

Have you done a show with no check sounds or preparations before?  A spur of the moment gig?

Hey! You must have heard about our "no sound-check Saturdays"....No really, there are lots of reasons why we might not be able to be perfectly prepared, and they are, of course, often the best shows.

I think in BSS, there is not one person standing there dictating how it should sound. It's like a collaborative effort, and so effortless in a way. But, do you guys have some temptations like "my guitar should've sounded louder" or something?

Of course. And contrary to your ideas - it is not effortless. Hey that is why zen is a lifelong un- achieveable pursuit right? EGO is master, and a damn harsh one.  But in Broken Social Scene, usually Kevin is like our Cruise Director, our Master of Ceremonies, our Party Planner.

I know this is the industry's standards, but what are you guys listening to at the moment? 

DJ Panko from Ojos de Brujo's Gypsy mix. The new Gorillaz album. Flying Lotus. One GB of African Guitar Gods. Omar Suleyman from Syria. And Poem Talk from the University of Pennsylvania.

You guys done something too with the film industry. I saw BSS make some cameo playing as a wedding band in The Time Traveller's Wife and making a score/soundtrack for the film Half Nelson. How did BSS end up with those cool projects?

We have great people helping us along.

Will you guys come to Indonesia? We've had Kings Of Convenience, Phoenix and Jens Lekman, even Belle and Sebastian too. Please?

I would obviously LOVE to come and play and learn some more real Bahasa........ and Eat!
Last words? Any shouts to all the cool boys & girls in Indonesia?

See above. Total shouts to the Indonesian youth. You are the future of the world. You can love it back to life.

*This is the unedited version of the interview. The edited interview also appears in TRAX MAGAZINE August 2010.