Tonight, Tonight : A Conversation With Broken Social Scene Drummer, Justin Peroff

Photo Cred: myspace.com/brokensocialscene

We're very, very excited to announce that Canadian gems Broken Social Scene will be playing a show tonight at the Paramount, accompanied by soothing, jazz infused indie rockers The Sea & Cake.
Known for their phenomenal live shows, BSS has received a cult following at this point, with a lineup that has risen to a total of 19 members at random points in their 11-year history as a band.

After a five-year break which produced a handful of solo releases and side projects from various members, (notable releases including the Broken Social Scene Presents... series of solo projects from cofounders Kevin Drew in 2007, and Brendan Canning in 2008,) their much-buzzed album Forgiveness Rock Record was released in May. Narrowed down to a cast of nine members for their current tour, FRR draws from a darker place this time around, while still preserving their unique sound.

We were fortunate enough to have a conversation with Justin Peroff, one of the founding members and current drummer.

How is the tour going so far? It looks like things haven’t slowed down much since March of this year.

Precisely. We have had some small breaks at home throughout that time, but for the most part it's been full steam ahead. The shows have been fun and spirited. The crowds have been positive and present. That's all we can really ask for. Some of our routed travels have been grueling, which we are going to redesign for the future. But trial and error more or less come with the territory.

Do you write songs on the road? With such consistent touring, it must be difficult not to.

Well, Kevin just walked on the bus with an acoustic guitar, which is the first time on this tour I've seen him with one in his hand when not onstage. But usually we jam during soundcheck. Not for destination of writing a new song, more for the fun of it. If something interesting manifests, we attempt to massage it into the direction of a proper song.

Could you discuss the growth and changes of Broken Social Scene’s sound between 2005 and now?

Well ... If one was to look in their closet and flip through their wardrobe over a five year period it's likely there would be some contrast. This comes with life experience, personal taste and just "growing up" in general. This band wear their hearts on their song sleeve. We are an emotionally passionate bunch and music is one of our therapeutic devices. As we experience, change, grow and bleed ... our music does also. If we didn't we then it would be time to leave.

You currently have nine members. What is the songwriting process like?

This time around, for FRR [the title of their latest album, Forgiveness Rock Record] we decided to attempt pre production. We gathered at Charlie's [Charles Spearin, one of the founders of B.S.S, as well as post- rock band Do Make Say Think] place for a couple of weeks and hashed out ideas that would become songs for the new record. There were 6 of us who took part in this procedure, and it went over rather smoothly. We were ready to write. We have always written in large numbers in comparison to what the average membership of a band may be. The personalities in this band are dynamic which ultimately translates into parts that provide the pieces of a song. We don't know it any other way. So the process to us is what it is. And it works.

The overall theme of Forgiveness is dark tinged, but the songs manage to have an uplifting and positive quality to them- they blend with ease. The video for Meet Me in the Basement is a great example of that. How important was it to create an album that incorporates both lightness and darkness?

A record to me, is a love letter. FRR to me, is a love letter to the world, what it stands for, how it's being treated, populated, destroyed and celebrated. Within those statements are shades of lightness and darkness. Life itself is riddled with lightness and darkness. If one is not living their life in that fashion then they are living a lie.

How did you come up with the title Forgiveness Rock Record?

Choosing an album's title is one of the hardest things to do. It was the first one proposed and after kicking around several other ideas we came back to that one. It felt right, so we crowned it the winner. Forgiveness is the new Hate. We are in an era where civilians are the ultimate critics. It's easy to debunk the next person in order to feel great about yourself. Unsubscribe to that and become the one to embrace and repair. FORGIVE. It's time.

With so many members and instruments on stage at once, is it hard to achieve a natural and organic performance when you need to be aware of so many other sounds?

We have the greatest sound engineer on the planet. Martin Davis Kinack. He is the mother fucking man. We will never do a show without him. We owe our entire live element to him. The end.

How is it that so much good music comes out of Canada? Is there something in
the water that we don’t know about?

I personally think it's because we put vinegar on our french fries.

You have a photo blog. How long have you been a photographer? It seems like taking pictures might help when you’re always in transition, like a way of making sense of things.

I wouldn't consider myself a photographer at all. I take pictures on my cell phone, email them to myself, download them on my laptop, put them in a folder and then when the folder gets full I edit them in a certain order and blog them. I chalk it up to being a creature of procedure. Routine keeps me sane. Especially while on tour. I have another blog as well that is art and music based. My friend Joe Mckay and I have been neglecting it a bit. But I actually have plans to post something after I finish up with this interview. pffffft.com .... That's five f's.

What can we look forward to in the future for Broken Social Scene?

Taking a break from us, popping some pop corn and pressing play on your VHS copy of Ghost.

Doors open at 8 p.m. //Paramount Theater // $25, all ages