It's 10:30 a.m. on a Friday in Toronto, and Broken Social Scene co-founder Brendan Canning has been awake a total of 20 minutes. For the next 20 minutes, he will talk to Creative Loafing, via phone, about his new solo debut album, his role in the long-running indie-rock collective (or, as BSS is often called, an "indie-rock supergroup"), the departure of star Scenester Feist and his unending quest for a good cup of coffee. Oh yeah, Canning also dishes on how pissed he gets when served a "shit meal."
You're resting before embarking on a big tour that takes you to Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg on Nov. 21. What's your typical routine on an off day?
Me and my gal wake up, read the paper, drink some tea or coffee. Pet the dog, make food, hit the gym, play soccer ...
Are you a gym regular?
I try, but no. The tunes are a bummer in the gym. So I can't stay there very long.
IFC recently aired The Rawside Of... Brendan Canning. Were you comfortable watching yourself on television?
I only watched it once. It's a little funny watching myself, but it's not too bad.
On it, you're depicted as a perfectionist. Do you agree with that characterization?
I don't know if I'm a perfectionist. I don't think so. I spend a whole lot of time going over a piece of music in the studio, getting lost in it, but that's only about music. Well, and food, too. If I'm served a shit meal, it puts me in a foul mood. Or coffee. You only get one shot, generally. The first cup of coffee has to be a pleasant experience. That's basically what you get when you're touring. You wake up with a mission: Find a good cup of coffee.
Will Starbucks suffice?
I don't mind Starbucks. It's not the worst. But I'd rather find a nice little mom-and-pop shop.
Judging by the IFC doc, your first solo album -- Something For All of Us... -- caused some serious stressing.
It was definitely stressful. But I don't think they filmed anything particularly stressful. They came in on the last day when we were recording drums. Everyone's girlfriend and dog were there because of the cameras. The whole process of working with new guys is tough. Once the honeymoon period is over, it's like, "Holy fuck, how am I gonna finish a record with these guys?" I was worried.
