Broken Social Scene
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| Broken Social Scene | |
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 Broken Social Scene performing in England in 2006. Left to right: Brendan Canning, Ohad Benchetrit, James Shaw, Kevin Drew, Andrew Whiteman, Julie Penner, Lisa Lobsinger
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genre(s) | Indie rock, baroque pop, experimental rock, shoegaze, dream pop, art rock |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Label(s) | Arts & Crafts |
| Website | www.arts-crafts.ca/bss |
| Members | |
| Brendan Canning, Kevin Drew, Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Sam Goldberg, Jason Collett, David Newfeld, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, James Shaw, Evan Cranley, Amy Millan, Ohad Benchetrit, Martin Davis Kinack, Jo-ann Goldsmith, Torquil Campbell, Lisa Lobsinger, Julie Penner, Jason Tait, Elizabeth Powell | |
Broken Social Scene are a Juno Award winning Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective currently including nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. All of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto. The band refuses the label "supergroup," based on size or the ubiquity of their members, claiming that in the indie scene everyone is involved in more than one project. The group's sound could be considered a combination of all of its members' respective musical projects, and is usually identified as baroque pop.[citation needed] It is characterized by a very large number of sounds, grand orchestrations featuring guitars, horns, woodwinds, and violins, unusual song structures, and an experimental, and sometimes chaotic production style from David Newfeld.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] History
The band's core members are Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. This duo recorded and released the band's ambient debut album, Feel Good Lost, on Noise Factory Records in 2001, with contributions by Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin and Bill Priddle. However, when they played shows to support the album, Drew and Canning found it difficult to put together an entertaining show based on Feel Good Lost, which was an almost entirely instrumental album.
As a result, they brought in a number of friends from the Toronto indie scene—Andrew Whiteman, Jason Collett, Leslie Feist, and Metric's Emily Haines—to flesh out their live show with lyrics and vocals. Over time, the band also came to include contributions from James Shaw, Justin Peroff, John Crossingham, Stars' Torquil Campbell, Evan Cranley, and Amy Millan.
All of the later guest musicians joined with Drew, Canning, Peroff and Spearin to record the band's second album, You Forgot It in People. The album won the Alternative Album of the Year Juno Award in 2003. The album also included musical contributions by Priddle, Jessica Moss, Brodie West, Susannah Brady and Ohad Benchetrit, but these were credited as supporting musicians rather than band members. On the supporting tour, the core band consisted of Drew, Canning, Peroff, Whiteman and Jason Collett, along with any other band member who was available to attend any individual show.
In 2003, the B-sides and remix collection Bee Hives was released.
Broken Social Scene released their third full-length, Broken Social Scene on October 4, 2005, with new contributors including k-os, Jason Tait and Murray Lightburn. The inside booklet accompanying album also noted several new faces as part of Broken Social Scene. A limited edition EP, E.P. To Be You And Me was also printed along with the album. David Newfeld, who has produced Broken Social Scene's albums, is listed as a band member for the first time.
The group appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on January 31, 2006 performing "7/4 (Shoreline)". At the 2006 Juno Awards, they performed "Ibi Dreams of Pavement" at the show and their eponymous album won the Alternative Album of the Year award. In July, 2006 the band announced a temporary hiatus following the conclusion of their November US tour while members work on their other projects.[1]
Broken Social Scene's song Lover's Spit from 2002's You Forgot It in People has been featured in director Clément Virgo's movie Lie with Me (2005), Paul McGuigan's Wicker Park (2004), Bruce McDonald's The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess (2004), Showtime's Queer as Folk (2003) and the penultimate episode of the Canadian series "Terminal City." The version of "Lover's Spit" found on 2004's Bee Hives record was also featured in an episode of the third season of the FX series Nip/Tuck. Showtime's television program The L Word featured "Pacific Theme" "Looks Just Like the Sun" both from You Forgot It in People in the show's first season. "Stars and Sons" from You Forgot It in People also appeared in the movie "The Invisible". Music from the band's albums were used to score the 2006 film Half Nelson. They have also composed and recorded an original score for the Canadian film Snow Cake. Broken Social Scene also scored the 2007 film adaptation of Maureen Medved's novel, The Tracey Fragments.
Broken Social Scene were last minute replacement performers at North America's first Virgin Festival, at Toronto Islands Park, the weekend of September 9–10, 2006. Contacted on September 7, after headliners Massive Attack cancelled due to problems involving obtaining US visas, the entire band, just returned from a European tour in August, managed to assemble to close the festival Sunday night. Appearing on the main Virgin Mobile Stage, immediately following performances by international superstar bands The Strokes and The Raconteurs, BSS took the stage at 10:00 p.m., and played a set of over an hour. Through the performance the band was joined by part-time members, and stars in their own right: Leslie Feist, Amy Millan of Stars, k-os, and Emily Haines of Metric. This was the last show featuring the rare 15 member lineup of the band.
In late 2006, several members of the band appeared as special guests on The Stars and Suns Sessions, the second album from Mexican indie band Chikita Violenta. The album was produced by Dave Newfeld.
In 2008 Justin Peroff contributed a t-shirt design to the Yellow Bird Project on behalf of the band, to raise money for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. Broken Social Scene also took part in the 2008 Siren Music Festival in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
[edit] "Broken Social Scene Presents..."
On June 8, 2007, music website Pitchforkmedia.com reported that BSS founder Kevin Drew was recording a solo album, which is to feature many other members of BSS including Ohad Benchetrit and Charles Spearin. The album is entitled Broken Social Scene presents Kevin Drew, Spirit If..., and is intended to be the first in a series of "Broken Social Scene presents..." albums.[2] The album was recorded throughout 2004 and 2006 in Ohad Benchetrit's house while the band was not on tour. Although billed as a solo project, nearly every BSS member, from drummer Justin Peroff to Leslie Feist, Emily Haines and Amy Millan, makes a cameo appearance. The sound itself is BSS’s familiar mix of rough and ragged, sad and celebratory. It is prone to psychedelic swells, acoustic jangles and features a cast of friends and associates (including Dinosaur Jr’s J. Mascis and CanCon icon, Tom Cochrane) playing and singing and handclapping along.[3] The album was released on September 18, 2007 and a tour billed as Broken Social Scene Performs Kevin Drew's Spirit If... was engaged in late 2007.[4] The second "Broken Social Scene presents..." record, by Brendan Canning[5], is entitled Something for All of Us and was released on Arts & Crafts on July 22, 2008. In a recent interview, Canning said the group would be working on a full Broken Social Scene album before another in this series would be produced.[6]
[edit] Touring lineup history
From 2002 to 2004 female vocalists Emily Haines, Leslie Feist and Amy Millan rotated between availability from their own bands, until a full time replacement was found in 2005 with Lisa Lobsinger. From time to time (most notably at hometown shows in Toronto) any one of the women will usually resume their role on their trademark songs, and appear unannounced prior to the show.
- 2001: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Brodie West
- 2002: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Jason Collett, Emily Haines, Leslie Feist, Evan Cranley
- 2003: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Jason Collett, Leslie Feist, Evan Cranley
- 2004: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Jason Collett, Amy Millan, James Shaw, Evan Cranley
- 2005: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Lisa Lobsinger, John Crossingham, Julie Penner, Ohad Benchetrit, Leslie Feist
- 2006: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Ohad Benchetrit, Julie Penner, Lisa Lobsinger, Amy Millan,
- 2007: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Chris Cochran, Matthew T. Miller, Andrew Kenny, Bill Priddle, Sam Goldberg (eventually Priddle was replaced by James Shaw, and then Mitch Bowden)
- 2008: Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Sam Goldberg, Amy Millan, Evan Cranley, Lisa Lobsinger, Elizabeth Powell
Collett took time off to promote his solo release Idols of Exile, and to attend to his family, prior to the 2005 fall tour.
During the 2007 tour, Bill Priddle broke his collar bone, just before the 16th October gig at Manchester Club Academy. According to Kevin Drew, "the last few days have been hectic." He also mentioned that Bill was in a hotel room in Glasgow. They were joined on tour by James Shaw from Metric, who had "flown in that morning" from Toronto.
Mitch Bowden from Don Vail joined the 2007 tour to replace Bill Priddle as he healed from a collar bone injury.
[edit] Related acts
Most of the musicians who have worked with Broken Social Scene are members of other bands as well, or perform as solo artists. These include:
- Apostle of Hustle
- Jason Collett
- Do Make Say Think
- Leslie Feist
- Junior Blue
- Land of Talk
- Metric
- The Priddle Concern
- Raising the Fawn
- Reverie Sound Revue
- Stars
- Valley of the Giants
- The Weakerthans
- Don Vail
- Noah's Arkweld
- Charles Spearin
Canning was previously in the bands hHead and By Divine Right. Priddle was previously in Treble Charger. Drew and Spearin were previously in the band KC Accidental. Whiteman was previously in the bands Que Vida and Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. Collett was previously in the band Ursula with Andrew Cash.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Feel Good Lost (2001)
- You Forgot It in People (2002)
- Bee Hives (2004)
- Broken Social Scene (2005) (US #105, UK #80)
[edit] Broken Social Scene Presents...
[edit] EPs and singles
- Stars and Sons/KC Accidental b/w Do the '95 and Market Fresh (2003, Double 7")
- Cause=time b/w da da dada (2003, 7")
- Cause=time b/w time=cause & Weddings (2003, CDS) (UK #102)
- Live at Radio Aligre FM in Paris (2004, EP) (Digital Only EP)
- EP To Be You and Me (2005, EP) − originally released with Broken Social Scene
- Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day) b/w All the Gods (2005, 7")
- 7/4 (Shoreline) b/w Stars and Spit (2006, 7")
- 7/4 (Shoreline) b/w Stars and Spit and Death Cock (2006, CDS) (UK #94)
- Fire Eye'd Boy b/w Canada vs. America (Exhaust Pipe Remix) (2006, 7") (UK #192)
- Broken Social Scene: 2006/08/06 Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL (2006, EP iTunes exclusive)
[edit] Film Scores
- Lie with Me (2005)
- Half Nelson (2006)
- Snow Cake (2006)
- The Tracey Fragments (2007)
[edit] Videography
- "Stars & Sons" (August 2003, directed by Christopher Mills)
- "Cause = Time" (December 2003, directed by George Vale and Kevin Drew)
- "Almost Crimes" (2004, directed by George Vale and Kevin Drew)
- "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)" (November 2005, directed by Experimental Parachute Movement)
- "7/4 (Shoreline)" (2006, directed by Micah Meisner)
- "Fire Eye'd Boy" (2006, directed by Experimental Parachute Movement)
- "Major Label Debut" (2006)
- "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-old girl"
- "Lover's Spit"
- "I'm Still Your Fag"
[edit] Awards
[edit] Juno Awards
The Juno Awards are presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Broken Social Scene has won two awards from four nominations.[7][8][9]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | You Forgot It in People | Alternative Album of the Year | Won |
| 2004 | "Stars and Sons" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2006 | Broken Social Scene | Alternative Album of the Year | Won |
| CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year | Nominated |
[edit] Polaris Music Prizes
The Polaris Music Prize is awarded annually to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit. Broken Social Scene has received one nomination.[10]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Broken Social Scene | Polaris Music Prize | Nominated |
[edit] References
- ^ Broken Social Scene to Go on Hiatus
- ^ Pitchforkmedia article
- ^ "Broken Solo Scene". http://music.aol.ca/article/kevin-drew/153/. Retrieved on September 23.
- ^ Arts and Crafts website
- ^ Brendan Canning Interview, 24 July 08
- ^ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/10/20/interview-with-brendan-canning-broken-social-scene/
- ^ "Juno Awards 2003". Ottawa Start. http://ottawastart.com/juno.php. Retrieved on 2008-07-17.
- ^ "The Show". CTV. http://www.ctv.ca/mini_v2/junos2004/static/the_show.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-17.
- ^ "1.7 Million Celebrate Canadian Music as Audience Surges 30 Per Cent for The 2006 JUNO Awards on CTV". CTV. http://www.ctvmedia.ca/ctv/releases/release.asp?id=8584&yyyy=2006. Retrieved on 2008-07-17.
- ^ "Broken Social Scene Head Polaris Award Nominees". GIGWISE. http://www.gigwise.com/news/19361/broken-social-scene-head-polaris-award-nominees. Retrieved on 2008-07-17.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Broken Social Scene |
- Broken Social Scene's official website
- Arts & Crafts official website
- Broken Social Scene on MySpace
- Broken Social Scene at Last.fm
- Broken Social Scene Interview on Music Towers
- Review of Broken Social Scene album Bee Hives
- Kevin Drew Goes Solo Interview with AOL Music Canada
- Broken Social Scene Forum
- New Times Broward-Palm Beach: Collective Soul
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