Director Bruce McDonald (centre) with Cancer Bats' drummer Mike Peters (left) and vocalist Liam Cormier (right).
Lisa Ladouceur interviews Director BRUCE MCDONALD, “Cancer Bats at the Adrift Clubhouse”.
LL: Give us your “elevator ride” pitch: the concept for your film in three sentences or less.
BM: A portrait of the guys in Cancer Bats, who take us along back to their beginnings in this place Adrift, where they remember quite fondly the space that gave them that forward propulsion.
LL: What was the biggest challenge shooting in this location?
BM: No windows! It was a dark little hole-in-the-wall joint with no real sense of purpose, no bar or stage in the foreground. Basically a concrete box with makeshift stuff and not much light. Luckily we had the mighty John Price shooting it: he knows how to get nice visuals and interesting moments out of anything.
LL: What did you learn about the guys in the band that surprised you?
BM: It wasn’t so much a surprise but a validation, of how articulate and interesting these guys are. Liam is a really well-spoken, bright guy.
All the members, Mike, Jay and Scott are hungry and curious for experiences. And how honoured they are to be able to do be doing what they do. It’s always a pleasure when you admire someone and they turn out to be even better.
LL: Do you have a story about the most secretive Toronto venue you’ve ever hung out at?
BM: Yes. I guess the closest thing I had to Adrift was my girlfriend Brenda’s suburban basement. I had a band in Rexdale, we called ourselves The Penguins, God knows why. We played covers: “Anarchy in the UK,” “Prove it all night” by Springsteen, “White Riot” by The Clash. We got hammered and our friends danced. It was fucking great.
