  Steven Page, right, with Toronto pianist Andrew Burashko, one member of Page's back band, the avant-garde jazz and classical group The Art of Time Ensemble.
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Steven Page has learned what it’s like to be a tortured artist.
The Canadian singer-guitarist is the first to admit that between his divorce, his split with the Barenaked Ladies and his infamous cocaine bust, he’s had a rough couple of years. But what didn’t kill him has made him stronger. The 39-year-old Juno winner now says he’s turned a corner and is back on track, professionally and personally.
“All that stuff, whether it’s splitting up with my ex-wife or splitting from the band, has been a learning experience and an area for growth,” he says from the Syracuse, N.Y., home he shares with his girlfriend. “That doesn’t stop it from being painful or difficult. At the end of it, you think, ‘I’m glad I’m not there anymore.’ I’m not in that headspace anymore, or under that kind of scrutiny.”
But he is back in the limelight. This week, Page released his first post-BNL album A Singer Must Die, on which he covers tunes by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Radiohead and Elvis Costello with the backing of Toronto pianist Andrew Burashko and his avant-garde jazz and classical group The Art of Time Ensemble. Coming from a guy best known for pop-rock hits such as One Week and Brian Wilson, it’s a bold — and given the title, perhaps ironic — way to launch a solo career.
“I recorded it when I was still in the band. It was in the works for nearly two years. At first, it was simply a side project. And the thing with side projects is you feel like you’re cheating on somebody sometimes. But now, I’m in the clear,” he says, laughing.
And, no, he isn’t kidding when he likens his relationship with BNL to a marriage gone sour.
“This feels almost exactly like a divorce — and I’ve been through that as well,” he says. “The kids in this situation, obviously, are the songs. We still have that music in common. And you can’t help but keep your eye on what your former partners are doing, and it’s a mix of good wishes and bitterness at the same time.
“But frankly, there hasn’t been a day since I left the band where I’ve thought, ‘What have I done? I wish I was still in the group.’ That’s not a slight against them; it’s just that I’m comfortable with my choices and my direction.”
His next move is a string of Ontario tour dates over the next three weeks with the AOTE, which begins Wednesday. Fans who are disappointed that he’s not touring nationally with a regular band will get their wish soon. “What I really want to focus on after this is getting my solo record out,” he says. “It’s basically done, and once I get that out, I’m going to go coast to coast. I’m just about to start auditioning people and rehearsing.”
Recorded with pop producer John Fields, the disc deals with Page’s recent problems — but it’s no self-indulgent pity party, he says. “(My) writerly voice is still rooted in classic Beatles pop. It surprised me how uptempo the album is.”
And while he confesses it’s slightly daunting to realize his fate now rests squarely and solely on his shoulders, going it alone still beats going back to the situation he was in.
“We had reached the point where what was supposed to be the spirit of collaboration became the spirit of compromise. That’s not as healthy; you just feel like you’re giving up. I don’t think I’m the only one who felt that way; I think other writers in the band felt they had to bend to what I liked as well.
“By the end of the band, if I came in with a song and someone said, ‘Let’s try this beat instead,’ I’d start to think, ‘Well, what was wrong with my idea?’ And vice versa. We’d always be questioning each other’s motives, and wondering what their real motive was.
“Now, I have no one but myself to blame.”
Tour dates
Feb 24 | Brantford | Sanderson Centre
Feb 25 | Oakville | Centre for the Performing Arts
Feb 27 | Markham | Centre for the Performing Arts
March 3 | Kingston | Grand Theatre
March 4 | Toronto | Koerner Hall
March 5 | St. Catharines | Centre for the Arts
March 6 | Kitchener | Centre in the Square
March 7 | North Bay | Capitol Arts Centre
March 10 | Brampton | Rose Theatre
March 11 | Belleville | Empire Theatre
March 12 | Barrie | Gryphon Theatre
March 13 | Peterborough | Showplace Performance Centre
darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca
