Photo from Merge Records website

Daniel Bejar is one of the most respected musicians of our time. As a member of Destroyer and the Canadian super-group The New Pornographers, Bejar’s output has been critically acclaimed and has earned him a loyal and rabid fanbase, as well as a drinking game.

Over nine albums, Destroyer has shifted and changed through glam-rock (Streethawk: A Seduction), midi-orchestras (Your Blues) and yacht-rock with his latest release Kaputt. That record saw Bejar expand his sonic palate significantly, resulting in one of the most thrilling records of 2011. On the heels of his return to D.C. this weekend, we spoke to Bejar about touring, and other happenings in his world.

With this record you toured with a much bigger band then previous records. Is this current tour with the same band from last year’s tour?

It is an 8 piece still. The band is half the same half different. Different rhythm section and there is piano player.

Kaputt is such a stylistic shift from previous records, that it must be hard to do older tracks. Have you reworked any more songs to play this tour?

Yeah, tons more. That’s one of the main things that this group is trying to do more than every other Destroyer group that’s ever toured.

How far back are you gong into your catalogue?

Trying to cover three decades worth of songs. I think we are going back, realistically, to 1999. We’ll probably play lots of Kaputt stuff. We just pick stuff that keeps in sprit of the group we have now, and other songs that we had to render soulful.

The horns will big a big presence then I assume?

Yeah, those guys are touring with us still: JP on Trumpet and Joseph on sax, so he is playing more of a variety of woodwinds this time around. Those guys are gonna be putting in their two cents on every song.

You’ve been to D.C. many times before, have you had any time to explore our fine city?

Not really. I don’t exist in an exploring state. Maybe in the very earliest days, but definitely not in the last few years. I don’t get out and see too much aside from a couple city blocks around the venue. I do have a couple fond memories of doing laundry in D.C.

Having played both Black Cat and 9:30 Club, do you have a favorite?

I know the Black Cat fairly well and I really like playing there. The 9:30 Club I’ve played with the New Pornographers. It also seems really cool. Feels kind of big for a Destroyer show but, whatever, we’ll make it work. I saw friends of mine (Frog Eyes) play at a place called DC9 that seemed kind of cool.

How did you get linked up with Sandro Perri for this tour? He doesn’t seem like he plays that many shows.

I met him a couple years ago at a small fest in Switzerland. I also had friends who recommended his music to me and it ended up being something that I liked. I think we know some of the same people. So, basically as a fan, then, I asked him to tour, knowing that I think he really hadn’t done too much of that in the past and even if he was interested in sloggin’ it on the road, but he said yes which is great. I think it is gonna be good. I think his group and our group are going to get along, and before the month is over there is going to be some overlap.

Any plans after this U.S. tour?

I’m going to go to Europe with this band in July and then probably going to go back to Europe in the fall. I don’t have any plans to go back into the studio anytime soon but I think in 2013 it would be good to sit and stare at whatever mess of words and melodies I had amassed in the last year. I don’t have a very good idea of what I’ve produced, or if I’ve produced anything since making Kaputt, but it’s probably about time to starting think about it.

You have many side projects like Swan Lake, and Hello, Blue Roses. Any plans for a new record from either of those outfits?

I don’t foresee a new Swan Lake record in the near future. Hello, Blue Roses would be really fun to do, but I’m not the songwriter in that group, so that would entail Sydney (Vermont) writing more songs, or putting together an albums worth of songs. I’m not sure either of those are looming that close on the horizon. I don’t really know what’s going on in New Pornographers’ worlds. I think I’ll just try to hunker down and do some Destroyer writing work. Or not and just stare off into space for a year.

Any other collaborations in the works, or dream collaborations?

I feel like that is possible but my mind is slipping. Vague ideas floating around but nothing concrete. Dream collaborators, maybe like…who’s good? Maybe me and Joni Mitchell and Duke Ellington. The three of us working on something together. That’d be cool.

Destroyer is essentially a solo project, but would you ever put out a record under your own name?

I don’t know. I’ve never really thought of it. That’s a good question. At this point, I feel like if it was a musical endeavor I’d be hard pressed to do that. But maybe if something stuck me as so completely opposed to the reigning spirit of Destroyer then I’d probably come up with a different name for it. Whether that name be Daniel Bejar or something else. I kind of like keeping my name to myself. My name is like it’s own business and the world at large gets Destroyer. That seems like a good working model right now.

Destroyer plays the 9:30 Club with Sandro Perri on Saturday June 16. Tickets are $20.