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Smoking Popes

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Smoking Popes is an American rock group from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1991. They play punk-influenced pop music with crooning vocals. The core of the group is composed of brothers Matt Caterer (b. 1968), Josh Caterer (b. 1972) and Eli Caterer (b. 1975).

Contents

Biography

The Caterer brothers were raised on rock 'n' roll and crooners like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. In 1980 Matt got a guitar, Josh a bass guitar and Eli a drum set and they began to play together. Soon after, their eyes were opened to the world of the Ramones and punk rock. Other early musical influences included Mel Tormé, Tom Waits, The Replacements, The Smiths, early AC/DC, The Cars, and Dinosaur Jr.

In 1990 Matt and Josh, calling themselves Speedstick, got a gig at a party and played approximately 10 original punk-style compositions. About this time, Matt switched to bass and Dave Martens joined as drummer. Josh became an Elvis Costello fan and his style, accordingly, became more pop influenced. Speedstick recorded 10 songs in their first studio session, including "Brand New Hairstyle," which would become a staple of the Smoking Popes repertoire.

They changed the band's name, taking "Smoking" from Matt and Josh's penchant for excessive cigarette smoking and "Popes" from the movie "The Pope of Greenwich Village." (The band's original name was simply the "Popes", but it was decided to add the adjective to distinguish the band from the Chicago gang The Popes.)

Martens, disenchanted with the band's musical direction, stopped attending rehearsals and the Caterers recruited Mike Felumlee of Article One to replace him.

In 1991, the band released five tracks recorded during their Speedstick days as the Innoculator EP. With the proceeds and what other funding they could scratch together, the Smoking Popes bankrolled the recording of the Break Up EP in 1992. In February Eli Caterer joined as a second guitarist and in October Break Up was released. They played as often as possible in the Chicago area and ventured occasionally to small venues in Indiana and Tennessee.

In 1993 the band recorded their best-yet compositions on the 2 EP. They also recorded a split 7" single with Groovy Love Vibes. GLV vocalist Erik Pertl guested on the Popes' track "Leather and Lace" and Josh guested on the GLV track "Goodtime Music."

The band got a break when pop punk icon Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel became a fan and used his connections to recruit Mass Giorgini of Squirtgun to produce the Smoking Popes' first LP, Get Fired. With their improved status, the band scored a three-week tour with the Bollweevils and played to bigger audiences.

That year also saw the release of two Popes tracks from the same sessions as the Break Up EP. "Run Away" and "Let's Hear It for Love" appeared on the "It's a Punk Thing... You Wouldn't Understand" compilation on Snakefork Records.

For the follow-up to Get Fired the band worked with producer Phil Bonnet, who also produced much of their early material. "Need you Around," which would later launch Smoking Popes to a huge audience via the soundtrack to the movie Clueless, was recorded in December.

In early 1994 the band opened for Green Day, who extended the invitation after hearing Get Fired. In mid-1994 the Popes finished their new album, Born to Quit. After "Need You Around" took off on alternative radio, they opened for Elastica and gained the attention of record label scouts. They signed with Capitol Records, which rereleased Born to Quit. In a promotional blitz, they toured America with the Goo Goo Dolls and Tripping Daisy.

In 1996 The Clueless soundtrack was released in the UK and "Need You Around" was dropped as a single to capitalize on their newfound popularity there. It was promptly designated "Single of the Week" by the New Musical Express. They toured England and Scotland for a couple of weeks, then crossed back over the Pond to tour with Jawbreaker.

Despite the touring, album sales didn't meet Capitol's expectations and it became clear that the band had to deliver a hit. Producer Jerry Finn, who had added gloss to the sound of Green Day and Rancid, was brought in to do the same for Smoking Popes. In September they toured with labelmates Jimmy Eat World.

The start of 1997 brought dissatisfied label execs who insisted they didn't hear a single among the tracks Smoking Popes submitted for the new album. The band spent six months writing and demoing songs until Capitol was finally determined that new song "I Know You Love Me" had commercial potential. However, the label fired the Popes' A&R representative and the new album was shelved.

After negotiations, Destination Failure was released in August. At this point Tom Counihan, a.k.a Tom Daily, joined the band as a touring guitarist. In October they began to tour with alternative icon Morrissey, who said of Born to Quit, "[it's] extraordinary, the most lovable thing I'd heard in years."

Album sales picked up and the band garnered new fans at every stop. Still, the label couldn't be convinced to devote significant resources to promotion.

In 1998 the band toured with Triple Fast Action and Menthol. Afterward, the band decided to record a covers album, which would fulfill their contract with Capitol.

Around this time Josh became very involved in Christianity and wanted to devote his work to his faith. The label rejected the new album but released Smoking Popes from their contract. The band played several large shows before Josh quit, effectively breaking up the band.

In a later interview, Josh commented about this time "I became a Christian in May 1998 and I quit the Popes in January 1999. I tried to incorporate my faith into what we were doing in the Popes, but it just didn't seem like a good fit."

In 2001, record label Double Zero finally released the covers album The Party's Over.

In November of 2005 the Smoking Popes reunited for a packed and much-anticipated show at the Chicago club The Metro with Rob Kellenberger replacing Mike Felumlee on drums. The tickets sold out in a mere 36 minutes. In that show — immortalized on a very cool DVD called At Metro, bundled with a CD of the performance — Josh, Matt and Eli were conspicuously happy and energized. Eli remarked that he hadn't had that much fun in seven years, a reference to the time since the band's previous break-up. Josh has become somewhat more accepting of much of the music of his former band, and the Popes have decided to reunite on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. They embarked on a U.S. tour in early 2006 with the band Bayside. Several older, pre-1999 songs in the band's repertoire Josh retired from their set list, owing to their expression of views incongruent with his Christianity. Josh has hinted in several interviews that a new Popes album may be in the pipeline.

Discography

Full-length albums

Get Fired
Released: Johann's Face 1993
Catalog: JFR 011
Type: Compact Disc / 12"
1. Let's Hear It For Love
2. That's Where I Come In
3. Let Them Die
4. Double Fisted Love
5. Don't Be Afraid
6. Can't Find It
7. Off My Mind
8. Not That Kind of Girlfriend
9. Days Just Wave Goodbye

Born to Quit
Released: Johann's Face 1994 (Capitol 1995)
Catalog: JFR 0 (CDP 7243 8 33831 2 2)
Type: Compact Disc
1. Midnight Moon
2. Rubella
3. Gotta Know Right Now
4. Mrs. You and Me
5. Just Broke Up
6. My Lucky Day
7. Need You Around
8. Can't Help the Teardrops (from Getting Cried)
9. Adena
10. On the Shoulder

Destination Failure
Released: Capitol 1997
Catalog: CDP 7243 8 38217 2 3
Type: Compact Disc
1. Star Struck One
2. No More Smiles
3. I Know You Love Me
4. You Spoke to Me
5. Paul
6. Can't Find It
7. Capital Cristine
8. Before I'm Gone
9. Megan
10. Pure Imagination
11. I Was Right
12. They Lied
13. End of Your Time
14. Pretty Pathetic
15. Follow the Sound

1991-1998
Released: Double Zero Records 1999
Catalog: DZ0001
Type: Compact Disc
1. Brand New Hairstyle
2. Sandra
3. Wanted Love
4. Waiting Around
5. Down the Street
6. Never Coming Back
7. Breaking
8. Run Away
9. Writing a Letter
10. Stars
11. Under the Blanket
12. First Time
13. Let's Hear It For Love
14. That's Where I Come In
15. Let Them Die
16. Double Fisted Love
17. Don't Be Afraid
18. Can't Find It
19. Off My Mind
20. Not That Kind of Girlfriend
21. Days Just Wave Goodbye
22. Do Something
23. Pasted

Live
Released: Double Zero Records 2000
Catalog: DZ0003
Type: Compact Disc
1. Ramblin' Rose
2. Off My Mind
3. Need You Around
4. Star Struck One
5. No More Smiles
6. Double Fisted Love
7. Surf (intro)
8. Before I'm Gone
9. Stars
10. You Spoke to Me
11. Not That Kind of Girlfriend
12. Paul
13. Under the Blanket
14. Gotta Know Right Now
15. Days Just Wave Goodbye
16. Pretty Pathetic
17. Ramblin' Rose
18. Writing a Letter
19. Waiting Around
20. Brand New Lifestyle
21. Rubella
22. I Know You Love Me

The Party's Over
Released: Double Zero Records 2003
Catalog: DZ0012
Type: Compact Disc
1. Seven Lonely Days
2. Valentine
3. Bewitched
4. The Party's Over
5. Farther Along
6. Zing!
7. Stormy Weather
8. Wake Up Crying
9. You'll Never Walk Alone
10. Why Me

At Metro
Released: Victory Records 2006
Catalog: VR295
Type: Compact Disc
1. Ramblin Rose (Intro)
2. Off My Mind
3. No More Smiles
4. Gotta Know Right Now
5. Midnight Moon
6. Paul
7. Rubella
8. Don’t Be Afraid
9. Mrs. You And Me
10. Writing A Letter
11. Megan
12. Surf
13. Before I’m Gone
14. Just Broke Up
15. Stars
16. You Spoke To Me
17. On The Shoulder
18. Need You Around
19. Pretty Pathetic
20. Ramblin Rose (Outro)
21. Pure Imagination
22. I Know You Love Me
23. Brand New Hairstyle

Extended Play (EPs)

Inoculator
Released: 1991
Type: 7"
1. Sandra
2. Brand New Hairstyle
3. Missing Out
4. No Time For Your Lies
5. Theme From "Cheerleader"

Break Up
Released: 1992
Type: 7"
1. Waiting Around
2. Down the Street
3. Never Coming Back
4. Breaking

2
Released: 1993
Type: 7"
1. Writing a Letter
2. Stars
3. Under the Blanket
4. First Time

Smoking Popes/Groovy Love Vibes
Released: Johann's Face 1993
Catalog: JFR 009
Type: 7" (split)
1. Leather and Lace
2. Hang
3. Goodtime Music
4. See You Again

Singles

Rubella (Promo)
Released: Capitol 1995
Catalog: DPRO-10227
Type: Compact Disc
1. Rubella (Remix)

Need You Around (Promo)
Released: Capitol 1995
Catalog: DPRO-79607
Type: Compact Disc
1. Need You Around (Remix)

Need You Around (UK)
Released: Parlophone 1996
Catalog: 7243 8 82644 2 6
Type: Compact Disc
1. Need You Around (Remix)
2. Adena (Live)
3. Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
4. Adena (LP Version)

Before I'm Gone
Released: Johann's Face 1997
Catalog: JFR 030
Type: 7"
1. Before I'm Gone
2. Pasted

I Know You Love Me
Released: Capitol 1997
Type: 7"
1. I Know You Love Me
2. Need You Around (Live)

Egg Nog (Promo)
Released: Capitol 1997
Type: 7"
1. Pure Imagination
2. O Holy Night

Dandy Warhols/Smoking Popes
Released: Capitol 1997
Type: 7" (split)
1. Little Drummer Boy
2. O Holy Night

External links

 

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