“Sniffing Farts” with PUP’s Stefan Babcock
Canadian punk-rock band PUP, who are in the middle of a nationwide tour celebrating the release of their fifth studio album ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs’. We had the privilege to throw a few questions at PUP’s front man Stefan Babcock so we asked about the new album, what a PUP live show looks like and what he’s packing in his suitcase for an international tour.
For those that haven’t heard your music before, where do you place yourself on the genre spectrum?
Punk and indie I guess? Sometimes we cosplay as a hardcore band. Genre is dumb. I tell people we sound like early Weezer but more pissed off with the world.
May saw you release your fifth studio album Who Will Look After The Dogs. Tell us about the album, what can the listener expect when they press play?
It's one of our most meaningful records. It starts loud and dumb and brash and gets more introspective as it goes. There's a timeline to the tracklist. There are a lot of really fun rippers and a lot of really sad rippers, and most of the time it's both of those things at the same time.
“It’s definitely more raw and immediate than our last album.”
Is ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs’ a continuation or an evolution of your previous albums?
It's definitely more raw and immediate than our last album. We wanted to make something scrappy, something that sounded real, like the four of us in a room together making noise and finding joy in it. That's what it sounds like, because that's what it is.
Are there any funny or surprising stories from the creation period?
Our friend Jeff Rosenstock came by to sing on a couple songs. We set up to record vocals for our song ‘Get Dumber’ in the same room with the mics facing each other, Jeff and I screaming into each other's faces. We did a take that was awesome except for Jeff forgot one of the lyrics and just yelled "ahhhh lyrics?" into the mic. Anyway, the take was sick so we just kept it. That's the vibe of this band and this record. It made us laugh so it had to stay.
Are there any songs that stand out for you from ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs’, either because of their subject matter or how they came to be?
I honestly think they are all quite special to me, and that's not a cop out. It's our 5th record and I think it's the first record where I like all of the songs. For me personally, it's definitely our most meaningful record. ‘Hallways’ and ‘Shut Up’ are pretty personal for me, lyrically so those stand out. ‘Paranoid’ is probably us at our best, heavy and catchy at the same time. And ‘Hunger For Death’ has definitely become a crowd favourite at our shows.
Which track gets stuck in your head long after you have left the stage and why?
Nah, our songs don't get stuck in my head after shows. You know how many times we've played these songs? That's like sniffing your own farts.
“It’s nice, at this moment in history, to be surrounded by people who are fucking angry about the state of the world and need a cathartic outlet, but are also empathetic and kind”
August sees you return to Australia for the first time in three years to deliver ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs’ live for your fans here. What else can ticket holders expect from a PUP live show?
It's extremely fun. Real rowdy. The crowds go off and are also wonderful and take care of each other. There's something very special in this community to us. It's nice, at this moment in history, to be surrounded by people who are fucking angry about the state of the world and need a cathartic outlet, but are also empathetic and kind and want to make the world a better more inclusive space. We're very lucky to have that kind of environment at our shows.
Will you be doing the tourist things while you’re here? What are you looking forward to experiencing while you’re in the country?
We're always exploring cities, I like to hike, get out into nature whenever there's the opportunity.
Apart from your Passport, what else is a must-pack essential for you, especially for an international tour?
Noise cancelling headphones, you get pretty sick of your bandmates at a certain point.
Touring can be exhausting for musicians both physically and mentally, how do you manage your physical and mental wellbeing whilst on the road?
We just try and treat ourselves well. I take a lot of time alone. I love my bandmates and our friends that we tour with, but as an introvert I've learned that one of the most important things to keeping this train on the tracks is to spend enough time apart so that I can recharge and feel good when we're all together.
Where was your first gig? Was it a success or flop?
First gig is tonight in Brisbane. It's sold out. But still might flop, only time will tell. We're experts at crashing and burning.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
Dan, our tour manager, recently celebrated 450 shows with us. Pretty impressive. He works hard af.
Do you have a message for all the PUP fans and supporters in Australia?
Hey - thank you for coming to the shows, thank you for making us feel at home when we are so far from home. To be able to come all the way here, the other side of the world, and to play these big sold out venues, it's really really special for us. We don't take it for granted.
PUP shows still to come
12/08 Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
14/08 Magnet House, Perth
Tickets available via www.destroyalllines.com
Photos by Andy Kershaw
Interview by Michelle Symes
