PUP | Artist
PUP aka Pathetic Use of Potential is a Canadian punk rock band formed 2010 in Toronto by Stefan Babcock (vocals, guitar), Nestor Chumak (bass, backing vocals), Steve Sladkowski (guitar, backing vocals), and Zack Mykula (drums, backing vocals). The band's energy, attitude and hooky guitar figures, coupled with a quirky sense of humor and engaging songwriting, saw them build a widespread audience both in and outside of Canada. PUP started when Nestor Chumak, Steve Sladkowski, and Zack Mykula, who were childhood friends and attended the same school in Toronto, began playing in a number of bands. Stefan Babcock also grew up playing in bands in Toronto, and met his future bandmates at local music venues. At Ryerson University, Babcock worked with Chumak to record a song he had written for a school project. The duo teamed up with Chumak's friends Sladkowski and Mykula to form a group called Topanga, the name coming from teen heart-throb Topanga Matthews from the Disney sitcom Boy Meets World. They recorded the four-track EP Lionheart which was released as a free download. The band then began performing live, with their first show at the Bovine Sex Club in January 2011. By early 2012, they were touring with Hollerado and signed to Hollerado's label, Royal Mountain Records. Wanting a producer who could capture their performance style in the studio, and inspired by The Bronx's 2008 self-titled album, they approached Dave Schiffman, an industry veteran who had worked with Rage Against the Machine, Weezer, and Anti-Flag. He liked the demo tape they sent him and agreed to work on an album, which was recorded in a Montréal studio belonging to F1 racing driver Jacques Villeneuve. The debut album PUP (acronym of the band's new name Pathetic Use of Potential) came out on CD in October 2013, then vinyl in 2014 on the Side One Dummy label. It was a hit with both critics and fans, with the group being named Best Live Show and Best New Artist by CBC Radio 3. The band then toured extensively, playing throughout Canada, England and the United States. By the end of 2013, PUP had signed with punk label Side One Dummy, and spent much of 2014 and 2015 touring in support of the reissue of their debut LP, headlining tours of the United States and Canada, as well as making their Australian debut. Although it was a full three years until their second album The Dream is Over, it was worth the wait, with critics and fans alike hailing it as PUP's best work to-date. The band has since gone on to deliver five studio albums, one excellent live album, and a raft of EPs, Singles, and Music Video's. Standout's' include PUP (2013), The Dream is Over (2016), Morbid Stuff (2019), and Live at The Electric Ballroom (2020). The band has won countless awards, particularly for their creative music videos. Rolling Stone listed the "Sleep in the Heat" music video as #4 of the "10 Best Music Videos of 2016." In 2020, Morbid Stuff won an "Alternative Album of the year" Juno Award, and in 2021, "This Place Sucks Ass" was nominated on "Alternative album of the year" Juno Award. The name PUP was inspired by Stefan Babcock's grandmother, who said that playing in a rock band was a "pathetic use of potential."
Artist Website: puptheband.com
Featured Albums: PUP
Related Artists: Pathetic Use of Potential, Radar Peak, Deforesters
