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Sum 41 is a Canadian band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed from members of several local high school bands, 41 days into the summer of 1996. The band consists of Deryck Whibley (a.k.a. Bizzy D {lead vocals, guitar, keyboard/piano}), Jason McCaslin (a.k.a. Cone {bass and backing vocals}), and Steve Jocz (a.k.a. Stevo32 {drums and backing vocals}). Since signing a record deal with Island Records in 1999, the band has released 4 full length albums, 1 EP, and over 10 singles.
History
Early years and Half Hour of Power (1996-2000)
The members of Sum 41 started out in rival bands in high school. They joke that they met while attending a Hole concert 41 days into the summer (hence the name Sum 41) of 1996. However the current bassist, Cone, joined the band later in the year 1999, replacing Mark Spicoluk, who later played bass for Avril Lavigne, Deryck's wife.The guys carried a video camera with them and filmed crazy Jackass-esque antics including, robbing a pizza place with water guns and performing a dance to "Makes No Difference" in front of an arena (both of which can be seen on both "Introduction to Destruction" and the bonus DVD from "Does This Look Infected?").
The band submitted the video footage along with their demo tapes to several record labels. Island Records, seeking a new pop-punk band in the blink-182 vein, signed Sum 41 in early 2000.
Sum 41 released their EP "Half Hour of Power" on June 27, 2000. The first single released by the band was "Makes No Difference", which had 2 different videos. The first was put together using the video clips sent into the record labels and the second had the band performing at a house party.
Mainstream success: All Killer No Filler and Does This Look Infected? (2000-2003)
Sum 41's second CD and first full length album, "All Killer No Filler", was released on May 8, 2001. On an episode of MTV Cribs featuring Steve's house, Deryck said that the majority of the songs were written in Steve's basement. The first single released was "Fat Lip" which became a huge hit during the summer. Performances on the Warped Tour during the year further increased the popularity of the band.Two other hit singles were released, "In Too Deep", which had a comedy video of them in a diving competition, and "Motivation", a simplistic video of the band playing in classic garage band theme. The band toured for much of the year before returning to the studio to record another CD.
On November 26, 2002, Sum 41 released their second full length album "Does This Look Infected?" Sum 41 altered their style slightly - bringing in a heavier style, while keeping the smooth harmonies they were known for. The first single released was "Still Waiting" which had them mocking "new-garage" retro-rock under the name of "The Sums" and parodying one of The Strokes' videos.
The band followed up the release of "Still Waiting" with "The Hell Song" which had the band using dolls with their pictures on them and others such as Ozzy Osbourne and Jesus Christ. Their next single, "Over My Head (Better off Dead)", had a video released exclusively in Canada and on their website in the United States, featuring live shots of the band.
After extensive touring in support of the album, Iggy Pop recruited Sum 41 for his new album, Skull Ring. They co-wrote the first single from the album "Little Know It All" and joined Iggy on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote the song.
Chuck (2004-2006)
In early 2004, the band contributed to the first Rock Against Bush album by recording the song "Moron" which was also a bonus track in the Japanese import of Chuck.In late May of 2004, the band traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo along with War Child, a Canadian charity organization, to document the civil war occurring in the country.Days after arriving, fighting broke out near the hotel the band was staying at in Bukavu.[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488128/06032004/sum_41.jhtml The band waited for the firing to die down, but it never did. A U.N. peacekeeper, Chuck Pelletier (also Canadian), called for armored carriers to take the hotel's occupants out of the hot zone. After 5-6 hours the carriers arrived and the band and the 40 other civilians were taken to safety. The band named their next album Chuck in honor of Chuck Pelletier for saving their lives. The documentary was made into a half-hour film called ROCKED: Sum 41 in Congo, which aired on MTV on September 21, 2005. War Child released it on DVD on November 29, 2005 in the United States and Canada.
Sum 41's album Chuck was released on October 12, 2004 and the first single from the album (as well as the only song written after the Congo incident) was "We're All To Blame" followed by "Pieces" and "Some Say". "No Reason" was also supposed to be a single, but "Some Say" was released instead.
While touring in support of Chuck, Sum 41 played videos before their set which were deemed "unsuitable for children". * In one video, Basketball Butcher, which was also included in some versions of "Chuck", Steve and Cone play basketball and Cone beats Steve badly. Following the game Steve murders Cone and later dismembers and cooks him. In another video, 1-800-Justice, Cone and Steve are drug dealing brothers, while Dave and Deryck play under cover police officers. Steve shoots Deryck as Cone stabs Dave and they make their get away.
Sum 41 released a new live CD, called "Happy Live Surprise". The CD contains 22 songs, all recorded live from London, Ontario. "Happy Live Surprise" was released on December 21, 2005 in Japan. The band released the same CD under the name "Go Chuck Yourself" on March 7, 2006 in Canada.
Following their September 11, 2005 show in Quebec City, Quebec, the band went on a touring hiatus. Although on April 17, 2006 Sum 41 played at a tribute to Iggy Pop, joining Iggy on stage for "Little Know It All" and "Lust 4 Life".
Next album and departure of Dave Baksh (2006-present)
Cone has recently denied a greatest hits album coming out this year on the "Goon Platoon" Website.
Sum 41 will also contribute in covering a John Lennon song for an album honouring the former Beatles singer. Other confirmed artists participating are Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Deftones and Duran Duran. * Proceeds from the album will go to Amnesty International.
On, May 11, 2006, Dave Baksh (a.k.a. Dave Brownsound) announced in a statement through his management company that he was leaving Sum 41 to work with his new band Brown Brigade. Baksh's departure from the band was said to be due to artistic differences, and his goal to play music with more of a classical metal sound. **
On, July 14, 2006 Deryck married singer Avril Lavigne
On May 12th, Deryck made the first official comment on the subject on the official message board post addressing Dave's departure:
Cone has said on the band's Q&A section that "You can probably expect a new single next spring and the album next summer. Thats the plan and hopefully that happens."
It has recently been announced that Cone has started a side project with Todd Morse of H2O and Juliette and the Licks. The band is called The Operation and they have already begun recording demos, which can be found on their myspace website. Cone lends his vocal talents as well as playing bass and keyboards for the band.*
Band Lineup
Deryck Whibley/bizzy d (Guitar, Vocals)
Jason McCaslin/Cone (Bass, Vocals)
Steve Jocz/Stevo32 (Drums)
Former Members
Mark Spicoluk (1996-1999)
Dave Baksh/brownsound (1996-2006)
Discography
Albums
Studio Albums
Live Albums
Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | UK | Canada | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Makes No Difference" | - | #6 | #35 | - | Half Hour of Power |
| 2001 | "Fat Lip" | #66 | #1 | #8 | - | All Killer No Filler |
| 2001 | "In Too Deep" | - | - | #13 | - | All Killer No Filler |
| 2002 | "Motivation" | - | - | #21 | - | All Killer No Filler |
| 2002 | "Handle This" | - | - | - | - | All Killer No Filler |
| 2002 | "What We're All About" | - | - | #32 | - | Spider-Man Soundtrack |
| 2002 | "Still Waiting" | - | #16 | #7 | - | Does This Look Infected? |
| 2003 | "The Hell Song" | - | - | #35 | - | Does This Look Infected? |
| 2003 | "Over My Head (Better Off Dead)" | - | - | #27 | - | Does This Look Infected? |
| 2004 | "We're All to Blame" | - | #10 | - | - | Chuck |
| 2005 | "Pieces" | - | #15 | - | #1 | Chuck |
| 2005 | "Some Say" | - | - | - | #10 | Chuck |
Movies
Makes No Difference:What I Believe:
Fat Lip:
In Too Deep:
What We're All About:
The Hell Song:
We're All to Blame:
No Reason:
Open Your Eyes:
Noots:
Featurings & Covers
With Tenacious D:- "Things I Want" (2001)
With Unwritten Law:
With North American Hallowe'en Prevention, Inc.:
With Tommy Lee and Rob Halford at MTV 20 Years Anniversary'':
- "Rock Medley" - Fat Lip (from Sum 41), No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn (From Beastie Boys),Shout at the Devil (from Motley Crue), You've Got Another Thing Comin' (From Judas Priest) (2001)
At MTV's New Year's Eve:
- "How You Remind Me" (2002) (original by Nickelback)
With Nelly, Ja Rule and DJ Clue at MTV Icon:
- "Walk This Way" (2002) (original by Aerosmith)
At MTV Icon:
- "Metallica Medley" - For Whom The Bell Tolls, Enter Sandman, Master of Puppets (2002)
At numerous concerts and a MTV Special:
- "The Trooper" (2002) (original by Iron Maiden)
With Iggy Pop:
- "Little Know It All"*" (2003) #?? UK
- "Lust for Life"*" @MTV Latin Awards 2003
With Ludacris:
For Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen:
- "Killer Queen" (2005) #?? UK
B-Sides
- "Astronaut" - Can be found on original Website, recorded before "Half Hour of Power", never made an album
- "Reign in Pain" - A song found on some versions of "Does This Look Infected?" Done by Sum 41's alter ego band "Pain for Pleasure"
- "WWVII Parts 1 and 2" - A song found on some versions of "Does This Look Infected?" Done by Sum 41's alter ego band "Pain for Pleasure". Holds the record for being the longest Sum 41 song to date.
- "Moron" - Appeared on Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 and some versions of "Chuck" (both releases had two different versions however).
- "Noots" - Appeared on the soundtrack to Fantastic Four
- "Rock You" - from the movie soundtrack The Album
- "Subject to Change" - Appeared as secret track on "Chuck" on Japanese and European versions
VHS & DVDs
- Introduction To Destruction (2001)
- Does This Look Infected Too? (2002) - DVD with a mini-album released in Japan
- Cross Your T's and Gouge Your I's (2002) - DVD inside with their 2002 Does This Look Infected? album
- Sake Bombs And Happy Endings (2004)
- Bring The Noize! (2004) - DVD documenting the band members' lives before their career start and eventual rise to fame
- Sum 41 in Congo (2005)
- Happy Live Surprise (2005)
Others
- Maximum Sum 41 (2003) - an interview
- Guest vocals on the Treble Charger album Detox and appearance in the video "Hundred Million"
Trivia
- The band planned on having "Summer" on all of their albums as a joke, before scrapping the idea after putting it on their first two albums
- The cover for "Does This Look Infected?" was chosen months before the title was. The album was almost delayed by the label because they didn't have a name for it yet. Then, almost out of random, Deryck suddenly thought of the name "Does This Look Infected?", the whole band laughed at the idea and chose it as their album title.
- "The Hell Song" is about a friend of the band who contracted HIV.
- All of the band members have a 41 tattooed on the back of their right arm.
- The original title for "Fat Lip" was "Punk Hop", due to the song being a combination of hip-hop and punk
- "A.N.I.C" from "Does This Look Infected?" is about Anna Nicole Smith. Steve said it stands for "Anna Nicole is cute", while during live performances Deryck says "Anna Nicole is a (fucking stupid) cunt" or something similar.
External links
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