Toronto punks PUP on finding humour in hardship and fifth album 'Who Will Look After The Dogs?' • Interview • DIY Magazine

PUP are probably the first to admit that their band has been on the brink of implosion since they first arrived with their explosive self-titled debut album over a decade ago. Ever since, there’s been the feeling that if the Toronto punks weren’t so readily able to laugh about the friction and bullshit that goes with life in a band, then things would have gone kaput a long time ago.

“It’s like free therapy from a therapist who doesn’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” laughs frontman Stefan Babcock as he speaks to DIY over Zoom to discuss fifth album ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’. From 2016’s telling ‘The Dream Is Over’ through to 2022’s ‘The Great Unravelling Of Pup The Band’, the four-piece have been able to channel life’s trauma into something beautiful, feral and human, growing their community with each show.

He lets out a chuckle when asked if the band feel like survivors at this point. “We’re expert complainers but we feel incredibly lucky to still be able to do this five records deep,” he says. “It’s amazing to be in a band with the same members after ten years, I think that’s a pretty rare thing.” Pointing to tracks like ‘If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will’, he says, “we’re open about our issues but there’s a really strong foundation of love in our band. To still be having fun together and making records that we’re proud of shows there’s a lot of respect underneath.”

He explains their continued hunger has been a crucial factor in the band’s relative longevity. “Staying excited about what you’re doing is such a huge part of the battle, once that’s gone people can see through it. I think that’s where a lot of bands who start off strong go wrong, they lose that excitement.” The challenge of writing new material was also central in that excitement heading into their fifth full-length. “Writing is the thing that I love the most about being in a band, finding out what’s next and pushing each other not to repeat ourselves.”

“Staying excited about what you’re doing is such a huge part of the battle.”

— Stefan Babcock

Penned through one of the most stormy chapters in Stefan’s life, ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’ was written as he navigated a break-up with his long-term partner - an agony which you can hear pulsing through the record. He’s a man pouring every inch of emotion into his writing - take the scuzzy ‘Hallways’, which thrums with trademark vivid lyricism (“The first night without you / I collapsed on the living room floor”). And yet, there’s still humour to salvage the wreckage: “I’m losing the will to keep dragging on / But I can’t die yet ‘cause who will look after the dog?”

Stefan says he’s at his best when reflecting on turbulence with a knowing smirk. “So much about this band is about having fun despite the fact that life can be pretty shit sometimes.” It’s a coping mechanism that’s led to some of the outfit’s best material. “Bringing in that element of fun and humour has always been really important,” he says. “I have a tough time mentally a lot of the time and I go to a lot of dark places but that’s not a good place for me to be writing from.”

He reflects on this for a moment before picking up the thread. “I like to be writing once I’ve come out of the other side, looking back on the crazy thoughts I had when I was at the bottom of the abyss and laughing at how insane they were. Pain is real and life is hard but it’s also fucking funny. You’ve got to laugh at yourself and understand that the things you think in your worst moments aren’t real. If you can’t laugh then you’re in a lot of trouble.”

It’s undoubtedly that juxtaposition that’s won PUP a following the world over, with Stefan still hoping that listeners can find release through their music. “We want to express that pain in a way that’s a fun release for everyone who is listening so people can enjoy themselves when listening to the records or at the shows and not just be sucked into the muck.”

“It’s nice to know that these songs have helped people. I simultaneously feel bad for the people connecting with them but it makes me feel less alone. The community that we’re a part of has just been so supportive; there’s a lot of freaks out there who feel comforted by being part of our community. We’re living through really difficult times and I think the community you create around any form of art is how you get through this, stay hopeful and move forward.”

“Pain is real and life is hard but it’s also fucking funny.”

— Stefan Babcock

Although the band have scaled up, they’ve kept that sense of community close along the way. This summer they will lean into their DIY origins with a series of Toronto house shows, playing six in one week. “We’re lucky enough to be in a position where we can mix it up and keep it fresh and we’re doing those because we feel like it,” he nods.

On the other end of the spectrum, the band have had a taste of huge arenas, most notably a stint supporting fellow Canadian rockers Sum 41, yet he explains it’s not in his band’s DNA to gun for that level of fame. “I think it’s really admirable and brave for an artist to really go for it. It’s not a judgement call on my part, but I’m not interested in the level of success where you can’t go to the grocery store. I’m writing songs that I believe in and playing them with my friends. It’s got us to this level where we’ve made a living for a decade which is fucking crazy. That’s enough for me, I don’t want that other stuff, this is a choice but I applaud anyone who takes that big swing.”

In an industry where overnight fame appears ubiquitous on the outside, looking back, Stefan wouldn’t change anything about PUP’s existence thus far. “I’m just so grateful that we came up when we did. We’ve been lucky to take baby steps to the point where I’m not nervous in these much bigger venues. If you’d have thrown me into this position at the very beginning I would have fucked it up so badly. I have a few friends who have had a lot of success quickly and it’s not easy, I’m really grateful we’ve been able to do it step by step.”

It feels like PUP have stealthily won on their own terms and even with a huge year ahead, he insists they’ll take nothing for granted. “I just never know if this is the last record we’re ever going to make or the last tour we’re ever going to do. I’ve had those feelings for ten years though, the band does feel like it will cease to exist at any moment and I think that’s part of the magic we’re trying to capture in the studio.”

“A lot of songs on this record feel like things are about to fucking go right off the rails but we’re staying together. It’s a special thing that you can’t fake. We’re all along for the ride, we love each other and we’re happy to be here. This shit isn’t forever, nothing is forever and nothing is certain in this life so we’re enjoying every minute.”

‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’ is out now via Little Dipper / Rise Records.

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