When Sum 41 heralded their global rise in 2001 with their single "Fat Lip" from their debut album "All Killer, No Filler," the band already had a few years under their belt. As a 1-A punk rock anthem, "Fat Lip" made the Canadians around singer Deryck Whibley suddenly famous. Thanks to gems like "In Too Deep" and "Motivation," the album achieved platinum status in Sum 41's home country, among others. After this brilliant career start, the guys succeeded in establishing themselves permanently as one of the leading representatives of their genre.
The title of the first album "All Killer, No Filler" can also be applied to the entire discography of the troupe. There is no album that has not made it into the charts of all countries - mostly with more than respectable rankings, including a number one album in Canada ("Underclass Hero") as well as several gold and platinum awards. Sum 41 have also enjoyed great popularity in Germany since time immemorial: "13 Voices" (2016) and "Order in Decline" (2019) made it into the Top 10 here - and that, mind you, in the age of streaming services. The guys from Ajax, Ontario are obviously doing a lot right - even if there were quite a few hurdles to overcome in their long band history.
In96, singer Deryck Whibley and drummer Steve Jocz call the band into being, which would become Sum 41 a little later. The two other founding members Marc Costanzo (guitar) and Mark Spicoluk (bass) belong to the line-up only during the initial phase. In 1997 Dave Baksh joined as guitarist; two years later a new bassist was found in Jason McCaslin. Characteristic for the sound of the group is the fact that all band members are also background singers. The release of the "Half Hour of Power" EP in June 2000 already shows that this is not just any fun punk band. This attracts attention beyond the borders of Canada and paves the way for the final breakthrough, which follows in 2001 with "All Killer, No Filler" on the heel.
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Follow-up albums and line-up changes
While Sum 41's subsequent releases - including the direct follow-up "Does This Look Infected" (containing the hits "Still Waiting" and "The Hell Song") and the 2004 album "Chuck" (featuring "Pieces") - never quite match the mega-success of their debut, they are nonetheless consistently successful. One of the aforementioned hurdles is the departure of guitarist Dave Baksh in 2006 - who, however, returns in 2015. In 2013, founding member Steve Jocz vacates his place behind the drums. He is replaced by Frank Zummo in 2015. In particular, the temporary departure of Dave Baksh makes itself felt stylistically. While Baksh shaped the Sum 41 sound with his penchant for heavy metal, "Underclass Hero" passes for a pop-punk record. On "Screaming Bloody Murder" the band, which has shrunk to a trio in the meantime, nevertheless finds its way back to earlier heaviness. In his lyrics, Deryck Whibley deals with the separation from Avril Lavigne, to whom he had been married since 2006. The single "Blood in My Eyes" is nominated for the Grammy.
Sum 41 singer: crisis and comeback
To the sixth output "13 Voices" (2016) go a good five years in the country. These are marked by health problems Deryck Whibleys, who deals with his serious personal crises on "13 Voices". The album is the first with Frank Zummo on drums. Dave Baksh rejoins as guitarist at this point. So does Tom Thacker, who has moved up from being just a live guitarist to a permanent band member. After their comeback, the punk rockers will release their seventh studio album "Order in Decline" in 2019.
Maybe it's the little stylistic shifts between pop-punk, alternative rock/metal and punk rock that still make the Canadians sound like they just dropped their debut album on the market after all these years. But maybe it's also the concentrated power that Sum 41 bring across live. Hits like "In Too Deep," "Still Waiting," "The Hell Song," "Pieces" and, of course, "Fat Lip" are still just as effective today as they were 20 years ago - and turn every Sum 41 concert into the ultimate party.
