For those unfamiliar with Toronto-based punk rock band PUP, the name is an acronym for "pathetic use of potential," lead singer Stefan Babcock has said. That should give listeners an idea of the ...

For emo and pop punk acolytes like Stefan Babcock, existential dread and self-flagellation don’t mark a somber ending — they mark the beginning of the healing process. “The way I like to write songs ...

THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND, the fourth album by the great Toronto punk band PUP, starts out with frontman Stefan Babcock banging out a few chords on the piano, sounding like Conor Oberst by way of ...

Over the last decade, the members of PUP have made careers out of turning their depression into a party. The punk quartet introduced itself as a “pathetic use of potential” with 2013’s scrappy, ...

After 15 years as a band, you would think that PUP has its shit together. But for the Toronto band, the chaos is not only part of the appeal, it’s integral to their story. Stefan Babcock, Nestor ...

Toronto punk rockers PUP are one of the best bands working in that particular genre space these days. Although, if we're being honest, their last album (2022's "The Unraveling of PUPTheBand") was kind ...

On “PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing for Bankruptcy,” the last song from PUP’s new album The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND, lead vocalist Stefan Babcock seems to be arguing with himself. Again. “I used to be ...

Late one night, around 2 or 3 a.m., PUP were knocking back drinks after another day spent grinding in the studio when Nestor Chumak remembered he forgot to turn off a system upstairs. When he returned ...

The path to being a successful punk rock band has changed a lot over the years. Twenty years ago before soundcloud, bandcamp and TikTok, a few buddies from school would start a band. They'd practice, ...

As a seasoned concert-goer, I like to notice the relationship between a band and its fans. But in my experience, I’ve never seen something as natural and fun as the friendship between PUP and their ...