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• Smoking Popes

Genre: Punk

Last Played: 11-20-2008 1:27 am

Sounds Like:Hey Mercedes, The Promise Ring, Lawrence Arms, The

Smoking Popes is a punk rock band from Chicago. They were formed by brothers Josh, Matt, and Eli Caterer, with Mike Felumlee rounding out the lineup. They began writing music together in 1991 and recorded their first album in 1993 after Ben Weasel became a fan and got them a record deal with Johann's Face Records. This album created an even larger buzz around the band, and they opened for Green Day in 1994. After the tour, they signed with Capitol Records and released two more full lengths in 1994 and 1997. Josh became involved in Christianity and quit the band in 1999, and the band broke up shortly thereafter. In 2005, the band reformed to play a successful reunion show in Chicago, soon leading into a 2006 tour with Bayside. The current line-up of Smoking Popes includes the Caterer brothers and Chicago punk rock mainstay, (and Lawrence Arms member), Neil Hennessey on drums. In 2008 the group released "Stay Down," including the catchy single "If You Don't Care."