The Caterer brothers were raised on rock 'n' roll and crooners like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. In 1980 Matt got a guitar, Josh a bass guitar and Eli a drum set and they began to play together. Soon after, their eyes were opened to the world of the Ramones and punk rock. Other early musical influences included Mel Tormé, Tom Waits, The Replacements, The Smiths, early AC/DC, The Cars, and Dinosaur Jr.
In 1990 Matt and Josh, calling themselves Speedstick, got a gig at a party and played approximately 10 original punk-style compositions. About this time, Matt switched to bass and Dave Martens joined as drummer. Josh became an Elvis Costello fan and his style, accordingly, became more pop influenced. Speedstick recorded 10 songs in their first studio session, including "Brand New Hairstyle," which would become a staple of the Smoking Popes repertoire.
They changed the band's name, taking "Smoking" from Matt and Josh's penchant for excessive cigarette smoking and "Popes" from the movie "The Pope of Greenwich Village." (The band's original name was simply the "Popes", but it was decided to add the adjective to distinguish the band from the Chicago gang The Popes.)
Martens, disenchanted with the band's musical direction, stopped attending rehearsals and the Caterers recruited Mike Felumlee of Article One to replace him.
In 1991, the band released five tracks recorded during their Speedstick days as the Innoculator EP, with local indie label Radius Records. With the proceeds and what other funding they could scratch together, the Smoking Popes bankrolled the recording of the Break Up EP in 1992. In February Eli Caterer joined as a second guitarist and in October Break Up was released. They played as often as possible in the Chicago area and ventured occasionally to small venues in Indiana and Tennessee.
In 1993 the band recorded their best-yet compositions on the 2 EP. They also recorded a split 7" single with Groovy Love Vibes. GLV vocalist Erik Pertl guested on the Popes' track "Leather and Lace" and Josh guested on the GLV track "Goodtime Music."
The band got a break when pop punk icon Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel became a fan and used his connections to recruit Mass Giorgini of Squirtgun to produce the Smoking Popes' first LP, Get Fired. With their improved status, the band scored a three-week tour with The Bollweevils and played to bigger audiences.
That year also saw the release of two Popes tracks from the same sessions as the Break Up EP. "Run Away" and "Let's Hear It for Love" appeared on the "It's a Punk Thing... You Wouldn't Understand" compilation on Shakefork Records.
For the follow-up to Get Fired the band worked with producer Phil Bonnet, who also produced much of their early material. "Need you Around," which would later launch Smoking Popes to a huge audience via the soundtrack to the movie Clueless, was recorded in December.
In early 1994 the band opened for Green Day, who extended the invitation after hearing Get Fired. In mid-1994 the Popes finished their new album, Born to Quit. After "Need You Around" took off on alternative radio, they opened for Elastica and gained the attention of record label scouts. They signed with Capitol Records, which rereleased Born to Quit. In a promotional blitz, they toured America with the Goo Goo Dolls and Tripping Daisy.
In 1996 The Clueless soundtrack was released in the UK and "Need You Around" was dropped as a single to capitalize on their newfound popularity there. It was promptly designated "Single of the Week" by the New Musical Express. They toured England and Scotland for a couple of weeks, then crossed back over the Pond to tour with Jawbreaker.
Despite the touring, album sales didn't meet Capitol's expectations and it became clear that the band had to deliver a hit. Producer Jerry Finn, who had added gloss to the sound of Green Day and Rancid, was brought in to do the same for Smoking Popes. In September they toured with labelmates Jimmy Eat World.
The start of 1997 brought dissatisfied label execs who insisted they didn't hear a single among the tracks Smoking Popes submitted for the new album. The band spent six months writing and demoing songs until Capitol was finally determined that new song "I Know You Love Me" had commercial potential. However, the label fired the Popes' A&R representative and the new album was shelved.
After negotiations, Destination Failure was released in August. At this point Tom Counihan, a.k.a Tom Daily, joined the band as a touring guitarist. In October they began to tour with alternative icon Morrissey, who said of Born to Quit, "[it's] extraordinary, the most lovable thing I'd heard in years."
Album sales picked up and the band garnered new fans at every stop. Still, the label couldn't be convinced to devote significant resources to promotion.
In 1998 the band toured with Triple Fast Action and Menthol. Afterward, the band decided to record a covers album, which would fulfill their contract with Capitol.
Around this time Josh became very involved in Christianity and wanted to devote his work to his faith. The label rejected the new album but released Smoking Popes from their contract. The band played several large shows before Josh quit, effectively breaking up the band.
In a later interview, Josh commented about this time "I became a Christian in May 1998 and I quit the Popes in January 1999. I tried to incorporate my faith into what we were doing in the Popes, but it just didn't seem like a good fit."
In 2001, record label Double Zero finally released the covers album The Party's Over.
In November of 2005 the Smoking Popes reunited for a packed and much-anticipated show at the Chicago club The Metro with Rob Kellenberger replacing Mike Felumlee on drums. The tickets sold out in a mere 36 minutes. In that show — immortalized on a DVD called At Metro, bundled with a CD of the performance — Josh, Matt and Eli were conspicuously happy and energized. Eli remarked that he hadn't had that much fun in seven years, a reference to the time since the band's previous break-up. Josh has become somewhat more accepting of much of the music of his former band, and the Popes have decided to reunite on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. They embarked on a U.S. tour in early 2006 with the band Bayside. Several older, pre-1999 songs in the band's repertoire Josh retired from their set list, owing to their expression of views incongruent with his Christianity. During this time, the Popes have acquired a new drummer, Ryan Chavez, who replaced Kellenburger, who had prior commitments. Chavez now seems to be the permanent replacement. During August 5th of Lollapalooza 2006 in Chicago, Josh introduced and played two new songs which he announced would be on the forthcoming Popes album, though no release date or album title was given. The new songs, entitled "If You Don't Care" and "Stay Down", are now available to hear on the band's MySpace page.
Leather and Lace
Smoking Popes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a heart so hollow?
Shatter with words
Impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile
Try not to be like such a way
For something I can't say
But I have my own life
And I am stronger than you know
Still I carry this feeling
When you came into my house
You won't be walking out the door
Still I carry this feeling
When you came into my house
You won't be walking out the door
[Chorus]
Lovers forever
Face to face
My city or mountains
Stay with me, stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give me your leather
Take from me my lace
You weeped in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me?
And you were right
When I walked into your house
You knew I never want you to leave
Sometimes I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
Sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by
[Chorus: x2]
Take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
The song “Leather and Lace” by Smoking Popes is a classic tune about love, heartbreak, and resilience. The opening lines of the chorus, “Lovers forever face to face, my city or mountains, stay with me, stay,” speaks to the desire of the singer to have their lover by their side at all times, regardless of where they are. The song expresses the sentiment of fragility of love, coupled with the resilience to carry on despite the pain of heartbreak.
The lyrics are addressed to a lover who has hurt the singer in some way, causing their heart to shatter. The singer questions if love is so fragile and if a heart is truly so easily hollowed out. The verse also talks about the impact of words and how they can shatter a heart into a million pieces, making it impossible to put it back together. The chorus then states that despite the fragility of love, the two lovers will stay together, with one partner asking the other to take their leather and give them their lace, implying they will exchange their strong and bold characteristics for vulnerability and tenderness.
In the second verse, the singer tries to convey that they are strong, but vulnerable at the same time. The person is sometimes strong and sometimes cold and scared; however, when they saw their lover, they knew that they would get by with them by their side. The song ends with the singer asking their lover to take their lace from them, implying that they will submit to them and be with them in every situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Is love so fragile?
Questioning the vulnerability of love
Is a heart so hollow?
Asking if one's heart is empty
Shatter with words
The possibility of words leading to heartbreak
Impossible to follow
The difficulty in comprehending someone's else's feelings
You're saying I'm fragile
Addressing an accusation of fragility
Try not to be like such a way
Suggesting not to act in a fragile manner
For something I can't say
Unable to express the true feelings
But I have my own life
Affirming one's independence
And I am stronger than you know
Believing in one's strength and resilience
Still I carry this feeling
Admitting to still having feelings
When you came into my house
Referring to a specific event
You won't be walking out the door
Not wanting someone to leave
[Chorus]
Refraining to a repeated series of lines
Lovers forever
Describing lovers' commitment
Face to face
Emphasizing intimacy
My city or mountains
Expressing willingness to be together anywhere
Stay with me, stay
Requesting someone to stay
I need you to love me
Admitting to the need for love
I need you today
Expressing urgency for love
Give me your leather
Asking for strength and resilience
Take from me my lace
Giving up fragility and vulnerability
You weeped in the moonlight
Describing a specific event
With your sleepy eyes
Referring to a specific look
Could you ever love a man like me?
Questioning someone's ability to love
And you were right
Admitting to someone's correctness
When I walked into your house
Referring to a specific event
You knew I never want you to leave
Showing reluctance to let go
Sometimes I'm a strong man
Acknowledging strength
Sometimes cold and scared
Admitting to vulnerability
Sometimes I cry
Expressing emotions
But that time I saw you
Referring to a specific event
I knew with you to light my nights
Believing someone could provide comfort
Somehow I'd get by
Having hope and resilience
[Chorus: x2]
Refraining to the repeated series of lines twice
Take from me my lace
Giving up fragility and vulnerability
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephanie Nicks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind