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.
Megan
Smoking Popes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When she's around
I was on the tracks
When the gate came down
Suddenly I recognized
Those bloodshot rear view mirror eyes as mine
I heard that whistle call my name
But Megan I had a feeling that you would be on that train
So I just waited there for you
Caught a ride to another town
Where the air was clean
And the sun never goes down
Everyone was standing in a line
Between the landing and the stairs
I heard somebody call my name
I almost climbed the stairs
But Megan I had a feeling that someday you'd meet me there
So I just waited there for you
Butter on a summer day
When I hear that name
It's a dream that never came true
Sat down on the tracks
And waited for a train to take me back to you
Somebody came and took my hand
I finally had to go
But Megan I just want you to know
That I waited as long as I could
Butter on a summer day when she's around
The opening lines of Smoking Popes' song "Before I'm Gone" evoke a vivid summer day, with the playful image of butter melting in the heat, creating a sense of nostalgia and longing. The song unfolds as a narrative about love and missed opportunities, with the singer awaiting the arrival of his beloved Megan at a train crossing. The presence of the train brings a sense of foreboding, suggesting that something important will happen, even as the singer struggles with an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty.
The singer recognizes his reflection in the bloodshot rearview mirror eyes of a passing train and hears a whistle call his name, but he waits for Megan to arrive before moving on. The lyrics here speak to the power of love and the immense hold it can have over a person's life. The singer catches a ride to another town, where he waits for Megan, knowing she will eventually come. The image of "the landing and the stairs" emphasizes the transitory nature of the situation, and how the singer is suspended between different possibilities and different futures.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing and a feeling of inevitability that the singer and Megan will eventually meet. However, the final lines suggest that something has gone wrong, with the singer waiting alone for a train that will never come. The song's final lines, "Butter on a summer day when she's around," repeat the opening motif, ending the song on a bittersweet, nostalgic note that encapsulates the sense of missed opportunity that runs throughout the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Butter on a summer day
The warm and comforting feeling of being with someone you care about on a perfect day.
When she's around
This feeling only happens when that special person is present.
I was on the tracks
Feeling stuck in life and unsure of what to do next.
When the gate came down
Feeling trapped and unable to move forward.
Suddenly I recognized
Having a moment of self-realization and understanding one's own struggles.
Those bloodshot rearview mirror eyes as mine
Seeing the reflection of one's own tired and lost eyes in the rearview mirror.
I heard that whistle call my name
Feeling a sense of fate or destiny calling out.
I almost drove away
Wanting to escape but feeling pulled back by something or someone.
But Megan I had a feeling that you would be on that train
Having a strong intuition or belief that the person you deeply care about will come back into your life.
So I just waited there for you
Being patient and hopeful for their return.
Caught a ride to another town
Trying to escape and find a new life elsewhere.
Where the air was clean
Looking for a fresh start and a chance to clear one's mind.
And the sun never goes down
A place of perpetual hope and optimism for a better life.
Everyone was standing in a line
Feeling like we are all heading in the same direction and moving towards a similar fate.
Between the landing and the stairs
A moment of hesitation and uncertainty about which way to go next.
I heard somebody call my name
Feeling like someone is trying to get your attention.
I almost climbed the stairs
Being tempted to take a new path or direction.
But Megan I had a feeling that someday you'd meet me there
Believing that the person you care about will find their way back to you, even if it's not right now.
So I just waited there for you
Being patient and hopeful, knowing that the person you care about will return when the time is right.
It's a dream that never came true
Feeling a sense of loss and disappointment that things did not turn out as hoped.
Sat down on the tracks
Feeling defeated and overwhelmed with life's challenges.
And waited for a train to take me back to you
Hoping for a chance to be reunited with the person you care about.
Somebody came and took my hand
Being led towards a new path or direction by someone unexpected.
I finally had to go
Accepting that it's time to move on and leave the past behind.
But Megan I just want you to know
Leaving behind a message for the person you care about before moving on.
That I waited as long as I could
Assuring the person you care about that you did everything you could to make things work.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSH CATERER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind