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.
Stormy Weather
Smoking Popes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no sun up in the sky
Stormy weather
Since my gal and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time
Life is bare
Gloom and misery everywhere
Just can't get myself together
I'm so weary all the time
When you went away
The blues came and met me
If you stay away
That old rocking chair's gonna me
All I do is pray
The lord above will let me
Walk in that sun once more
Can't go on
Everything I had is gone
Stormy weather
Since that girl and I ain't together
Keeps raining all the time
Keeps raining all of the time
I walk around, heavy-hearted and sad,
Night comes around, I'm still feelin' bad,
Rain pourin' down, blindin' every hope I had,
This pitterin', patterin', beatin' and spatterin' drives me mad!
Love, love, love, love!
This misery is just too much for me!
Can't go on,
Everything I had is gone,
Stormy weather,
Since my man and I ain't together,
Keeps rainin' all the time,
Keeps rainin' all the time
The lyrics to the Smoking Popes' song "Stormy Weather" express the emotional turmoil of a person who has been abandoned by their partner. Despite the fact that there is no "sun up in the sky," everything around them is still cloudy and gloomy, serving as a reflection of their own inner state. Their life is full of "gloom and misery everywhere," and they cannot seem to "get themselves together." The loss of their partner has left them helpless and adrift, consumed by their own weariness.
As they wander through the rain-soaked streets, they cannot help but feel the crushing weight of their loneliness. Even the simplest joys, like sitting in a rocking chair, are absent from their life, replaced by an endless cycle of misery and prayer. The only solace they can hope for is to one day "walk in that sun once more," but it feels as though that day may never come.
The repetition of "keeps raining all the time" serves to emphasize the unrelenting nature of the singer's pain. They cannot escape it and it follows them wherever they go, like a constant companion. Ultimately, the song speaks to the power of love and the devastating impact that its loss can have on a person.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know why
I am unsure why
There's no sun up in the sky
The sky is cloudy and gray, without any sun visible
Stormy weather
The weather is tumultuous and gloomy
Since my gal and I ain't together
The bad weather started when my girlfriend and I broke up
Keeps raining all the time
It keeps raining without end
Life is bare
Life is bleak and monotonous
Gloom and misery everywhere
Everywhere there is desolation and distress
Just can't get myself together
I am unable to overcome my sadness
I'm so weary all the time
I am tired and exhausted constantly
When you went away
When you left me
The blues came and met me
I became depressed
If you stay away
If you remain absent
That old rocking chair's gonna me
I will be left alone with nothing but a rocking chair
All I do is pray
All that I can do is pray
The lord above will let me
God will permit me
Walk in that sun once more
To be happy again
Can't go on
I cannot continue
Everything I had is gone
All that I had is lost
Since that girl and I ain't together
The bad weather started when my girlfriend and I broke up
I walk around, heavy-hearted and sad,
I walk around feeling burdened and depressed
Night comes around, I'm still feelin' bad,
My negative feelings persist throughout the night
Rain pourin' down, blindin' every hope I had,
The rain is so strong that it obliterates all hope
This pitterin', patterin', beatin' and spatterin' drives me mad!
The consistent noise of the rain is driving me crazy
Love, love, love, love!
Oh, how I miss being in love
This misery is just too much for me!
I cannot bear this sadness any longer
Keeps raining all of the time
It keeps raining without end
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koheler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind