Dave Baksh and Jason McCaslin of Sum 41 sat in for a quick visit ahead of their recent set at Slam Dunk Festival. Joining our own Alicia Atout, the guys quickly got down to brass tacks, discussing powering through jetlag, how incredibly cool British slang is, and sharing their enthusiasm to be back in the UK.
Emphasizing it had been more than two years since the band had last paid London a visit, the guys were quick to reiterate how much they love the trip overseas and being able to play for UK fans. Particularly for Baksh, who has family in the UK, the destination holds an especially important place.
Marking the twentieth anniversary of the band's seminal sophomore LP, Does This Look Infected? both Jason and Dave weighed the idea of being considered a legacy band - coming to the conclusion that while so much time has passed, they still feel like they are very much in their prime. Citing bands like The Vandals and Pennywise, the explained how both of those bands inspired them and are still playing at such a high level. While the guys seemed very aware of their place in punk, they admit that because they are still very much immersed in their craft, 20 years has essentially gone by in a flash.
When it comes to looking back on that very formative time for the band, both Dave and Jason admit life was a blur. Recording All Killer No Filler in 2001, Does This Look Infected? in 2002, and Chuck in 2004 - the early twenty-somethings were living fast, traveling always and partying heavily making the details a bit difficult to recollect. One thing is for certain, the times were wild, so much that Dave joked that Jason's marriage was the only one to survive that era.
The guys also explained their "mad uncle energy" and the blessing/curse that is their alter-ego of their "Pain For Pleasure" track. The final cut on the band's debut, All Killer, No Filler - Sum 41 recorded arguably the most important traditional heavy metal tracks ever penned by a pop punk band, so much in fact that every night, they have to dawn big hair wigs and spandex to perform the beloved b-side. With a smirk on his face, Dave was a good sport in explaining how it is his favorite song to play - punctuating a marathon Sum 41 set with some heavy hair metal.
Discussing the proliferation of nicknames that exists in the Sum 41 universe, the guys talked about the fans collective name has evolved from The Goon Platoon to Scumfucks - a term of endearment if ever there was one. The guys also finally explained the origins of Dave's progressive list of nicknames including how he was christened "Brown Sound" by a studio engineer many years ago. Given his skin complexion and his love for Van Halen's guitar tone, "Brown" and "sound" came together - thwarting all theories that Dave actually gave himself the nickname.
Sum 41 rounds out their Blame Canada co-headlining tour with Simple Plan starting later this month with Magnolia Park. The band's tour is a live celebration of the 21st anniversary of All Killer, No Filler. Get a full list of remaining dates and cities below.
