Latest news with #InTooDeep
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fit for the pit
There are few things punks enjoy more than arguing over what or who is or isn't punk. If nothing else, In Too Deep: When Canadian Punk Took Over the World — a new book documenting commercially successful Canadian musical exports of the early Aughts, with varied ties to the punk world — should prove to be a spirited conversation starter. Just how far that conversation goes will depend on how crusty the punks involved in that conversation are. John Woods / Free Press files In January 2025, Sum 41 perform at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. If one grants that the artists featured in the book — such as Gob, Sum 41, Billy Talent, and Napanee, Ont.'s very own superstar Avril Lavigne — are at least influenced by punk, if not dyed-in-the-darkest-denim punk themselves, then one might consider this well-researched book a welcome addition to a growing list of Canadian music histories focused on relatively contemporary subjects. Overall, In Too Deep provides an insightful look at the music industry in Canada during the early days of the 21st century, and how online innovations such as file sharing, message boards and MySpace impacted the industry, for good or ill. While chapters on Billy Talent, who gained massive popularity in Europe, and Alexisonfire, who broke out in the American hardcore scene, cover much the same ground as the chapter detailing their careers in Michael Barclay's Hearts on Fire: Six Years That Changed Canadian Music 2000-2005, they do make for solid introductions for readers unfamiliar with either group or the punk scenes from which those Ontario bands emerged. Similarly, while devoted fans of any of these groups may or may not come across any information they were unaware of beforehand, those without much prior knowledge are provided insightful snapshots of the early histories and the big breaks of all nine artists profiled. Organized and written in much the same manner as Dan Ozzi's Sellout! — which detailed the DIY-to-superstar trajectories of American punks such as Green Day, Against Me!, My Chemical Romance and more — In Too Deep is a very readable, if only passingly critical, overview of the artists involved and an overlooked era in Canadian music history generally, where homegrown groups of misfits certainly made major international commercial splashes and commensurate influence on many big name mainstream artists coming up today. Commercial and mainstream, of course, being the operative words. In wrapping up the chapter on Sum 41, Bobkin and Feibel state that the group 'became Canada's first internationally acclaimed punk band,' although the statement isn't qualified beyond a list of sales achievements, and that the band's songs appeared in a number of Hollywood films. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. There are many Canadian punk bands, both predecessors and contemporaries of the artists profiled here, who may not have had the sales numbers to go up against Sum 41, but whose artistic and cultural impact is much more profound. Bobkin and Feibel do pay some lip service to these contemporary groups, with brief but well-placed 'Further Listening' sidebars throughout, which feature critically acclaimed local heavy hitters such as Propagandhi — whose debut How to Clean Everything is credited by Fat Mike with establishing Fat Wreck Chords' signature sound of the '90s, a style credited by the authors to have influenced at least half the bands featured here — as well as Toronto's Fucked Up, among others. In Too Deep But the legacy of groups such as DOA and Teenage Head are given just brief nods in the introduction, while punk pioneers such as SNFU and Nomeansno, who spent decades in the punk trenches and influenced countless bands along the way (and to this day), aren't given any ink at all. Which just goes to show, you can't please everybody all the time — especially not punks. Sheldon Birnie is a Winnipeg writer and the author of Missing Like Teeth: An oral history of Winnipeg underground rock 1990-2001.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sum 41's Dave Baksh was his 'own worst enemy' after his testicular cancer diagnosis
Sum 41's Dave Baksh recalls feeling the crushing weight of thinking he'd lose everything in his life after his cancer diagnosis. For someone so rooted in his community, receiving the dreaded news about his health was a fear that ultimately led to a breaking point. "It was at that moment that I took a second to put my head above water and realize that I'm surrounded by a very, very high amount of positivity and good people," the lead guitarist of the long-running pop-punk band from Ajax, Ont., shared. "That was the moment where I was like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. I could lose all of this.' I definitely broke down, cried and quickly tried to remind myself ... 'stay positive.'" This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Back in early 2022, Baksh was gearing up for a co-headlining tour with his bandmates and fellow Canadian artists Simple Plan. Hitting the road with his friends was an exciting project at the time, after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the "In Too Deep" hitmakers from touring for two years. But that February, the then-41-year-old musician found a lump on his testicle that was presenting differently than something like a cyst or lump of fat. He recalled it appearing that one day and then disappearing the next in a "day on, day off" pattern. That was until it reappeared for a couple of days in a row, which made him suspicious and led him to call his family doctor in Whitby, Ont. Within a week, he met with Oshawa, Ont.-based urologist Dr. Arun Mathur and immediately talked about booking a surgery. "I think just hearing 'cancer' is an alarming thing," Baksh added. "But the doctor was really, really quick to reassure me that, essentially to quote him, 'This is winning the lottery as far as cancers go.'" Luckily, Baksh said his journey with testicular cancer was "really quick" and he emphasized how he had no discomfort about discussing his health with his medical professionals. Chemotherapy was also not required since his testicle was being removed; surgeons couldn't try removing the tumour at the risk of cutting it and allowing the cancer to spread in his system. "The only alarming thing that happened during this whole process was that, as I was about to go to sleep for the operation, I heard the anesthesiologist was a big fan, so I was like, 'Oh my God, I've got no bottoms on,'" Baksh, now 44, joked. Despite being surrounded by a circle of loved ones and having a relatively fast cancer experience, there were still moments for Baksh that weren't as seemingly easy going. Internal struggles came in the midst of his diagnosis, where he began running laps around unanswerable questions like "what did I do wrong?" and "what did I do to contribute to this?" I was my own worst enemy upon the Baksh of Sum 41 Those intrusive thoughts would strike a chord at various points throughout his day, from leaving a medical appointment to lying in bed at night with his fiancée, Kendra. He'd ponder over the sole idea of having the disease, and worried about falling in the small percentage of people who unfortunately don't survive testicular cancer. "The emotions that went through me at that moment were similar to accepting death in other situations that I've been in in my entire life," he noted. "It's not an easy thing to go through, but I do think that emotionally, I came out stronger because of it." According to the Canadian Cancer Society, survival varies depending on the stage of testicular cancer, but the earlier it's diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. In Canada, it's estimated that 1,300 men were diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, with roughly 30 dying from the disease. However, it's believed around 97 per cent of people who receive a testicular diagnosis will survive for at least five years. Baksh's diagnosis also came on the heels of his mother going through her own experience with cancer. Around eight months prior to his health news, his mom learned she had been living with breast cancer. "I was more scared for my mom than anything else." At the time, his mother was set to repatriate back to Guyana to be with his father, but her diagnosis forced the delay of those plans. In late 2021, she received the news she was cancer-free and "couldn't book her ticket fast enough" back home, Baksh shared. "It was kind of scary thinking about the prospect of losing my mom to something that was out of our control. It scared me a lot for her," he recalled. "But the same way she sprung to my aid when I was diagnosed, I think the same thing just happened to me. We're a family of nurturing people." That sense of care and love for other people — even those who are strangers — is seemingly at Baksh's core of being human. Then, seeing that support reflected back towards him essentially acts as fuel to help Baksh thrive. "Through my ability to lean on my friends and just get that emotional support of 'whatever you need, whatever can do, we got you,' and then to have something as big as the Canadian Cancer Society do the same thing for me. For a person like me, that's important, because I come from not only a career that relies on community but I'm also a person that thrives on community," he noted. Connecting with community and supporting others was a key part of his experience while participating in Relay For Life, an annual Canadian Cancer Society fundraising event that he and his partner plan to attend again this June in downtown Toronto. Baksh first took part the summer after his diagnosis in 2022, and walking the victory lap amongst other cancer survivors was a moment he recalled as being powerful. "We got to walk around the track and experience that same type of feeling through community from people we don't even know. Just walking around the track being clapped for — it was really moving. ... To be there in support of people in remission, cancer-free, surviving, it was a very special moment and something that I'll remember," Baksh shared, Cancer is something that half of the people in Canada are expected to be diagnosed with — this is wild to me. ... I'm glad to be part of Baksh of Sum 41 When the Canadian Cancer Society reached out to Baksh asking him to share his story back around the time of his diagnosis in 2022, he remembered feeling a bit of guilt because he didn't necessarily experience any hardship. "I had a little bit of imposter syndrome at first, but I think because my story was over so quickly, I think it was important to get it out there." After hearing from the organization, he realized this was his chance to do something that could benefit someone experiencing a similar situation. "I was like, 'Yeah, I could probably do something positive for people going through the same diagnosis I went through,'" he said, urging anyone with testicles to regularly check themselves to ensure they're fine. "Just go take care of it — just go." Baksh reflected on the prominence of cancer in Canada, where it's estimated nearly one in two Canadians are expected to hear the words "you have cancer" in their lifetime. He said he's glad an organization like the Canadian Cancer Society exists for people surviving the disease. April is also Daffodil Month, which is the organization's initiative — using the flower as a symbol of hope — to raise funds, awareness and support for people impacted by cancer. Baksh urged people to recognize the importance of uplifting charities like the Canadian Cancer Society: "This is a society that is changing cancer and has changed the lives of people dealing with cancer." Additionally, he hopes one of the messages people take away is that there's no use shying away from seeking a health-care provider's help when necessary. "It is so much easier and better to do in person, especially if we're talking about finding a lump somewhere or not feeling right," he said. "It's important and it's up to you to get diagnosed and to be preventative. Otherwise, you may be sitting with something in your body that could eventually kill you — and that's not worth it for you or the people around you that love you."
CBC
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Watch Sum 41 perform for the final time at the 2025 Juno Awards
Sum 41 closed out the 2025 Juno Awards with a medley of their recent and older hits. It was the pop-punk band's final performance, after a 25-year-long run. The band performed Fat Lip and In Too Deep, from their debut album All Killer No Filler; Still Waiting, the lead single off their second album Does This Look Infected? and Landmines from their final album, 2024 's Heaven :x: Hell. It was an explosion of pyro, confetti and Sum 41's signature chaos. Earlier in the show, Sum 41 was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and they started off their speech giving thanks: "Thank you to our families for all the love and support throughout the years, and of course a huge thank you to all the Sum 41 fans for sticking with us through all the ups and all the downs." Watch the exhilaratingly performance above.
CBC
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
'I'm starting fresh': Sum 41's Deryck Whibley looks back on his life through heaven and hell
For nearly 30 years, Sum 41 has been one of Canada's most beloved and successful rock bands, but this year they're hanging it up. They recently played one final concert at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, and next month they'll be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 2025 Juno Awards. But the big news around the band hasn't been about their farewell tour. What's more interesting is that lead singer Deryck Whibley is now sharing the untold story of Sum 41 for the very first time. He recently released a memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, which reveals surprising and harrowing details from his life that he says his own bandmates weren't even aware of. "The whole story is just kind of out there," Whibley tells Q 's Tom Power in an interview over Zoom from his home in Las Vegas. "There's no secrets. I've let everything out. And now I just feel like I'm starting fresh completely with everything. Like, my whole life." WATCH | Deryck Whibley's full interview with Tom Power: In his conversation with Power, Whibley shares some of the stories from his memoir, including what it was like being raised by a single mom in small-town Ontario, how he discovered he had a talent for music, and why Sum 41's big hit In Too Deep was recorded and almost released by two different bands before Sum 41. But Whibley also touches on some of the more difficult subjects from his book, such as his battle with alcoholism that nearly killed him, and his troubled relationship with Sum 41's former manager, Greig Nori. "It was really hard to go there, but it's something that I had been struggling with and had buried, and at the same time, it was a constant thing in my mind," he says. "If I was to leave it out or skirt around it somehow and act like it never happened … then I'd be lying. I'm like, well, how can I put out a book about my life if I'm going to leave out this huge thing?" Before publishing his memoir, Whibley had never told anyone about his alleged abuse, including his bandmates. He says he's still processing it now, but it's getting easier to talk about. "I love my life, I love everything I've been through," Whibley says. "Sure, there's been some tough moments and things that I don't want to relive or would never wish my kids go through, but my life's incredible. I mean, I have everything I've ever dreamed of and music gave that to me."
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sum 41 fans only just learning 'wholesome' meaning behind band's iconic name
They've been creating music for 28 years - but some Sum 41 fans are only just learning what their iconic stage name actually means. The rock band, consisting of Deryck Whibley, Dave Baksh, Jason McCaslin , Tom Thacker , and Frank Zummo, came together in Ajax, Ontario in 1996. Since then, they have won numerous awards for their music - with their most popular songs including In Too Deep, The Hell Song, Fat Lip, Still Waiting, Landmines, Pieces, Walking Disaster, With Me and Noots. But despite their decades-long fame, some listeners have no idea what their stage name means - and whether there's a meaning behind the number 41. In a Reddit thread titled 'Band name origins', a user asked music lovers whether they know the "origin of names for the bands they listen to". In response, one user shared their surprise after recently discovering what Sum 41 means. In an interview with Alternative Press, frontman Deryck Whibley shared how the name came about, saying it's a nod to their childhood in the 1990s. He said: "The band started on the 41st day of summer for us, because when we were in high school, we considered 'summer' the day that the school ended. I don't know if it was the official 41st day of summer but to us, when we were 16, summer started when the school was over, and the day we started the band was 41 days after that." READ MORE: Maroon 5 fan think they know what name means despite Adam Levine keeping it secret He went on to explain how the band was originally called Kaspir when he started playing with school friends Steve Jocz, Grant McVitie, and an unnamed student. He added: "We went to the Warped Tour in '96, these were all the kind of bands that we listened to, which was NOFX, Face to Face, Lagwagon, Pennywise, and Kaspir was kind of, like, it leaned to some of that, but it wasn't fully into that kind of world of that kind of sound. "After we went to the Warped Tour and seeing all these bands perform live, it was really exciting and really, it just kind of changed our world. All of a sudden, we just said, 'We need to start a band that is more like this kind of style and that can play on the Warped Tour.' "That was the dream. From that day on, that was the 41st day of the summer for us, and we decided that Kaspir is no more, the band is Sum 41." Commenting on this revelation, one amazed fan said: "This whole time Sum 41 just meant 41 days into the summer? I'm stupid." While another user added: "Someone at school told me it was because the sum of all the band's kids was 41. For some reason I never, not even once, questioned all four band members having 10+ illegitimate children in their 20s/30s."
