Biography

Led by Josh Caterer’s eerily familiar high-pitched baritone and penchant for often-obtuse poetry, Smoking Popes earned instant, and not entirely fair, comparisons to the Smiths. While Caterer’s lyrics could match Morrissey for introspection and neuroses (see live favorite "Pretty Pathetic"), there is more hopefulness than melancholy, more love than loss in Caterer’s songs; it’s entirely unsurprising to hear Smoking Popes cover Irving Berlin or the theme from WILLY WONKA. While the Chicago band’s output was sparse (three studio albums in the 1990s and ‘00s), the band had a lasting impact on the alternative airwaves, frequently cited as a chief influence by the more discerning peppy emo outfits.

Top Tracks

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• Before I'm Gone

• Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

• Brand New Hairstyle

• Do Something

• Don't Be Afraid

• Gotta Know Right Now

• I Know You Love Me

• I've Got Mono

• Long Day

• Megan

• My Lucky Day

• Need You Around

• No More Smiles

• Not That Kind Of Girlfriend

• Off My Mind

• Pasted

• Pretty Pathetic

• Punk Band

• That's Where I Come In

• Wake Up Crying

• Wish We Were

• Writing A Letter

• Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart

Discography

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• This Is Only a Test

  Asian Man Records

  2011

• Smoking Popes At Metro

  Victory Records

  2006

• The Party's Over

  Suburban Home / Double Zero Records

  2001

• Destination Failure

  Capitol/EMI Records / Capitol

  1997

• Get Fired

  Asian Man Records

  1996

• Born to Quit

  Capitol/EMI Records / Capitol

  1995