Everyone's favourite band-o-dogs, PUP — the pop-punk posterchild of Stefan Babcock, Nestor Chumak, Zack Mykula and Steve Sladkowski — are back after a couple years' break from recording to offer up new single "Paranoid" just before they head out on tour with Sum 41 for the Ontario pioneers-of-the-aforementioned-genre's final tour.
Babcock shared of the new, John Congleton-produced single in a release: "My favourite part of this song is the breakdown 1:45 in. It's the heaviest moment in the song, Zack and Steve are going so hard, I'm yelling about all this sad stuff that's going on with me, and Nestor is just playing the melody from 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' on the bass. It cracks me up every time I hear it. So fucking funny. It's a very PUP moment."
The track arrives alongside a cleverly arranged lyric video from longtime PUP collaborator Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux, who said:
What started out as a way to keep the bruising and heartbreaking lyrics to "Paranoid" front and center turned into a little love letter for rock band merchandise and the unsung heroes who run the merch table. Special thanks to co-director Clem Hoeney and all the real PUP fans who came out and went so hard for a hundred takes!
And a huge shout out to all the merch pals holding it down during shows! Check out the video below, where you'll also find the band's upcoming tour dates in Canada and beyond.
PUP 2025 Tour Dates:
01/10 Victoria, BC - Save On Foods Memorial Centre^
01/11 Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena^
01/13 Kelowna, BC - Prospera Place^
01/16 Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome^
01/17 Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place^
01/18 Saskatoon, SK - Sasktel Centre^
01/20 Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Place^
01/23 St. Catharines, ON - Meridian Centre^
01/24 Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre^
01/25 Laval, QC - Place Bell^
01/27 London, ON - Budweiser Gardens^
01/28 Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena^
01/30 Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena^
05/07 Birmingham, UK - XOYO Birmingham*&
05/08 Leeds, UK - Project House*&
05/10 Manchester, UK - O2 Ritz*&
05/11 Glasgow, UK - SWG3 (TV Studio)*&
05/12 Newcastle, UK - Newcastle University*&
05/13 Bristol, UK - Marble Factory*&
05/15 Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms*&
05/16 London, UK - O2 Forum Kentish Town*&
05/18 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg*
05/20 Cologne, Germany - Club Volta*
05/21 Hamburg, Germany - Logo*
05/22 Berlin, Germany - Hole44*
05/23 Munich, Germany - Strom*
05/25 Paris, France - Bellevilloise*
05/27 Madrid, Spain - Sala Mon
05/28 Barcelona, Spain - Upload
05/29 València, Spain - Loco Club
05/30 San Sebastian, Spain - Dabadaba
^ with Sum 41
* with Illuminati Hotties
& with Goo