Get ready to feel ancient: next month, Sum 41's debut studio album All Killer No Filler turns 20 years old. To celebrate the milestone, frontman Deryck Whibley has offered up some of his thoughts about the record — though his reflections aren't as celebratory as you might expect.
Speaking with Billboard for the publication's 2001 Week interview series, Whibley explained how the success of the album made him feel "immediate embarrassment," chalking it up to his opinion that All Killer No Filler was far from the Ajax, ON band's best work.
"I've always felt it wasn't that great, if I'm being honest," he admitted. "I never quite understood — to a point where it's almost like, when people tell me it means a lot to them or it was a really good album compared to other records, I always think they're lying."
Whibley went on to say that he feels the record doesn't "hold up," and wonders if the people who love it so much have given it a spin recently.
He continued: "I've always felt somewhat, like, when that record had success — and maybe this is just my personality — but when it got as successful as it did, I had an immediate embarrassment. Almost like you become ashamed of your own success."
Whether it's Whibley's modesty or possible insecurity getting in the way of recognizing the album's fortitude, it seems like he's forgetting the fact that Sum 41's debut album managed to go Platinum here in Canada, as well as in the UK and the States.
Still, he said, "In some way, I feel like it snuck through and everyone's going to find out soon that it's not that good. Like I sort of cheated my way, somehow. That's kind of what I've always felt about that record."
He added: "I think if I listen to it now as I'm older, maybe I can be a little bit more objective. But for the longest time, I thought it wasn't a very good record."
Check out his full conversation with Billboard here, and while we're on the subject, revisit All Killer No Filler below.
Speaking with Billboard for the publication's 2001 Week interview series, Whibley explained how the success of the album made him feel "immediate embarrassment," chalking it up to his opinion that All Killer No Filler was far from the Ajax, ON band's best work.
"I've always felt it wasn't that great, if I'm being honest," he admitted. "I never quite understood — to a point where it's almost like, when people tell me it means a lot to them or it was a really good album compared to other records, I always think they're lying."
Whibley went on to say that he feels the record doesn't "hold up," and wonders if the people who love it so much have given it a spin recently.
He continued: "I've always felt somewhat, like, when that record had success — and maybe this is just my personality — but when it got as successful as it did, I had an immediate embarrassment. Almost like you become ashamed of your own success."
Whether it's Whibley's modesty or possible insecurity getting in the way of recognizing the album's fortitude, it seems like he's forgetting the fact that Sum 41's debut album managed to go Platinum here in Canada, as well as in the UK and the States.
Still, he said, "In some way, I feel like it snuck through and everyone's going to find out soon that it's not that good. Like I sort of cheated my way, somehow. That's kind of what I've always felt about that record."
He added: "I think if I listen to it now as I'm older, maybe I can be a little bit more objective. But for the longest time, I thought it wasn't a very good record."
Check out his full conversation with Billboard here, and while we're on the subject, revisit All Killer No Filler below.