Music
Toronto's Topanga change name to PUP, release new version of "Lionheart"
by Tyler Munro
April 17, 2013
"Two years ago, when we originally decided to name ourselves Topanga, we thought it was great – she was our first middle-school crush, and it felt cool and nostalgic. But as many of you probably know, Disney has decided to re-launch this Boy Meets World / Girl Meets World, whatever-the-fuck-the-show-is-called-now series," said the band in an open letter written on their new website.
Photo by Amanda Fotes
Topanga‘s spent the better part of the last two years as one of Toronto’s premiere live acts, bridging punk and pop and whatever indie is with raucous energetic live shows and just the right pinch of song-smashing hookiness. But with Danielle Fishel gracing the cover of Maxim and the impending bastardization of Boy Meets World shitting down the pipeline there comes the realization that they’re different than the association, and that maybe the reference isn’t so cute anymore. That’s at least part of the reasoning behind their fresh start. With a full-length album on the way and an opening slot for Titus Andronicus set for May, they’ve taken now as their chance to announce a change of direction, not musically but nomenclaturally.
Meet PUP: still Stefan Babcock, Steve Sladkowski, Zach Mykula and Nestor Chumak but with a new name and a new album.
“Two years ago, when we originally decided to name ourselves Topanga, we thought it was great – she was our first middle-school crush, and it felt cool and nostalgic. But as many of you probably know, Disney has decided to re-launch this Boy Meets World / Girl Meets World, whatever-the-fuck-the-show-is-called-now series,” said the band in an open letter written on their new website. “We really don’t want to associate ourselves with Disney – I’m sure you can all understand that,” they continued, later adding “Fuck Disney, and fuck Topanga. WE ARE PUP. Let’s do this.”
So why PUP, then?
“It’s our spirit animal,” said Sladkowski to AUX in an e-mail. Clearly, they’re looking to keep some mystery for now.
If you’re curious, and you should be, they’ll make their live debut under the new name when they open for Titus Andronicus at Lee’s Palace in Toronto on May 2nd. On the third they’ll play with Single Mothers and the Dirty Nil in Hamilton at the Casbah. As for that new album, it’s still without title and release date, but with production by Dave Shiffman (Weezer, The Mars Volta, the Bronx and more), it’s likely going to be big. Listen to their revamped version of “Lionheart” below for proof of that.
For more info follow PUP wherever bands are followed. You know, like Facebook or Twitter or wherever.
