Born to Quit
Encyclopedia
Born to Quit is the second album by the Chicago
-based pop punk
band the Smoking Popes
, originally released in 1994 by Johann's Face Records and re-released in 1995 through Capitol Records
. It became their only release to chart, reaching #37 on Billboard
's Top Heatseekers
chart, partly on the strength of the single
"Need You Around
" which reached #35 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
in Chicago, had released the Smoking Popes' debut album Get Fired
in 1993. For their second album, Born to Quit, the band returned to Solid Sound Studios in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
to record with Phil Bonnet, the same location and recording engineer used for their EPs Break Up (1992) and 2 (1993). Bonnet also mixed
and produced
the album.
Born to Quit was released in 1994 through Johann's Face, and the song "Need You Around
" soon received radio play on Chicago's Q101 and Los Angeles' KROQ
. The band then signed to major label Capitol Records, who re-released Born to Quit on July 7, 1995. Singles were released for "Rubella
" and "Need You Around", and the latter song was included in the soundtrack
of the film Clueless. It became the only Smoking Popes song to chart, reaching #35 on Billboard
's Modern Rock Tracks. Several other songs from the album were also used in film soundtracks: "Lucky Day" was used in Tommy Boy
, "Mrs. You and Me" in Angus, and "Gotta Know Right Now" in Boys
. To support the album the Smoking Popes toured with the Goo Goo Dolls
, Tripping Daisy
, Jawbreaker
, Dinosaur Jr., and Morrissey
. Born to Quit became the only Smoking Popes album ever to chart, reaching #37 on Billboard' s Top Heatseekers
.
In 2009 Asian Man Records
announced plans to reissue a remastered
version of Born to Quit.
of Allmusic gave Born to Quit 4½ stars out of 5, saying that "the thing that sets [the Smoking Popes] apart from the standard four-piece alternative hard rock outfit is not only their pop sense, it's how the lead vocalist uncannily recalls the quavering, self-absorbed tone of Morrissey
. Combined with their gift for hooks, it makes for a sound that is familiar, yet surprisingly distinctive." Morrissey himself later called the album "extraordinary, the most lovable thing I'd heard in years."
Several artists covered
songs from Born to Quit for the 2003 Smoking Popes Tribute
album: Retro Morning covered "Need You Around", Blue Shade Witness performed "Mrs. You and Me", and the Red Hot Valentines provided a rendition of "Rubella".
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band the Smoking Popes
Smoking Popes
The Smoking Popes are an American pop punk from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1991. They play punk-influenced pop music with crooning vocals...
, originally released in 1994 by Johann's Face Records and re-released in 1995 through Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. It became their only release to chart, reaching #37 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart, partly on the strength of the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Need You Around
Need You Around
"Need You Around" is a song by the Chicago-based pop punk band the Smoking Popes, released as the second single from their 1994 album Born to Quit. The album was originally released by Johann's Face Records in 1994, and "Need You Around" received radio play on Chicago's Q101 and Los Angeles' KROQ...
" which reached #35 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Background
Johann's Face Records, an independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
in Chicago, had released the Smoking Popes' debut album Get Fired
Get Fired
Get Fired is the debut album by the Chicago-based pop punk band the Smoking Popes, released in 1993 by Johann's Face Records. It was recorded in 1993 at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana with recording engineer Mass Giorgini...
in 1993. For their second album, Born to Quit, the band returned to Solid Sound Studios in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...
to record with Phil Bonnet, the same location and recording engineer used for their EPs Break Up (1992) and 2 (1993). Bonnet also mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the album.
Born to Quit was released in 1994 through Johann's Face, and the song "Need You Around
Need You Around
"Need You Around" is a song by the Chicago-based pop punk band the Smoking Popes, released as the second single from their 1994 album Born to Quit. The album was originally released by Johann's Face Records in 1994, and "Need You Around" received radio play on Chicago's Q101 and Los Angeles' KROQ...
" soon received radio play on Chicago's Q101 and Los Angeles' KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
. The band then signed to major label Capitol Records, who re-released Born to Quit on July 7, 1995. Singles were released for "Rubella
Rubella (song)
"Rubella" is a song by the Chicago-based pop punk band the Smoking Popes, released as the first single from their 1994 album Born to Quit. The album was originally released by Johann's Face Records in 1994 and was re-released in July 1995 by Capitol Records after the band signed to that label...
" and "Need You Around", and the latter song was included in the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the film Clueless. It became the only Smoking Popes song to chart, reaching #35 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Modern Rock Tracks. Several other songs from the album were also used in film soundtracks: "Lucky Day" was used in Tommy Boy
Tommy Boy
Tommy Boy is a 1995 road comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by Bonnie and Terry Turner, and Fred Wolf. It stars former Saturday Night Live colleagues Chris Farley and David Spade. The film tells the story of a socially and emotionally immature man who learns lessons about friendship and...
, "Mrs. You and Me" in Angus, and "Gotta Know Right Now" in Boys
Boys (1996 film)
Boys is a 1996 American film starring Winona Ryder and Lukas Haas. The film was originally titled The Girl You Want. The film earned $516,350 in the United States box office. It is based on a short story called "Twenty Minutes" by James Salter....
. To support the album the Smoking Popes toured with the Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
, Tripping Daisy
Tripping Daisy
Tripping Daisy was a neo psychedelic pop rock band that was formed in Dallas, Texas, USA by lead singer/guitarist Tim DeLaughter in 1990 along with Jeff Bouck , Wes Berggren and Mark Pirro .-History:...
, Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (band)
Jawbreaker was an American punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996 and considered one of the most influential acts of the early-1990s emo movement...
, Dinosaur Jr., and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
. Born to Quit became the only Smoking Popes album ever to chart, reaching #37 on Billboard
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
.
In 2009 Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
announced plans to reissue a remastered
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
version of Born to Quit.
Reception
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic gave Born to Quit 4½ stars out of 5, saying that "the thing that sets [the Smoking Popes] apart from the standard four-piece alternative hard rock outfit is not only their pop sense, it's how the lead vocalist uncannily recalls the quavering, self-absorbed tone of Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
. Combined with their gift for hooks, it makes for a sound that is familiar, yet surprisingly distinctive." Morrissey himself later called the album "extraordinary, the most lovable thing I'd heard in years."
Several artists covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
songs from Born to Quit for the 2003 Smoking Popes Tribute
Smoking Popes Tribute
The Smoking Popes Tribute is a tribute album to the Chicago-based pop punk band the Smoking Popes. It was released March 25, 2003 by Double Zero Records, a label founded by former Smoking Popes drummer Mike Felumlee...
album: Retro Morning covered "Need You Around", Blue Shade Witness performed "Mrs. You and Me", and the Red Hot Valentines provided a rendition of "Rubella".
Track listing
Band
- Josh CatererJosh CatererJosh Caterer is a Chicago-area musician and songwriter. With his brothers, Eli Caterer and Matt Caterer , he was a founding member in 1991 of The Smoking Popes, in which Josh plays lead guitar and sings. After his conversion to Christianity the Smoking Popes split up, and Caterer later founded...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Eli Caterer – guitar
- Matt Caterer – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Mike FelumleeMike FelumleeMike Felumlee, a native of Crystal Lake, Illinois , is chiefly known as the former drummer for the influential rock band The Alkaline Trio...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Phil Bonnet – recording engineer, mix engineerMix engineerA mix engineer, also referred to as "mixing engineer", is a person who, once all instruments, voices, and sounds, etc., have been recorded, creates what is called the final version of a song, hence the term "mix engineer"...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Markus Greiner – design
- David Houle – band photos
- Brekken Garner – cover photo