Posted — July 21, 2021
PUP, the very fun and very eclectic punk band from Toronto, are clearly no strangers to their instruments. Though their songs are typically ruled by big hooks and pop sensibilities, you can plainly hear their musical capability and wide array of influences in the nuance and texture that they cleverly weave into each song. The guitar work heard throughout their latest studio LP, “Morbid Stuff”, provides a fantastic example of a band who allow themselves to have fun and celebrate their instruments, never getting in their own way while doing so. Maintaining a pop structure while playing your instrument to your hearts content can provide a serious challenge, but PUP toe that line wonderfully.
The lead single from this record, Kids, is a great example of exactly what we’re talking about here. Between delightful leads outlining the chords, atmospheric harmonics, and harmonizations with the vocals, there’s no shortage of fun and interesting flourishes that elevate the song in signature PUP fashion.
The person responsible for said flourishes, guitarist Steve Sladkowski, kindly sat down to run us through the track with a full playthrough, in which he shows us what it looks like to be very good at guitar while being in a very fun punk band.
If you’re interested in being this fun and / or punk, grab the FREE TAB HERE, and check out “Morbid Stuff - The Complete Guitar Transcription” here.
