SUM 41's DERYCK WHIBLEY On Putting The Band To Rest: 'It Was A Tough Decision'

In a new interview with Brazil's A Rádio Rock, SUM 41 vocalist Deryck Whibley spoke about the band's decision to call it quits after the completion of the tour in support of SUM 41's latest album, "Heaven :x: Hell". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a tough decision because I love what I do and I've loved being in this band for almost 30 years. But there comes a point in life where you start asking yourself, 'Is this all I'm ever gonna do? Is there anything else?' And I'll never really know unless I try to go see what else is out there for me. So I knew I had to make this decision at this point, although it was tough."

Asked what he hopes SUM 41's legacy will be, Whibley said: "It's not really up to me and I don't really think about it. I think the music will speak for itself. People will either like it or they won't. It will stand the test of time or it won't."

Regarding what he considers to be the most challenging and most rewarding moments in SUM 41's story, Deryck said: "There's been a lot. Our whole story has been heaven and hell. It's been extreme highs, extreme lows and it's been a long career. So we've gone through ups and downs. I think the most rewarding part about being in this band is having stuck through everything up until this point and just push through all the really hard moments and just kept fighting and just kept going and getting to a point where we're at the best we've ever been, we love each other more than we ever have and everything's just in a great place. So it's a great place to leave it at that."

As previously announced, SUM 41 will make stops in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Italy, and more, and will perform their largest show to date in front of a sold-out crowd of over 35,000 at Paris La Défense Arena in France later this year before the official Canadian leg of the tour and their final shows as a band in Toronto, Ontario, on January 28 and 30, 2025, at Scotiabank Arena.

Released on March 29 via Rise Records, "Heaven :x: Hell" is the most ambitious album from SUM 41 yet — "Heaven" is 10 tracks of snarling high-energy pop punk, while "Hell" consists of ten heavy metal anthems spiked with fret-burning solos, thrashing riffs, and fist-pumping hooks. The band has been straddling the line of pop-punk and metal for their entire career, and "Heaven :x: Hell" Is a testament to their innovative sound and unmatched skill, proving them as pioneers 27 years after the bands inception.

SUM 41's storied 24-plus-year career includes over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard-charting releases, a Grammy Award nomination, two Juno Awards (seven nominations),a Kerrang! Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards.

In September 2023, Whibley was discharged from a hospital after being treated for pneumonia.

Back in 2014, Deryck collapsed in his kitchen and was rushed to the hospital, before doctors revealed his liver and kidneys had failed. He was placed in a coma for a week to help his body detox from alcohol and went on to get sober and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Photo courtesy of Big Picture Media