Tom Daily Show Information

Tom Daily is playing the Rave in Milwuakee with the Promise Ring October 2nd. Tom Daily is opening for Mike Watt at the Double Door on October 9th. Matt and Eli are both going to be playing in the band at both shows.

Smoking Popes Updates and News From Mike Felumlee

Popes drummer Mike Felumlee sent this mass e-mail to Popes fans on August 19. It read:

I just wanted to let you know that the Tom Daily CD "The Tragedy of Fanbelts" is now available through mailorder. The CD has 7 songs, I played on three, and Eli played on one. If you like Superchunk, or Guided By Voices you'll like this. Also, we still have the Smoking Popes (1991-1998) CD's and Tshirts. We'll have Tom Daily shirts very soon as well. The Popes live album will be out early next year. We wanted to do it sooner, but the holidays got in the way.

Prices are as follows-

Tom Daily CD-$8

Smoking Popes (91-98) CD-$10

T-shirts-$15

All prices include shipping.

Here's the address:

Double Zero Records
PO box 7122
Algonquin, IL 60102

I would also like to thank all of you who have already ordered the Pope's stuff, and apologize to anyone who drove to the Metro to see the cancelled Tom Daily show. We'll be playing there soon, I'll email the date as soon as I know.

Thanks,
Mike Felumlee

Popes Live Album

The live Smoking Popes album will be out early next year. That is, if the world doesn't end first.

Tom Daily CD Available

The Tom Daily solo CD "The Tragedy Of Fan Belts" is now available from Double Zero Records. The CD features Eli, Matt and Mike from The Smoking Popes. Tom Daily is a member of the band Not Rebecca. To get the CD, send $8 to

Double Zero Records
PO box 7122
Algonquin, IL 60102.

They also should have a show or 2 at Metro in the next month or so. I will keep you updated.

Mallrats and Smoking Popes

I got the new Mallrats: Special Edition on DVD, and in a deleted scene from the movie, when T.S. first comes to Brodie's, and the two go down to his basement, in the background, the Smoking Popes song "Rubella" is played. This song does not appear on any soundtrack for the film and is not credited at all. I wonder if the Popes even know about it. Anyways, it was good to hear them in a movie again.

Finally, Some News!!

Mike reports that the live Smoking Popes CD should be out sometime in the near future, maybe not in August, but, hopefully, shortly thereafter.

Other Popes related news is that Matt, Eli and Mike will be playing the Metro backing up Tom Daily on Saturday July 31st. The show starts at 10:30 and they will be the 4th band. It's an 18 & over show. Mike says that he has a bunch of free tickets, so if you want to see the show email Mike at Smopo@aol.com and give him your address he may be able to send you some.

Also, Tom Daily's CD will be pressed next week and it's hoped to have it at the show. The CD is called "The Tragedy Of Fan Belts". Mike played on 3 songs and Eli played on a couple.

Again, sorry for the lack of updates, but there is not much going on right now. I will get back on the ball with the tabs. I have many that I need to put up, so keep checking back and thanks to everyone for the support. Keep the e-mails coming! Write me at Torgo10@aol.com. Do it now. I'm a nice guy.

Tom Daily Solo Album

Not much at all has been going on (which attributes to there not being many updates on the page) but Tom Daily from Not Rebecca is coming out with a solo album and both Mike and Eli will be on it. More on this as news becomes available.

The Lost Josh Caterer Recording....

Before Phil Bonnet passed, Josh Caterer recorded a song with him called "The Language of Love" for the soundtrack of an independent movie of the same title. Unfortunately, no one has any clue as to what ever became of the recording or the film. (The Internet Movie Database has a listing of a 1997 movie of that title, but has no other information on it.) Only time will tell what will become of the recording.

1991-1998 Available Over Internet

Still haven't been able to find "1991-1998?" Well, just go over to amazon.com, and you can have it delivered to your house! Go now! NOW!

The "New" Smoking Popes?

Well, not really. But, according to Mike, he, Eli and Matt did "jam" with the lead singer of The Wayouts. Will anything come of it? Mike said they may play some shows with Eli's new band with Tom Daily from Not Rebecca. He did say the songs were pretty good. It won't be a new Smoking Popes, but at least it will be something.

Future Plans and Projects

There was a rumor that Josh gave up music altogether. I asked drummer Mike Felumlee if this was true. He said "I don't know anything about what Josh is going to do in the future. I heard that he may only sing in churches from now on."

Also, a big question is, on the new CD 1991-1998, why weren't all the songs off their first 7" "Innoculator" on it? Well because in Mike's words, "Josh doesn't like them." Well, for anyone who's headr them, it is understandable. However, I fail to see why they put on "Sandra" in lieu of "Theme From 'Cheerleader'". Who knows?

Also, what about that infamous live album and the covers album that alledgedly started the falling out with Capitol? Mike says that "there are a few labels interested in the live album and the covers album so we're just waiting to see what we're going to do."

"The covers album will probably still come out but we don't know when."

As soon as I hear anything, I'll post it.

Also, Eli is in a new band with Tom Daily of the band Not Rebecca .

By the way, send me e-mail about what you think of the site. NOW! I'm a nice guy! I'll write back! Come on! Tell me how I'm doing. Thanks.

New Popes CD Now Available!

From Smoking Popes drummer Mike Felumlee:

The new Smoking Popes CD, "Smoking Popes (1991-1998)" is available for mail order now. It will be in stores after March 30th. To order one from us, send $10 to Double Zero Records... PO box 7122 Algonquin, IL 60102. Checks or money orders can be made payable to Mike Felumlee.

This album contains songs from our early 7"s such as .... "Writing a Letter", "Stars", "Brand New Hairstyle", "Waiting Around", and more. It also contains the entire "Get Fired" album and a couple of unreleased tracks. There are 23 songs in all.

For those of you that are still interested, we still have Smoking Popes T-shirts. They are dark blue with a logo on the front left pocket side and onthe back. They are $15 and orders can go to the address above.

Thanks so much for all your support. We really appreciate it.Take Care,
Mike Felumlee

P.S. All prices include shipping.

So there you have it. Now get off your ass and order it!

From the lips of singer/ songwriter Josh Caterer, he said about the Smoking Popes, "We are officially not a band." There was apparently no hard feelings, although drummer Mike Felumlee said "I was highly bummed out by [Josh leaving]."

But why Josh, why? Josh says, "I decided to leave the band in order to devote my musical interests to singing about God. There just doesn't seem to be anything else worth singing about."

Okay, but how did this come about? Josh explains he "wasn't doing too well for awhile," leaning on things like booze and "non-prescription drugs. So, I started to pray, even though I'd never been taught to pray. I was just looking for answers."

Josh recently recorded an EP worth of material titled Why Me? with the late Phil Bonnet, which Josh plans to release on a small scale sometime this year.

Devin Johnson will host a show on Saturday, March 27th called "Monuments to the Smoking Popes" from 8-10 p.m on WONC FM 89.1 Naperville/Chicago. Mike, Matt and Eli are all coming into the studio to co-host the show. During the show they will be playing the new album, and songs from Born to Quit, Destination Failure and other unavailable songs. The guys will speak in between songs and you can call in at 630-637-8989 and also via the internet on Instant Messenger. This show is to help promote the CD release on March 30th. The station is 89.1 FM. If you have any questions, please e-mail Devin at sjohnson.devin@noctrl.edu.

Much beloved local indie producer Phil Bonnet was found dead early Tuesday morning of an apparent aneurysm. Bonnet was found by police in his car near his home in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood; he had returned from a recording session at Solid Sound studios in Hoffman Estates.

It would not be a gross exaggeration to say that the gregarious Bonnet had recorded just about every area band of note in the past decade: The Smoking Popes, The Slugs, Fig Dish, Eleventh Dream Day, New Duncan Imperials -- Bonnet's discography is too long to recount. Bonnet also played guitar in his own band Cheer Accident.

Warm, funny, and truly one of the most genuine people in the Chicago music world, Bonnet's success with recording bands was due as much to his affable nature as his professional talent. As one local band member who recorded with Bonnet pointed out, he was more than merely a producer -- he became almost an adjunct member of the bands he worked with. As Bonnet told IE in a 1991 interview, "I play in a band myself, and one thing I've learned about playing in a band is that it really helps a lot when you're engineering because you understand the mechanics involved." That perspective was one of Bonnet's greatest strengths.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memoria to the Phil Bonnet Arts Memorial Fund at the College Of Dupage, 425 22nd Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.

Borrowed from the Illinois Entertainer.