Stefan Babcock, an Earl Haig Secondary School grad from Toronto, joined up with Zack Mykula, Nestor Chumak and Steve Sladkowski to form the punk band Pup a year ago. Since the release of their self-titled debut album and a scorching video for the song “Reservoir,” the band has caught fire, touring the globe and playing to sold-out crowds. They are back in Toronto for a show on June 3.

What’s next for you after coming back home following your European tour?
We have a six-week tour in North America with Menzingers, which includes a Canadian date. It’s a big tour with a great band, and we get to stop in our hometown and play a show for our fans. It should be good.

You guys basically blew up overnight following the “Reservoir” video. What happened?
The current band, Pup, has only been a band for less than a year I guess, maybe a year now actually. It’s hard to tell what happened. At the end of day you don’t know if it’s good or not. I didn’t know what to expect. You just put your record out, play a few shows in nearby cities, etc., and that would be that. We’d go about our normal lives. But things have happened really fast, and we’re surprised and excited by it. We’re now on the road constantly, seeing places, playing with some of our favourite bands in the world. It’s been a mind-blowing experience.

So how did the band come together?
The other three guys grew up together, same neighbourhood, started playing music, developing tastes with one another. They have a really strong musical bond and a friendship that’s really great. I’m the newcomer. We met a couple years ago. Musically and personally we all just really hit it off.

You’re a pretty straight-up punk band. What’s been the key to your success?
People are just connecting with the music on an emotional, gut level. It’s heavy and fun and fast, but at the same time we don’t fall into that punk trap of playing four chords really fast all the time and smashing our instruments. There is a love of melody that we all have. 

And what are your musical influences?
Built To Spill is my favourite band in the world since I was a really young kid, and I never really outgrew them. I love that kind of aesthetic. They didn’t really care too much about being amazing musicians, just playing parts perfectly, writing incredible songs, great hooks.… All of us love bands like the Bronx, Queens of the Stone Age.

Pup plays the Opera House on June 3 with the Menzingers and Lemuria.