As the 20th anniversary of Sum 41’s debut album All Killer No Filler nears, frontman Deryck Whibley has confessed he’s not a big fan of it.
“I've always felt it wasn't that great, if I'm being honest,” he told Billboard. "When people tell me it means a lot to them or it was a really good album compared to other records, I always think they're lying. I've always felt like, ‘Have you listened to it lately, though? I don't know if it holds up.’”
All Killer No Filler, partially recorded in Sum 41’s native Southern Ontario, was released on May 8, 2001 and spawned the hit “Fat Lip.” The album peaked at No. 13 in the U.S. and No. 9 in Canada – and was certified 3x Platinum in Canada, representing sales of at least 300,000.
“I've always felt somewhat, like, when that record had success – and maybe this is just my personality – but when it got as successful as it did, I had an immediate embarrassment,” recalled Whibley, now 41. “Almost like you become ashamed of your own success.
“In some way, I feel like it snuck through and everyone's going to find out soon that it's not that good. Like I sort of cheated my way, somehow. That's kind of what I've always felt about that record. If I listen to it now as I'm older, maybe I can be a little bit more objective. But for the longest time, I thought it wasn't a very good record.”
In 2019, Whibley told iHeartRadio.ca: “It’s hard for me to hear old stuff or go back and listen to anything. I usually just hate it all. I can’t stand my voice.”
He echoed this to Billboard while reflecting on All Killer No Filler. “If I could have sung that record better, I'd probably like it more. My voice was so undeveloped at the time. I was so young, and I knew back in those days I didn't like my voice – I still don't really like my voice, but I'm a much better technical singer than I was,” he said.
“I just hear my voice straining so hard to get through some of those songs. Maybe that's what it is.”