Deryck Whibley On The Time Sum 41 Almost Called It Quits: 'We Were Burnt Out'

Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley has revealed years of touring and growing tensions between the band almost led to their break-up a few years ago. 

Appearing on the latest episode of The Green Room with Neil Griffiths podcast, Whibley said it was the end of the Canadian rockers' 2013 tour, which included a run at Australia's Soundwave Festival, where it was time to take a break.

"To me it just felt like we were burnt out," Whibley told host Neil Griffiths.

"We'd been touring non-stop for, I don't know how many years now, maybe 14, 15 years. It just felt like we needed a break."

In April that same year, founding band member and drummer, Steve "Stevo" Jocz, announced his departure from Sum 41.

"I don't blame [Jocz] because I think we were all having those thoughts," Whibley said.

"Either like, 'This is over or we need to go do something else'. I usually know for myself that after a long tour like that, it's best to just go away and let the dust settle.

"Because you always change your mind after about six months. You always think 'You know what, it wasn't that bad. I was just really burnt out.' That's the way I see it anyway." 

Whibley said his lifestyle post-tour in 2013 led to his life-threatening hospitalisation due to alcohol issues the next year.

"When I was in the hospital was when I really realised, sort of, where I was at and how far I'd fallen and what I really wanted out of life, which was to play music," the 39-year-old songwriter said.

"In that year previous when I was just kind of doing whatever I wanted, I was having a great time, but once you're sober you realise what you're doing. It lasted too long.

"It was an entire year of not really thinking about music, not thinking about my health, not thinking about anything other than having fun in the moment."

Listen to the full The Green Room episode with Whibley on Spotify or Apple Podcasts below.

Sum 41's new album, Order In Decline, is out now.