Simple Plan’s Chuck Comeau reflects on 25 years of music, Montreal roots and a legacy still growing
Posted October 3, 2025 6:56 am.
Last Updated October 3, 2025 7:10 am.
They’ve sold more than 10 million albums, toured the world, and written songs that helped define a generation — but for Simple Plan, it all started in a Montreal basement.
Now, as the band marks 25 years together, drummer Chuck Comeau is reflecting on their journey — and what’s still ahead — following the release of a new documentary chronicling the group’s rise.
Simple Plan: The Kids in the Crowd, released in July, offers an emotional look back at their path from Montreal’s punk scene to international stardom — and the enduring bond they’ve built with fans around the world.
‘We wanted everybody to hear our songs‘
For drummer Chuck Comeau, revisiting the band’s early days was as emotional as it was inspiring.
“I think if I’m being honest, I think that was the goal — that was the dream that we had,” he said. “We wrote songs in our basement in Montreal, but we wanted everybody to hear them.”
Comeau and fellow band members Pierre Bouvier, Jeff Stinco, Sébastien Lefebvre and David Desrosiers launched Simple Plan after gaining traction locally in a previous band called Reset. But even in those early years, they were looking beyond their hometown.
“It was frustrating with our first bands where we would write songs and people would write us, like, ‘Hey, I can’t find your album in Europe or in Australia.’ With this band, it was like, no — we want this to be heard everywhere.”
Montreal’s punk scene helped shape the sound
Comeau says the city’s thriving music culture in the 1990s gave the band the momentum they needed.
“When we were teenagers in 1996, 97, 98 — even ’94 — punk rock was massive in Montreal. There was such a vibrant scene. It was the mecca of punk rock. There were shows every week,” he said. “It was the perfect environment to grow up in and it really shaped the band.”
That early support helped fuel their belief in the band and the genre, even when it wasn’t part of the mainstream.
“Montreal gave us momentum and made us believe that this sound was the right sound for our band.”
Fans played a defining role in the band’s identity
As Simple Plan began releasing music in the early 2000s, Comeau said they quickly realized the emotional connection fans had with their songs — especially tracks like Perfect and I’m Just a Kid.
“There was something very emotional in the way that people responded to the lyrics,” he said. “It informed what kind of band we were going to be. It made us want to write more songs like Perfect that would hit deep and really connect with people.”
That relationship with fans became a cornerstone of the band’s approach.
“We wanted our fans to really know us — not only musically and as band members, but as people,” Comeau said. “That close connection is like a signature of who we are as a band.”
‘Everything we got, we had to earn‘
The documentary doesn’t just showcase the highs — it also captures the obstacles, rejections and perseverance that defined the band’s path.
“It was more emotional than we expected it to be,” said Comeau. “How much effort, how many failures, how many times we had to pick ourselves up and keep going.”
Comeau emphasized that unlike some acts that experience overnight success, Simple Plan built their career slowly — and with a lot of struggle.
“We were never the band that blew up in the first week,” he said. “Everything we got, we had to really earn it.”
That sense of humility and resilience is part of what he hopes viewers take away from the film.
“It’s really about tenacity. It’s about resilience. It’s about not giving up.”
A break, a belief — and a turning point
Comeau said one of the most emotional moments in the film captures the time they finally got signed — after nearly a decade of trying.
“When finally somebody out there sees what we saw in us… that was powerful. That really moved me,” he said. “Everybody needs somebody to believe in them.”
For Simple Plan, that person was Andy Karp at Atlantic Records, who had worked with artists like Kid Rock and Matchbox 20.
“He said, ‘Hey, I see something in you guys.’ That kept us going.”
More than just a band — a story of friendship
While the film focuses on music, Comeau said the bigger story is about friendship and perseverance — values he believes are deeply needed in today’s world.
“It’s the story of four friends that figured out a way to make it work,” he said. “Despite the tough times, the conflicts or whatever, we come together and keep going.”
That dynamic has helped the band stay together for more than two decades — something rare in today’s music industry.
“It’s hard sometimes. We don’t always agree — but we found a way to make it work. We found a way to communicate.”
What’s next for Simple Plan?
Fresh off the release of the documentary, the band is heading back on tour — with new music also on the horizon.
“We’re going with The Offspring for like two months of shows. They’re all sold out — big arenas. It’s very exciting,” Comeau said.
And for Montreal fans, there’s good news: a homecoming show is in the works.
“We definitely want to come back. We haven’t played a proper Montreal gig in a pretty long time,” Comeau said. “I can’t give you anything yet, but it’s coming — probably next year.”
A message to fans: ‘Thank you‘
As the band marks its 25th anniversary, Comeau said they remain deeply grateful for the support they’ve received — from longtime listeners to new generations discovering their music.
“Every chance we get to say thank you for all the support and for being with us all these years — I think we always jump on that. Because the reason why there is a documentary, why there is even a story in the first place, is because we had people believe in us. We had people that, you know, made our music a part of their lives. And so, you know, we owe it all to them,” he said.
