Cartel, the pop-punk band straight outta Conyers, Georgia, is marking a milestone this year. The group first came together when vocalist Will Pugh joined forces with guitarist Joseph Pepper and drummer Kevin Sanders, longtime friends from high school.

Rhythm guitarist Nic Hudson joined soon after, rounding out the band’s sound that broke through in the mid-2000s. The band’s current lineup remains anchored by Pugh, Pepper, Hudson and Sanders, with Alex LeCavalier and Kyle Adams filling in on bass and drums, respectively, during tours.

Cartel is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Chroma, which dropped in 2005. The LP, anchored with the single “Honestly,” quickly became one of the era’s best pop punk tunes and has been a staple in their setlists for two decades now.

To mark the anniversary, the band is releasing “Chroma – 2025,” a re-recorded version featuring guest vocals from Cassadee Pope.

Will stopped by the Setlist offices to chat with Bree Wilde about their shared love of Warped Tour, Taylor Swift, and Beach Boy legend Brian Wilson. Click the video above for the entire conversation or keep scrolling for a few highlights.

Taylor Swift, Lucas Oil Field, Indiana, 11/1/24

Will Pugh: So, it was the first show that I was able to take my daughter to see who had just been born in 2016. We didn't know if she was going to be able to go, I mean, obviously it was crazy expensive and we by no means have it like that, but we're lucky enough to know some end arounds with some people on her team and got the friends and family access to some tickets.

And from hearing the conversations around where we were sitting, the people that were sitting around us and what they were paying for their tickets and where they came from, my daughter quickly realized how much of a hookup we got.

I'm like, "Yes, see, your dad's worth something and got to take you to Taylor Swift"... I mean, she knew every single word.

And I'm not a Taylor Swift stan in that sense, where I just know every single word back and forth and all the things about all the eras and all that. But I definitely appreciate the impact she's had on music and especially just my daughter's life, my daughter's a fan. So, seeing her face light up when we surprised her with it and then getting her there the same day and just the whole thing.

Bree Wilde: So, it was like a day-of surprise?

Will Pugh: Yeah. She didn't know it was coming. So, we checked her out of school and we're like, "yeah, we have to get on a plane."

She's like, "Why are we getting on a plane?" She was all freaked out.

I'm like, "Yeah, we're going to the Eras Tour."

And she's like, "What?" She's like, "Seriously?"

I'm like, "Yeah, yeah."

She was like, "She's so cool." So, we got her on the plane. Her mom did her hair and all that stuff, getting her ready to go. They all got to dress up, and I'm like, I don't know. I'm just wearing a T-shirt. I guess this is fine. I'll buy some merch when I get there, I guess to fit in, which was an experience in and of itself.

But that show, she did an incredible job. I mean, the production was insane. That might be the best show I'll ever see. Just from a level of lighting, all the choreography.

It was another one of those things where just being able to witness it more objectively and hear a stadium of 60something thousand people singing literally every word and my daughter being one of them, and just looking over there to, and she's just rocking out, and it's three hours long concert. I mean, I'm dead by the end of it.

And being able to see that tour with Taylor because I don't even know if she could do something that big again, just playing all of her material and having that sort of, I don't know how you top that.

Bree Wilde: I think I've seen people replicate it a little bit. Like Fall Out Boy did a set like that where it was their Eras Tour, but she started it.

Will Pugh: Yeah, absolutely. Trendsetter.

Bree Wilde: Have you taken her to any show since, or is it hard to even top that?

Will Pugh: She got to see us play at When We Were Young Festival last year, and that was cool to see her eyes just like, "Oh."

I'm like, "Yeah, yeah."

Bree Wilde: A big deal.

Will Pugh: Yeah. Your grumpy in the morning, needs coffee dad can do it every now and then.

Brian Wilson, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, 9/17/16

Will Pugh: So, when we were writing Chroma, I was just discovering Pet Sounds. I was not even 21, in the back of a van, just cruising down the highway.

And you hear like, Pet Sounds was like Beach Boys' reaction to a Rubber Soul, which then the Beatles and the Beach Boys had this cool symbiotic thing going back-and-forth.

It is funny because Beatles are obviously the biggest band of all time, but then Beach Boys I don't think get enough flowers -- they're just like, "Oh yeah, they're the California Sunshine Band" -- and yes they are, but were super influential at the same time for a lot of artists... but more so not realizing how influential Brian Wilson was to The Beatles.

So, when Rubber Soul hit and Brian Wilson heard that and was like, "All right, I got it. Yeah, that gives me an idea," and goes in and knocks out Pet Sounds and then the Beatles hear that and throw down Sgt. Peppers. It's like, "Holy shit, what a mix of music that's rolling in."

And it's all just two guys just bromancing know over the Atlantic. It's crazy, but yeah, I mean...

Bree Wilde: I don't think I knew that history.

Will Pugh: Yeah, I didn't either until I really dove into the Pet Sounds lore because I mean, everybody has heard, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" or "God Only Knows."

Bree Wilde: Yes.

Will Pugh: But you get into some of the other songs and it just starts to be like, okay, for the time it's like groundbreaking. They're literally inventing new ways of recording music. Not only just writing songs, but changing the shape of the industry at the same time.

And from, yeah, I'm an audio nerd, so just learning all the stuff that they were able to do with all of those albums between the Beatles and Beach Boys. It was just really cool.

So then to be able to see them at the Ryman or see Brian Wilson... I think there might've been one or two of the Beach Boys there. I know Mike Love wasn't there. But to see them at the Ryman, which in Nashville's classic legendary venue.

The original Grand Ole Opry was there, but it's probably the best sounding venue I've ever been in.

Just the acoustics: you could stand on stage without a microphone, it would sound great. And I've seen a few bands damn near do that: Punch Brothers being one of them.

But to see Brian Wilson there doing that record and I think 20 other songs like something crazy.

Especially now that he's passed on, just being able to have experienced that and seeing that album was, I mean, bucket list before you really have a bucket list situation.

It was incredible. I mean, he played really well and it was, his health concerns had always been hard to work around with touring, but he sounded great. The band sounded great, and I remember exactly where I sat and almost every single moment of that where... it's Nashville, so it's a bunch of musicians, where it is admittedly is very hard to win over a crowd.

But for some reason when Nashville shows up with the musician crowd and they're watching an artist that truly everyone in the room respects, who is on stage and respects the songs that are being performed, there's a different kind of energy.

I know that guy is a tough nut to crack over there, and I see him singing every word, and I'm pretty sure there's a tear coming out of his eye. That's just a really cool moment.

And yeah, I mean you have "God Only Knows" and it's just the entire place is in perfect harmony.

Bree Wilde: You're like, "is this spiritual?"

Will Pugh: Yeah, absolutely. One of those moments where you realize how powerful music really is. That was a transformative experience.

Cartel is embarking on a North American tour beginning in a few weeks.

Hear the album that Will helped make as he was listening to Pet Sounds for the first time.

The band will be joined by Hunny, Landon Conrath and Macseal. Grab your tickets on the Cartel website.

The Chroma 20th Anniversary Tour

Sep 12 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground
Sep 13 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works
Sep 15 — Richmond, VA — The Broadberry
Sep 16 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage
Sep 17 — Brooklyn, NY — Warsaw
Sep 19 — Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of Living Arts
Sep 20 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
Sep 22 — Toronto, ON — The Opera House
Sep 23 — Detroit, MI — Saint Andrew’s Hall
Sep 24 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues Cleveland
Sep 26 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues Chicago
Sep 27 — Milwaukee, WI — The Rave/Eagles Club
Sep 28 — Minneapolis, MN — The Fillmore Minneapolis
Sep 30 — St. Louis, MO — The Pageant
Oct 1 — Kansas City, MO — The Truman
Oct 3 — Denver, CO — Summit
Oct 4 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
Oct 6 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
Oct 7 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre
Oct 9 — San Francisco, CA — August Hall
Oct 10 — Santa Ana, CA — The Observatory
Oct 11 — San Diego, CA — House of Blues San Diego
Oct 12 — Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren
Oct 14 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
Oct 15 — Austin, TX — Mohawk (Outdoor)
Oct 17 — Orlando, FL — The Beacham
Oct 18 — Tampa, FL — The Ritz Ybor
Oct 19 — Fort Lauderdale, FL — Revolution Live
Oct 25 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade (Heaven)