Bowling for Soup

Bowling for Soupis an Americanrockband formed inWichita Falls, Texas, in 1994. The band consists ofJaret Reddick(lead vocals, guitar), Gary Wiseman (drums, percussion), and Rob Felicetti (bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar). The band is best known for its singles "Girl All the Bad Guys Want", "1985", "Almost" and "High School Never Ends". The band is also known for performing the theme song for theDisney Channelanimated seriesPhineas and Ferb. Reddick is the only original member as of 2025.
Bowling for Soup has its origins inWichita Falls, Texas, where Jaret Reddick and other members of the band grew up. Reddick and original drummer Lance Morrill met in the fall of 1976. Reddick began playing music in 1985, at 13 years old. Reddick and guitarist Chris Burney knew each other in high school (they met in 1986) and as students in the 1980s, they grew up on the commercially successful heavy metal music of bands such asQuiet Riot,RATT, andMötley Crüe, but were also influenced by the faster punk rock of theRamonesand laterGreen Day. Burney's family owned a Wichita Falls coffeehouse called "The Refuge" with a music stage and he played there with his first band the Persecuted, where he and Reddick met bassist Erik Chandler and drummer Gary Wiseman in the early 1990s (although Wiseman did not join the band until 1998).
Burney and Chandler soon formed the Folkadots, while Wiseman formed Gary & the Wiseman. Burney and Chandler, along with Morrill, also formed the band Slaw. Around this time, Reddick formed the band Terminal Seasons. Not too long after, Reddick and Morrill formed coolfork! which Burney later joined. The band was in full swing by 1993, playing such venues as the Refuge. A few months later, after forming a band called Rubberneck, the group changed their name to Bowling for Soup, which was derived from a comedy act bySteve Martin,and the band was officially formed in Wichita Falls on June 4, 1994, by Reddick (lead vocals, guitar), Burney (guitar, backing vocals), Chandler (bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar), and Morrill (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Morrill left the band on good terms and was replaced in July 1998 by Wiseman.
In 1996, Bowling for Soup relocated toDenton, Texas, and in 1998 recorded their second studio album (and third overall),Rock on Honorable Ones!!for the Denton music label FFROE.The group released its first EP,Tell Me When to Whoa, through FFROE later that year. The album sold over 10,000 copies, promptingJive Recordsto sign the band. As a side project, beginning around 1999 until May 2018, Reddick and Chandler performed acoustic shows at smaller venues and showcases, playing primarily Bowling for Soup songs in an acoustic fashion, billed as Jaret & Erik. Beginning in September 2017, Reddick began performing solo acoustic shows, starting with the Heartache & Hilarity tour in the UK.
Let's Do It for Johnny!!, Bowling for Soup's major label debut, was released onJivein 2000. The album mostly contained re-recordings of the group's previous material along with a few new tracks and a cover ofBryan Adams' song "Summer of '69".Drunk Enough to Danceis Bowling for Soup's second album with Jive Records, released August 6, 2002. It was recorded at Tree Sound Studios and Sonica Recording in Atlanta and Big Time Audio inDallas. One of the album's two singles, "Girl All The Bad Guys Want" (the other single was "Emily"), was nominated for aGrammy Awardin 2003 in the "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" category. Reddick considers the Grammies one of his shining moments, not for the nomination, but for winning "worst dressed" fromJoan Rivers.
A re-release in 2003 added "Punk Rock 101", a cover of the 1980snew wave bandA Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran (So Far Away)", and "Star Song". An acoustic version of the song "Belgium" exists at the end of the album, as well as at the very end of the initial release. The cover of "I Ran (So Far Away)" was used as the opening theme song of theanimetelevision showSaint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiacin North America.
The band appeared in the 2002 filmCrossroads, playing at a graduation party.
A Hangover You Don't Deservefollowed two years later, and has become the band's onlyTop 40album. Sales of the album were driven in large part by theradioairplayof the single "1985", a song written byMitch AllanofSR-71and covered by Bowling For Soup with his permission.  Bowling for Soup did make some modifications to the lyrics to better fit their style withMitch Allan, lead vocalist of SR-71, contributed backing vocals to the song and appeared in the music video. "1985" became Bowling for Soup's biggest hit in the U.S., reaching No. 23 on theBillboardHot 100. A second single fromA Hangover You Don't Deserve, "Almost", charted on theUK Singles Chart, No. 46 on the U.S. Top 100, and No. 23 on U.S. Pop 100. "Ohio", better known as "Come Back to Texas", was released as a radio single in the U.S., but was not as popular as "1985" or "Almost", reaching only No. 59 on the U.S. Pop 100.
Bowling for Soup Goes to the Movies, a compilation album of cover songs and contributions to movie soundtracks, was released by the band in 2005. Later that year, Reddick and Burney made several appearances onVH1'sI Love the '90s: Part Deux. Bowling for Soup appeared briefly at the start of the 2005 filmCursed, playing the song "Li'l Red Riding Hood".
The group went on theStar 102.1 StarJamtour withSimple Planin 2006 and were the opening act, performing "Almost", "Trucker Hat", "Girl All the Bad Guys Want", "1985", "Punk Rock 101", "I Melt With You", and more. The group's cover version ofModern English's "I Melt With You" was used in theDisneymovieSky Highand was on the movie'ssoundtrack. A music video of the song was made for the movie, aired on theDisney Channeland can be found on the movie's DVD. Once more Bowling for Soup was at StarJams 2007 with Quietdrive and Army of Freshmen.
Following the release of the band's covers album, Bowling for Soup spent most of 2006 readyingThe Great Burrito Extortion Case, the group's seventh album, which was released on November 7, 2006. The group released the first single from that album, "High School Never Ends", toiTuneson September 19, 2006. The UK release of the album was on February 5, 2007.
In 2006, the band embarked on The Get Happy Tour, which was set up as a joint venture with alongsideArmy of Freshmen.  The original tour was planned with Bowling for Soup headlining, Army of Freshmen opening and two other bands (PunchlineandLucky Boys Confusion) playing between.  The tour kicked off in Austin, Texas on June 23, 2006, with the Vanished taking Lucky Boys Confusion's spot for the first three dates.  The band toured the U.S. over the summer and autumn of 2006 with the Get Happy Tour and ended on August 27, 2006, in Amarillo, Tex. This was followed by a UK tour in early February 2007. Coinciding with this UK tour was the UK release of "High School Never Ends". The tour included Bowling for Soup as main headliners,Wheatus,Son of Dorkand Army of Freshmen on the 12 date trek, which concluded atHammersmith Palaisin London, on the February 18.
The band released "I'm Gay" as the second UK single in early 2007. The release was on CD and 7" vinyl. A music video for the single was released in the UK, made up of live performances of the song from the "Get Happy Tour", of which the band had performed in the UK during February 2007. On September 25, 2007, it was announced on the official Bowling for Soup forums that "When We Die" would be released as a download only single in the UK on October 22, 2007, as the third single. Following this, the music video was added to the Kerrang television playlist and was played on Scuzz TV.
The group created an album (also on the label Jive) calledOn Your Mark... Get Set... Smoke a Cigarettewhich consisted of three songs: "Bipolar", "Somebody Get My Mom", "Li'l Red Riding Hood".
Bowling for Soup confirmed during the Get Happy Tour that the group would be performing another tour of the UK in October 2007, called the Get Happy Tour 2, gracing the U.S. over the summer and featuring support actsMelee,Quietdrive, and Army of Freshmen. The UK tour bands were confirmed at theDownload Festival(Army of Freshmen who played in the morning announced it first, and Bowling for Soup announced it later that afternoon), along with the lineup inKerrang!on an advertisement poster for the new tour. The lineup consisted of Bowling for Soup,Bloodhound Gang,Zebraheadand Army of Freshmen.
Bowling for Soup produced an hour-long special that airs onDirecTV's concert series and made an appearance at the Download Festival at Donington Park, England. Bowling for Soup cowrote and sang the theme song for Disney'sPhineas and Ferb, "Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day". The group briefly appears in one episode ofPhineas and Ferb, called "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo". "Greatest Day" was the opening song to the Nickelodeon filmThe Last Day of Summer.
The band's first live DVD,Bowling for Soup: Live and Very Attractivewas filmed over the course of the UK Get Happy Tour October 2007 and premiered at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival with the DVD released in the summer. A three-disk edition was released in the UK on July 7, 2008.There was a limited edition pre-order deal for the DVD which included a T-shirt, drinks mug, exclusive poster and more besides the DVD. Reddick sang lead vocals and Chandler sang backing vocals for the song "Endless Possibility" for the video gameSonic Unleashed.
On January 20, 2009, Reddick released a video onto the web via the band's Myspace page and both YouTube accounts about a new album by the group. According to him, the band's eighth full-length album was set to be released in September 2009,and the band had very recently started recording. He said it was to be titledSorry for Partyin'. The video was the first of a few released during the recording process of the album.
Sorry for Partyin'was released on October 12, 2009. "My Wena" was the first promotional single from the album. The single was first previewed on May 5, 2009, on theLex and Terry show. A music video for the song was filmed and the video was released on July 21, 2009.The song was released to iTunes on July 28, 2009."No Hablo Ingles" was supposed to be the first single released to the radio for the album, however, Jive split with the band and shelvedSorry for Partyin'after only four weeks of being on sale, thus no single was ever released to radio.
To promote the release of the album, the band embarked on a headline tour of the UK in October 2009 under the title ofThe Party in Your Pants Tour. Main support on the tour came fromZebrahead, with additional support coming fromMC Lars(who is signed to Reddick'sCrappy Records) andthe Leftovers. During the last show of this tour at theCamden Town Roundhousein London Reddick announced to the crowd that Bowling for Soup would return to the UK in "The Spring" and will be hitting the European summer festival circuit and then again returning to the UK for another headlining tour in the Autumn. On Christmas Eve 2009, Bowling for Soup announced through the band's website, a UK Acoustic Tour in April 2010.
Bowling for Soup releasedMerry Flippin' Christmas Volume 1digitally on November 26, 2009.
Bowling for Soup released an acoustic album,Jaret & Erik 2010 UK Acoustic Tour Limited Edition CD, during Reddick and Chandler's acoustic tour in the UK in April 2010. The album was released after the tour on the band's online UK and US stores. Reddick has also stated that an acoustic album is very possible for the group's next acoustic tour, which was planned for April 2011, but nothing came of it.
The band played at four US Navy Bases in 2011, three in Japan: Sasebo on July 2, Yokosuka on July 4 and Okinawa on July 13. Diego Garcia NSF in British Indian Ocean Territory was part of the Armed Forces Entertainment tour for the band, to help kick off July 4 Celebrations for the troops. The first three dates were part of the Independence Day Celebration. During February and March 2012 Reddick & Chandler also traveled to the Middle East and Africa to perform some acoustic shows at US Military bases throughout the region.
In an interview, Reddick said that after the band's current tour concluded he would begin writing material for a new record.Reddick confirmed May 8 on hisTwitteraccount the band would start recording an eleventh album in June 2010.On June 2, an update was posted on the band's website stating that the group had entered the studio and begun recording the album.The band announced that a new album was to be released in Spring 2011.Merry Flippin' Christmas Volume 1was released on iTunes and CD, the band's first two albums were re-releasedLegacy Recordingsreleased agreatest hits album,Playlist: The Very Best of Bowling for Soup, on January 25, 2011, as part of the label'sPlaylistmusic album series.The band played what is said to be the first single offFishin' for Woos, "S-S-S-Saturday" (also known as "Saturday Night"), live onABCfor theProfessional Bowlers AssociationTournament of Champions finals on January 22.The album was ultimately released April 25, 2011, in the United Kingdom, and April 26 worldwide. In July 2011, the band released a7" split EP with the Dollyrots, in which each band covered one of the other band's songs.Reddick said the band had plans to release a lot of other music in 2011: "We are re-releasing our first 3 albums and working on another Christmas album. Chandler will release a solo record. And my new band,People on Vacation, will release our first album. We are also trying to get a b-sides comp together. It is gonna be a great year!".In October 2011, Bowling for Soup released a three-track single that included the new single "I've Never Done Anything Like This", which featuresKay Hanleyon vocals fromFishin' for Woos, as well as a re-recorded version of "The Bitch Song" and a cover version of "Stacy's Mom" byFountains of Wayne.
On September 8, the band performed at the Tennessee Soybean Festival inMartin, Tennessee.On September 25, the band released a split album with the Dollyrots and Patent Pending calledOne Big Happy, where the bands perform covers of each other's songs.
On February 15, 2013, the band started a pledge music campaign to fund a new album, and Reddick stated: "The Writing Process has Begun". Pledgers got to hear the songs just as they were finished. The first song to be written was "Since We Broke Up", by Linus of Hollywood and Reddick.On April 8, 2013, Bowling for Soup announced that the group's last tour of the UK would take place in October of the same year,but they toured the UK again in February 2016,February 2018 and February 2020.
In an announcement video posted on the band's official YouTube account,Reddick announced that the annual 14-day UK tour would go ahead in October 2013, but that it would be the last UK tour the group perform as Bowling for Soup. Reddick cited personal and financial reasons for the decision, saying that: "The UK has given this band everything, so I'm being honest about our reasons. We still love being Bowling For Soup but touring really does begin to take its toll on both you and your family after a while."No Ireland dates were announced for the tour, which only featured one support act (Patent Pending) as opposed to two, with an extended Bowling for Soup setlist and exclusive acoustic concert for VIP ticket holders preceding the concert. The band also stressed that the group "are not splitting up", but at the current time, there are no plans for a farewell US tour. Reddick also announced in a video posted online that the band was scheduled to record a new cover album, as well as a greatest hits album after the 2013 Farewell UK Tourand preceding the band's 20th anniversary in June 2014.
On June 11, 2013, Reddick announced via the band's PledgeMusic Project page it was up to the pledgers to vote on what the newest album should be named. On June 20, 2013, it was announced the title with the most votes wasLunch. Drunk. Love.The album was released to the pledgers on September 6, 2013, in both clean and explicit formats and the pledge campaign was temporarily extended, allowing effective purchase of the album for $10.
As part of Bowling for Soup's 20th anniversary, Reddick, Burney, Chandler, and Wiseman decided to make a greatest hits album. The band once again turned to PledgeMusic to source funding for the project. The album is titledSongs People Actually Liked Volume 1 The First 10 Yearsand includes seventeen re-recorded songs and one new song. This album is seen by the band members as their true 'Greatest Hits' (from the group's first 10 years) as the previously released 2011 greatest hits album was released with no consultation from the band or fans. The album was released to PledgeMusic subscribers on November 19, 2014. One critic wrote, "Bowling for Soup's energetic, humorous music is just as good today as it was when it was released."
In 2015, Bowling for Soup appeared onBlues Traveler's albumBlow Up the Moon, co-writing the songs "Right Here Waiting For You" and "I Know, Right".
On June 15, 2015, Bowling for Soup announced a 15-day UK tour.
The band announced on May 11, 2016, that they would begin to record a new EP,Drunk Dynasty. The band would again team up with PledgeMusic to include fans in the entire recording process.The band later announced thatDrunk Dynastywas to be a full-length studio album. It was eventually released on October 14, 2016.
In September 2017, the band announced that they would be returning to the UK the following February with a tour to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their seminal albumDrunk Enough to Dance, accompanied by Get Happy Tour alumniArmy of Freshmen(who celebrated their 20th anniversary as a band), andthe Aquabats. The tour visited a number of large venues across the UK includingO2 Apollo Manchester,University of East Anglia,  culminating at London'sO2 Brixton Academy.A few months later, in March 2018, the band toured South Africa for the first time.
On January 12, 2019, Reddick took to the band's official Facebook page to confirm fans' speculation that Chandler had left the band for personal reasons after not performing in some time. Chandler was replaced with long time friend, Rob Felicetti (Patent Pending/the Ataris).Later that year, in December 2019, the band released two volumes of"A Nice Night For An Evening", featuring piano covers of their most popular songs.
In February 2020, Bowling For Soup headlined the "Together Again – You're Welcome" Tour in the UK, bringing alongSimple Planas direct support.This was the first tour the two bands had done together since 2003. The sold-out tour included the band's first time selling out London's famedO2 Brixton Academy. Around this same time, "Alexa Bliss", a single about WWE wrestlerAlexa Bliss, was released. The music video stars her as herself. The song went viral on YouTube, garnering almost 6 million views as of 2023.
In October 2020, the band had planned and announced a "Surf the UK Tour" in 2021 with Lit and the Dollyrots, but they were forced to cancel due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The tour was rescheduled to begin in April 2022.
The band shared their new single "Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody's Doing It)" in May 2021.Later that year, in November, they released another song "Killin' 'Em With Kindness".
The single "I Wanna Be Brad Pitt" premiered on Tulsa's The Edge radio station on January 13, 2022.With the official release of the song on February 25, the band also revealed their eleventh album titledPop Drunk Snot Bread, which was released on April 22, 2022.
In March 2022, it was announced that Bowling for Soup was headlining a tour along withskaactsLess Than Jakeandthe Aquabats(for the first leg), with opening acts Don't Panic, Cliffdiver, Doll Skin, and Keep Flying. The tour began on June 22 in Norfolk and wrapped up on September 17 in St Louis.
On February 14, 2023, the band announced a cover of theMiley Cyrussong "Flowers", which was released on February 21. Following that, Reddick announced on March 28 in a social media post thatDon't Mind if We Do, a digital album of cover songs that the band had recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, would be released soon. The album surprise dropped on April 4, featuring a cover ofPatent Pending's "Hey Mario". In June, the band officially announced their second re-recorded greatest hits albumSongs People Actually Liked - Volume 2, which dropped on August 25.
On September 5, 2023, it was announced that the band signed to SBAM Records for their UK releases.
On January 29, 2024, the first leg of the "Sick 50 Tour" was announced, which celebrates 30 years of the band and 20 years ofA Hangover You Don't Deserve, which will be played in its entirety.The tour was later renamed to theHangover You Don't Deserve 20th Anniversary Touron March 6, with leg 2 being announced the same day.
On June 13, 2024, Chris Burney was unable to join the band on stage at the Firenze Rocks Festival inFlorence, Italy, and immediately went back home to Texas due to medical concerns.On July 12, it was announced that Burney would be taking a break from performing with the band due to health reasons.The band did not hire a substitute guitarist for theHangover You Don't Deserve 20th Anniversary Tourand instead performed as a three-piece.
In September 2024, the band covered "Friend Like Me" forA Whole New Sound, a compilation album featuringpop-punkcovers of songs from classic Disney films.
On January 22, 2025, it was announced that Burney would not be rejoining Bowling for Soup as he decided to officially retire due to medical developments, touring nonstop and "30 years of rocking balls". The band elaborated they would not be replacing him and would continue as a three-piece, stating "you cannot replace a legend".
On January 24, 2025, the band announced their biggest headline show atWembley Arena, which is set to take place on December 13.A few days later, on January 27, the band were among the first announced to be part of the 2025Warped Tour. To coincide with the announcement, the band released a cover ofBlink-182's "The Rock Show".
Bowling for Soup's musical style has been described aspop-punk,pop rock,alternative rock,andpower pop.AllMusic describes Bowling for Soup's style as a "catchy and humorous blend of power pop,ska,punk, andhardcore."Bowling for Soup's influences includeGreen Day,Bad Religion,Ramones,NOFX,Descendents,Elvis Costello, andWillie Nelson.
Bowling for Soup's hit song "1985" was originally written by SR-71's Mitch Allan. According to Reddick, Allan showed the song to him and instructed him to take it as his own, as it seemed more of a Bowling for Soup song than an SR-71 song. Bowling for Soup worked closely with the alternative bandArmy of Freshmen.In the video for "High School Never Ends" the boy clapping can be seen wearing an Army of Freshmen T-shirt, and Army of Freshmen themselves can be seen as part of the BFS Marching Band. Reddick does guest vocals on four tracks on Army of Freshmen's albumUnder the Radar.
In 2003, fellow Texan punk rockers Junior opened for Bowling for Soup when the group played the club Trees inDeep Ellum. Reddick later co-wrote the song "She's So Amazing" for the band's albumAre We Famous Yet?, and lends vocals as well. The Irish pop rock singerLesley Roylend her vocals for Bowling for Soup's song "Much More Beautiful Person" from the albumThe Great Burrito Extortion Case. Both Roy and Bowling for Soup were assigned to the same record label. Reddick is friends withMC Lars, and has lent his vocals for MC Lars' single "Download This Song". MC Lars was a part of Reddick's label Crappy Records. In 2009, Bowling for Soup cameoed in the music video "Telephone Operator" by the Leftovers, who were also a part of Crappy Records.
In 2001, Bowling for Soup performed the theme song for theNickelodeonfilmJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The group's version of the theme was based on the previously written television series theme song written byBrian CauseyofMan Or Astro-man?. Also in 2001, Reddick wrote the lyrics for "Greatest Day" for the filmMax Keeble's Big Movewhile the band did the music.Bowling for Soup also performed the theme "Today is Gonna Be a Great Day" for theDisney ChannelcartoonPhineas and Ferb, Reddick stars in the episode "Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together" where he is the lead vocalist of a fictional band called "Love Händel". The band itself also appeared in animated form in the episode "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo" in which the band performed an alternate version of the show's theme with Phineas and Ferb for their futuristic nephews. OnCartoon Network, Reddick and Chandler both played an acoustic show in 2006.And in August 2008 Reddick and Chandler filmed an exclusive video forTotal Guitarmagazine in the UK called "How To Write A Song In 5 Minutes". In 2008,  Reddick teamed up withSEGAto work on the theme song forSonic Unleashed, titled "Endless Possibility".
New Zealandband48Mayran into legal issues and decided to take the song "Leather and Tattoos" off of the group's debut album, due to the melody sounding very similar to "Punk Rock 101". The album was replaced with a "tour edition" of the CD with the questionable song missing.
In 2006, Bowling for Soup coveredFergie's "London Bridge" for Pepsi Smash Cover Art on Yahoo! videos.
In 2008, Reddick co-arranged co-wrote and produced the singles "SUV" and "Girls + Summer = Fun!" with solo artistChristy Darlington, and Erik Chandler and Gary Wiseman performed on the recordings as well. These songs were subsequently released digitally. This collaboration resulted from Bowling for Soup and Darlington having performed concerts together and knowing each other since the late 1990s in the Dallas music scene and mutual respect and appreciation for each other's music.
In 2014, Bowling for Soup covered theGreen Daysong "St. Jimmy" for the albumKerrang!Does Green Day's American Idiot.
Lead vocalist Reddick provided vocals on the Lakesick track "Greenmount" as the theme song for the stoner adventure comedy of the same name.GreenmountstarsShane Kippel(star ofDegrassi: The Next Generation) alongside creator Joshua Prior (who also fronts Lakesick), and John Donahue.Greenmountwas released in June 2019.
It became a running gag in Bowling for Soup's music videos to feature previous songs of the band as an introduction for the video. This can be seen in "Girl All the Bad Guys Want", "Emily", and "High School Never Ends", which feature music from "The Bitch Song", "Girl All the Bad Guys Want", and "1985" respectively.
Current members
Former members
Touring substitutes