Started almost a decade ago, Bowling for Soup, has become the epitome of hard work and demonstrating a passion for music in the industry. The pop-punk group was formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994 after two bands fused together. The two bands were Cool Fork and Folkadots. Cool Fork was composed of Jaret Von Erich (Jaret Reddick, vocalist, guitar, song writer) and one of BFS’s original drummers. Prior to joining BFS and as surprising as it may seem, Von Erich had been in a heavy metal band. Von Erich, who is incredibly talented and intelligent, though of the band’s name. He was inspired by the ‘supposed’ title of comedian Steve Martin’s unwritten novel, “Bowling for Shit.” He integrated that name with the title of the 1995 essay, “Bowling Alone,” written by Harvard University International Affairs teacher, Robert D. Putnam. Von Erich was raised listening to country song bird Tammy Wynette, Sha Na Na, REO, Speedwagon, Van Halen, and Ozzy Osbourne. Folkadots was composed of Christopher Van Malmsteen (Christopher Burney, guitar) and Erik Rodham Clinton (Erik Chandler, bass). Clinton had originally planned to be ‘Rodman’ rather than ‘Rodham’. Unfortunately, in the group’s first EP, the stage name was spelt incorrectly. Prior to joining BFS, Clinton had wanted to become a model and been a janitor at a jean factory. He began his music career very early on. When he was only eleven years old he performed in his grandfather’s band in front of ten thousand Texans at the annual Texas State Fair. Growing up, he also played the trumpet and the tuba. All four boys were friends prior to making BFS. In fact, Clinton and Von Erich used to have run a two-man comedy show in which they covered 80s glam metal rock.
BFS’s first rehearsal was on June 4, 1994. Their first show was on July 3, 1994. After that, the group began touring around Texas in cities such as Abilene, San Angelo, and Lubbock. They supported bands such as Hagfish and Beef Jerky. The soon released their first seven song EP entitled Tell Me When To Whoa!!! The EP was released on the independent label, FFROE. The group made the EP by borrowing money from Von Erich’s grandfather.
BFS’s debut album, Bowling for Soup, was released in September of 1994 own the band’s own Queso label (Spanish for cheese). The singles “Sandwich” and “Cody” both received air play. The group began to get noticed when the performed in front of four thousand people in Abilene, Texas in 1997. In 1998, BFS released their second album entitled Rock on Honourable Ones!!! In 199 the hired their long time friend, Gary Wiseass (Gary Wiseman) to be their drummer. By this time the quartet was playing an average of twenty eight shows a month. They were noticed and signed to Jive/Silverstone Records.
Their first major label cd was entitled Let’s Do It For Johnny. The group thought of the name from the famous brat-pack movie The Outsiders which was directed by Francis Coppola. The album, which had thirteen songs, had the hit single “The Bitch Song.” Much of the songs were written when the group was touring around Texas in their 1982 Dodge van. In order to promote the album, they hit the festival circuit and traveled throughout Europe and the United States.
In 2002 they released Drunk Enough to Dance. The band said they were got the title after visiting different weddings. The people who are always on the dance floor are those who are the drunkest; the people who actually shouldn’t be dancing. The album spawned the hit “Girl All The Bad Guys Want.” Drunk Enough To Dance was produced by Butch Wood 9Lit, SR-71). That year the quartet also recorded the song, “The Greatest Day,” which became the track song for the Tiger Woods video game. In 2003, BFS were featured on the Warped Tour.
Bio written by: bandhunt |
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