Bowling For Soup; Rock N’ Roll is really happy!

13th Feb 2007

“The new album (‘The Great Burrito Extortion Case’) is not life reflecting, but life does seem different, we all have families now. We’ve written our most serious song ever (‘When We Die’) and our wackiest, funniest song ever (‘I Am Gay’), for the album”.

Bespeaks Gareth Wiseman, who provides the percussion rumble, drive and some vocals for the larger than life rock, happy mainstays Bowling For Soup (B F S). Their above mentioned ninth album, sticks an exclamation mark by their chirpy approach to making music. ’99 Biker Friends’ stands out as a serious lash-out at wife-beaters and sees Jaret Reddick’s vocals taking on a rare, almost threatening stance. Gareth takes a breather after the sound-check at the Academy in Manchester, prior to their headline slot on the Get Happy Tour (also featuring Army Of Freshmen, Wheatus and Son Of Dork). He ponders why their approach to making music that combines a serious edge with a buoyant sense of fun, is getting rarer and rarer in music’s ever serious grind?

“I think it just boils down to our personality and attitudes. Bands these days just take what they do too seriously. I mean we cover serious topics, but most of the time we put a funny twist on it.”

This sense of humility is most prevalent at their high jinx live shows;

“We want people to come along, have a good time and then comeback wanting more. Saying that was one of the best nights we’ve ever had. On this tour our crowds’ are also enjoying watching the other bands. Our shows are fun and are not just about us playing music.”

There is an air of reflection that hangs around Gareth, something that is interrupted by a warm greeting from members of The Army Of Freshmen, who are about to head on stage. There is, as expected, a friendly and warm atmosphere here tonight, something that has been synonymous with B F S, wherever they go and whatever they do. Is there a song from their treasure chest of material that captures the bands’ feelings right now?

“Erm, Friends of Mine, we’re at a point where we’ve achieved a lot of goals and can look back on lesser times and can look forward to achieving more goals.”

He seems contented enough, but there is a sense that the hunger is very much still there. Many will be pleased to discover that Gareth feels the work of B F S is by no means finished. Given the serious undercoat to the frivolity, how does the beat pusher feel to be an American citizen in this day and age?

“Hhhhmmm, am not sure about that one. I dunno…I’m happy to be an American right now. It is a weird place, it will be interesting to see what happens there. “

A serious vein is appearing, so it is time to block this. ‘The Great Burrito Extortion Case’ is named after a true case, whereby a guy tried to sue a Mexican food chain claiming that they put a mouse in his burrito. What artist or band does Gareth detest to the point of wanting to put a mouse in their burrito? The genuine nice guy ooohhhhsss” and “aaahhhsss” prior to the response, as he struggles to muster the strength of hatred required to answer this question:

“We’ve been lucky really. Every band we have toured with has been sound. Although, I do hate Courtney Love and would love to shove a mouse in her burrito.”

Don’t you just love a bit of controversy? B F S has been going strong since 1994, so there must be some fond memories?

“Yeah, the first time we came to England stands out. We played the Leeds/Reading Festival, when we were just starting out really. We thought that nobody knew who we were, but people recognised us. I don’t know why?”

Despite their frivolous onstage antics and refreshing approach to making music, their must be something that really vexes them, but who or what is it?

“I dunno, it takes a lot of fucking with us to make us mad.”

With a busy schedule to maintain, Gareth leaves after giving a brief insight into the mechanics of their song writing process for their latest album;

“We wrote it in 5 to 6 weeks and recorded it in four weeks. The more writing we do, the easier it is. Everyone was on the same page.”

It does show, as the album is consistent in its mirthful pungency and has a trickle of wistfulness and dare I say it; maturity running through it.

The time has arrived for B F S to do what they do best and the chants of their initials immediately prior to their entrance, gives them the adrenalin rush to pump out the high-jinxed swipe at small minded people, ‘My Hometown’. This sums up a B F S song, it is catchy, slightly angry, but delivered in a fun, free-spirited fashion making it is impossible not to sing along. It doesn’t take long for the frivolous banter to flow and the crowd laps up the joyous and slightly puerile spirit. There is a dynamic to the between song frolicking as well, not every night do they get the opportunity to stick a small doll inside the rectum of a blow up sheep.

The two songs mentioned at the foot of this article that represent the differing extremes of the Texan’s range, are left out tonight, as the guys plump for consistency. This is attained via the fat-bass led, lucky in rejection sojourn of latest album wonder ‘Luckiest Loser’ and the anthemic last single of ‘High School Never Ends’. This also helps the quartet to promote the new material, something that is difficult for a band to do when they have nine albums worth of irreverent and popular material to choose from. The crowd welcomes the new direction, but greets old favourite and most pure punk offering ‘1985’, with the most enthusiasm. The Grammy Award nominee of ‘Girl All The Bad Guys Want’, finishes a fresh main set. Illuminating the fact that Jaret Reddick’s catchy coo, has lost non of its falsetto fly and that B F S can certainly still cut the mustard live.