Bowling For Soup

Bowling For Soup

Bowling For Soup, also known as BFS or B4S, is a pop punk band from Wichita Falls, Texas, formed in 1994 from the remains of an earlier metal band. The group is based in Denton, Texas and has been active since 1994. Its members are Jaret Reddick, Chris Burney, Erik Chandler and Gary Wiseman.

Style and identity

The band plays pop punk and punk rock, and it is known for humorous lyrics, upbeat guitar riffs and Jaret Reddick’s distinctive vocal style. Reddick has described the band’s aim as making happy music.

Career and notable songs

Bowling For Soup is best known for the singles “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” and “1985”. “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” appears on Drunk Enough to Dance and is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo. “1985”, originally written by Mitch Allan of SR-71, appears on A Hangover You Don’t Deserve. The song “1985” also appears on the UK and Norwegian editions of SingStar Rocks for PS2.

The band also reaches a wider audience through Radio Disney edits of “1985”, “Punk Rock 101” and “High School Never Ends”, and through its version of “I Melt With You” in the Disney film Sky High. It also writes and records “Today is Gonna Be a Great Day”, the theme song for Phineas and Ferb.

Name and background

The band’s name comes from Steve Martin’s “Bowling for Sh*t” routine from his 1978 comedy album Wild and Crazy Guy, which itself refers to Bowling for Dollars. Reddick has also said the name began as a joke after a final performance with his previous band, when another member announced that the group would return the following week under the new name Bowling For Soup.