During a rare day off from the studio, Jaret Von Erich (Vocals/Guitar) from Bowling For Soup, speaks to Room Thirteen about their upcoming performance at Download 2005.
Room Thirteen: Bowling For Soup originally started off in a coffee shop some 11 years ago. Did you ever think you would come as far as you have?
Jaret Von Erich: No as it wasn't even something we set out to do. It basically started because we didn't have anything else going on in our lives. Rather than get into trouble on a Friday and Saturday night we would get together, have a few beers and play a few songs. We started playing shows about a month after we formed and it just sort of snowballed from there. It got dizzier and dizzier and people even started to pay attention to us at one point and so 11 years on, here we are. We always said as soon as it stops being fun we just won't do it anymore.
R13: With one hit wonders coming and going all the time, what do you think has allowed you to jell and keep going for this length of time?
JVE: Mostly I think it's because we are absolutely best friends. We don't really fight and I think that gives us that persistence factor. Everyone in the band has worked really hard, we've made some good albums and I think people just appreciate that. We are perfectly happy being the comic relief of the rock and roll world; we don't take it too seriously as know we are here to make people smile. Also if we get along and keep this thing going we don't have to go out and get real jobs!
R13: A few years ago you were nominated for a Grammy and have been quoted as saying that it opened a lot of doors for you. Do you think things would have been different if you had actually won it?
JVE: I know we would have given us a lot of press and probably allowed us to work with people whom would haven't had the chance to work with yet but I don't think it would have changed us as people.
R13: Are you at all bothered that you didn't actually win it?
JVE: Absolutely not as we never even expected to be nominated for it and were blown away by the fact that we did. We honestly thought it was a mean joke someone was playing on us!
R13: You seem to give off the impression that you are good time happy rockers who enjoy nothing more than chicks and beer. Is there a serious side to Bowling For Soup that fans are unaware of?
JVE: You can't help being serious about certain aspects because it's a business and we all have to try and make a living. The recording industry is in shambles at the moment and we're even having trouble getting our songs released. Before Sony BMG, when we were on a small label in the UK, we were releasing singles in the UK before the US. Now it's totally different, we're on our third single in the US and we cant even get our record company to return our calls!
R13: Are these the sort of things that you that you hide from your fans because it doesn't fit your happy go lucky image?
JVE: It's not that we try to hide it's more of the fact we try not to dwell on it. You read something on the website or you come to a show... the last thing you want to hear about is my problems; we're there to help you to forget about yours. We are normal people and have bad days too but at the same time you have to leave that behind and do what we love the most, which is to make people smile. That's why we get out of bed each morning!
R13: You have done a lot of movies over the years. Do you find it helps reach audiences that wouldn't necessarily listen to your music?
JVE: It definitely puts us out there and gives us another outlet to help make people aware of us. Most of the people who would go and see our latest movie "The Cursed", probably wouldn't even know who we are. That one especially gets us in front of people who wouldn't necessarily listen to our music.
R13: Are there be any movies that you would have liked to have been a part of?
JVE: I'm a movie freak and yeah there would be loads that I would have liked to have done. I wish I could have been in "Drop Dead Fred" as Rik Mayall is my favourite actor of all time.
R13: I've noticed you contribute a lot to the website. Is this something you feel is important to your fans?
JVE: Absolutely! I write everything, compile it all and send it off to the website people then I have to wait impatiently for them to put it up because they will be doing other things as well. I've learned now not to go too fast and overwhelm them. I think that the really cool thing about myspace.com and other sites like that is that it gives us the chance as a band to keep up with our fans. The web is a great tool and really gives us the chance to say hey!
R13: There is a whole section devoted to your random thoughts. "I wonder why no stick figures are overweight?" and "You know, no one is born a menace to society. That shit takes work" as just a small example. When do you think up this stuff?
JVE: I wouldn't consider myself a deep person I'm basically just a 10 year old kid who can drink but I just sort of think of that stuff sometimes. Someone once told me I should just start writing this stuff down so I did. I think I'm probably going to put it into book form sometime too.
R13: Do you try to incorporate them in your songs?
JVE: It's definitely a big part of the thing I try to do.
R13: Do you write a lot for the band?
JVE: Up until the last album I did all the writing for the band. With the latest album I actually worked with a few other writers but it was a great learning experience for me.
R13: So to focus on your up and coming shows, Download is a big festival here in Britain, being the highlight of most people's season. How do you think festival goers will react to a self confessed "punk pop" band in the middle of a so called metal festival?
JVE: I think there will definitely be some haters in the audience, there will always are, but I think it will a light hearted change to what they are used to. The UK is a country where music is part of your culture and a part of your daily lives. People save up their money all year to go to these events and we think that is the coolest thing in the world, so we are going to try to get out there and rock, try not to disrespect anyone and just be happy that we are opening for Black Sabbath!
R13: Is Download a festival you wanted to do in particular?
JVE: Yeah because back in the day when it was called Castle Donington, it was this mystic stage for us that we never ever imagined that we would be doing. So yeah we're pretty excited about it!
R13: So what can festival goers expect if they come to watch your show?
JVE: Obviously we're not going to be up there for a very long time but expect it to be fun and energetic. We're going to try to play the songs that everyone knows, brighten up the day and allow them to have a breath of fresh air before the full on rock starts!
R13: When thinking of your set list, do you find that there are any songs that go down particularly well with British crowds in comparison to that of the US?
JVE: 'Punk Rock 101' and 'The Bitch Song' were probably bigger hits in the UK than the US. In the reverse our big song in the US was '1985' whereas it didn't do so well in the UK. To be honest we don't try to pre-plan anything. Even if we're playing for an hour and a half we don't know what songs we're going to do. We just walk on stage and see what happens!
R13: You have been touring the US a lot recently but will you be staying for the whole weekend?
JVE: I'm planning on stopping for at least an extra day because one of the bands I manage called DV8 are the first band on the main stage the next day. We also have a week off after the trip so I'm going to try to come home and spend some family time before we head out on our US tour this summer.
R13: So for all those fans who will be going to Donington to see you play, do you have a special message for them?
JVE: Bring your rock and roll hands and prepare to rock!
Bowling For Soup will be playing Saturday 12th June on Download's main stage. For more information regarding the amazing Download line up please click
here