About ten years ago, in Wichita Fall, Texas, 2 young lads came together to amuse and entertain coffee shop crowds with the hair metal cover songs, and verbal abuse of each other. Those 2 lads would later become Bowling For Soup. Their catchy, quirky pop punk songs quickly caught on in their home state. After releasing 2 EPs on independent labels, the band struck a chord with the majors, and out came the wolves. Jive Records - up until this point a hip-hop and R&B label - snatched up the band as their first Rock signing ever. 2 obnoxiously catchy songs later, and Bowling For Soup had become a household name. Smash Magazine caught up with Bowling For Soup, who just so happen to be playing Extreme Thing on March 27th at the Desert Breeze Skate Park in Las Vegas, Nevada. BFS frontman Jaret Von Erich was unlucky enough to have answered the phone when Smash came a calling with their infamous Random Questions.

1. Bowling For Soup. Why not Jogging for Stew? Or Golfing for Goulash?
We are not really into chunky foods…We are more of a broth band.

2. Not that you’re from California or anything, but what are your thoughts on California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger?
He was great in Conan…That James Earle Jones was scary in that movie….That whole shooting snakes with a bow and arrow thing was crazy…His wife seems nice…She’s a Kennedy you know…I didn’t see kindergarten cop, but it is on my list…

3. We’ve all heard the motto “Don’t Mess with Texas?” Why exactly?
We are easily provoked as a state, but individually we are pretty nice…I think we are still bitter about the whole Alamo thing and the fact that Pee Wee’s bike was NEVER really there…What a scam…

4. Better Texas Band: Butthole Surfers, The Toadies, Tripping Daisy, At The Drive-In, or…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead?
I would say Tripping Daisy and the Toadies…Dallas ROCKS…You didn’t ask about Pantera.

5. You’ve been to Las Vegas before. How do you feel about Sin City?
It is my favorite place in the world…I was just there on vacation…I used to go 4 or 5 times a year, but I have to work now…2 times a year, unless the band is going…But that counts as a business trip…I love to gamble…My legs are totally tattood with the gambling theme…6 the HARD WAY!!!!

6. People who get band logos tattooed on their bodies: cool or creepy?
A bit creepy….Very flattering…

7. Michael Jackson: child molester or misunderstood genius?
Misunderstood child molester

8. What is your drink of choice?
Long Island Iced Tea, but they get me drunk FAST and I tend to start fights…Not fist fights…Fights of the mind…So I am drinking Vodka tonics these days…

9. Number one band, living or dead, you’d kill to tour with.
Would I get caught? Do I have to kill someone I like or dislike? OK, The Foo Fighters.

10. Tell me, who is THE girl that all the bad guys want?
Yo Mamma!!!

11. Tell me your Top Five Albums of all time.
Greenday Kerplunk, Killer Dwarfs Big Deal, Tesla The Great Radio Controversy, Diesel Boy Rode Hard And Put Away Wet, Elton John Greatest Hits

12. Top 5 Films of all time?
Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Dumb and Dumber, Smokey and the Bandit, Billy Madison

13. Top 5 books of all time?
Catcher and the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Dirt, Superfudge, Madonna SEX

14. Top 5 bands that should just give up.
limpbizkit…That’s it I guess…What a cheesy answer…You saw that coming huh!!!

15. If you ever literally took a class called Punk Rock 101, who would you want the teacher to be?
Tim Armstrong

16. And finally, what’s worse? “Random Questions” with Smash Magazine or “20 Questions” with Metal Sludge Magazine?
They were both pretty fun.