Somebody Finally Calls

Industry attention arrived in waves.

In 1997, Bowling for Soup drove to New York for showcases involving Lava/Atlantic and Republic Records.

They didn't get signed.

But they met attorney Mike McCoy, who would eventually become a longtime adviser and help when a real record deal arrived.

By the end of the decade, it was becoming obvious that something was happening. Dallas radio would occasionally play the band. Industry people started appearing at shows.

Bowling for Soup won a citywide contest to open for Blink-182 and Bush at Reunion Arena.

Then came an Atlanta music festival—a sort of SXSW for Georgia.

Jaret and FFROE faxed invitations for BFS's set to basically everyone connected to it.

Howie Abrams of Zomba Publishing literally overheard FFROE talking to an attorney about Bowling for Soup. He had received the fax but couldn't make their showcase. FFROE handed him music.

A week later, the phone rang.

Howie flew to Texas.

The band and FFROE picked him up at the airport in the band van.

Howie mentioned he was vegetarian.

Jaret looked at him and asked, essentially, how a fat guy manages to be vegetarian.

“A lot of pasta and bread,” Howie replied.

The relationship was off to a good start.

Howie came to see Bowling for Soup at Rick's Place in Denton.

Talks followed.

Eventually Bowling for Soup signed with Jive Records, then the home of Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

There was no giant movie-scene moment where somebody drove a dump truck full of cash to Denton.

Part of the advance paid for Let's Do It for Johnny!!.

Everything else went to pay off credit-card debt accumulated keeping Bowling for Soup on the road.

That was about it.

Signing to one of the biggest labels on Earth didn't suddenly make Bowling for Soup one of the biggest bands on the planet.

It made them one of the smallest acts on Jive.

So they kept working.