Getting Stolen by Bowling For Soup

Patent Pending began playing shows with Bowling For Soup around 2009.

The two bands became friends quickly. On many nights, Bowling For Soup would effectively steal Rob from the Patent Pending van and bring him onto their bus for the drive to the next city.

It was not networking. There was no long-term career strategy behind it. They simply enjoyed being around one another.

Rob stayed close with Jaret Reddick, Gary Wiseman, Chris Burney, and the rest of the Bowling For Soup family between tours.

In 2017, Gary and his wife were expecting their second child, and the timing overlapped with Bowling For Soup’s dates on the Vans Warped Tour. Gary suggested that Rob fill in for him on drums.

The band could have called any drummer they wanted. Gary recommended the guy they already knew could play the songs, handle the travel, and live peacefully with everyone on the road.

Rob had an incredible time, assumed the job was finished, and returned home.

Then Jaret called again.

Bowling For Soup needed someone to play bass and sing during the 2018 Vans Warped Tour. Rob agreed, and afterward more BFS dates quietly began appearing on his calendar.

There was no grand announcement. No carefully planned audition process. Rob was basically in Bowling For Soup before anyone stopped to officially acknowledge it.

By then, he needed the band more than they knew.

Rob had been seriously considering giving up his attempt to make music a full-time career. Years of touring had begun to strip away the magic that made him start a band in the first place. He wanted to walk away before the good memories became buried beneath exhaustion and disappointment.

Filling in with Bowling For Soup changed that.