Bowling For Soup frontman Jaret Reddick talks ahead of solo Birmingham show

He will perform at Wolverhampton’s Slade Rooms while on the road – a city which Jaret is no stranger to, having played many a gig at the city’s venues.

Jaret will perform his Heartache and Hilarity show at the Slade Rooms on September 18.

“We’ve always had fun playing the Midlands,” says Jaret, now aged 45.

“The first time we were going to Wolverhampton, I was like ‘what is this place?’ Just by the name, it sounds like it would be filled with metalheads and bikers.

“As it turned out, it was really nice – completely different to what I had in my head.

“We’ve never had a bad time there, ever.

“I’m very much looking forward to going back.”

Looking ahead to the show, Jaret says his set will see him perform the songs on an acoustic guitar – the way they were written before being turned into lively numbers to be played by the band.

“My solo show will definitely be a lot different to what most people may expect from seeing Bowling For Soup perform, given the band’s gigs are so high-energy,” adds Jaret.

“This is just me and a guitar, with the songs presented in a different way. There will still be a lot of fun involved and stories and jokes.

“But the crowd will be given some insight into some of the more emotional songs too. Some Bowling For Soup songs have a lot of depth, but because of how they are presented they don’t necessarily come across that way.

“Part of it will be a look into me as a person and a songwriter, but also the band as well.

“Of course, every night will be different.

“I’m hoping to bring some surprises along – and maybe even a guest or two. I’m excited to see where it goes.

“My favourite thing in the world is being with Bowling For Soup, with the big production, the lights and all that. But it’s also nice to be able to sit in front of a small crowd and deliver the songs the way they were written, as all were written on an acoustic guitar.

“It will be more intimate with the audience, as I’m able to put more emotion and laughter into it. The control you have in such an intimate setting can take you anywhere – you never really know where it’s going to go. It’s just a completely different experience.

“I really do care about all these songs, and want people for see a different side of them.”

On a sadder note, Jaret paid tribute to the late, great Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, who tragically took his own life on July 20 – and bravely spoke of issues he has struggled through himself. “I met Chester Bennington several times. He was a hell of nice a guy. I would have loved to have worked with him,” says Jaret.

Back in 2013, Bowling For Soup took a hiatus from touring the UK, and did a final set of shows – having played the country two or three times a year for many years in a row. When they returned, however, the band were criticised, as many outlets had publicised the shows as a farewell tour.

“A lot of the time there’s a bit of a language barrier – even though we speak the same language – and things can get lost in translation,” adds Jaret.

“We just needed a break. We were not breaking up. We just needed a rest for personal reasons; we’d burned out. But it was never a goodbye.

“We’d set the tone of coming to the UK two or three times a year, every year. We were also touring the US six to eight months of the year.

“It was hard. We just couldn’t figure out a way to slow down. We just had to break it off for a while and chill. To take some time to work out some personal stuff.”

In addition to making music and touring with the band, the father of three has also appeared in cartoon series Phineas and Ferb – which the singer describes as having been ‘a blast’ – and starred in a film called The Tin Man.

If you can’t get to see Jaret Reddick at The Slade Rooms, the star revealed Bowling For Soup is hoping to tour in the UK soon. Fingers crossed.

Jaret Reddick - Plays Slade Rooms on September 18