20 Years Later, Bowling For Soup Just Gave “A-Hole” Its Moment

Pop-punk hangovers don’t fade; they age like cheap whiskey and inside jokes you’ll never outgrow. Two decades after A Hangover You Don’t Deserve turned Bowling For Soup into pop-punk royalty, the Texas troublemakers are back with A Hangover You Definitely Deserve (Live), a full-throttle, beer-soaked celebration of the album that defined an era of immaturity, chaos, and hooks you still scream at 2 AM. The live record officially drops October 24 via the band’s own Brando/Que-So Records.

But before the album lands, fans are finally getting a taste of something they’ve been waiting on for over twenty years: a proper release of “A-Hole.” Jaret Reddick has long argued the track should’ve been a single back in 2005, and on the band’s anniversary tour, it proved exactly why. With a guest saxophone cameo from John James Ryan, the live version of “A-Hole” became a highlight of every set, a rowdy, cathartic middle finger wrapped in pure pop-punk energy.

Now, Bowling For Soup have given the song the spotlight it always deserved, releasing both a live single and music video that capture the band’s signature chaos. It’s crass, it’s catchy, and it’s the perfect reminder of why BFS has stayed relevant while half their peers grew up and got boring.

Recorded during their sold-out Manchester show earlier this year, the upcoming live album bottles up every ounce of what makes Bowling For Soup… well, Bowling For Soup. It’s not just the songs, it’s the jokes, the banter, the self-deprecating humor, and the feeling that somehow this band has been the life of the party for two decades straight. With “A-Hole” leading the charge, A Hangover You Definitely Deserve (Live) feels less like nostalgia and more like proof that some hangovers are worth celebrating.

'A Hangover You Don’t Deserve' became such a defining album for you back in 2004. When you revisited all 18 songs for the anniversary shows, which track surprised you the most—either in how it held up or how it hit differently after 20 years?

Oh wow. There are a few. “Ridiculous” is definitely one that I was super happy to finally be playing live! For me, the song “Next Ex-Girlfriend” was never one of my favorites. But once we started playing it every night,  I really fell in love with that song! Overall, I was really happy with how the entire album flowed, especially with it being 18 songs! Seeing people sing along to the deeper cuts was extremely cool! 

Bowling For Soup shows are famous for the banter as much as the music. Since the live album includes that side of the performance, was there a particular moment of onstage chaos or comedy from the Manchester show that fans will get to relive?

Haha!! We left everything intact! So the listener gets to experience a real BFS show! Musical mistakes and all. Quite honestly, I don’t ever remember the banter. IT is truly different every night and absolutely off the cuff. So listening back is a treat for me as well! The stuff Rob and Gary say while I am talking sometimes is the funniest part of the show, and I don’t even hear it!! You’ve said “A-Hole” always felt like it could have been a single. What was it about bringing John James Ryan and his sax into the performance that gave the song that extra spark for this release?

Oh man. We first did that with him in the US. Immediately after the show, we all knew that the song had finally blossomed. IT was such a cool moment! All of a sudden, it wasn’t just this pop-punk ballad…IT became a full-on power ballad!  So when the US tour ended and we decided to do the album in the UK, we needed to find a way to have him there for this song. But we couldn’t afford to have him there for just ONE SONG! So I figured out a social media job for him so he could do the tour! I am so glad I did! 

You’re currently touring with Simple Plan, 3OH!3, and LØLØ, with festivals and Wembley ahead. After decades of sharing the stage with so many pop-punk heavyweights, what keeps that tour energy fresh and fun for you?

The camaraderie is still the best part of touring. My band and crew are all REALLY close. I mean, we eat together every day, and on days off, we are together. It’s just what we do. But I also love the friendships that exist with the other bands, too. Simple Plan and BFS played together for the first time in 2002. And we have been great friends ever since. Absolutely love the 3OH!3  guys and LOLOs camp as well. WE are all hanging out at all times out here. 

The show is also just still so much fun for me. Adrenaline kicks in right away every time, and it’s just magical. 

BFS has fans who grew up on your music, now bringing their kids to shows, which is rare in pop-punk. What does it mean to you to see two generations singing back songs like “1985” and “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” at the same time?

You know, I feel like it has been that way for BFS for most of our career, the band that the family agrees on! I can’t tell you how often I have heard a dad or a mom tell me that we are how they connected with their teenager, or BFS is the band the family can agree on in the car. It is sincerely one of my favorite things to look out and see families enjoying our shows together. And they know…They know there will be some inappropriate humor…But I think that is just part of the fun!