Bowling For Soup frontman ties communication to health
Communication has become a central theme in how Jaret Reddick manages his ongoing health challenges, the front man of the pop‑punk band Bowling for Soup told reporters.
From tour schedules to medical appointments
Reddick, who helped launch Bowling for Soup’s 2004 single “Almost,” says the song now feels like a reflection on people whose ambitions are repeatedly delayed by illness. “We all have these … big aspirations … but we lose our footing along the way,” he said, noting that the lyrics have deepened for him over time.
His own experience with ulcerative colitis has repeatedly interrupted his career. In a recent interview he recounted a flare that forced him off a game‑show set and kept him housebound for two months. “I was on tour … I had an ulcerative colitis flare‑up that was getting to be unmanageable,” he explained. “I had to do the unthinkable and pull out of that thing two days before I left … I didn’t leave the house for two months.”
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Purpose and routine keep him moving
Despite the setbacks, he emphasizes a sense of purpose as a coping tool. “You’ve got to figure this out … you have to be able to do things. You have to be able to go out to eat with your family … go to the movies,” he said. He added that canceling a show ripples through fans, crew and finances, which adds pressure to stay resilient.
Understanding his diagnosis helped him stay on top of treatment. “When I got ulcerative colitis … I could physically tell you all of these things about it. So it made sense to me,” he recalled, contrasting that clarity with his later struggle to recognize depression.
Depression arrived as an unexpected obstacle
The condition, he described, “was like being hit by a train,” leaving him with little desire or motivation beyond basic tasks.
He admitted that the lack of a clear label made it hard to explain his state to bandmates and family. “It’s a cycle, because the more you can’t figure yourself out … the more you can’t motivate yourself … the worse that it gets,” he said. Friends later told him they had assumed he was simply “moving on” when in fact he was battling an internal storm.
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Doctor‑patient collaboration broke the cycle
The turning point came when a physician listened and offered a trial‑and‑error approach to medication. “I had a doctor that would listen, and he was just like … ‘Let’s try this, let’s try that,’” Reddick recounted.
He also stressed the importance of therapy. “The one thing that I’ve really learned is communication. Fighting any of it on your own is just not productive … The minute you share it, it’s a weight off your shoulders,” he explained.
Clarity and honesty shape his daily routine
He admits that pushing through remains a challenge. “It’s very, very easy to get up and brush your teeth and turn right back around and get back in that bed,” he noted, acknowledging that the battle is ongoing.
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He continues to tour when health permits.
Small victories count more than lofty goals
Now he measures success by simple acts rather than grand aspirations. “My thing is always try and see the sun today. If you can drink a lot of water, breathe and give yourself grace, man,” he said. “If you got out of bed and did … one thing today, that’s more than really anybody should expect from that.”
His nonprofit, Punk Rock Saves Lives, and his appearance in the documentary Heavy Healing illustrate his belief that music can aid recovery, but he stresses that open dialogue about health is the real catalyst. “Almost” may never become fully realized, yet for Reddick, communication turns “almost” into a workable, if imperfect, reality.
