The Witzard

Bowling for Soup "Hey Mario" music video still (SOURCE: YouTube) "We are so sad to announce that Chris Burney, founding member of Bowling for Soup, will be leaving the band and will be joining long-time friends Simple Plan as touring bass player. "I really like Canadians, I always have, and bass has less strings... I'm not getting any younger, so I am excited to have an easier job," Chris Burney. "We will miss him so much. We almost made it to 30 years. I certainly wish he and the Simple Plan guys well," Jaret Reddick. It is unclear whether we will replace Chris or carry on as a three-piece. Thank for you understanding," Bowling for Soup (B.F.S.) posted across their social media pages over the weekend. Thankfully, it ended up being... an April Fools' Day prank! B.F.S.' next major band update was a bit more optimistic and plentiful, reading: Surprise! Releases TOMORROW! We put a bunch of the covers we've done in the last few year...

The Witzard and Don't Panic have a long strange relationship together. Well, maybe, not exactly "strange," but it's definitely one of my personal favorites I've forged over these past 10 years running this very site. It was quite a few years ago, maybe, about 2009 or so, on a complete whim, I saw Don't Panic at local now-defunct Vineland, New Jersey venue Hangar 84. I believe, Don't Panic were opening up for The Ataris and I vaguely recall talking to one of the members' (maybe, drummer Anthony Paesano) parents about it being his first show with the band. Their set was phenomenal and I ended up buying a CD copy of Don't Panic's then-new EP, My Fairweather Friend . One track in particular, "Caroline," quickly became a staple on CD-R mixtapes I was actively making for my then-girlfriend/now-wife. However, it appears as though by 2011-12, Don't Panic had broken up or, at least, gone on an indefinite hiatus. So, you could imagine...