Sublime

Biography

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Sublime (1988-1996, 2009): a Punk band from Long Beach, California, USA.

ormed in 1988, American ska punk band Sublime started in Long Beach, California featuring the founding and only line-up of Bradley Nowell (vocals/guitar), Eric Wilson (bass) and Bud Gaugh (drums). The band mascot was "Louie" (Lou Dog), Nowell's dalmatian, an abused dalmatian puppy he adopted from a shelter and named after his grandfather.

Sublime played its first show on the Fourth of July, 1988 in a small club. At the time, many music venues were skeptical of the band's eclectic musical style and refused to book them. In response, the band created their own music label, 'Skunk Records', and told venues that they were, "Skunk Records recording artists", in a successful effort to make the band seem more accomplished.

Sublime was one of the most popular bands of the "third wave of ska", specifically ska punk. The act would commonly combine punk rock and hardcore punk rock with hip hop, heavy metal, dancehall, reggae, ska, funk, and surf music often having them described as reggae rock.

Over their career, Sublime recorded three albums in the form of 40oz. to Freedom (1992), Robbin' the Hood (1994) and Sublime (1996), the two EPs Badfish (1995), What I Got (1997) and the posthumously released live sets Stand by Your Van (1998) and 3 Ring Circus - Live at The Palace (2013) along with numerous compilations, mostly released after the band's split. The split would occur in 1996 when Nowell died of a heroin overdose.

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Sadly, the act remained under the popular radar for their entire existence, only receiving notoriety starting with their final album released after their break-up. The notoriety would retroactively increase the popularity of all their albums.

In 1997, posthumous songs What I Got, Santeria, Wrong Way, Doin' Time and April 26, 1992 (Miami) were released to US radio.

The band's surviving members attempted to reform in 2009 with Rome Ramirez, a young guitarist and Sublime fan from California. But soon after reforming and their performance at Cypress Hill's Smokeout Festival, a Los Angeles judge banned the new incarnation from using the "Sublime" name citing the group had failed to obtain permission from Nowell's estate, which owned the rights to the name. The new lineup changed their name to Sublime with Rome. The new group has since released three albums; Bud Gaugh would leave in 2011 after the debut.

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