Southern California’s reggae-punk pioneers Sublime are celebrating the 50th birthday of their dear friend Bradley Nowell with a special animated video of “Boss D.J.,” the acoustic fan favorite off of the Sublime Acoustic: Bradley Nowell & Friends album. The band commissioned renowned animator and artist Andrew William Ralph to create and direct a “looped” animation video that will debut on their official website on what would have been Nowell’s 50thbirthday, February 22. In addition to the new video, Sublime will launch a birthday fan-wall on their official website and will have a space where fans can write birthday notes and post memories using the hashtag #BradleyNowell50th as well as exclusive merchandise sold through Sublime’s webstore. For more information please visit www.sublimelbc.com.
Furthermore, the classic 1996 self-titled album Sublime is being released as a limited edition double LP on color vinyl this week exclusively from The Sound of Vinyl beginning Thursday February 22. Presented on 180-gram vinyl and limited to 500 copies worldwide, the one-of-a-kind pressing features LP1 on opaque yellow and LP2 on opaque blue. Members of the The Sound of Vinyl Text Message service will receive early access to purchase the limited edition Sublime color vinyl album, one day before it is available for purchase on The Sound of Vinyl website. For more information please visit: https://thesoundofvinyl.us/access/sov-signup-sublime-sublime.html?utm_source=pr
“What would Brad’s life have been like at 50?” father Jim Nowell asked. “I see him with many children as he was gonzo about his son Jake and I’m positive he would still be touring with Sublime as he often said his greatest joy in life was to have people listen to his music. Thanks to all his fans who have kept his music alive!”
“I can’t believe we’re remembering Bradley on his 50th Birthday instead of celebrating it with him,” says his widow Troy Holmes. “The gift that Bradley has left us all with is his music. So play it loud all day on his birthday and it will be celebrated, with him.”
“No one could’ve told us that by the time we were 50 we would still be played on the radio every day and America’s number one band! Cheers and Happy Birthday my friend! Miss you brother,” added Bud Gaugh.
To continue the 50th birthday celebration, AleSmith Brewing Co. will be producing another run of the special edition 40oz bottles of Sublime Mexican lager that sold out immediately on release last summer with a special bottle-neck hanger tag artwork to commemorate the day. The brewery will be hosting a special event in their tasting room featuring a special Bradley altar where fans can leave notes, trinkets and remember Nowell on his birthday. Sublime music and videos will be played throughout the day and special beer cocktails featuring the Sublime Mexican Lager will be available.
2018 is shaping up to be an active year for Sublime. This summer they will celebrate their 30th Anniversary and are in production on the full-length documentary written and directed by two-time Academy Award-winning writer/director Bill Guttentag (You Don’t Have to Die, Twin Towers). Sublime, who celebrated the 25th anniversary of their seminal album 40oz. to Freedom, decided it was the right time to tell the real story behind the music, the band and the lore.
About Sublime
Sublime, the Long Beach, CA, reggae-punk/alternative rock trio, was founded in 1988 by Eric Wilson, Bud Gaugh and Bradley Nowell. Their first self-produced album, 40oz. to Freedom, was released in1992 via the band’s label Skunk Records. The success of that album and heavy radio exposure by Southern California’s KROQ (two years after its initial release) secured Sublime signing to MCA Records in time for the band’s 1994 sophomore album, Robbin’ the Hood, which revealed an experimental ethic more in keeping with cut-and-paste dub than the well-tuned rage of the Cali punk revival. The album performed well at college radio and set the stage for the breakout success of their self-titled third album. On May 25, 1996, however, lead vocalist and guitarist Nowell tragically passed away and the band collapsed, but the eponymous SUBLIME was still slated for a July1996 release. On the strength of the chart-topping alternative radio hit “What I Got,” the album was certified gold by the end of 1996. “Santeria” and “Wrong Way” followed and enjoyed heavy airplay, and their self-titled album eventually sold more than seven million copies, making it one of the most popular reggae-punk albums in history. Such success spread to the band’s earlier albums too, leading 40oz.to Freedom to double-platinum sales and Robbin’ the Hoodto gold certification. Sublime has gone on to sell 17 million records in the US, and their genre-defining music and their cultural influence is stronger today than ever before.
