So, I know my last post was in memory of a great musician,
but you know what, this one is going to be too.
Happy Birthday
Bradley Nowell
(February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996)
A music legend, music mastermind, who was the lead singer and guitarist for one of the greatest bands of all time, Sublime. His love for reggae came into play the summer of 1979, when he and his father took a sailing trip through the Virgin Islands. Although he had a little bit of trouble trying to get the other 6th graders to seem to want to enjoy his new found love.
Random facts about Bradley Nowell and/or Sublime
- Nowell grew up in Long Beach, California with his parents and sister.
- His dad played the guitar. Mother played the piano and flute. Both helped teach Bradley how to play the guitar.
- His love for reggae came into play the summer of 1979, when he and his father took a sailing trip through the Virgin Islands.
- The bassist, Eric Wilson, was in Bradley's first band, Hogan Heroes
- Sublime became popular in SoCal by being known for their rowdy behavior at gigs. Things would get so out of control, the cops would be called and they'd be forced to leave. Keep in mind these were small gigs such as house parties, barbecues, etc.
- So it'd be easier for Sublime to get gigs, Nowell and Wilson created their own music label known as Skunk Records. They told venues they were "Skunk Records recording artists" which made them seem more legit.
- The band recorded Jah won't pay the bills by trespassing on a school a friend of theirs attended after hours.
- 40ozs to Freedom was recorded pretty much the same way. Sneaking into the studios at California State University between 9:30pm-5am.
- Bradley used to sell cassettes from the trunk of his car after shows. In 1992 over 60,000 copies of 40ozs to Freedom were sold this way.
- Sublime and Gwen Stefani recorded the song "Saw Red" together.
- Bradley died of a heroin overdose 7 days after he married Troy Dendekker.
- A few weeks after Nowell's death, No Doubt headlined a "cautionary" benefit concert in tribute to Nowell. Nowell's widow and the various bands who performed wanted to make it clear that they were not glamorizing the way that Nowell died, but that they wanted to celebrate his life as well as establish a college fund for his son, Jakob.
"Obviously, it's going to be very emotional because you're there playing a show to commemorate a good friend who died and died for very wrong reasons. But you're also there to change things for the future and prevent stuff like that from ever happening again. A lot of times we hear about musicians using drugs and it's so blasé and cliched. You just kind of say, 'Oh, he'll be fine. Somebody will take care of him.' But that's not true. It's important for every single one of us to stand up and say, 'Enough of this shit.' It's time to make a difference"-Tony Kanal (No Doubt bassist)
- Nowell adopted an abused dalmatian puppy from a shelter and named him "Louie" after his grandfather.
- Lou Dog became somewhat of a mascot for Sublime.
My all time favorite tribute to Sublime. Jack Johnson doing a cover of "Badfish"
"When you grab a hold of me
Tell me that I'll never be set free"
Tell me that I'll never be set free"
"She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls,
I knew right away she was not like other girls."
I knew right away she was not like other girls."
