Sublime: 10 Defining Moments From the Band’s History

Sublime, the Long Beach, California trio known for their blend of punk, reggae, ska, and hip-hop, is preparing for the release of their first new studio album in 30 years, Until the Sun Explodes, in June. The album features Jakob Nowell, the son of the band’s late singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell. Fans will also have the opportunity to experience Sublime’s music at sea with the Reef Madness cruise, setting sail from Miami to the Bahamas in November.

The band, comprised of Bradley Nowell, bassist Eric Wilson, and drummer Bud Gaugh, achieved widespread popularity in the 1990s, selling over 17 million albums despite their original run lasting only eight years before Nowell’s death in 1996. The Reef Madness cruise promises four nights of music, including two Sublime sets and performances by artists such as Yelawolf, G. Love, and the Long Beach Dub Allstars.

10. The George Gershwin estate signs off on “Doin’ Time,” with conditions

Sublime’s 1996 self-titled album included the song “Doin’ Time,” which sampled Herbie Mann’s arrangement of “Summertime” from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Bradley Nowell altered the lyrics, singing “Doin’ time and the living’s easy” instead of the original “Summertime and the living’s easy.” The Gershwin estate approved the sample’s use, but stipulated that the original lyric be sung on the track. Following Nowell’s death shortly after recording, Sublime’s manager, Michael “Miguel” Happoldt, sang the word “summertime” on the album version of the song. A 10th-anniversary deluxe edition of Sublime released in 2006 included an earlier mix featuring Nowell singing the intended chorus.

9. A childhood vacation makes Bradley Nowell a reggae fanatic

Bradley Nowell’s musical upbringing included a father who played guitar and a mother who played piano. However, a 1979 family vacation to the Virgin Islands proved pivotal in shaping his musical tastes. The trip exposed the 11-year-old Nowell to reggae music, which became a significant influence on Sublime’s sound, as revealed in a VH1 Behind the Music episode about the band.

8. Eric Wilson takes a rare lead vocal on “Live at E’s”

Bassist Eric Wilson is the only member who has consistently participated in every iteration of Sublime since its formation in 1988. However, his vocals are rarely featured prominently in the band’s catalog, with the exception of “Live at E’s.” The track appeared on the band’s 1991 demo tape, Jah Won’t Pay the Bills, and later on their debut album, 1992’s 40oz. To Freedom. The song features collaboration with Marshall “Ras MG” Goodman, who traded rhymes with Nowell before Wilson briefly rapped a few bars expressing his discomfort with the freestyle session: “My name is Eric, I have nothing to say/ ‘Cause I am not a fucking DJ.”

7. Opie Ortiz defines Sublime’s visual aesthetic

Long Beach tattoo artist and muralist Opie Ortiz played a key role in shaping Sublime’s visual identity. His artwork graced the covers of the band’s two most popular albums, 40oz. To Freedom and the self-titled Sublime. The burning sun on the cover of 40oz. To Freedom exemplifies Ortiz’s style, drawing inspiration from graffiti, pop art, and Aztec mythology. He also tattooed the band’s name on Bradley Nowell’s back in 1995, an image that adorned the cover of the 1996 album. Ortiz also contributed drums to the band’s 1994 album, Robbin’ the Hood, and later played with Wilson and Gaugh in the Long Beach Dub All Stars. Passengers on the Reef Madness cruise will have the opportunity to receive a tattoo from Ortiz.

6. Sublime’s first gig

Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson had been friends since childhood, playing together in a punk band called The Juice Bros. As teenagers. They formed Sublime after meeting Bradley Nowell in the late 1980s, with Nowell’s influence leading them to incorporate reggae and ska into their sound. Sublime played their first show on July 4th, 1988, in their hometown of Long Beach.

5. 40oz. To Freedom becomes a sleeper hit

40oz. To Freedom, released by Sublime’s indie label Skunk Records in June 1992, initially did not chart. However, the album gained popularity through word-of-mouth, continuing to sell even after the release of Robbin’ the Hood in 1994. The track “Date Rape” became highly requested on California alternative station KROQ, leading to a music video in March 1995 and increased radio airplay. “Badfish” and a cover of The Toyes’ “Smoke Two Joints” also became radio staples, and today 40oz. To Freedom is certified double platinum.

4. Sublime’s musical heroes make cameos in the “Wrong Way” video

Sublime paid tribute to their musical influences on 40 oz. To Freedom, particularly bands from Southern California like The Minutemen and Fishbone. The album sampled songs from The Minutemen’s 1984 album Double Nickels on the Dime and interpolated Fishbone’s “Party at Ground Zero.” Years later, Minutemen bassist Mike Watt and Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore appeared in the 1997 music video for Sublime’s hit “Wrong Way.” Both Watt and Fishbone later covered Sublime tracks for the 2025 compilation album Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute To Sublime.

3. Sublime returns as a family affair

Bradley Nowell and Troy Dendekker had one son, Jakob, in June 1995. Jakob Nowell grew up loving Sublime’s music and eventually learned to sing and play guitar. He first performed with Gaugh and Wilson at a benefit show for H.R. Of Bad Brains in 2023 and officially joined the band, performing at Coachella in 2024. Sublime’s first single with Jakob on lead vocals, “Ensenada,” reached number one on alternative radio.

2. Bradley Nowell and Gwen Stefani duet

Sublime and No Doubt, both rising to prominence during the mid-1990s ska punk wave, had crossed paths prior to their mainstream success. Gwen Stefani, frontwoman of No Doubt, guested on Sublime’s 1994 song “Saw Red,” and the two artists collaborated again on No Doubt’s “Total Hate ’95” from their self-released album, The Beacon Street Collection. Following Nowell’s death in 1996, Stefani remarked to the Los Angeles Times, “His voice is like candy to your ears.”

1. The bittersweet triumph of Sublime’s self-titled album 

Sublime was gaining momentum with the success of “Date Rape” when Bradley Nowell passed away in May 1996. The band’s self-titled album, released two months later in July, became an instant hit, with “What I Got,” “Santeria,” and “Wrong Way” all reaching the top 3 on alternative radio charts. SPIN named Sublime the eighth best album of 1996, and it eventually achieved five-times platinum certification, solidifying Nowell’s musical legacy. The Reef Madness cruise will feature a performance of the entire Sublime album to commemorate its 30th anniversary.